Two people at a cafe table, one holding a cigarette. Blurred foreground and background create a candid atmosphere.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

When talking brings you relief, brain syncing may be at work

Something curious happens in two people’s brains during supportive interactions. It could help explain their emotional power

by Yarden Avnor & Simone Shamay-Tsoory

Photo of a person carrying a child with blue star shorts on their back, walking on a path lined with green plants.
CAREGIVING

A sister who wasn’t ours

We were her foster family for two and a half years. We had no claim to her, but she became part of us

by Kelsey Day

Four people swimming in a lake surrounded by foggy hills under a cloudy sky.
BODY-BASED THERAPY

How to reap the emotional benefits of cold water

There’s growing evidence that cold-water immersion can support mental health. Follow these steps to take the plunge

by Jenny Favell

Ideas

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A group of people outdoors looking serious, with one woman wiping her eyes in the centre. Trees and buildings in background.
EMOTIONS

The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry

by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman

A child looking out a window, hand pressed against the glass, supported by an adult holding their back, in a warmly lit room with partially-closed curtains.
OCD

Fears about being a dangerous or immoral person can fuel OCD

by Richard Moulding & Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong

Marble sculpture of a dynamic struggle between two naked figures on a dark background, showcasing intricate details and movement.
GENDER

Plato’s challenge to the meaning of manliness still resonates

by Yancy Hughes Dominick

Guides

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Photo of a waiting room with focus on a black hat. A woman reads papers and another looks at her phone in the background.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

How to strike up a friendly conversation

It can be awkward at first, but there are specific methods you can use to spark an enjoyable chat with just about anyone

by Michael Yeomans

Photo of a cupcake with white icing and orange sprinkles in a yellow wrapper against a bright yellow background.
EATING DISORDERS

How to enjoy food without feeling guilty about it

Through mindful eating and a shift in mindset, you can alleviate unwarranted negative feelings and embrace the joy of food

by Vivienne Lewis

Life stories

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Two people walking through a park with trees casting shadows. A bench is visible.
ADDICTION

The last blackout

Getting sober meant facing myself without the fog, and finding new ways to be gentle inside

by Michael Thomas Kincella

Editor’s picks

Black and white photo of a man and woman sitting at a café table in conversation, looking thoughtfully to the side.
FILM

How to find great films to watch

Bored with Hollywood and Netflix? Becoming an adventurous and informed explorer of the cinema world is in everyone’s grasp

by Geoff Andrew

Person sitting cross-legged on the floor with instructions book to assemble flat-pack furniture with a cat getting in the way.
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE

When a tricky task makes your brain hurt, here’s what to do

Although thinking hard is a daily experience, psychologists are only just beginning to understand how aversive it can be

by Todd Vogel

Latest videos

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Illustration of an elderly person in a chair holding a baby touching the child’s finger.
CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

Humans are uniquely reliant on caregivers. This isn’t a weakness, but a wondrous gift

Video by Aeon

Abstract drawing of a face with vibrant colours, featuring red cheeks and a patterned necklace on an orange background.
Psyche Exclusive
PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

Born of memory and mystery – the otherworldly works of a self-taught, unhoused artist

Illustration of two stylised people running on a boardwalk near the sea with telegraph poles and wires in the background.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals

Black and white photo of an elderly man with glasses and a moustache wearing a suit, sitting in a patterned chair.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84

A woman and a man converse while seated on chairs in a room with plants. A decorative table with glasses is between them.
EMERGING THERAPIES

The critic inside your head has something important to tell you. Here’s how to listen

Notes to self

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A man with a beard sitting on a sofa with two young children, one resting on his head, in a room with bookshelves.
CAREGIVING

Caregivers have more youthful brains

by Christian Jarrett

Popular

Black and white photo of an elderly man with glasses and a moustache wearing a suit, sitting in a patterned chair.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

‘Man cannot stand a meaningless life’ – a conversation with Carl Jung at 84

Video by Face to Face

An elderly man smiling broadly with sunglasses on, reclining on a floral lounge chair beside an elderly woman outdoors.
LOVE

Does it matter if your romantic partner is similar to you?

From traits like extraversion to specific habits, there are many ways a couple can match. New research tests whether it helps

by Phuong Linh L Nguyen & Moin Syed

Monks in colourful robes and hats, forming a circle during an outdoor festival with flags and onlookers in Tibet.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION

Complexity science can deepen your mindfulness practice

What if ‘stress reduction’ is the least interesting thing mindfulness does? Complexity science offers new ways forward

by Pavel Chvykov

Painting of a dimly lit café with blurred figures inside, creating a warm atmospheric scene; some figures are seated at tables, others standing and moving around the space.
EMOTION REGULATION

Uncertainty is stressful, but here’s why we need to feel it

As much as people struggle with not knowing, we live in an uncertain world – and there are advantages to embracing that

by Jessica Alquist

Illustration of person climbing through a window which takes the place of one square in a giant period table, through the window is a city scene.
HOME

Lab at the edge of the world

When my daughter was bullied, I decided to homeschool her. A chain reaction ensued

by Lea Page

A child looking out a window, hand pressed against the glass, supported by an adult holding their back, in a warmly lit room with partially-closed curtains.
OCD

Fears about being a dangerous or immoral person can fuel OCD

Intrusive thoughts about doing bad things are common, but for people with OCD they provoke deep fears about the self

by Richard Moulding & Kelvin (Shiu Fung) Wong

A group of people outdoors looking serious, with one woman wiping her eyes in the centre. Trees and buildings in background.
EMOTIONS

The hidden calculations that determine whether you will cry

We think of tears as an overflow of emotion, but an evolutionary lens shows they’re a rational form of social signalling

by Daniel Sznycer & Debra Lieberman

Marble sculpture of a dynamic struggle between two naked figures on a dark background, showcasing intricate details and movement.
GENDER

Plato’s challenge to the meaning of manliness still resonates

Even in ancient Greece, Plato questioned whether gender norms around masculinity were good for men’s individual freedom

by Yancy Hughes Dominick

Explore: Sleep and dreams

Black-and-white photo of lava running down a rocky landscape towards three blossoming white trees under a cloudy sky.
SLEEP AND DREAMS

From landscape to dreamscape, using the medium of Hawaiian lava

Directed by Kurtis Hough

A person with a head covering climbs a rope ladder surrounded by bees in a mountainous area with smoke in the background.
VALUES AND BELIEFS

A sacred dream sends one man on the perilous trail of toxic honey in Nepal

Directed by Ben Knight

VISIONS AND MYSTICISM

When there was too much of nothing, Coyote howled the Universe into being

Directed by Tenzin Phuntsog

Photo collage of a surreal bedroom scene from the perspective of a person in bed, featuring floating books, striped bedsheets, wall art, a window, and a bedside lamp.
ALTERED STATES

A surreal ode to the wee hours when daily anxieties meet sleepless dreams

Directed by Christine Hooper

Abstract image of a silhouette against blue light with blurred text in the background, digital art.
SLEEP AND DREAMS

What dream characters reveal about the astonishing dreaming brain

by Antonio Zadra

Photo of hands handling betting tokens, coins and paper slips on a brick surface with grass in background.
SPORTS AND GAMES

For players of fafi, dream interpretation is a vital skill

by Brittany Birberick