Self-knowledge and personal growth

Self-knowledge and personal growth Relationships, work and leisure Values and ethical living

Blurry photo of a supermarket interior with people shopping, bright lighting and shelves filled with products.

Mind and brain

idea

Having epileptic seizures gave me newfound respect for the brain

Seizures are often described as both terrifying and enthralling. Mine gave me a wondrous new take on consciousness and agency

by Webb Wright

A cocktail in a coupe glass with an orange twist on a wooden table in front of a dark, tufted lounge seating

Addiction

idea

My great-grandfather poisoned drinkers during Prohibition

In a grim irony, his descendants – my grandmother and mother – struggled with drink. Here’s what I’d tell him about addiction

by Rebecca Lester

Photo of two smiling people in waterproof jackets on a rainy beach, grey skies in the background.

Compassion and empathy

guide

How to make someone feel seen and heard

Validation skills are not only useful for therapists. Learn them and you’ll improve your personal and work relationships

by Caroline Fleck

Paper collage of a man and a woman lying on the floor petting a grey rabbit and a white cat with a small table in the background.

Mind and brain

film

After a life-altering diagnosis, Case crafts a loving message to his future self

A film by Case Jernigan

Black and white photo of people embracing and saying goodbye at a train station.

Love

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It’s possible to become wiser in who you entrust with your love

Love is not merely irrational – there’s a sense in which it’s also based on reason, which means we can get better at it

by Joel Van Fossen

People at night in front of St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow with a woman waving a large Russian flag in the foreground.

Conflict and conflict resolution

idea

Does national humiliation explain why wars break out?

For a nation, humiliation isn’t just a feeling – it’s a story. Understanding this can help countries move beyond aggression

by Raamy Majeed

Ancient mosaic depicting a lounging skeleton with Greek text, an amphora, a loaf of bread and a platter on a dark background.

Death and dying

guide

Reflections on mortality can help you live well now – here’s how

For me and many others, contemplating death has clarified what matters. These curiosity-based exercises will get you started

by Joanna Ebenstein

Woman in a white dress standing in front of a geometric quilt in a garden setting with trees in the background.

Traditional arts

film

Beauty is woven into everyday life for the quilters of the American West

A film by Carly Jakins and Jared Jakins

The Sydney city skyline featuring the Opera House under a dramatic dark stormy sky with a sailboat on the water in the foreground.

Difficult emotions

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How to understand and cope with mood swings

Sudden mood changes can be unsettling, but getting to know them will help you regain balance and, if needed, find support

by Zindel Segal & Norman Farb

Painting of two weasels playing among trees in a vibrantly coloured landscape.

Communication and language

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For this unsung philosopher, metaphors make life an adventure

Susanne K Langer understood the indispensable power of metaphors, which allow us to say new things with old words

by Sue Curry Jansen & Jeff Pooley

An aeroplane seen in silhouette, flying against a dramatic sunset sky with clouds.

Love

guide

How to make a long-distance relationship work

Whether an hour or an ocean apart, there will be challenges, but this therapist shows how to make the most of the upsides

by Charlie Huntington

Sculpture of a human-like figure made of teal wool reaching towards a wooden chair on a light background.

Change and self-development

film

A wool puppet’s stirring journey from safety into the great unknown

A film by Kobi Vogman