What to do when someone goes on the defensive
Our natural impulses often make matters worse. Here’s an approach that works, grounded in conflict resolution and psychology
by Adar Cohen & Nick Wignall
Guides
Practical advice on managing your mental and physical health and living well
In depth
How to plan a pilgrimage
Whether religious or not, you can undertake a special, meaningful kind of journey that could leave you changed forever
by Oliver Smith
How to handle a mismatch in sexual desire
A difference in sexual appetite is a common source of tension for couples. Don’t ignore it – turn toward it with curiosity
by Ann O’Brien
How to be an emotional leader
In times of change and pressure, a set of skills known as ‘psychological flexibility’ can help you and your team to thrive
by Selda Koydemir
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
How to think about the sublime
An exquisite mix of fear and awe, pleasure and pain, the sublime stretches the imagination and reveals the limits of reason
by Nicole A Hall
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
How to make your life feel more meaningful
Existential psychology offers specific ways to find meaning, giving you a buffer against despair in these anxious times
by Steven Heine
How to maintain a healthy gut
With a few lifestyle and dietary changes, you can protect your gut microbiome, boost your immunity and improve your mood
by Vincent Ho
Popular
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
How to sleep when you’re a perfectionist
As a high achiever, your problem-solving skills can backfire at night. You need a different way to beat insomnia
by Nick Wignall
How to see the humanity in anyone
Practising a form of ‘deep curiosity’ can help you connect with yourself and others, even if they’re on the ‘other side’
by Scott Shigeoka
How to maintain a healthy gut
With a few lifestyle and dietary changes, you can protect your gut microbiome, boost your immunity and improve your mood
by Vincent Ho
How to think differently about love
Poets, philosophers and scientists all tell stories about the nature of romantic love. It can be liberating to critique them
by Arina Pismenny
How to recover from burnout
Feeling worn down, checked out, or bitter about work? The answer is not to ‘just work harder’. Try these steps instead
by Debbie Sorensen
Avoiding sadness can backfire, here’s how to turn towards it
Everyone has stretches of sadness. Shifting how you think about and relate to sad feelings could help you through these times
by Beth Kurland
How to tell a better story
Personal stories have the power to connect, entertain, persuade. Use a pro storyteller’s tips to pick and prepare a great one
by Micaela Blei
Popular
View allHow 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
How to sleep when you’re a perfectionist
As a high achiever, your problem-solving skills can backfire at night. You need a different way to beat insomnia
by Nick Wignall
How to see the humanity in anyone
Practising a form of ‘deep curiosity’ can help you connect with yourself and others, even if they’re on the ‘other side’
by Scott Shigeoka
To become more attuned to the world around you, try sketching outdoors
Video by The Museum of Modern Art
How to chat with almost anyone
It can be awkward at first, but people are more open to conversation than you think – and it could lead to deeper connection
by Michael Yeomans
How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals
Video by TED-Ed
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
The critic inside your head has something important to tell you. Here’s how to listen
Video by Esther Perel
How to cultivate collective intellectual humility
Being smart is knowing what you don’t know. From work meetings to book clubs, use these tips to boost your group’s thinking
by Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso & Mark Alfano
Reignite your creative fire with blackout poetry – the art of framing what’s already there
Directed by Andrew Lavers
How to take control of your tics – or eliminate them altogether
Whether or not you have a diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome, a powerful self-help approach can make a difference within a week
by Paul DePompo
Small talk is an art, not a triviality. Here’s how you can master it
Video by the Harvard Business Review
How to respond to offensive comments in a thoughtful way
When someone insults you or people you care about, this advice can help you figure out whether to speak up and what to say
by Alicia del Prado
To resist dogma and accept uncertainty, think like a pragmatist
Founded in 19th-century America, the philosophy of pragmatism promises imaginative ways of coping with our circumstances
by Michael Bacon
How to tell if someone is hoarding – and provide effective help
For many, letting go of possessions is intensely stressful, even when the clutter puts them at risk. Here’s what you can do
by Michael A Tompkins
How to find inner peace like Saint Teresa of Ávila
The 16th-century ‘spiritual rock-star’ shows how seeing your soul as a castle can be a source of strength and consolation
by Skye C Cleary
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
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
Instead of wrestling with self-defeating thoughts, try this
When your own thoughts discourage and undermine you, it’s easy to get tangled. A change of strategy could get you past it
by Joe Oliver & Kristy Potter