Therapies and practical advice
Emotion regulation
idea
The Stoics were right – emotional control is good for the soul
Both neuroscience and psychotherapy agree that you can change your mental framework as the Stoic Marcus Aurelius described
by István Darabán
Psychoanalysis and the unconscious
idea
Dark feelings will haunt us until they are expressed in words
Continued mental growth requires dealing with alexithymia, or the inability to express emotions through words or images
by Tom Wooldridge
Worry and rumination
guide
How to stop overthinking
Grappling with your thoughts will leave you even more entangled in worry. Use metacognitive strategies to break free
by Pia Callesen
Anxiety
film
Climate fears make Sindha feel doomed. Can eco-therapy help?
Directed by Sindha Agha
Stigma and taboo
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Let’s avoid talk of ‘chemical imbalance’: it’s people in distress
The ‘chemical imbalance’ trope is appealing but dehumanising, and has heightened stigma towards people with mental illness
by Joseph E Davis
History and philosophy of mental health
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For Donald Winnicott, the psyche is not inside us but between us
For Donald Winnicott, your psyche isn’t just in your head – it emerges from your relationships with others and the world
by James Barnes
Difficult emotions
guide
How to calm your inner storm
When your emotions become too painful and overwhelming, regain control using skills from dialectical behaviour therapy
by Sheri Van Dijk
Cognitive and behavioural therapies
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The philosophical roots of CBT help explain its limitations
Not all psychological problems are thinking problems. Trying to solve them purely cognitively, with CBT, won’t help us mature
by Bradley Murray
Stories and literature
idea
Reading books is not just a pleasure: it helps our minds to heal
Through my own struggles and in teaching bibliotherapy to students, I know that books can help to heal minds and hearts
by Peter Leyland
Depression
guide
How to engage with life when you feel down
Withdrawing from activities you enjoy is both a product and cause of low mood. Break the cycle with behavioural activation
by Lucy Foulkes