Blog Archives

Psychology of complaining: the mental and emotional drain of complaining about everything, everywhere

Psychology of complaining: the mental and emotional drain of complaining about everything, everywhere

Let’s imagine a common situation. Two people walking quickly pass each other on the street. They may be friends, co-workers or acquaintances. One of them greets with a “Hey, how are you?” or “How are you doing?” The other automatically responds: “We’re getting by” or “Come on, it’s not a small thing.” Shortly afterwards, each […] … learn more→

At work, women are more stressed than men

At work, women are more stressed than men

It is well established that the existence of stressful work environments has negative consequences for employees (deterioration in health, loss of income), organizations (decreased productivity, increased sick leave, increased absences from work and worsening of the company image) and society in general (increased resources allocated to health, decreased production of the country, etc.). In short, […] … learn more→

Being bullied in high school can make teens less optimistic about the future

Being bullied in high school can make teens less optimistic about the future

The effects of bullying on teens’ mental health are well-documented. But could bullying also shape their future aspirations? Our latest research reveals that teens who are bullied in ninth grade become more pessimistic about their educational and career prospects beyond high school. Specifically, being bullied increases teens’ risk for depression, which leaves them feeling hopeless about the future. As […] … learn more→

Is ‘coaching’ a shortcut to mental health care? Not so fast − here are key differences

Is ‘coaching’ a shortcut to mental health care? Not so fast − here are key differences

Life coach, wellness coach, business coach, weight loss coach, breakup coach – the list goes on and on. All are different titles for similar jobs, with the same limitation: Anyone can claim to be an expert. Health “coaching” alone is a US$7.6 billion market in the United States, linked to the wellness and lifestyle medicine industries, as well […] … learn more→

Creative arts therapy programs can help health care workers dance, write and draw their way through burnout and on-the-job stress

Creative arts therapy programs can help health care workers dance, write and draw their way through burnout and on-the-job stress

Doctors and nurses seldom learn in school how to tell a family that their loved one is not going to survive. Yet health care professionals face the immense burden of tragedy, illness and dying in an intensely stressful setting as a routine, ongoing part of their jobs. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, research was documenting rampant […] … learn more→

Why teenagers don't talk to adults about their problems on the Internet

Why teenagers don’t talk to adults about their problems on the Internet

“I don’t listen to adults when it comes to this kind of thing,” a 17-year-old told me. We were talking about how digital technology affected his life in the context of a project I ran with colleagues in the West of England to explore young people’s mental health, including the impact of digital technology on their emotional wellbeing . […] … learn more→