The growing politicisation and rise in misinformation about the use of puberty blockers for gender-affirming healthcare has resulted in bans and restrictions internationally. New Zealand’s government has tasked the Ministry of Health with consulting the public on whether additional safety measures or regulations should be put in place for puberty blockers. I argue it is inappropriate to open a public consultation […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
NZ is consulting the public on regulations for puberty blockers – this should be a medical decision not a political one
‘I am exhausted’: Australian teachers speak about how compassion fatigue is harming them and their work
Teachers’ jobs involve more than just teaching the required curriculum. A significant part of their role includes providing emotional support to their students And with many students facing mental health challenges and experiencing trauma, meeting these emotional needs has become increasingly difficult. My research investigates compassion fatigue among Australian teachers. This condition — which involves a reduced ability […] … learn more→
What delusions can tell us about the cognitive nature of belief
Beliefs are convictions of reality that we accept as true. They provide us with the basic mental scaffolding to understand and engage meaningfully in our world. Beliefs remain fundamental to our behaviour and identity, but are not well understood. Delusions, on the other hand, are fixed, usually false, beliefs that are strongly held, but not […] … learn more→
Too much TikTok is bad for your brain: Here’s how to swap it for a book
It’s there on the nightstand, staring at us accusingly, that book they gave us last Christmas, that they promised we’d love, that we know we’ll like, but… it was time for the BeReal and right after we started checking out what our friends were saying in the Whatsapp group. Reading a book is a pain. […] … learn more→
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→
How to counteract the influence of social media on the body image of boys and girls
Vera is now 13 years old and has been using TikTok since she was 8 and Instagram since last year. She doesn’t remember exactly when she started to dislike what she saw in the mirror. However, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t look at herself much; on the contrary, she spends many hours a day observing […] … learn more→
Grieving the Loss of a Grandparent : A Long Road for Children and Adults
Young children do not express their grief in the same way as adults. They may also feel guilty about the death of a loved one. This is why it is important to start a dialogue with them to understand their feelings and help them put their emotions into words. Here are some ideas to help […] … learn more→
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
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→
Self-forgiveness is more than self-comfort − a philosopher explains
As the Jewish High Holidays approach, which begin with Rosh Hashanah and continue with Yom Kippur, the theme of forgiveness keeps coming to my mind. The 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are referred to in the Jewish tradition as the days of repentance, or the days of awe. During this period, Jews who […] … learn more→
