Read our posts about Psychology

09Apr

Why Introverts Don't Like Parties

Linda Blair

psychology

Mind

Introverts and extroverts gather energy in different ways, meaning that social situations may be anxiety provoking for some introverted people
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04Apr

Understanding the Imposter Syndrome

Terri Apter

psychology

Mind

I first witnessed the disturbing force of the imposter syndrome while doing research on young people at the cusp of adulthood.  As they leave the family home and their long term friends for the wider world - either of higher education or employment – the familiar comparators shift, and with it, their comfortable place in the pecking order of peers.  The fear that your true ineptness will be exposed. In defence, some act like peacocks, displaying confidence to attract attention and mark status.  With lots of people around them also strutting their stuff, they may be taken in...
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03Apr

Feeling Present & Grounded in the Now

Caroline Goyder

mindfulness, psychology, wellbeing

Soul

Plant your roots and find your wings: how to slow it down and use mindfulness in daily life to enhance your wellbeing and move forward
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21Feb

The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

Susie Steiner

emotions, psychology

Soul

So there I was, on a miserable February morning, watching the rain dribble down the windows of the Guardian offices at Kings Place, searching for stories for the feature pages, when I came upon a website belonging to an Australian palliative nurse who had written a fascinating survey. Bronnie Ware had asked her dying patients about their greatest regrets in life and had condensed their wisdom down to produce The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. I read it hungrily, for perspective, for comfort, as anyone would. The features editors weren’t interested in it for...
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20Feb

How Tiger Parenting Kills Curiosity

Terri Apter

children, education, family, father, mother, parenting, psychology

Relationships

Psychologist Dr Terri Apter on the downside of tiger-parenting. It robs children of curiosity
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19Feb

Want to Know Yourself? Take Our Test

David Cohen

psychology, self

Mind

“If I knew myself, I’d run away,” said Goethe, who, incidentally, was Freud’s favourite writer. You might imagine that knowing yourself would be one of the key goals of psychology.  Often it has not been, however. When I was young one of the most distinguished experimental psychologists of his generation Donald Broadbent told me students should realise it was an illusion that psychology would teach them to know themselves better. Perhaps that’s why a paper on Experiential Self Monitoring which I reported in 1980 made such an impression on me. It was given by E J...
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17Feb

The Ground Beneath My Feet: a Fear of the Unknown

Owen Stone

anxiety, phobias, psychology

Mind

I was 13 when I had my first panic attack, though I didn’t know what it was then. I was at a café in Biarritz when I got a chicken bone lodged in my throat. My entire body went white hot; I became convinced I was going to die. The blood drained to my feet, every bit of me screamed to get outside, so I walked around the block eating yoghurt until the fear drained away. When we got back to New Zealand, the same white heat would flow through my body again whenever we would go to a café or restaurant. I had to give myself ‘outs.’ Sit facing the door. Don’t order food....
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10Feb

Who Does What? Talking Therapies Explained

Julia Bueno

counselling, psychoanalysis, psychology, psychotherapy, therapy

Therapists

Therapist Julia Bueno explains how talking therapy and counselling work for the client
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06Feb

What Do Therapists Wear?

Camilla Nicholls

psychoanalysis, psychology, psychotherapy, therapy

Therapists

What does it say about a counsellor or therapist what they wear to see their clients? Therapist Camilla Nicholls analyses the outfits of her profession
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04Feb

Cosmetic Surgery Makes Beauty That's Barely Skin Deep

Linda Blair

psychology, society, women

Body

I was sad to read in The Guardian today that there’s been a big rise — nearly 17 per cent – in the demand for cosmetic surgery in Britain in the last year. Breast augmentation is the number one favourite, with anti-ageing techniques such as eyelid surgery and face and neck lifts following closely behind.  I was, however, not surprised to read that there’s also been a rise in reports of patient dissatisfaction. Quite apart from any issues of competence  this shows that cosmetic surgery doesn’t offer lasting satisfaction. Why not? First, the procedures rarely promise...
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