Insights
Articles on stress, perfectionism, relationships and building a life that works, for thoughtful, high-achieving adults. Clinically reviewed by Dr. Mandelbaum.
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Comfort Care and Mental Health: Supporting Emotional Wellbeing When Medical Treatment Feels Overwhelming
In my practice as a psychologist, I often work with highly intelligent, capable individuals who are used to solving problems. Whether they are executives, attorneys, or dedicated students, they approach life with a strategy. But when a serious illness enters the...
Psychotic Depression Explained: When Severe Mental Health Symptoms Appear During Chronic Stress or Illness
It can be incredibly frightening when the world around you starts to feel unfamiliar, or when your own thoughts seem to turn against you. Depression is difficult enough on its own, but when depressive symptoms begin to distort your perception of reality, it can feel...
Medical Trauma: How Repeated Health Experiences Can Affect Mental Health and Trust
For many people, the medical system is a place where we go to find healing. We seek answers, relief, and safety. But what happens when the very place meant to help becomes a source of deep distress? Medical trauma involves an ongoing or internal threat within a system...
Situational Depression: When Life Events, Health Struggles, and Burnout Push You to the Edge
We like to believe that if we are smart enough, work hard enough, or prepare well enough, we can handle anything life throws at us. But sometimes, life events don’t just knock on the door; they kick it down. Whether it’s a sudden job loss, a chronic health diagnosis,...
Why Is Life So Hard? Understanding Mental Health When Illness, Pain, and Stress Collide
Sometimes, life just hurts. You wake up, and the weight of the world feels heavy on your chest before your feet even touch the floor. You might look around and wonder how everyone else seems to be managing fine while you feel like you are wading through quicksand. If...
How the STOP Skill DBT Technique Helps You Pause and Regain Control
As a licensed psychologist, I have worked with countless highly sensitive, intelligent individuals who feel emotions deeply and often feel overwhelmed by the intensity of their inner experience. Whether you are a high-level executive facing burnout, an attorney...
How to Use a DBT Diary Card (Plus Tips to Make It Stick)
As a licensed psychologist working with highly sensitive, intelligent individuals, I often see clients who are incredibly high-functioning in their careers—whether in business, tech, or law—yet struggle silently with intense emotions. Many of the professionals I work...
A Complete Guide to DBT Tools You Can Start Using Today
As a psychologist, I’ve had the privilege of working with highly sensitive and intelligent individuals. From professionals in demanding fields like tech and law to university students navigating new challenges, I've seen a common thread: a desire to manage intense...
DBT Distress Tolerance Skills: A Step-by-Step Guide
As a licensed psychologist with more than 13 years of experience in the human services and mental health field, I now have the privilege of working with highly sensitive and intelligent individuals across 43 states. My work has shown me that intense emotions are a...
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