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Anger in the Age of Entitlement

Cleaning up emotional pollution

Guilt
Guilt After Betrayal

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on November 1, 2024

The best strategy to regulate guilt is to convert it into compassion for yourself and for the significant people in your life.

The best strategy to regulate guilt is to convert it into compassion for yourself and for the significant people in your life.

Self-Help
The Dark Side of Emotional Needs

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on October 18, 2024

For some, the perception of emotional needs seems to explain much of their negative experience in intimate relationships. Here's why that can be a problem.

For some, the perception of emotional needs seems to explain much of their negative experience in intimate relationships. Here's why that can be a problem.

Ethics and Morality
Anger, Anxiety, Resentment, Stress, and Basic Humanity

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on October 4, 2024

Basic humanity motivates respectful, helpful, valuing, nurturing, protective, and altruistic behaviors. In adversity, it motivates sacrifice. In an emergency, it motivates rescue.

Basic humanity motivates respectful, helpful, valuing, nurturing, protective, and altruistic behaviors. In adversity, it motivates sacrifice. In an emergency, it motivates rescue.

Ethics and Morality
Threats to Basic Humanity

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on September 27, 2024

Personal Perspective: Basic humanity is an innate interest in the well-being of people and animals. The greatest threats to basic humanity are ego, narrow identity, and ideology.

Personal Perspective: Basic humanity is an innate interest in the well-being of people and animals. The greatest threats to basic humanity are ego, narrow identity, and ideology.

Relationships
Core Vulnerabilities in Love

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on August 16, 2024

We rarely experience core vulnerabilities due to entrenched avoidance habits. Yet they form continual shadows in implicit judgments and behavior, particularly under stress.

We rarely experience core vulnerabilities due to entrenched avoidance habits. Yet they form continual shadows in implicit judgments and behavior, particularly under stress.

Self-Help
A Case of Drilling Down on Feelings

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on August 9, 2024

Emotional pain, and the depression that usually follows it, offer a period of reevaluation and opportunities for growth.

Emotional pain, and the depression that usually follows it, offer a period of reevaluation and opportunities for growth.

Bias
The Danger of Cognitive Biases in Relationships

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on July 12, 2024

Biases and prejudices are so integral to the way the brain organizes information that it’s impossible to be completely free of them. But we can reduce their negative effects.

Biases and prejudices are so integral to the way the brain organizes information that it’s impossible to be completely free of them. But we can reduce their negative effects.

Therapy
Are You Stuck in Therapy?

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on July 5, 2024

Gains from therapy often reach a plateau, with diminishing returns if continued beyond that point.

Gains from therapy often reach a plateau, with diminishing returns if continued beyond that point.