How Playfulness Improves Relationships

Increasing trust, reducing conflict, and building harmony.

Increasing trust, reducing conflict, and building harmony.

Creating Space for Play as Grown-Ups and Why It Matters

We can give ourselves permission to lighten up, be unproductive without guilt, and rediscover the power of play.

We can give ourselves permission to lighten up, be unproductive without guilt, and rediscover the power of play.

Styles of Personhood: Which One Is Yours?

Each style of personhood can be a trap as well as a form of expression. Consider those benefits and challenges.

Each style of personhood can be a trap as well as a form of expression. Consider those benefits and challenges.

Dreaming, Play, and Mind-Wandering

Mind-wandering is, in one view, the mind at play. And dreaming is the play of the mind while asleep.

Mind-wandering is, in one view, the mind at play. And dreaming is the play of the mind while asleep.

Why Kids Need Lazy Summer Days

A Personal Perspective: How many kids are having an old-fashioned summer, where they get to make their own fun?

A Personal Perspective: How many kids are having an old-fashioned summer, where they get to make their own fun?

Travel Compulsion: Do You Have It?

Is compulsive travel an attempt to bolster identity, to be known as someone who goes places and does things? Read on.

Is compulsive travel an attempt to bolster identity, to be known as someone who goes places and does things? Read on.

The Prose and Cons of AI Writing

A test of AI writing.

A test of AI writing.

What Is a Serenity Box?

The sand tray is a mindful, sensory-soothing practice.

The sand tray is a mindful, sensory-soothing practice.

You Won’t Be Here Forever

As parents, our job is to prepare our children for the day when they will need to live without us. We will struggle to do so, however, if we won't contemplate our own mortality.

As parents, our job is to prepare our children for the day when they will need to live without us. We will struggle to do so, however, if we won't contemplate our own mortality.

How to Use Story to Teach DBT Skills

Explore how storytelling can help therapists promote imagination and enhance inclusivity to boost the effectiveness of DBT techniques.

Explore how storytelling can help therapists promote imagination and enhance inclusivity to boost the effectiveness of DBT techniques.

Play, Personhood, and Fergus the Relentless

To play is to understand, even if the understanding passes between different species.

To play is to understand, even if the understanding passes between different species.

Do Hormones Impact How We Care for Our Babies?

The important role oxytocin, or the "love hormone," plays in promoting differences in parenting behaviors between mothers and fathers.

The important role oxytocin, or the "love hormone," plays in promoting differences in parenting behaviors between mothers and fathers.

Expressing Queer Identity Through "The Little Mermaid”

Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" has captivated LGBTQIA+ readers for generations with its themes of love, sacrifice, and identity.

Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" has captivated LGBTQIA+ readers for generations with its themes of love, sacrifice, and identity.

Walking in Another Character's Armored Boots

Role-playing has similarities in clinical work with children as well as in games by revealing our perceptions of ourselves, relationships, and the world.

Role-playing has similarities in clinical work with children as well as in games by revealing our perceptions of ourselves, relationships, and the world.

When 2D Animation and Nostalgia Bring Us Renewed Hope

In a world with constant overstimulation, a mental health epidemic, and uncertainty leaving us feeling less connected to ourselves and others, we need one thing: the X-Men.

In a world with constant overstimulation, a mental health epidemic, and uncertainty leaving us feeling less connected to ourselves and others, we need one thing: the X-Men.

Observing Children at Play in Japan

A trip to Japan to observe children at play confirmed previous findings that play in that country is dominated by structure and themes rather than creativity and free thinking.

A trip to Japan to observe children at play confirmed previous findings that play in that country is dominated by structure and themes rather than creativity and free thinking.

From Traumatic Nightmares to Playful Dreaming

What if, in some conditions at least, the increasing weirdness and unpredictability of dream content heralds genuine healing from serious psychological distress?

What if, in some conditions at least, the increasing weirdness and unpredictability of dream content heralds genuine healing from serious psychological distress?

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Adding fun to the psychotherapy process has benefits for both clients and practitioners.

Adding fun to the psychotherapy process has benefits for both clients and practitioners.

What I Learned from One Trip Around the Ferris Wheel

A Personal Perspective: What small acts of kindness do you remember?

A Personal Perspective: What small acts of kindness do you remember?

The History and Psychology of Chess

Along with reason and pattern recognition, chess involves a great deal of psychology.

Along with reason and pattern recognition, chess involves a great deal of psychology.

3 Benefits of Teaching DBT Skills Through Story and Metaphor

Storytelling can make dialectical behavior therapy more engaging and effective.

Storytelling can make dialectical behavior therapy more engaging and effective.

Handwriting, Rebooted

Can "drill and kill" give way to play in handwriting instruction?

Can "drill and kill" give way to play in handwriting instruction?

Type II Fun: Embracing Hard Fun for Personal Growth

Discover how challenges that are not fun in the moment—but rewarding in retrospect—can grow resilience, deepen life satisfaction, and lead to transformative personal growth.

Discover how challenges that are not fun in the moment—but rewarding in retrospect—can grow resilience, deepen life satisfaction, and lead to transformative personal growth.

Do You Suffer from Phone Game Shame?

Many of use feel shame about playing games on our phones, even when they're supposed to improve some part of our brain functioning. Is playing games on your phone really so bad?

Many of use feel shame about playing games on our phones, even when they're supposed to improve some part of our brain functioning. Is playing games on your phone really so bad?

What Creative Arts Therapies Teach Us About DBT Skills Training

Ever wondered if drama, music, and art can help clients to better learn DBT skills? Consider these ways to integrate creative arts therapy techniques into DBT skills training.

Ever wondered if drama, music, and art can help clients to better learn DBT skills? Consider these ways to integrate creative arts therapy techniques into DBT skills training.

Improv, Shrooms, and Neuroscience

What do improv, meditation, and shrooms have in common? Research shows they help alter the brain's default mode network, which may help improve mental health.

What do improv, meditation, and shrooms have in common? Research shows they help alter the brain's default mode network, which may help improve mental health.

Golf, Integrity, and Presidents Past

Presidents and moralists have championed the virtues of honest golf, but Donald Trump undermines the sport's moral lessons in fairness, companionship, and trust.

Presidents and moralists have championed the virtues of honest golf, but Donald Trump undermines the sport's moral lessons in fairness, companionship, and trust.

Deception as Play

Mischief is play as long as it stays playful.

Mischief is play as long as it stays playful.

How Games Can Be Used in Therapy

Tabletop role-playing games are used worldwide to help connect with clients and teach therapeutic skills. Learn about these games and how you can use them in practice.

Tabletop role-playing games are used worldwide to help connect with clients and teach therapeutic skills. Learn about these games and how you can use them in practice.

Downhill Skiing Is Dangerous—So Is Life

Just as skiing down a hill that is above your skill level can be terrifying, life has many challenging runs. Becoming an "expert" at life allows you to enjoy it.

Just as skiing down a hill that is above your skill level can be terrifying, life has many challenging runs. Becoming an "expert" at life allows you to enjoy it.