Juliana Breines Ph.D.

About

Juliana Breines, Ph.D., is a social and health psychologist whose research examines how self-compassion relates to stress reactivity, behavior change, and body image. She received her Ph.D. in social-personality psychology from the University of California Berkeley in 2012, completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship in health psychology at Brandeis University, and worked for three years as an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Rhode Island. Her research has been published in a range of academic journals and featured in popular media outlets such as the New York Times, The Atlantic, and Harvard Business Review.

Recent Posts

When Generosity Leads to Exploitation at Work

New research finds that employees who already go above and beyond are more likely to be given additional work. Here’s why this happens, and what can be done to prevent it.

How the Need to Belong Both Helps and Hurts Us

We're wired to care about social acceptance, but in some situations, this instinct can have downsides.

5 Reasons Why People Blame Victims

Sometimes the people who bear the least responsibility for a bad situation receive the most amount of judgment and criticism. What can explain this?

10 Unexpected Ways to Feel More Alive

Feeling burned out? Here are 10 research-based methods for boosting energy and vitality that you might not have considered.

When One Partner Has Too Much Power

Research has found that feeling powerless in relation to your romantic partner can have a range of negative consequences. Here’s why they occur and how to identify them.

4 Ways to Find Happiness When Life Doesn't Turn Out as Planned

Research suggests that these four strategies can help us embrace an unexpected life path.

Why It’s Not Always Easy to Turn Away an Unwanted Sexual Advance

People are taught to “just say no” to intimate acts they’re not comfortable with. But sometimes advances are made in ways that make refusal more difficult than it should be.

4 Cognitive Biases That Can Impair Pandemic Decision-Making

As we navigate risk-related decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing potential biases in our judgments may help us make choices we feel good about.

Why Some People Really Resent Do-Gooders

Someone who donates a kidney to a stranger seems worthy of high praise. But reactions to a recent viral article reveal that this is not always what happens.

Can Being Kind to Yourself Improve Health?

Coping with health challenges can be stressful. Research suggests that self-compassion may help quell health-related anxieties and motivate us to address problems proactively.