2020 · 09. April 2020
Many people say self-criticism keeps them on their toes and helps them achieve their goals. However, critical self-talk is linked to multiple mental health problems. Research shows that if you want to motivate yourself to 'do better', self-compassion beats self-criticism. When you see mistakes as human and inevitable, I argued in last week's Southern Star, you are more likely to accept and learn from them.
2020 · 26. March 2020
These are anxious times. In last week's Southern Star, I offered some advice on how to manage anxiety over the coronavirus.
2020 · 05. March 2020
Animal phobias – of dogs, cats, spiders, and so on – are common in children and sometimes persist into adulthood. My column in last week's Southern Star explained the CBT treatment of animal phobias; how the bulk of this work is done in a single extended exposure session lasting up to three hours; and mentioned some reading for people interested in trying a DIY approach.
2020 · 20. February 2020
When life is good, you’re more optimistic, more confident, more open to trying new things. But when you’re down, you’re more pessimistic, less confident, less open to actions that might ease your plight. In last week's Southern Star, I explained how a vicious circle is at the heart of most emotional problems and how, through effort and awareness, you can turn that unhelpful, vicious circle into a helpful, virtuous circle.
2020 · 06. February 2020
Denial is a common thing. It's common in dysfunctional families, where problems get swept under the carpet. It's common in relationships; often, people turn a blind eye to problems for years until they became too big to ignore. These are obvious examples, but denial can also resemble what Dr Jonathan Grayson calls a wishing ritual, where you keep comparing reality to fantasy. ‘Reality may not be as pretty as fantasy', says Grayson, 'but it is far better than the misery of wishing'.
2020 · 23. January 2020
All of us occasionally worry about our health. For some people, however, the worry is not occasional, but persistent and excessive. In last week's Southern Star, I asked: how is health anxiety different to other forms of anxiety and how can it be treated?
2020 · 13. January 2020
I recently spoke with Irish Independent journalist Emily Hourican regarding some tips on how to stay calm in today's stressful world. The article touches on subjects like exercise, being outdoors in nature and the importance of novelty, as well as offering some simple tips on how to manage the NATs (negative automatic thoughts) that pop into your head in times of stress.
2020 · 09. January 2020
Scientific evidence shows astrology doesn’t work, but many people swear by it, relating how a fortune-teller made all kinds of accurate predictions about them. What's going on in such cases? I explore what the research – and a former astrologer – has to say.
2019 · 18. December 2019
Office parties, getting together with extended family, meeting up with old friends and acquaintances – Christmas is a social time, but what if the thought of socialising fills you with anxiety and dread? My column in last week's Southern Star explored how to beat social anxiety, or "self-consciousness on steroids", as one expert calls it.
2019 · 05. December 2019
How should you deal with people who try to make life miserable for you? My column in last week's Southern Star explored what the writer and Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky had to say about treating such people "as though they were yellow and not red lights".