When emotions take hold, our instinct is often to follow them — avoid, withdraw, lash out. However, these reactions can keep the feeling going and make things worse. Opposite action, a practical DBT skill, shows how doing the opposite to how we feel can begin to shift the emotion itself. My latest piece outlines seven simple steps to an effective opposite action.
An important study suggests that while biological explanations of depression reduce blame, they can also make recovery seem less likely. In this article, I discuss why framing biology as changeable, rather than fixed, may help restore a sense of hope and control.
Why do we so often dismiss what we do well? A bit of modesty is all very well, but it can go too far. This piece explores how the habit of discounting our strengths can distort self-perception.
Anxious thoughts can feel urgent, important, and impossible to ignore. But what if they’re just noise? This piece explores how taking your mind less seriously can quietly reduce its hold over you.
When facing real difficulties, optimism alone isn’t enough. In this column, I talk about how CBT isn’t about putting a positive spin on problems, but about seeing situations clearly and deciding what can be changed or accepted.
Why do some people react so strongly to criticism and mistakes? Drawing on CBT examples, my latest piece shows how challenging our assumptions can change how we respond.
Financial stress often leads to avoidance, from unopened bills to delayed decisions. This article explains how avoidance works, why it persists, and how gradual, manageable steps can help reduce financial anxiety and build confidence.
Small changes in how we think and live can quietly become normal over time. My latest Southern Star column explores how that gradual drift, this 'normalisation of deviance', can affect our mental health — and how to notice it before it builds up.
A 13-year-old Irish boy swam four hours through rough seas to save his family. His instinct was not to panic or dwell on what might go wrong, but to act — and to steady his mind by focusing on happy memories. My latest Southern Star column explores how research suggests both matter more than we think.
Why do we follow the crowd, even when we know better? From classic psychology experiments to everyday life, my latest piece explores the pull of conformity – and how to recognise when it’s steering you away from what you really want.