How Your Feed Is Quietly Running Your Nervous System
The article explains how social‑media feeds hijack the brain’s threat‑response system, turning scrolling into a continuous stressor. It distinguishes between algorithmic dopamine loops and the influx of graphic, distressing content that can cause vicarious trauma. Recent meta‑analyses link problematic use to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption, especially among teens. The author proposes design‑first strategies—screen‑time audits, notification control, and grounding exercises—to reset the nervous system without relying on willpower alone.
Caught in the Chronic Pain Cycle? How Therapy Can Help
The article explains the chronic pain cycle, showing how physical pain, nervous‑system sensitivity, fear, avoidance, and emotional distress reinforce each other over time. It emphasizes that the cycle does not mean pain is imagined, citing CDC data that 24.3% of...
Perfectionism: When High Standards Help and Hurt
The GoodTherapy article explains that perfectionism can motivate high performance but often turns into a fear‑driven habit that fuels anxiety, shame, and burnout. A meta‑analysis shows perfectionism rates have risen among college students from 1989 to 2016, reflecting broader cultural...
Do You Feel Like a Fraud? Understanding Imposter Syndrome
The article explains imposter syndrome as an "as‑if" pattern where individuals perform a masked self to gain safety, often rooted in childhood trauma or chronic stress. It distinguishes the colloquial term from the clinical "impostor phenomenon" and outlines common signs...
What Suicidal Thoughts Are Really Trying to Tell You
The piece reframes suicidal thoughts as a communication of unbearable emotional pain rather than a simple risk indicator. It links these thoughts to unresolved trauma, grief, chronic stress, and a life lived in survival mode, arguing that safety protocols must...
How to Find the Right Therapist: Brooke Pomerantz on Starting Therapy, Feeling Safe, and Finding the Right Fit
Licensed clinical social worker Brooke Pomerantz, in private practice since 2007, emphasizes that starting therapy often feels vulnerable but can be a catalyst for growth. She advises clients to name their anxiety, move at a pace that feels safe, and...
High Functioning Anxiety: Why Anxiety Does Not Always Look Like Falling Apart
High‑functioning anxiety describes people who meet external expectations while experiencing persistent worry, tension, and mental overload. Though not a formal DSM‑5 diagnosis, it often hides behind reliability, perfectionism, and constant productivity, making it easy to overlook. Research links this pattern...
Finding Closure: Powerful Truths About Moving On and Healing
Josiah Dicken, a licensed clinical counselor, explains that closure is an internal choice, not a gift from others, and distinguishes it from healing and forgiveness. He argues that closure can be achieved without an apology by recognizing events and consciously...
Signs Your Teen Might Benefit From Therapy (and How to Start the Conversation)
Teen mental‑health diagnoses have surged 35% between 2016 and 2023, with 40% of adolescents now experiencing persistent sadness or hopelessness. GoodTherapy outlines five warning signs—including prolonged emotional withdrawal, abrupt changes in behavior or academic performance, unexplained physical complaints, and risky...
Understanding Different Types of Therapy: CBT, DBT, EMDR, and More
The article demystifies the most common psychotherapy approaches—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), psychodynamic, and humanistic therapy—by outlining how each works and the conditions they target. It highlights CBT’s structured, goal‑oriented format,...
Member Spotlight: Linda Baker, PsyD – Finding the Right Therapist & Trusting the Healing Process
Linda Baker, PsyD, a Denver‑based clinical psychologist, emphasizes that the primary driver of successful therapy is the client‑therapist fit, not the therapist’s credentials or modality. She blends Internal Family Systems with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to serve mainly male clients, drawing...
AI Anxiety: How to Cope, Adapt, and Thrive in an AI-Driven World
AI is no longer a future possibility but a present reality, with companies now evaluating AI fluency during hiring and rewarding employees who boost productivity through AI tools, according to the Wall Street Journal. The article frames AI‑related stress through...
How Mental Health Professionals Can Earn CE Credits Hassle Free
Continuing education (CE) credits are mandatory for mental‑health clinicians to keep their licenses active, and they also serve as a vehicle for staying current with evidence‑based practices. The article outlines how CE requirements vary by state but typically demand 20‑40...
Member Spotlight: Anna Aslanian on Finding the Right Therapist and Building a Strong Therapeutic Relationship
GoodTherapy’s Member Spotlight features licensed therapist Anna Aslanian, who emphasizes the importance of matching clients with therapists who specialize in their specific concerns. She advises first‑timers to prioritize expertise and personal comfort, noting that a strong therapeutic bond is essential...
Is It Sadness or Depression? Understand the Difference With Our Checklist
GoodTherapy’s latest guide clarifies the distinction between normal sadness and clinical depression, offering a detailed checklist for self‑assessment. It outlines key symptom differences—duration, intensity, functional impact, and cognitive patterns—while emphasizing that depression requires professional treatment. The article also provides actionable...