excerpt from Just One Thing by Rick Hanson, PhD

To take any steps toward your own well-being, you have got to be on your own side. Not against others, but for yourself.

For many people, that’s harder than it sounds. Maybe you were raised to think you didn’t count as much as other people. Maybe when you’ve tried to stick up for yourself, you’ve been blocked or knocked down. Maybe deep down you feel you don’t deserve to be happy.

Think about what it’s like to be a good friend to someone. Then ask: Am I that kind of friend to myself?

If not, you could be too hard on yourself, too quick to feel you’re falling short, too dismissive of what you get done each day. Or too half-hearted about protecting yourself from mistreatment or telling others what you really need. Or too resigned to you own pain, or too slow about doing those things—both inside your head and outside it, in the wider world—to make your life better.

Plus, how can you truly help others if you don’t start by helping yourself?

The foundation of all practice is to wish yourself well, to let your own sorrows and needs and dreams matter to you. Then, whatever you do for yourself will have real oomph behind it!

Here is Shawn Smith, PsyD's book trailer for The User's Guide to the Human Mind: Why Our Brains Make Us Unhappy, Anxious, and Neurotic and What We Can Do about It. It's very quick and catchy. Check it out!

Quick Tip for Therapists by Sheri Van Dijk, MSW, co-author of DBT Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder

So what do we do with these unhelpful yes-buts? When the yes-but has become a pattern or habit, the clients need to become aware of it, and the most effective way to begin to increase awareness is for you to bring it to their attention (they can also use mindfulness to help with this if you've already gone over this skill). Gradually, they'll start to notice it themselves

by Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, MS, LPC, author of The Anger Workbook for Teens

Cyberbullies are like monsters in the closet. They seem to lurk in the corners and under the bed, and their victims fear they will appear at any time. Just like a child who fears the dark, the victim of a cyberbully may be scared of what hides behind the screen. In today’s world, clicks and keystrokes have the power to destroy and alter lives. Bullies use many different forms of cyberbullying to engage their victims in a game of cat and mouse.

Here are twelve types of cyberbullying that exist:

by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

As I look out my window and see the overcast, gray sky, I'm reminded of the seasons changing, and although fall is coming up, winter is just around the corner. While it's a wonderful practice to be in the present moment, at times it's good to look toward the future so we can use this moment for planning.

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." When it comes to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or just being negatively affected by less light and shorter days, this is a great opportunity to get your ducks in a row to stave off a depressive slide.

Here are five key tips to stave off any upcoming fall and winter blues.

by Ruth C. White Ph.D., MPH, MSW is the co-author of Bipolar 101

The idea that our cultural framework – beliefs, expectations, norms, taboos etc–influence who we are, what we think, and what we do is central to the study of human behavior and the meanings we assign to our thoughts and actions. It therefore should not be surprising that culture would influence our physical and mental health in a complex interplay of factors that vary not only individually but also in the collective. These factors include everything from our diet, social activities, symptomatic expression (and therefore diagnosis), perception of mental illness, resources to treat and diagnose, and work habits among others.

This blog will explore the relationship between culture and mental health. Grounded in contemporary research, current events and personal experiences, I will write about how our perceptions of self, our place in the world and our notions of health, well-being and illness, influence our experience of our minds.

Read Dr. White’s first Psychology Today blog piece here

by Susan Pease Gadoua, LCSW is the author of Stronger Day by Day

If you love an alcoholic or addict, you know how terrible the disease of addiction can be and you are indirectly impacted. If you are married to an addict or alcoholic, not only do you suffer from watching the person you love go down the tubes, you are directly affected.

You have to deal with the person you love behaving irrationally, getting sick, perhaps lying, cheating or any other number of unacceptable behaviors and, on top of that, you are legally bound to this person. That means that you bear the brunt and are on the hook for any damage they may cause.

Tragically, I have seen dozens of relationships deteriorate or completely dissolve due to addiction in one spouse or the other. Given that the prevalence of addiction is staggering, this comes as no surprise. Here are some of the estimates of numbers on only a handful of types of addictions: