New Study Examines the Effects of Cultural Perfectionism
Perfectionism has been linked to both positive and negative mental health outcomes. Women who strive to meet high levels of unattainable physical perfectionism may be at increased risk for disordered eating and body image problems. In contrast, academic perfectionism can help a disadvantaged student surmount obstacles that would otherwise prevent him or her from achieving educational success. Although there are many studies that have looked at the role perfectionism plays in the psychological well-being of adults, few studies have looked at how cultural differences influence perfectionism in college... Read More
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On mornings when I’m lucky enough to have free time, I go to a yoga class taught by an excellent teacher, named Mark. Many of his students have been studying yoga for years and are pretty advanced. Today we began as usual with warm ups, accompanied by Mark’s explanations and his questions. Mark’s teaching practice is a bit unusual—he generally asks the class questions, some rhetorical, some not, as he explains the theory behind the practice.
The man on the mat next to me, whom I’ll call Harry, answered all Mark’s questions right away, with military precision.
“Why do yoga?”
“To... 
While spring conjures up beautiful images of tulips, crocuses, and daffodils, it is also a yearly reminder to clean one's abode. Historically, when people turned to herbs for most of their medicinal needs, spring was associated with rejuvenating the liver by taking the milk thistle for a couple of weeks, or simply adding dandelion greens to a daily salad. Psychologically, it is an opportunity to do an interior sweep of one's cranium. I'm talking about all those repetitive thoughts that create feelings and catalyze behaviors, some desirable, and some not so welcome.
If you feel stagnant from... 
The economy has still not recovered, and as a result people are still worried about being laid off or fired. Those who are employed may be overqualified for their jobs and getting paid a lot less than they were in the past. Those looking for a job may be so worried about finding one that they will take almost anything, just to get by, but that can end up causing its own stress. Being constantly worried about job stability and/or working at a job that you’re overqualified and underpaid for can wear on mental health. Experts have tips on how to overcome these stressors at the workplace.
Kim... 
Women have been stereotypically defined as being more emotional than men. In popular culture, women are depicted as being more emotionally volatile, often erupting into fits of sadness, anger, despair or jealousy much more frequently than their male counterparts. But is this portrayal scientifically accurate? Research has shown that there are differences in how men and women emotionally respond to situations. However, little research has addressed the core self-conscious emotions (SCE) of men and women and how they differ. Nicole M. Else-Quest of the Department of Psychology at the University of... 
Have you seen the movie? There are a lot of parenting situations in it that we can relate to. The main one that I see is with Marlin and Nemo. Nemo has a short fin and his dad is very protective of him, which is natural. Nemo wants to show his dad what he can do in spite of his short fin, but this is a scary situation for Marlin (the dad), because he does not know how to protect Nemo.
Nemo is reacting in an age-appropriate way: He wants to show his dad what he can do; Dad won’t let him, and then Nemo does it anyway. Sound familiar? This pattern happens a lot and at different ages and stages... 
Lets face it, dating is tough. And it can be even tougher when the people on the date are two men. Why? Because men tend to be extremely visual in their sexual response mode, and when two men get together on a date it can quickly become a high-pressure perfection competition.
First dates are always a challenge to begin with, but when you add in the pressure of acting and appearing perfect it can take that stress and raise it to a whole new level. Suddenly, being yourself is not enough, and a cycle of self-doubt and questioning your value takes over the evening.
This is how the evening plays... 
Many people agree that women have come a long way in regard to equal rights. Some even argue that women are completely equal to men and deny that sexism still exists. Others are appalled at the current state of attack on women’s rights. Whatever your opinion is on the current situation with equality among men and women and the concept of feminism, there is a specific type of therapy that still exists today called feminist therapy. With advances in equal rights, experts weigh in on the need for feminist therapy today.
Depending on who you ask, feminist therapy can be defined in slightly different... 
Been lied to lately? Our natural tendencies to deceive are deeply embedded throughout our social experiences. Most of our lies are not geared toward outright deception (that's a different topic) but toward subtly exaggerating truths and opinions in our own favor. For those of us seeking more truth in our relationships, we are confronted with the near impossibility of measuring the honesty we offer others or desire from them. Our portrayal of self to others is a constantly moving target. No sooner do we post a status update to friends, than we are tasked with somehow hiding those words from friends... 
Rumination is a common symptom of depression. Individuals with 
This article is the second installment in a two-part series. To read the first article, please click 
Growing up with feelings that your peers don’t like you or don’t accept you into their group can have lifelong negative effects. While we have fortunately become more aware of the dangerous effects of bullying on children, we often do not pay enough attention to more subtle forms of bullying that affect the development of self-worth, self–esteem, and self-confidence. Many adults continue to think of themselves as if they were still the 12 or 13 year old who sat alone in the lunchroom, who was whispered about as fat, or who never was invited to parties. It takes work to change this negative... 
Are you a doormat? You are reading this, which is a good indication that you think you may be!
Are you constantly giving to others while rarely receiving anything in return?
Do people consistently take advantage of you?
Do you say yes when you really want to say no?
Do you over commit to your own detriment? Do you take responsibility for other people’s problems?
Do the people in your life expect you to solve their problems?
If you have answered yes to these questions, you are in danger of being a doormat.
When we struggle with being assertive, food often becomes a powerful coping... 
Beauty Is Embarrassing. This is the title of a film I saw recently at the Cleveland International Film Festival. The subject of the film is an artist, Wayne White, whose message is stay true to yourself, no matter how hard that is, stay true to yourself and your passion. All will fall into place. He suggests that our creative impulses will always lead us where we need to go.
The title of the film comes from White’s premise that when we see beauty, we often feel vulnerable, “Who am I to see this?” “Who am I to create this, what will others think?” A deep feeling wells up within us when... 
