122 posts
Standard
As an undergraduate at Cornell University, I was a proud member of a sorority, navigating the complex social ecosystems that define elite American higher education. Today, my relationship with these institutions has evolved from the inside out; I serve as a human sexuality professor at the University of Washington, where I teach The Diversity of…
Standard
The conventional wisdom surrounding child sexual abuse has long painted a bleak and deterministic picture of its aftermath. For decades, societal narratives have declared that CSA is so horrendous, so profoundly traumatic, and so psychologically devastating that survivors—who are overwhelmingly women—are bound to develop long-term post-traumatic stress disorder and deep, persistent fears of partner intimacy.…
Standard
Gaslighting, long recognized as a damaging form of psychological abuse and manipulation, typically involves one person systematically casting doubt on another’s sense of reality, memories, and emotions. While the concept was first identified decades ago, widespread public interest and empirical research into the phenomenon are relatively recent. Today, the scientific study of gaslighting is expanding…
Standard
Intimacy, attunement, emotional responsiveness: While the vocabulary may shift depending on the therapist, self-help book, or wellness podcast of the moment, the underlying ideal remains remarkably consistent. The modern cultural script dictates that you should feel deeply known by your romantic partner and connected to them at every single waking hour. According to prevailing contemporary…
Standard
In recent years, headlines regarding estrangement between adult children and their parents have become an increasingly common fixture in mainstream media. High-profile articles published by major outlets, such as the Wall Street Journal feature questioning why so many adults are cutting off their parents, and The Guardian report exploring what it terms a "silent epidemic"…
Standard
When romantic partners find themselves locked in a heated disagreement, the underlying motivations driving the conversation often dictate whether the exchange leads to resolution or mutual alienation. According to relationship professionals examining everyday communication breakdowns, a common trap occurs when individuals enter arguments not to understand their significant other, but rather to secure a victory—forcing…
Standard
Fear has served as humanity’s most ancient and enduring survival mechanism for millions of years. Shaped by the evolutionary pressures of a hostile prehistoric environment, the human brain is finely tuned to generate a rapid sense of alarm whenever an individual encounters potential danger, physical pain, or even the unfamiliar. Without this built-in biological alarm…
Standard
We often think of change as an unequivocally good thing. Indeed, transformation is the cornerstone of what we fundamentally work on or work toward in psychotherapy. Therapists routinely ask clients about their goals, their aspirations, and how they would like to reshape their lives. Isn’t this constant striving exactly what we mean by personal growth?…
Standard
We live in constant, intimate contact with our brains. We could almost touch them, were it not for the protective barrier of the skull and the dura mater. We sense them at work every moment of the day, helping us to think, feel, move, digest, and breathe. Yet, how exactly these vital organs accomplish any…
Standard
Major life decisions rarely arrive with a clear roadmap. More often, they present themselves as complex crossroads marked by internal friction, conflicting advice, and a profound sense of uncertainty. For one seasoned business leader, a monumental career choice arriving in 2025 brought back memories of a similarly daunting pivot made thirty-five years earlier—a moment when…
