Check out the August newsletter from AICT featuring: ➡ “(Un)Healthy Supplements: User Beware” by Dr. Kathleen Taylor ➡ The recent Greek translation of Dr. Robert Leahy’s book, The Jealousy Cure ➡ DBT Skills Group focusing on Interpersonal effectiveness conta.cc/4pTJQZK

August Newsletter

Email from American Institute for Cognitive Therapy Stay Informed: Check out Our Latest Newsletter for Valuable Resources August Newsletter The American Institute for Cognitive Therapy (AICT) is an in

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Anger is a normal human emotion, but when it becomes overwhelming or difficult to manage, it can affect relationships, work, and overall well-being. The APA outlines strategies for recognizing and managing anger effectively. Read more: www.apa.org/topics/anger...

People often find it harder to forgive themselves than to forgive others. Read more on why self-forgiveness can feel so difficult, and how self-compassion and accountability can help us learn from mistakes and move forward: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Why Forgiving Ourselves Feels So Hard—and What Helps

Researchers explored why some people can forgive themselves after a wrongdoing, while others remain stuck in perpetual guilt and shame.

greatergood.berkeley.edu

Cannabis may help people fall asleep more quickly, but emerging research suggests it may also reduce REM sleep — the stage associated with dreaming, memory consolidation, and emotional processing. Read more: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

The new science of cannabis and sleep

Research suggests cannabis suppresses REM sleep, raising questions about memory, emotion and the purpose of dreams.

washingtonpost.com

Why do celebrations sometimes turn into chaos? Psychology suggests that overwhelming joy can reduce inhibitions just as much as anger. Read more on how emotional contagion, deindividuation, and shared identity can reshape behavior in surprising ways: www.forbes.com/sites/maiaho...

Why People Sometimes Riot After Winning—The Psychology Behind Celebratory Chaos

The New York Knicks' first championship in 53 years sparked jubilation, vandalism, and arrests. Psychology helps explain why.

forbes.com

Summer often means more time outdoors and a more relaxed pace, which is beneficial for our minds. But rising temperatures can also fuel fatigue and seasonal summer depression. Learn how to spot the signs and protect your mental health this summer: www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/202...

3 ways to protect your mind and body when the heat rises

Spend time in nature, protect yourself from heatstroke, and watch for summer depression.

washingtonpost.com

“Too often, parents and teachers try to force kids to apologize and forgive. But research suggests there’s a better way that will make a deeper, more lasting impact.” Read more: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

What We Get Wrong About Teaching Kids to Apologize and Forgive

Too often, parents and teachers try to force kids to apologize and forgive. But research suggests there’s a better way that will make a deeper, more lasting impact.

greatergood.berkeley.edu

New research suggests most romantic liars fall into 3 profiles: Transparent Partners (mostly honest), Strategic Soothers (lie to avoid conflict or spare feelings), and Antagonistic Strategists (use deception to manipulate, seek attention, or exert control). www.psypost.org/new-psycholo...

New psychology research reveals three distinct types of liars in romantic relationships

Psychologists have identified three specific types of liars in romantic relationships. The findings suggest that while insecure individuals often lie to maintain harmony, those with dark personality t...

psypost.org

Do you ever find yourself struggling to find the right words when someone is crying? Stay present, listen, and validate their feelings. Skip clichés like "Don't cry" or "It'll be okay." Instead, try a simple "I'm so sorry" or "I'm here with you". time.com/article/2026...

The Best Thing to Say to Someone Who’s Crying

Your instinct is probably to stop the tears. Here's what actually helps instead.

time.com

“Repetitive thought spirals about a partner could be a sign of ROCD. But there are ways to reclaim your peace and intimacy”, read more here: psyche.co/guides/how-t...

“Disappointment often reflects a gap between expectation and reality… It surfaces what we truly desire, clarifies what matters to us, and points us toward what we are not yet willing to accept.” Check out these six tips for dealing with disappointment: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

The Hidden Upside of Disappointment

Confronting your unmet expectations can clarify what matters to you, strengthen your resilience, and spark creativity.

greatergood.berkeley.edu

Watching sports taps into our need for connection, shared identity, and emotional highs. Research suggests that cheering with others, whether in a stadium or on the couch, can boost well-being, reduce loneliness, and make us feel part of something bigger. Read more: time.com/article/2026...

Why Watching Sports Makes People Happy

Watching sports of all kinds, both in-person and on a screen, can have positive impacts on well-being.

time.com

In a world focused on hustle culture, check out these 5 tips to help pace yourself and prevent burnout: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Five Ways to Pace Yourself to Achieve Ambitious Goals

Managing your energy and balancing ambition with rest will help you succeed in the long run.

greatergood.berkeley.edu

Affect labeling—putting words to the emotion you are feeling—works to diffuse the intensity of the emotion. When your emotions are running strong, start by naming the dominant one: "This is rage," "this is anxiety," "this is grief." Read more here: time.com/article/2026...

Say These 3 Words to Instantly Defuse Your Rage

The technique, called affect labeling, can reduce the intensity of strong emotions.

time.com

“Around the world, happiness tends to peak later in life.” Find out why: psyche.co/ideas/why-ol...

“Psychologists Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis argue feeling loved comes from being truly known — built through radical curiosity, vulnerable sharing and their “sea-saw” model of back-and-forth conversation.” Read more: www.latimes.com/lifestyle/st...

Want to feel more loved? You're probably going about it the wrong way

In "How to Feel Loved," Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis reveal the differences between being in love and truly feeling love. The latter, they argue, is the key to happiness.

latimes.com

“Self-reliance is a strange ideal because feeling lonely and sociability are both inescapable parts of being human.” Read more about how needing others became a source of shame for Americans. psyche.co/ideas/how-ne...

The word "triggered" is rooted in trauma psychology, but overusing it for everyday annoyances can minimize actual trauma, reinforce avoidance, and make discomfort seem like danger. Try being specific instead. Example: "that frustrated me" instead of "I'm triggered." www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/w...

Are You ‘Triggered’ or Just Upset?

nytimes.com

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is one of the most misunderstood diagnoses in mental health. People with BPD aren't manipulative or lacking empathy. Experts and those living with BPD break down the myths here: time.com/article/2026...

8 Common Myths About Borderline Personality Disorder

BPD is one of the most misunderstood mental-health conditions.

time.com

Perfectionism is on the rise among young adults. A massive study spanning 35 years uncovers why fear of failure has become epidemic among college students and how economic factors are making it worse. www.psypost.org/perfectionis...

Perfectionism is skyrocketing in young adults and economic pressure might be the culprit

Analyzing 35 years of data, a new Psychological Bulletin study reveals perfectionism is accelerating among college students. Researchers suggest that slowing economic growth and rising inequality are ...

psypost.org

Resilience isn't just something you build alone. Social resilience requires us to work together and acknowledge shared struggles beyond individual coping. Learn 3 ways you can help your community become more resilient in the face of collective challenges. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

What Is Social Resilience—and How Can You Foster It?

Some problems are felt by many, and just can’t be solved by one person.

greatergood.berkeley.edu

People with dementia may seem to experience 'lucid intervals' of full decision-making capacity, but research shows those moments of clarity don't actually restore the ability to weigh consequences and consent. psyche.co/ideas/its-no...

“The relationship between sleep and mental health problems is bidirectional—and sleep troubles may precede, or even cause, mental health symptoms.” Check out our read of the day more: www.apa.org/monitor/2026...

Check out 10 therapist-approved ways reduce anxiety fast: washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/05/30/10-therapist-approved-ways-reduce-anxiety-fast/?itid=sf_wellbeing-mind_toptable_1_0

10 therapist-approved ways to reduce anxiety fast

These techniques can calm your mind and body when anxious thoughts strike.

washingtonpost.com

Do you struggle with having a work-life balance? You are not alone. Check out this quick read for tips on fostering a work-life balance and cultivating your purpose. greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

Are You Struggling with Work-Family Balance? Let Purpose Guide You

Focusing on what matters most can help ease the stress of competing work and family demands.

greatergood.berkeley.edu

All you need is 10-minutes. Learn about the power of “thinking walks” here. time.com/article/2026...

Why You Should Take a 10-Minute 'Thinking Walk'

Yes, that little time is all you need.

time.com

“We often start grieving our potential losses in advance. Can we do this more wisely?” Read more: greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item...

How to Navigate Anticipatory Grief

We often start grieving our potential losses in advance. Can we do this more wisely?

greatergood.berkeley.edu

“Trauma experienced during childhood is associated with a substantially higher risk of developing overlapping physical and mental illnesses in later life.” Read more: www.psypost.org/childhood-tr...

Childhood trauma predicts higher risk of combined mental and physical illness in later life

A longitudinal study of aging adults reveals that severe childhood adversity substantially raises the risk of developing simultaneous physical and mental illnesses in later life. Early-onset depressio...

psypost.org

Emotional flooding describes a state of “nervous-system overwhelm” that makes it difficult to think clearly, process information, or communicate effectively. Read more here: time.com/article/2026...

What ‘Emotional Flooding’ Really Means—And How to Handle It

When your brain goes offline during a stressful time, it might be emotional flooding.

time.com

“Attachment theory lays out how emotionally safe or unsafe you feel in relationships, how sensitive you are to potential signals of unsafety, and how you handle those signals.” Read about developing a secure attachment from renowned attachment expert Dr. Amir Levine: www.cnn.com/2026/04/16/h...

Renowned coauthor of ‘Attached’ now wants to help you become secure | CNN

If you have an anxious, avoidant or fearful avoidant attachment style, Dr. Amir Levine’s new book has advice on how you can become secure.

cnn.com