Risk for Reward? Social media has a reinforcing nature. Using it activates the brain’s reward centre by releasing dopamine, a “feel-good chemical” linked to pleasurable activities such as sex, food, and social interaction. Platforms are designed to be addictive and are associated with anxiety and depression, even physical ailments. External...
To Be Beautiful Means To Be Yourself
In ACT, acceptance and commitment therapy, we aim for psychological flexibility. As we cultivate this flexibility we naturally learn to be more accepting of ourselves and of others. Black and white thinking can cause problems when it comes to relationships with others but more importantly with ourselves. One exercise we...
You Are A Flower
You are a flower in the garden of humanity. This is one of the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh that I use regularly. By looking at myself as a flower, there are many insights I have gleaned from this, including how to be solid in my personal convictions and walking...
All the Pretty Horses
Improved mental state occurs when you ride horses. Physical activity is considered to be the most important link between health and mental wellbeing (Steptoe et al., 2015). The relationship between horseback riding with physical, psychological, and social wellbeing was studied by Schwarzmüller-Erber et al, 2021 and this is what was discovered....