The Savvy Psychologist's Quick And Dirty Tips For Better Mental Health

Apropos to solar eclipse mania comes a quote from a 17th century French nobleman: “Neither the sun, nor death, can be looked at steadily.” Four hundred years later, his words still hold. With that in mind, this week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen takes a safety-standards-approved look at 4 worries about the end of the road.

It’s been said that only two things are certain in this world. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen talks about one of them, and it’s not taxes.

Were you born under a lucky star? Or maybe you’re having a Friday the 13th kind of life. It turns out having good luck isn’t just a matter of, well, luck. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen examines the science of getting lucky (no, not that kind of getting lucky).

We’ve all been told to follow our heart. Go with our gut. Trust our intuition. But how, exactly? This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen explains the “what” and the “how” of going with your gut.

A conversation with a good listener is like a good meal—we walk away feeling satisfied, happy, and nourished. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 ways to be an amazing listener. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11506 Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Concentration, focus, attention. Whatever you call it, it’s quickly becoming the rarest of national resources. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals 9 reasons your focus might be fizzling and 5 ways to fight the distraction of random shiny objects. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11401 Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Shaking off the judgment of haters is harder than mega-hit pop songs would have you believe. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 6 ways to, whatever they say, be the rubber to your haters’ glue.

Sick of running scared? Tired of the butterflies in your stomach getting the last word? Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 4 tips to face fear head on.

Ah, summer: the crash of waves, the crackling of a bonfire, the sand between your toes...and, well, between everything else, too. But is a vacation truly a break if you’re anxious about getting there, getting back, and everything in the middle? As you unwind this summer, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen puts to rest 4 common travel anxieties.

Are you a perfectionist? Most perfectionists don’t identify with the label. But Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 9 signs that might make you come out of the (perfectly organized) perfectionist closet.

As kids, most of us were afraid of dogs, clowns, or things that go bump in the night. But for a lot of us, childhood fears never wore off. And that isn’t just inconvenient, it’s potentially embarrassing. Thankfully, phobias are some of the easiest fears to vanquish. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen shows you how. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2tLTDDU Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

The term “separation anxiety” usually conjures the image of a tearful toddler, or worse, a whimpering dog, but millions of grown-ups live with separation anxiety, too. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen begins a two-part series on kid fears in grown-ups. First up, one of the most common adult fears no one ever talks about: separation anxiety. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2rav3vv Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Choking under pressure happens to everyone from professional athletes to ten-year-olds taking a math test. Even socially awkward moments have their roots in choking, recent research shows. This week on the Savvy Psychologist, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals why we choke and how to come through in the clutch. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2rrs58B. Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Trust is easy to break, hard to rebuild. By request from listener Kate, this week Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 steps to put the pieces together again.

“Your message must have gone to my spam folder.” “No, those pants are totally cute on you.” “The check’s in the mail.” White lies may be a necessary social lubricant, but big whoppers cost us time and trust. How to tell if you’re being taken for a ride? This week, by request from listener Nasser from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals 7 ways to spot a liar. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1NIn8uj

You’ve got a big moment ahead of you, whether it’s a presentation, a performance, or a pitch. You want to own it, but your jitters are threatening to own you. What to do? This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 6 things to do before a big moment (besides power pose in a bathroom stall). Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2pZ3Yyj

Self-control (or lack of it) plays a role in choosing a salad or a soda, working out or staying on the couch, and moderating alcohol or getting trashed on a Tuesday. There are times we all wish we had a little (or a lot) more of it. Therefore, this week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 7 ways to stretch your self-control. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2q5a63X

What happens when your BFF’s behavior makes you say WTF? When do you stay loyal and when do you call it quits? By request from listener Alyssa, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen tackles when to stick it out in a troubled friendship and when to walk away. Read the full transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/9616

Whether working, mothering, or operating as the head of the house, women everywhere understand the anxiety surrounding the phrase "dropping the ball." Author and activist Tiffany Dufu explains why "dropping the ball" and rewriting expectations actually leads to happier and less stressful life. Read more at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/9562

Pop psychology tells us that complaining is a sort of catharsis—that by getting our feelings out rather than bottling them up, we’ll feel better. But it turns out this is largely a myth. This week on the Savvy Psychologist, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals why complaining only makes us feel worse and more importantly, how the habitual complainers among us can stop the grumbling. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2nMyGHf