Dr. Patrick Keelan, Registered Psychologist

09/28/2026

To approach or not to approach others: A dilemma faced by people and porcupines

In this article, I discuss why people and porcupines grapple with deciding whether to approach other members of their species. Dr. Nicholas Epley, in 'A little more social: How small choices create unexpected happiness, health and connection', discusses the benefits of approaching others in various ways including starting conversations, expressing gratitude and appreciation, making compliments, doing acts of kindness, and expressing one’s honest thoughts and feelings. Despite the positive consequences which typically occur when people approach others in these ways, most people refrain from choosing to do so when such opportunities arise. To understand why people are often gun-shy about being social, it helps to consider how a different species grapples with this issue. In the following sections, I will explore how humans and this other species navigate the challenge of whether to approach others...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . Dr. Nicholas Epley, in A little more social: How small choices create unexpected happiness, health and connection, discusses the benefits of approaching others in various ways including starting conversations, expressing gratitude and appreciation, making compliments, doing...

09/14/2026

Honesty: Is it really the best policy?

In this article, I discuss whether being honest is likely to produce positive outcomes. ‘Honesty is the best policy’ guides people toward making it a practice to tell the truth. However, given how often people lie or withhold facts, many people do not follow this policy. This leads one to wonder whether being honest is likely to produce positive outcomes. Instead, perhaps it is in people’s interests to avoid being honest. I will explore these questions in the following sections...[more]...

08/31/2026

Appreciation: Think about it and express it for double-barreled positive effects

In this article, I discuss two ways that appreciating can be good for your mood. Reminding yourself of what you appreciate is a reliable way to bring yourself out of the dumps when you’re having a bad day. It is such an effective mood-booster that therapists recommend that their clients do this exercise regularly to enhance their happiness and mental health. Thinking ‘appreciation thoughts’ is not the only way that appreciation can boost your mood and enhance your mental health. I will discuss this additional strategy for using appreciation to your advantage in the following sections...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . Reminding yourself of what you appreciate is a reliable way to bring yourself out of the dumps when you’re having a bad day. It is such an effective mood-booster that therapists recommend that their clients do this exercise regularly to enhance their happiness and mental ...

08/17/2026

Accomplishing therapy goals: It’s like taking a shower

In this article, I discuss how planning and executing steps are keys for success in therapy. Dr. Michael Yapko, author of many influential books including 'Breaking the patterns of depression' and 'Depression is contagious', discussed at a recent talk an unusual homework assignment which he gives to his clients. He asks them to record the steps to perform activities which they do effectively. Taking a shower and driving a car are two of the many activities for which his clients recorded the steps they performed. How is such homework helpful to his clients in addressing their therapy issues? I will discuss this in the following sections...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . Dr. Michael Yapko, author of many influential books including Breaking the patterns of depression and Depression is contagious, discussed at a recent talk an unusual homework assignment which he gives to his clients. He asks them to record the steps to perform

08/03/2026

Want to be happier? Act like an extrovert

In this article, I discuss the emotional health benefits of acting like an extrovert—whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. One of the ‘Big Five’ personality characteristics is extroversion/introversion. A primary difference between extroverts and introverts is the degree to which they seek out social contact. Extroverts tend to do this more than introverts. In turn, introverts prefer to spend more time alone than extroverts. The difference between extroverts and introverts in their relative preferences for spending time with others versus spending time alone has been viewed as a good fit for each of these two personality types. That is, although having social contact is also beneficial to introverts, it was believed that their optimal amount of social contact is less than that of extroverts. In turn, it was thought that going beyond this optimal amount of social contact would be detrimental to introverts and that they should instead spend time alone when they reach that point. In 'A little more social: How small choices create unexpected happiness, health and connection', Dr. Nicholas Epley discussed his own research and that of other psychologists which challenged this view. He proposed that, even though it is not their preference, it is better for the mental health of introverts to seek social contact beyond their optimal amount. In other words, he posited that introverts can be happier by acting like extroverts. In the following sections, I will discuss this idea...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . One of the ‘Big Five’ personality characteristics is extroversion/introversion. A primary difference between extroverts and introverts is the degree to which they seek out social contact. Extroverts tend to do this more than introverts. In turn, introverts prefer to spe...

07/20/2026

The pursuit of happiness: Is it a good idea?

In this article, I will discuss whether it is good for one’s mental health to work on happiness as a goal. The pursuit of happiness is one the ‘unalienable rights’ listed by the authors of the United States Declaration of Independence. This implies that principal author Thomas Jefferson and his colleagues considered working on happiness as a goal to be a good idea. In the following sections, I will evaluate this notion from a mental health perspective...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . The pursuit of happiness is one the ‘unalienable rights’ listed by the authors of the United States Declaration of Independence. This implies that principal author Thomas Jefferson and his colleagues considered working on happiness as a goal to be a good idea. In the fo...

07/20/2026

The pursuit of happiness: Is it a good idea?

In this article, I will discuss whether it is good for one’s mental health to work on happiness as a goal. The pursuit of happiness is one the ‘unalienable rights’ listed by the authors of the United States Declaration of Independence. This implies that principal author Thomas Jefferson and his colleagues considered working on happiness as a goal to be a good idea. In the following sections, I will evaluate this notion from a mental health perspective...[more]...

07/06/2026

Managing intrusive negative thoughts: Letting ‘Radio Doom and Gloom’ play in the background

In this article, I will discuss how to deal with negative thoughts which enter your mind while you are trying to focus on a task or an activity. A common challenge when engaging in a task or an activity is the intrusion of negative thoughts. The content of these negative thoughts typically falls into two categories: (1) Thoughts about not being good enough, often in comparison with others; (2) Worrisome thoughts about negative events about to happen and being unable to cope when they happen. Intrusive negative thoughts can be a significant distraction while you are trying to focus on the task or the activity. This usually leads to worse performance on the task and decreased enjoyment of the activity. Fortunately, there are strategies you can use to manage intrusive negative thoughts. Using these strategies allows you to focus on the task or the activity despite their presence so that you can perform the task effectively and enjoy the activity in which you are engaged. As you will read in the following sections, using the strategies is akin to focusing on a task or an activity while a radio plays in the background...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . A common challenge when engaging in a task or an activity is the intrusion of negative thoughts. The content of these negative thoughts typically falls into two categories: (1) Thoughts about not being good enough, often in comparison with others; (2) Worrisome thoughts abo...

06/22/2026

Setting boundaries: An often-unspoken process

In this article, I discuss how recognizing the need to set boundaries and the setting of boundaries is often more behavioural than verbal. Setting boundaries is necessary when we are being treated disrespectfully. The two-step process of boundary-setting involves first recognizing that boundary-setting is required because of disrespectful treatment followed by setting boundaries through our words and/or actions. Boundary-setting signals to others, and more importantly to ourselves, that we deserve to be treated respectfully. Clients often balk at setting boundaries for being too difficult. One source of the alleged difficulty is identifying that boundary-setting is required—that it is unclear that they are being treated disrespectfully. A second source of the alleged difficulty is anxiety about having to confront to let them know you deserve respectful treatment. Fortunately, boundary-setting is less difficult than these clients make it out to be. The reason is setting boundaries is often more behavioural than verbal. In the following sections, I will discuss how behaviours make it easier to recognize that boundary-setting is required and make setting boundary-setting itself less stressful...[more]...

Estimated reading time: . Setting boundaries is necessary when we are being treated disrespectfully. The two-step process of boundary-setting involves first recognizing that boundary-setting is required because of disrespectful treatment followed by setting boundaries through our words and/or action...