Manon Dulude Counseling Services

06/07/2026

3 Ways Overthinking Can Wreck Your Life
by Jeffrey Bernstein Ph.D.

On the outside, everything looks normal, even positive. People prone to overthinking have friends, go to work, pay their bills, and show up for many parts of their lives. For sure, many overthinkers don't appear overwhelmed on the outside to those who know them casually. But inwardly, their minds rarely take a break from those maddening thought spirals. Overthinkers incessantly replay conversations, dissecting them to see where they messed up. Furthermore, overthinkers also specialize in anticipating disasters, second-guessing their decisions, and predicting bad outcomes before they even happen.

The Tricky Part of Overthinking

As I have observed in my counseling practice for over 35 years, people are convinced that overthinking increases the chances of being in control. But in reality, chronic overthinking wears you down, drains your confidence, and holds you back. Your life appears adequate to others, but inwardly you feel frozen and trapped by a huge "what-if this goes badly?" wave that crashes into you and, at times, crushes you.

I have also seen that overthinking is an equal opportunity thought disruptor. It does not discriminate based on age, creed, or gender. The same anxiety-filled thought loops that affect children also affect adults. Here are three ways that overthinking may be damaging your life and what you can do to break the cycle.

Continued at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/liking-the-child-you-love/202605/3-ways-overthinking-can-wreck-your-life

06/06/2026

06/05/2026

The Power of Hugs
by Manon Dulude Ph.D.

As social, tactile creatures, human beings thrive on the benefits of touch. A quick hug has a near-immediate impact on health, lowering your heart rate and inducing a calming effect while also leading to a more upbeat mood. So what is the connection between the physical touch of a hug and that lift in spirit?

Neuroeconomist Dr Paul Zak has determined that the human brain naturally produces oxytocin in response to physical touch. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide, a naturally occurring hormone in your body with incredibly powerful, health-giving properties. Often considered a major player in the regulation of trust and morality, it is revealing fascinating information about human behaviour and relationships. Oxytocin is released in the body when we feel safe and connected and tells the brain, “Everything is all right.”

Oxytocin helps us navigate our world of complex social relationships by rewarding positive social behaviour with feelings of contentment and relaxation. Dr. Zak suggests that oxytocin thus motivates a variety of pro-social behaviours such as generosity, compassion, and forgiveness. Human relationships are what keep us alive on the most fundamental level, both physically and psychologically, and the presence of oxytocin in our brains helps us to trust and bond with others.

Continued at https://manondulude.com/the-power-of-hugs/

06/01/2026

Stop Diagnosing Yourself From Social Media Posts
Isabelle Morley Psy.D.

If you spend enough time on Instagram or TikTok, you could be convinced that you have ADHD. Or autism, or a personality disorder, or depression, or anxiety. You may learn you have an insecure attachment style, too, whether it’s anxious or avoidant. Short-form content has led to an increase in inaccurate self-diagnosis, and we need to look at why it’s happening.

The Positive Aspects of Increased Access to Information

A lot of good has come with increased awareness of and access to mental health information. It has lowered stigma, encouraging people to seek help from their support system or professionals. It has helped people better understand when their experience moves from a normal degree of difficult to a clinical-level issue that requires more intervention. People have found community with others who share diagnoses or have had similarly challenging experiences.

Further, some people have been able to identify a clinical problem that might otherwise have gone undiagnosed due to lack of awareness or access to healthcare. As people learn more about disorders and their criteria, they are better able to spot these clinical issues in themselves.

The problem is, people are also able to spot a clinical issue even when one doesn’t actually exist.

Continued at https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/love-them-or-leave-them/202605/stop-diagnosing-yourself-from-social-media-posts/amp

05/28/2026

Stop Fighting Unwanted Thoughts
David Hanscom MD

The harder you fight your unwanted thoughts, the louder they get. Neuroscience shows us alternatives. Let your body do what it knows how to do – heal.

Journalist Benoit Denizet-Lewis1 recently ended a New York Times essay on self-transformation with a cartoon: a butterfly peering down at a caterpillar, dispensing advice with the easy authority of someone who has only recently sprouted wings. "The thing is," the butterfly says, "you have to really want to change."

The joke, as Denizet-Lewis points out, is obvious. The caterpillar's transformation has nothing to do with wanting. It becomes what it becomes. Another way to put it is that your body knows how to heal if you can learn to get out of the way.

After more than three decades as a spine surgeon, I have watched this same paradox destroy people's chances of getting better. Not because they didn't try hard enough — but because they tried too hard, in exactly the wrong direction.

Continued at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-another-name-for-pain/202604/stop-fighting-unwanted-thoughts

05/26/2026

Here's why you need to take a walk outside...

05/21/2026

Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson / Joseph Grenny/Ron McMillan/Al Switzler

Many ‘defining’ moments in life come from having crucial conversations (as these create significant shifts in attitude and behaviour). There are three factors that tend to define a crucial conversation: 1) opinions differ, 2) the stakes are high, and 3) emotions are high. If handled properly, they create breakthroughs. If handled poorly, they can lead to breakdowns. Quite often, the health of a relationship depends on how well these are dealt with. The reality is that many people do not deal with them well – or at all. They live in either a sub-optimal state or hope the situation will resolve itself.

‘Crucial Conversations’ by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler focuses on techniques for holding such conversations in a positive space when surrounded by highly charged emotions. Their findings are based on 25 years of research with 20,000 people.

Their model has essentially 7 steps:

Continued at https://manondulude.com/crucial-conversations-by-kerry-patterson-joseph-grenny-ron-mcmillan-al-switzler/

05/20/2026

4 Things That Help Depression More Than You May Think
by Justin Garson Ph.D.

In the 1990s, we often heard the mantra: Depression is a chemical imbalance to be managed with pills. The culprit was thought to be serotonin. The serotonin theory of depression gave the public a simple and optimistic message, with a clear mandate: Take your pills.

We now know that the serotonin theory is false, and we’re becoming increasingly aware of the side effects and discontinuation symptoms of antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Yet prescriptions for antidepressants have continued to skyrocket. In 2000, about one in ten Americans were on antidepressants; today, it’s about one in six.

In May, the journal Lancet—among the most prestigious medical journals in the world—published new guidelines for treating depression. The recommendations were drawn from a vast body of scientific literature. The review identifies four practices, other than medication, for healing depression.

These recommendations don’t just reflect the opinions of a small group of mental health professionals. They reflect an emerging consensus within the profession about what the future of depression treatment should look like.

Continued at https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-biology-of-human-nature/202605/4-things-that-help-depression-more-than-you-may-think