Dr. Aaron P. Brinen, Nashville, TN (2026)

05/12/2026

I’m excited to be presenting at the 11th Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium on May 13th in Daytona Beach. The symposium brings together clinicians, advocates, families, and community members for a full day focused on improving mental health care, recovery, and connection. (whoisjay.org)

I’ll be leading an afternoon breakout session on Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R), an approach designed to help people reconnect with purpose, possibility, and recovery — especially individuals experiencing psychosis and other serious mental health challenges. CT-R continues to be one of the most meaningful parts of my professional journey and clinical work. (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

If you’re attending the symposium, I’d love for you to stop by the session, say hello, and connect throughout the day. And if you’re interested in recovery-focused approaches to psychosis care, feel free to check out my book, Guilford Press Living Well with Psychosis as well.

More information about the symposium here: Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium

https://www.whoisjay.org/11th-annual-who-is-jay-mental-health-symposium/

11th Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health SymposiumIn Focus: Reframing the Conversation, Improving CareWednesday, May 13, 20268:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.Ocean Center, Daytona Beach The 11th Annual Who is Jay? Mental Health Symposium, a full day of learning, connection, and professional development dedicated....

04/29/2026

Sometimes you get a message that stops you in your tracks—in the best possible way.

A colleague shared this with me today:

“On a virtual psychosis care conference and a speaker just shared your book and said it was their lifeline… and that it was like talking to your best friend.”

I had to read it twice.

When I wrote Guilford Press Living Well with Psychosis, my hope was simple but deeply meaningful: that people wouldn’t feel alone. That they’d feel understood, respected, and supported—like someone was sitting beside them, not talking at them.

Hearing that it’s being experienced that way… that it’s helping someone feel grounded, connected, and maybe a little less overwhelmed… that’s everything.

Moments like this remind me why this work matters—not just for individuals living with psychosis, but for families, clinicians, and communities trying to navigate something incredibly complex with compassion and clarity.

I’m grateful. Truly.

And I hope more people can have that same experience—of feeling like they’ve found a steady, human voice in the middle of something difficult.

If you’ve read it or shared it with someone, I’d love to hear your experience.

Leading psychologist Aaron P. Brinen busts myths and helps you build the life you want in this empowering book. Dr. Brinen provides step-by-step guidance for becoming a strong self-advocate, navigating treatment options, managing symptoms that cause distress, and coping with stigma. Learn crucia...

04/17/2026

Procrastination is often misunderstood.

It’s not laziness. It’s not a lack of discipline.

In many cases, it’s a learned behavioral loop driven by negative reinforcement—we avoid a task, our anxiety drops, and that relief reinforces avoidance.

I recently shared a short video breaking down what I call the “Pause Button” and how it keeps people stuck in cycles of avoidance, stress, and self-criticism.

More importantly, I walk through three simple, practical strategies to interrupt that cycle—tools I use regularly in my work with individuals in recovery.

If you or someone you support struggles with motivation, anxiety, or follow-through, I think this will resonate.

🎥 Check it out here: The REAL Reason You Procrastinate (It’s Not Laziness)
https://youtu.be/BfirbQbShLQ

And for more structured tools, you can explore my book Guilford Press Living Well with Psychosis, where I expand on these concepts in a practical, recovery-oriented way.

Do you struggle with procrastination, avoidance, or feeling stuck when starting tasks?In this short, Dr. Aaron Brinen explains the “Pause Button”—a simple bu...

04/10/2026

Many people I work with—whether they’re experiencing depression, anxiety, or psychosis—tell me the same thing:

“I know what I should do… I just can’t get going.”

That’s where structure can help.

In this short video, I walk through a simple, evidence-informed framework called the Five Ways to Well-Being:
• Connect
• Be Active
• Keep Learning
• Give
• Take Notice

What I like about this approach is that it moves us away from abstract goals (“feel better”) and toward specific, daily actions that can improve energy, engagement, and meaning.

For individuals struggling with motivation or negative symptoms, the key is not perfection—it’s adding small, intentional steps and learning from what helps.

If you’re a clinician, family member, or someone working on your own recovery, I hope this gives you a practical tool to try.

👇 I’d be curious:
Which of these five areas do you find hardest to build into your day?

Struggling with motivation, depression, or negative symptoms? This quick mental health technique can help you get back on track.In this short, psychologist D...

04/07/2026

This summer, I had the opportunity to present a webinar with Mad In America —an organization that continues to challenge us to think more deeply, critically, and compassionately about mental health care. Their work emphasizes the importance of lived experience and rethinking traditional approaches to psychiatry, which I greatly respect. And they’ve released it on YouTube!

This conversation was especially meaningful to me. It was a chance to share ideas about recovery, psychotherapy, and what it really looks like to help people build meaningful lives—even in the presence of serious mental health challenges.

If you're a clinician, someone with lived experience, or simply interested in a more nuanced perspective on mental health, I’d encourage you to check out the webinar here:
👉 https://youtu.be/mRq9a07HYbE?si=h5kfIR-P8XpifGpg

If you find it helpful, I’d also love for you to explore more content on my YouTube channel (RecoverWithCBT), where I focus on practical, recovery-oriented strategies.

And if you haven’t yet, consider picking up a copy of Living Well with Psychosis Guilford Press . My hope in writing it was to provide both clinicians and individuals with tools that support real-world recovery and a more hopeful path forward.

Grateful for opportunities like this—and for the ongoing conversations that help move our field forward.

Many people who experience psychosis have difficulties with motivation and connection (commonly referred to as “negative symptoms”) that make them the least ...

04/03/2026

I’m excited to share that I am now licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in the state of New Jersey!

I’m grateful for the opportunity to expand my work and begin serving individuals in New Jersey. I currently have availability for referrals and would be honored to support those seeking evidence-based, recovery-oriented care.

In addition to New Jersey, I am also licensed in New York. I also participate in PSYPACT (the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact), which allows me to provide telehealth services to clients in 43 participating states—helping increase access to care across state lines.

I’m deeply thankful for the continued support of my private practice—from colleagues, referral partners, and the individuals and families I’ve had the privilege to work with. Your trust means everything.

If you or someone you know could benefit from services, feel free to reach out or connect.

Recoverwithcbt.com

Gateway to Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) for Psychosis

04/02/2026

When I wrote Guilford Press Living Well with Psychosis, my goal was simple: to create something practical, hopeful, and genuinely useful—something that could help people move beyond just managing symptoms and toward building a life that feels worth living.

Seeing how readers have experienced it has been deeply encouraging. One reviewer wrote:
“I wish this book had been available when I really needed it… a person… can truly be the captain of their own ship.”

Another shared how much they appreciated having clear, actionable steps they could actually apply in their daily life.

If you’re someone living with psychosis, supporting a loved one, or working as a clinician, I hope this book can be a steady, respectful guide—one that reminds you that progress is possible, and that a meaningful life is within reach.

Thank you to everyone who has read it, shared it, and used it in their work. It truly means a lot.

https://a.co/d/0bOhsev2

Leading psychologist Aaron P. Brinen busts myths and helps you build the life you want in this empowering book. Dr. Brinen provides step-by-step guidance for becoming a strong self-advocate, navigating treatment options, managing symptoms that cause distress, and coping with stigma. Learn crucia...

03/27/2026

Many of us have heard the advice:
“Just take a deep breath.”

But interestingly, the way most people take a “deep breath” actually activates the fight-or-flight response rather than calming it.

In a new video, I walk through a simple breathing technique that helps regulate the nervous system by slowing the breath instead of deepening it.

It’s easy to practice, easy to use during stressful moments, and subtle enough that you can do it in meetings, before difficult conversations, or when your mind starts racing.

Sometimes the most powerful tools are also the simplest ones.

If you work in mental health, support someone experiencing anxiety, or just want a practical technique to reset your nervous system, I hope this is helpful.

Watch here:
Why “Take a Deep Breath” Is Bad Advice (Do This Technique Instead)

Do you ever feel like your nervous system is dialed up to 11? Your heart is racing, your mind is spinning, and people tell you to “just take a deep breath.”B...

03/25/2026

Today’s Clinical Bites is all about something I hear constantly in supervision:

“How do I turn a simple interaction into meaningful therapeutic change?”

In this video, I break down a 5-step process for transforming everyday activities—like going for a walk or sharing coffee—into powerful behavioral experiments that drive cognitive restructuring.

This is a core principle in recovery-oriented cognitive therapy:
👉 We don’t just engage—we create learning.

When we consistently help individuals test and update their beliefs through experience, we move from connection to transformation.

If you’re a clinician, I think this will resonate with your day-to-day work.

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/qNH0wCoSs_M?si=XXBvB4dBIeFQe6OG

Curious—how do you currently turn activities into learning opportunities in your sessions?

Are you a therapist who’s ever had a great session—but struggled to turn it into real learning?In this Clinical Bites episode, Dr. Aaron Brinen breaks down a...

Dr. Aaron P. Brinen

05/12/2026

04/29/2026

04/17/2026

04/10/2026

04/07/2026

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03/27/2026

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