In this article, I extend psychology-based season’s greetings to you and yours. With the holiday season in full swing, people all over the world are extending best wishes through words, gestures and gifts. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, I will extend my best wishes in this article. Given that I am a psychologist, I thought it would be appropriate for my season’s greetings to be rooted in psychology...[more]
In this article, I discuss steps you can take when you are in a bad mood for no apparent reason. In most situations in which we are in a bad mood, we can point to a reason. For example, we may be experiencing work stress or problems in our relationships, finances or health. In these instances, we are usually aware of steps we can take to improve our mood. This often entails taking action to address the problem affecting our mood, engaging in activities to take our mind off the problem, and using cognitive strategies to facilitate thinking about the problem in a balanced manner rather than in an overly negative way. It is less clear how to deal with your bad mood when you cannot point to a cause for it. For example, what if you feel irritated, anxious, sad or frustrated for no apparent reason? In the following sections, I will discuss steps you can take in these situations...[more]
In this article, I discuss why, despite recent statements to the contrary, work-life balance is a good thing. For as long as I can remember, work-life balance has been a value which most people have endorsed. Most companies, including those for whom I have worked, have espoused the concept even though some did not practice it. However, recently I was shocked to hear some people publicly denouncing work-life balance. This led me to consider that my next article should be one in which I argue in defense of what I believe is an important value. In the following sections, I will make the case in favour of work-life balance...[more]
In this article, I discuss the mental health benefits which I and other Toronto Blue Jays supporters enjoyed during their 2025 journey to the World Series. I have long enjoyed being a fan of various sports. Some of my most treasured times have involved watching sporting events alone or with family and friends. Among the notable events in my childhood were traveling to Toronto with my father and older brother to attend Canadian football’s Grey Cup Game and being in the crowd at the Winnipeg Arena with that same older brother at Game 3 of the Canada versus Soviet Union Summit Series of Hockey. More recently, I traveled with my younger brother to San Francisco to watch a National Football League game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I also enjoy watching the men’s and women’s Canadian curling championships each year and discussing the action with my younger sister. I should also mention that I have also been a long-standing baseball fan. Among my cherished memories is going to Toronto Blue Jays games at the SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) with my fellow graduate students when I attended the University of Toronto. These experiences point to my being a fan of the Blue Jays. However, it was not until this past Monday when I stayed up to watch all 18 innings of the 2025 Blue Jays’ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the World Series that I realized how devoted I am. My commitment to watching the Blue Jays in their 2025 playoff run stemmed from the mental health benefits which I and other supporters derived from the experience. I will discuss these benefits in the following sections...[more]
In this article, I discuss the benefits and costs of strengthening connections with people in groups to which you belong and of creating connections with people in groups to which you do not belong. I recently read the best-selling Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam. The premise of the book is that Americans have been connecting with each other in social interaction significantly less over the last several decades. The term he uses for connecting in social interaction, coined by L.J. Hanifan in 1916, is ‘social capital’. Mr. Putnam discusses two kinds of social capital. In the following sections, I will discuss the benefits and costs of each kind.
In this article, I discuss threats to mental health posed by social media use and how to address them. On a recent episode of The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge podcast, the host read listener responses to the provocative question: Is social media a cancer? Many responses pointed to threats to mental health posed by social media. In the following sections, I will discuss these threats and how to address them...[more]
In this article, I discuss how focusing on processes rather than outcomes facilitates a good night’s sleep and fulfilling sexual relationships. A good night’s sleep and fulfilling sexual relationships play pivotal roles in people’s emotional well-being. An obvious connection between these two goals is that they share the location where the activity occurs. ... However, there is another thing they have in common. What it takes to be successful in each area is remarkably similar. I will discuss this common factor in the following sections...[more]
In this article, I discuss how artificial intelligence may reduce people’s engagement in one kind of activity which is fundamental to good mental health. I often have clients with issues involving low self-esteem. One of my go-to strategies to help these clients is to have them incorporate mastery activities into their lives. Mastery activities are those in which a person accomplishes something and uses their talents and skills. Mastery activities can include occupational activities, exercise, sports and a wide array of hobbies and interests. Unfortunately, it appears that people’s continuing engagement in mastery activities may be threatened by the most recent revolutionary development in technology—artificial intelligence or, as it is commonly called, AI. In the following sections, I will discuss how AI poses a threat to mastery activities and steps which can be taken to stave off the threat—such as my writing this article...[more]
In this article, I discuss how to make deposits to your relationship’s emotional bank account quickly and easily. A key to success in any close relationship is having a strong relationship friendship. The entails the couple setting aside time regularly to engage in activities which build fondness, connection and intimacy. Relationship expert Dr. John Gottman says that regular friendship activities lead the couples to make deposits of positivity into their relationship’s ‘emotional bank account’. Doing so brings with it a positive perspective on each other and on the relationship. It has the additional benefit of the two partners bringing that positive mindset to discussions of issues in the form of ‘positive sentiment override’. This leads to them having success in managing conflict during those discussions. Unfortunately, various factors can arise which make it challenging for the parties to engage in relationship friendship activities consistently. This leads to fewer deposits being made to the emotional bank account which leads to a negative perspective on each other and the relationship. In turn, it produces the additional side-effect of a negative mindset when discussing issues which leads to less success in managing conflict. Fortunately, there are efficient and convenient friendship activities in which the couple can engage when these factors arise. I will discuss these activities in the following sections...[more]
Dr. Patrick Keelan joins CBC's Fresh Air to discuss the psychological impact of speed cameras on driver behavior. Listen to insights on how speed cameras are actually working.
