by Steve Hayes | May 22, 2022 | Acceptance, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Emotion, Human Suffering, Pain
Screens are everywhere in the modern world. We hang them on our walls and call them televisions; we haul them in our book bags and call them laptops; we carry them in our pockets and call them smartphones. What is on all of these screens is literally everything we can...
by Steve Hayes | Apr 30, 2022 | Acceptance, Anxiety, Depression, Emotion, Happiness, Human Beings, Human Suffering, Pain, Relationships
Imagine you had a friend who is there for you whenever you need them. Someone who cares about you, who listens patiently, and who is kind, forgiving, and compassionate. It’s probably fair to say that we all would want a friend like this. And even more: We likely all...
by Steve Hayes | Apr 4, 2022 | Anxiety, Depression, Emotion, Human Suffering
Why do we lash out at our partner, when we want to be kind and caring? Why do we isolate ourselves, when we already feel lonely, and crave connection? Why do we drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, and give in to other vices, when it harms our health? And why do we know all...
by Steve Hayes | Oct 28, 2021 | Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Cognitive Defusion, Emotion
It’s nearing the end of October, and Halloween is about to begin. This is the time of monsters. The time of vampires, werewolves, mummies, and other horrific figures. People dress up in all sorts of ways to represent humanity’s deepest and darkest fears. In...
by Steve Hayes | Sep 9, 2021 | Acceptance, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Anxiety Disorders, Denial, Depression, Emotion, Happiness
There are only a few skills in life as important as the skill of acceptance. Whether it comes to your mental health, the quality of your relationships, your physical fitness, your career success, or your expertise in playing any instrument on the planet… all of it...
by Steve Hayes | Jun 29, 2021 | Emotion, Happiness, Relationships
A good man died a few days ago at the age of 87. He was one of the single most important persons in my life, and indeed he’s why I am a psychologist. I never met him. I corresponded with him only once – when I sent him a thank you note nearly 50 years after he’d...