by Steve Hayes | Sep 6, 2022 | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Clinical Researchers, Clinicians, Evidence-Based Psychotherapy, Mental Disorders, psychological flexibility, Relationships
When you think about visiting a therapist for the first time, you might feel quite uncomfortable. After all, why should you tell a virtual stranger the most intimate details of your life – things you haven’t even told your spouse, or your closest friends? What, are...
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 | 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...
by Steve Hayes | Mar 10, 2021 | Emotion, Relationships
When people talk about love, they often mean the intense kind of involuntary emotional states you “fall” into that go by that name. It’s a model of love you see in Disney movies, hear about in pop songs, and read about in corny romance novels. It’s the kind that...
by Steve Hayes | Dec 8, 2020 | ACT, psychological flexibility, Relationships
There are few things in life more important to your overall happiness than the quality of your relationships. And among all the relationships you build and foster throughout your lifetime, few stand out as the one with your significant other. Your partner gets to...
by Steve Hayes | Dec 18, 2014 | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT, Child Development, Evidence-Based Psychotherapy, Happiness, Human Suffering, Relationships, Self-as-Context
Is it important to love yourself? It seems that depends on how you do it. Few concepts in popular psychology have gotten more attention over the last few decades than self-esteem and its importance in life success and long-term mental health. Of course, much of this...