How to Stop Nightmares and Night Terrors
This week on the Savvy Psychologist podcast, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen outlines 4 differences between nightmares and night terrors. Plus, tips on how to get rid of each so you can drift back to dreamland...
Stories by Savvy Psychologist Ellen Hendriksen
Humans of New York's Brandon Stanton on How to Talk to Strangers
Brandon Stanton, creator, photographer, interviewer, and author of the recent New York Times bestseller Humans of New York: Stories, discusses how to talk to strangers, the importance of having greater empathy, and more...
What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)?
Affecting 3 to 8 percent of the population, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is the most common of all the personality disorders. This week, the Savvy Psychologist explains the eight traits of OCPD...
Toxic Habits: Overthinking
This week, we’ll wrap up our three-part series on toxic habits. Our third toxic habit? Call it overthinking, obsessing, brooding, or wallowing, or, call it the official term: rumination...
5 Therapy Myths and Fears Busted
While millions of people are comfortable seeking help from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other counselor, others—maybe you included—would rather pass a kidney stone than make an appointment with a therapist...
Your Brain on Porn and Other Sexual Images
Is porn bad for the brain? The Savvy Psychologist explains 3 studies that looked at how we process porn and other sexualized images, and reveals the potential effects on the brain—and on how we see our fellow men and women...
How to Identify a Psychopath or Sociopath
The terms “psychopath” and “sociopath” often get used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same. Regardless of semantics, here’s how to spot the heartless, charming evil of a psychopath or sociopath...
What Is Impostor Syndrome?
Can’t take a compliment? Feel like a fake? Convinced you’ll be unmasked at any moment? Welcome to the secret circle of high achievers suffering from Impostor Syndrome. The Savvy Psychologist explains how to recognize it, where it comes from, and has 9 tips on how to combat it...
How to Stop Biting Your Nails (and Other Nervous Habits)
Hair pulling, skin picking, and knuckle cracking are just a few examples of pesky habits many of us just can't resist. Here are 10 tips to stop the snap, crackle, and pop of your body-focused nervous habits...
What IS ADHD? Common—and Surprising—Symptoms
Do you frequently start and abandon projects? Does your ability to concentrate flip-flop between The Laser Beam and The Disco Ball? Sometimes ADHD is obvious, but sometimes it can fly under the radar...
How to Overcome Your Fear of Flying (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this series, the Savvy Psychologist covered 5 ways to get to your destination without leaving fingernail marks in the armrest. Today, we’ll learn why you freak out at 30,000 feet and do a 10-second test to see if you’re prone to panic...
How to Overcome Your Fear of Flying (Part 1)
About 40% of all Americans have a fear of flying. That's more than 120 million people! If you're one of them, the Savvy Psychologist has 5 tips to get you in the air without a pit stop at the terminal bar...
How to Beat Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder
When all that’s left of the fa-la-la-la-las is rock-hard fruitcake, the winter blahs creep up, settle in, and hang around until spring. Dr. Ellen Hendriksen, the Savvy Psychologist, has 8 tips on how to deal with the blues and their more serious cousin, Seasonal Affective Disorder...
7 Myths (and 1 Big Fact) about PTSD
This week, the Savvy Psychologist talks about healing PTSD and the stigma that can get in the way, with a special emphasis on veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Is It Good or Bad to Zone Out, Space Out or Daydream?
Whether you call it zoning out, spacing out or daydreaming, we spend up to 47 percent of our waking lives letting our minds wander. This week, the Savvy Psychologist explains why mind wandering happens, when it’s good, when it’s bad—and how it might even lead to your own "Eureka!" moment...
7 Myths about Suicide
The recent tragedy of Robin Williams's suicide—and the ensuing media storm—raised awareness of suicide as a mental health issue but also generated a lot of misinformation. This week, the Savvy Psychologist cleans up after the headlines...
How to Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination happens to the best of us. None other than Leonardo DaVinci noted, “It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.” So don’t delay!...
Do Antidepressants Work?
Antidepressants have been hailed as miracle drug rock stars and vilified as brain-changing happy pills. All promotion aside—good or bad—are they effective? The Savvy Psychologist Dr...
Talking to Myself—Is That Normal?
Talking to yourself again? Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen assures you’re not going crazy. You’re simply thinking out loud, which is not only normal, but beneficial...
Why Am I So Tired?
Sometimes there’s no clear medical reason for flagging energy and dragging drive. And sometimes the tried-and-true trio of sleep, diet, and exercise doesn’t help as much as we wish...
