Voices in the Family

Anxiety disorders are on the rise in this country, especially since the pandemic. What are the reasons for this steep increase? In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss anxiety, and Dan suggests a different way to look at the issue.

Your neighborhood affects your quality of life in many ways – whether you feel safe, comfortable, or have access to healthy food or green spaces. But – it goes beyond that. Rutgers researchers have found that the connections we have with our neighbors really matter.In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the findings:

A lot of people carry shame – about who they are, things they’ve done – or failed to do. And when that shame becomes overwhelming, therapists refer to it as “toxic shame.” What are the roots of that kind of deep shame – and how can people get over it? In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb explore this issue.

Levels of anxiety are way up among adults and children – and many people cope by avoiding activities and things they are afraid of. An approach called “exposure therapy” has long shown promise in helping people with anxiety – and it’s coming into play more these days. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss how it works.

Acting in selfless ways – helping others – can make people feel like they have more control over their lives and can reduce feelings of despair. That’s according to new research. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the implications.

A new initiative headed by the American Board of Internal Medicine aims to re-build trust in healthcare organizations across different dimensions

Do you ever feel like you're just not good enough at your job - that any moment, you could make a huge mistake, and everyone would realize that you're a fraud?

In their weekly conversation, psychologist Dan Gottlieb and WHYY's Maiken Scott discuss what families can do to help kids navigate these difficult times.

A targeted psychotherapy approach shows promising results in treating chronic back pain, and potentially other forms of chronic pain. The approach was studied at the University of Colorado, Boulder. “For a long time, we have thought that chronic pain is due primarily to problems in the body, and most treatments to date have targeted that,” said lead author Yoni Ashar, who conducted the study. “This treatment is based on the premise that the brain can generate pain in the absence of injury...

This prolonged period of living with uncertainty has put many people into a state of limbo, feeling like they are languishing.

When you have a health issue that requires surgery and a prolonged recovery period, you can feel a lot of anxiety and dread. How will you get through this time?

We tend to look for silver linings - even during this difficult past year with the pandemic. What will we learn or take away from this time?

Many people continue to feel a lot of anxiety because of the pandemic. What is safe or not safe once somebody is vaccinated?

Human touch is important for our well-being and health, but with the pandemic, lots of people are experiencing much less of it.

A new study finds that people who are cheerful and content, what psychologists call "positive affect," are less likely to experience memory decline as they age.

Being rejected hurts, not being accepted into a group, being turned down for a date, or being ditched by a friend.

A lot of people feel overwhelmed by the news lately. The pandemic continues, the political landscape is polarized, wildfires rage on the West Coast. This kind of upsetting information can leave people feeling conflicted if they are otherwise having a good day. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss these feelings, and how we can handle them.

The beginning of the school year is coming into very sharp focus for many families - and it's a time of high anxiety that can be tough to navigate.

Healthcare workers have witnessed so much suffering and tragedy, worked long hours, dealt with PPE shortages, and feared for their own safety.

Do you remember that old Turtles song that goes “you and me, and me and you”?? That sounds great when you’re newly in love, but during a pandemic all this togetherness can become very difficult to manage! Especially when you add all of this stress. How is this impacting relationships? In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss.