Last month, we focused on the profound importance of mental health support and prevention. This October, as the light changes and the world gets a little quieter, I want to talk about what fuels our resilience: joy.

We've all been there or know someone who has: that ambiguous, undefined relationship known as the "situationship." It's more than a hookup but less than a committed partnership, and it thrives in a gray area that can leave everyone feeling confused and vulnerable.

I was talking to a reporter the other day about one of those psychological ideas that explains so much but doesn’t get talked about enough. It’s called “soiling the nest,” and if you’ve got a teen who’s about to fly the coop, you might have seen it in action. It’s that strange, frustrating phase where a kid who’s almost an adult suddenly starts making a mess of things right on the brink of success.

We all know divorce changes a family. But what nobody warns you about is how it changes your friend group. That tight-knit circle that once felt so easy and familiar can suddenly feel like uncharted territory. As an LMHC, I’ve seen firsthand that with a little honesty and a lot of care, these friendships don’t just survive—they can actually become stronger.

You know those nights. The ones where the silence is too loud and the thoughts are too dark. The ones where reaching out to a person feels impossible, but the pain demands an outlet. For a growing number of people, especially men, that outlet is now an AI chatbot.

Ever found yourself saying “yes” to a new video game after a long day at work? Or impulsively buying that overpriced stuffed animal at the zoo because your kid had a meltdown minutes before? If you’re nodding your head, you are so not alone.

Let’s settle this once and for all: Are thank you notes still necessary?   Absolutely.   But not for the stuffy, old-school reasons you might think.