Welcome, gentle readers, to the mystifying, sometimes maddening, and often hilarious landscape of human relationships.

As a science-based couples therapist, I have seen it all: the good, the bad, and the downright ridiculous.

Today, submitted for your approval, are the "10 Laws of Human Relational Stupidity" because sometimes, understanding what not to do can be just as enlightening as knowing what to do.

Verbal abuse, characterized by the use of language to demean, belittle, or control another person, can have profound psychological effects.

While the emotional and mental harm caused by verbal abuse is indisputable, whether it constitutes a crime depends largely on jurisdictional laws and specific circumstances.

This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of verbal abuse, exploring its implications, legal status, cultural differences, and related concepts.

Recent research reveals that experiencing significant stress over a lifetime is linked to decreased functionality of key brain cells.

This study highlights a biological connection between our life experiences and physical changes in the brain, specifically focusing on the impact of psychosocial stress on brain cell mitochondria.

This is how neurosciences describe Developmental Trauma.

Unaddressed trauma often resurfaces when folks with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) start pursuing their authentic goals.

These painful emotions, coupled with a lack of coping skills, lead them to revert to maladaptive behaviors such as substance abuse, self-harm, and binge eating.

This unconscious self-protection mechanism manifests as procrastination, preventing them from completing their tasks.

Elinor Greenberg’s Borderline, Narcissistic, and Schizoid Adaptations: The Pursuit of Love, Admiration, and Safety is a seminal work that delves deeply into the adaptive strategies individuals develop in response to their early emotional environments.

Greenberg’s approach is unique in its empathetic and non-pathologizing perspective, seeing these adaptations not as immutable disorders but as dynamic responses to specific developmental contexts.

Elinor is changing how we think about personality disorders at a time when we sorely need a new paradigm.

Concern and care for others' feelings are virtues we seek to instill in our children, yet they are sorely lacking in many adult Americans today.

Scientific research supports the notion that Americans care less for others and more about themselves.

Sara Konrath, PhD, an associate professor of philanthropic studies at Indiana University and director of the Interdisciplinary Program on Empathy and Altruism Research, has a lot to say about where we are as a culture right now.

Let’s discuss why empathy is declining and what we can do to increase kindness and compassion in our communities.

If you’re hoping that the narcissist in your life will change, a new study suggests you may have to wait a very long time. And even then, the change might be minimal.

A study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin analyzed 51 studies with more than 37,000 participants from North America, Europe, and New Zealand. The research explored how narcissism changes over a person’s lifespan.

While the researchers found that narcissism gradually declined with age, “the results show that this decline is not as large as one might hope,” said Ulrich Orth, the lead author and a professor of developmental psychology at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

Grieving the loss of a loved one is a deeply personal and often excruciating experience.

But what happens when a narcissist is faced with such a profound life event?

The grieving process for folks with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) can be markedly different from that of others, shaped by their unique psychological makeup.

Understanding how narcissists grieve can shed light on their behavior and offer pathways for ways to offer compassion and support.

Psychopaths enjoy an undeserved reputation as evil geniuses. In reality, they aren't all that smart, though they can be surprisingly subtle, especially when they’re female.

Their willingness to lie and manipulate to get what they want is chilling, yet intriguing.

In this blog, I’ll review a dozen psychological studies on psychopathy, revealing their personality traits, dark secrets, and why some psychopaths can be relatively successful.

Let’s discuss the elusive Nice Guy Narcissist.

This charming specimen seems perfect on the surface—attentive, caring, and oh-so-polite. But as you look deeper, you might notice that there's something off about this seemingly perfect gentleman.

Let's dive into the 12 traits that define the Nice Guy Narcissist, shedding light on how to spot him early on.

Narcissism, often misunderstood and misrepresented, is an annoying and problematic personality trait.

While the term "narcissist" is frequently thrown around in popular culture, true narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a serious condition that affects how sufferers perceive themselves and interact with intimate others.

Understanding the 12 foundational traits of narcissism can help identify and address this disorder effectively.

Here, we’ll explore the 12 most prominent traits of narcissism, supported by social science research.

The Single Inventory Narcissism Score (SINS) is a psychological tool designed to measure narcissistic traits using just one straightforward question.

Unlike the more extensive Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), which includes multiple questions, SINS offers a quick and simple assessment.

Why does this one question work so well in detecting narcissism?