News and Features Related to Health & Balance

1. Clinging to Your Crew
   

   By Nando Pelusi, Ph.D. Today social ostracism is likely temporary—and far from the end of your world. You're on a lunch break among peers who are furiously critiquing the administration's handling of the Iraq war. Unbeknownst to your co-workers, you're staunchly against "cutting and running." But ra

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2. The Side Road to Happiness
   

   By Lybi Ma You may wonder why it's so important to loosen your creative juices, but diving into innovative pursuits can be your ticket to a healthier, more joyful life. When a painter paints, for example, he becomes utterly immersed in what he is doing. This focused engagement takes deep involvement

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3. Field Guide to the Materialist: She's Gotta Have It
   

   By Amy Rosenberg Things! There is little that Victoria Frances enjoys more than thinking about, looking at, and acquiring them. As an editor at a Manhattan-based interior-design magazine, Frances (not her full name) sits at her desk all week, flipping through catalogs in search of lamp shades, pillo

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4. Awakening Joy
   

   By Suzan Colón Can anyone create joy at will? Give it a shot. Try this experiment with a smile. It came as no surprise to a woman we'll call Joan when, after 16 years of marriage, she and her husband started discussing the possibility of divorce. Deep down, she'd never believed her marriage, or any

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5. Fix Your Focus
   

   Nando Pelusi, Ph.D. Q: I am having difficulty staying focused on my job. I can't seem to complete a task. My environment is not library quiet because I work at a high school and it has many interruptions. Is there something natural that will help me stay focused? A: First, recognize that your enviro

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6. High Self-Esteem Isn't Always Healthy
   

   April 28, 2008 -- A new study suggests that high self-esteem isn't necessarily healthy self-esteem because there are different types of high self-esteem. "There are many kinds of high self-esteem, and in this study we found that for those in which it is fragile and shallow it's no better than having

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7. Get Perspective to Win Negotiations
   

   April 24, 2008 -- Taking on your opponent's perspective may give your negotiation skills a boost. But beware of taking it too far. Empathizing with your opponent may have the opposite effect. A new study suggests that perspective-taking, such as understanding and anticipating an opponent's interests

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8. The Older You Are, the Happier You Get
   

   April 22, 2008 -- So much for the stereotype of the older adult as an isolated, sad hermit. Age and happiness may increase together, according to new research that suggests many older adults are very happy as well as socially active. The effects of older age on happiness are strong. Over a person's

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9. Treated Unfairly? Here's Why You're Sore
   

   April 18, 2008 -- There's no escaping the fact that life isn't always fair, but that usually doesn't make unfair treatment any easier to accept. Now new brain imaging studies may help explain why. The research shows that being on the receiving end of fair treatment is inherently rewarding, activatin

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10. Walk and Talk Therapy
    

    Work is a walk in the park for Clay Cockrell. Instead of seeing patients in a traditional office setting, the Manhattan-based licensed clinical social worker practices therapy that combines exercise with psychotherapy -- mostly in Central Park and Battery Park. "It's very similar to traditional psyc

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