featured – Dr. Katiah Llerena, PhD

The Paradox of Choice: Navigating the Complex World of Dating

March 18, 2024

In today’s hectic world, the abundance of dating options poses a paradox: while theoretically beneficial, it can lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction. This “Paradox of Choice” can overwhelm individuals, especially in their 30s, prompting short-term relationships or withdrawal from dating. Strategies to navigate this include clarifying values, limiting choices, embracing imperfection, and practicing mindfulness. By adopting a deliberate and mindful approach, individuals can overcome choice overwhelm and foster fulfilling relationships aligned with their values. If needed, seeking support from mental health providers is encouraged. … More The Paradox of Choice: Navigating the Complex World of Dating

Deciding Whether to Have Kids: A Guide to Making the Choice

September 28, 2023

by Katiah Llerena, PhD Deciding whether or not to have children is one of life’s most significant choices. It’s a decision that will change the course of your life, regardless of what you decide. As a clinical psychologist, I often encounter individuals and couples grappling with this complex issue. In this post, I, with the … More Deciding Whether to Have Kids: A Guide to Making the Choice

How to Manage your Anger

May 3, 2023

Anger is a natural emotion that we all experience from time to time. It’s completely fine and human to experience anger. However, when left unchecked and expressed aggressively, it can become a destructive force that can ruin relationships, create difficulties at work, damage health, and negatively impact our lives. In this post, I’ll offer some practical advice on how to manage your anger and prevent it from controlling your life. … More How to Manage your Anger

Breaking Through Emotional Barriers: Strategies for Overcoming Inhibition and Building Intimacy

April 18, 2023

Intimacy requires us to open up, express ourselves, and connect on a deeper level. However, for some people, intimacy can be a daunting prospect. In this post, we will discuss ways to work on improving intimacy when you are emotionally inhibited. … More Breaking Through Emotional Barriers: Strategies for Overcoming Inhibition and Building Intimacy

How to Practice Acceptance

January 6, 2019

Let’s be honest, stress sucks! No one likes to feel tense, worried, and on edge. There’s so much information out there on how to prevent or eliminate stress, but I’ve got news for you; eliminating stress from your life is impossible — stress is just part of life. Stress can actually motivate us to achieve … More How to Practice Acceptance

How to Cope with Impatience

June 19, 2017

At some point or another, we are ALL impatient. It’s OK to feel impatience, but losing control of how we manage impatience can lead to making unhelpful or rash decisions, and it can hurt not only us, but those around us. … More How to Cope with Impatience

The Two Sides of Mindfulness

May 17, 2017

Mindfulness is not just practicing yoga or meditating. It requires awareness and acceptance of daily life hassles. … More The Two Sides of Mindfulness

Big Brains, Big Social Networks

May 10, 2017

The size of our brain is related to the size of our social networks. … More Big Brains, Big Social Networks

How to Be Assertive When You Really Don’t Want To

April 19, 2017

Avoiding conflict sounds like a good idea to many people. Although not being assertive has some short-term benefits, a long-term drawback of not being assertive is allowing yourself to take on commitments that leave you feeling frustrated, depressed, resentful, and/or hopeless. … More How to Be Assertive When You Really Don’t Want To

Sticky Mixed Feelings

April 8, 2017

Feeling ambivalence is a natural part of the process of change. It’s when people get stuck in ambivalence that problems arise, depression settles, or motivation gets low. … More Sticky Mixed Feelings

Dr. Katiah Llerena, PhD

Gramercy Psychological Services

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