Make It Contributors
I’m a psychologist who studies couples: Here’s what people fight about the most in relationships—and No. 1 will surprise you
Even the happiest couples encounter conflict. But what they fight about reveals a lot about what’s missing in the relationship. As a psychologist who studies couples, I’ve found that there are a few similar topics that come up again and again. And the first step to resolving the conflicts is to know what those topics […]
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I’ve spent 10 years studying parents of highly successful kids—5 things they do differently: ‘It’s not just hard work and grit’
I’ve always been fascinated by families whose children seem to be on some kind of unusual streak, reaching the top of their career ladders, or, even more interesting to me, blazing trails or following their passions with spectacular results. What did their parents do differently to empower them? What do researchers really know about what’s […]
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I’ve worked with over 1,000 kids—if you want your child to trust you, do 6 things
Parents want their kids to trust them. They want to be the first person their child turns to with the big stuff, the hard stuff, and the exciting stuff. They want their kids to feel safe enough to ask questions and share emotions. But none of that happens automatically, and trust doesn’t come from simply […]
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I’ve helped hundreds of Americans move abroad—here are 5 of the most welcoming countries in Europe
I knew I wanted to live abroad as soon as I set foot in the Netherlands on a trip at 17. I chased that dream for years — studying Spanish in Spain at 21, teaching English there at 26, and pursuing a master’s there at 29 — but I kept ending up back in Texas. […]
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42-year-old American pays $1,850 a month for a 3-bedroom apartment in Italy: ‘People actually use their vacation time here’
Back in 2003, I spent a semester in L’Aquila, Italy and fell in love with the country. That study abroad experience changed the trajectory of my life. Two years later, I returned to pursue my master’s degree in marketing management and communications at Bocconi University in Milan. Fashionable, fast-paced Milan was miles away from the […]
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We’re therapists who’ve worked with 1,000 kids. Here are 6 things children worry about the most—that parents don’t realize
Being a parent has become an increasingly harder job, especially as anxiety levels keep rising, even among the youngest kids. As child and family therapists, over the years, we’ve worked with thousands of parents and children struggling with anxiety and stress. We get emails and calls from parents looking for guidance nearly every day. When […]
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I’m a therapist who’s worked with over 100 couples—the 5 most annoying habits I see in relationships
Even the strongest and happiest relationships can falter when seemingly small, frustrating habits are left unaddressed. They slowly pile up until, suddenly, their weight seems unbearable. When relationships end this way, exes often ruminate over the “straw that broke the camel’s back.” As a psychotherapist who has worked with over 100 couples, I’ve seen firsthand how some unchecked […]
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I’ve studied over 200 kids—and this is the most dangerous and ‘overused’ phrase in parenting
There are two words that slip out so easily when your child experiences an emotional event. Maybe they tripped and fell or had a fight with a friend. Their face crumples, and before they’ve even had a chance to speak, you say: “You’re okay.” It sounds comforting. Reassuring, even. But it’s not. As a conscious […]
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Stop being ‘too nice’ at work, says psychologist—this is what successful people do to be more genuine, trustworthy
Social discomfort is so universal that social psychologists like me have made careers out of studying it. We can find it almost anywhere, like in salary negotiations or small talk conversations that have one too many awkward pauses. Almost everyone will at some point find themselves in an interaction that makes them feel uncomfortable. And […]
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I became an AI prompt engineer after a layoff from Meta: Now I’m ‘on the cutting edge of the newest tech obsession’
I didn’t know it at the time, but getting laid off from Meta was about to be my springboard to a new career — one at the cutting edge of the newest tech obsession. I frequently get asked how I pivoted into AI prompt engineering, particularly when it was so new. At the time, most […]
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