Table of contents for March 2026 in Psychologies

I had a slow start to the year. The weather, a bout of illness, and the crazy world all meant that I felt the need to hibernate. To curl up at home, snuggle under the duvet, and just be. Not try. Not do. Just be. But then a weekend visiting family gave me the spark I needed to come out of my retreat. It wasn’t the visit itself, though that was lovely, but a trip to the seaside. I don’t think I’ve ever been to the beach in January before. It was cold, it was blowy, the sea was rough. And it was glorious. The sun shone, bouncing off the waves, and the sky was a bright, bright blue. Stones were skimmed, shells pocketed, waves chased. And I felt myself…

Caz arrived for our second session looking even more drained than she did when I last saw her. She plonked herself in the chair and gave a deep sigh. ‘Things are getting worse. Since my mother moved in it’s as if the whole house is shrinking and along with it, our previously happy family life, too.’ Caz said her husband Tom had been working late recently. ‘Deadlines, apparently… strange that he never had deadlines to meet before Mum moved in. The kids come straight home from school and vanish into their rooms. Even our dog lurks in the garden. ‘I haven’t made any progress with Mum. She’s still calling the shots. The kids were watching a film last night, and she turned it off because she didn’t like it! I…

In life, it can feel like there are invisible strings pulling you towards passions and possibilities. On the flip side, you can find yourself living within familial patterns that don’t serve you. For instance, I grew up without a maternal grandmother, who died before I was born. Now, history has repeated itself, as my daughter has experienced the same. There are so many threads that bind families together. But while we can heed the stories, warnings, and wisdom of our ancestors, the things that are unsaid carry much weight. So much so that it can feel like there’s an invisible intelligence shaping our lives. But what seems mystical is more scientific than you might think. And it starts with how we’re socialised as children. ‘Social identity develops through the constant…

I hadn’t heard of Rubin before I picked up his book on a rare solo evening in London, after attending a business conference. Yet I’d felt his musical impact through his work with everyone from LL Cool J, Run-DMC, and Beastie Boys, to Adele, Ed Sheeran, and Linkin Park. That evening, no one was waiting on me — there was nowhere I had to be, other than mooching around Waterstones bookshop for a glorious hour of nothingness. I hadn’t really intended to buy anything, but its sparse, grey cardboard cover stood out in a sea of ‘look at me’ books. ‘Oh, you’re going to love this!’ enthused the cashier when I took it to the till. ‘It was completely life-changing for a musician friend of mine.’ I tucked it into…

Some people love to embody the archetype of a tortured poet, or an artist surrounded by watercolours, canvases, and splatters of paint on everything. You might be one of them. But many others just want to feel the levity of creating something they’re proud of. The trouble is that even that can feel like a big step. ‘There are lots of factors that stifle creative expression,’ says our cover star Suzy Reading, a chartered psychologist and author of nine books including How to be Selfish (Vermillion, 2025). ‘Many people feel like they don’t have enough time, or wind up feeling guilty when they do because they believe they should be doing something more productive. Some people are derailed by the self-limiting belief of feeling like they just aren’t creative. So,…

Since moving to the city, we’ve had to get used to not seeing the sea every day. Our old home was in a market town about three miles from the coast. Every time I climbed to the top of the house I could look out across the rooftops and know that the coastline was out there. There were days when the sky was cloudless and merged effortlessly into the blue of the water. At certain times of year a sea fret unfurled itself like a scarf on the horizon. Other times the cloud was thick, or the sky too dark and pricked with stars for me to see anything at all. But I always knew the sea was there, out of sight but only a breath away. I used to…

CUT THE CO2 IN HALF! Scrap first class to slash flight emissions Including fewer luxury seats could halve plane emissions, experts say Banning first-class seating could dramatically reduce aviation emissions. An analysis of more than 27 million commercial flights in 2023 found that some routes produced nearly 900 grams of CO2 per kilometre per passenger — almost 30 times higher than the most efficient flights. Experts from the University of Oxford say removing premium seating to carry more passengers, ensuring planes fly at least 95% full, and gradually replacing aircraft with the most efficient models could halve emissions, and cut fuel use by up to 28%. Why a little help from your friends slows ageing Want to stay younger for longer? Science says connection matters more than you think. In…

Despite feeling utterly worn out, sleep often evades us when we are anxious. It turns out that the very thing that exhausts us is also what keeps us awake. Psychotherapist and associate at The Dream Research Institute, Laura Payne, tells me it helps to see anxiety as part of our basic fight-or-flight survival mechanism. ‘I call it the “Am I safe?” button. We all push this button as part of being human — we are constantly mentally assessing the landscape of our lives throughout the day. There are all those worrying little moments like: “Is that car going to pull out in front of me? Is my child going to be okay at school today? Is my boss going to kick up a fuss?”’ Payne explains that we have learned…

Given all this, it’s perhaps surprising that wellness experts have traditionally sidelined creativity when talking about all the ingredients that make up a healthy life. ‘Wellness, much to my chagrin, has traditionally focused on habits that look useful or productive — exercise, routines, resilience, optimisation,’ says nervous-system coach Chloe Markham. ‘Creativity doesn’t always come with a clear outcome, so it gets seen as optional or indulgent. But unexpressed creativity doesn’t just make us not very creative; it often shows up as anxiety, overwhelm, or a sense of ennui.’ Consultant counselling psychologist Dr Ritz Birah regularly sees this in her therapy room. She says that people often turn to social media to ease the sense of emotional disconnection they feel. But doing so can lead to a cycle of self-depletion. ‘One…

The world is becoming a lonelier place. Some studies show that up to 10% of people experience feelings of loneliness at any one time, but the Campaign to End Loneliness cites this figure as much higher — almost 1 in 2. Making something alongside others is one of the fastest routes to connection. But you don’t have to force or push it. Start slowly by strengthening the connection to yourself. Dr Ritz says, ‘Loneliness often softens when people reconnect internally before reaching outward. Small creative rituals help rebuild that inner companionship. ‘In my work, I often encourage practices that bring people back into dialogue with themselves. Ask yourself: What did I notice today that made me feel even slightly more alive? Another prompt I return to often in therapy is:…

I would say I have quite an intimate friendship with my friend Katrina, who lives in Maine, with an ocean dividing us. Hugs are not possible for us, yet we have confided in one another, built deep trust, made time and space for each other, frequently message, FaceTime, and voice-note. We know each other’s families, we’ve shared hopes together, and grieved together. We also make each other laugh so hard that on occasion, I have had to take my shirt off from the sheer effort. So far, I have taken my shirt off on five FaceTimes and counting… A dynamic such as this can create really close bonds, but like everything in life, there is a real Goldilocks balance between the right amount of something, and too much of it.…

As you have undoubtably discovered in life (and as much as we might not like to accept it), stress is inevitable. In fact, many of the good things in life — things that give us purpose, fulfilment, even nourishment and shelter — almost always come with a side serving of stress. Fulfilling career? Yes, it provides a sense of purpose, achievement, and puts a roof over your head, but it probably has stressful periods or deadlines too. Beautiful children? Their hugs and smiles can make our hearts burst, but don’t talk to me about the chaos of getting shoes on, teeth brushed and out of the door on time every morning! And as much as I advocate for meditation and relaxation tools, there is another, slightly counterintuitive way to deal…

Well done! You’ve snatched a few minutes to yourself to read this magazine, so that means you’re probably doing better than most people. More than half of us are too busy to take even five minutes to look after ourselves, according to a new study from Kalms. A massive 56% of people say they are too busy to prioritise even the most basic self-care — things like drinking water, showering, or just pausing to breathe. For psychologist, yoga teacher and bestselling author Suzy Reading, who’s working with Kalms to encourage us to take more time for ourselves, this is nothing new. And she says this statistic doesn’t point to a time-management problem. It points to something far more uncomfortable. ‘The real reason is that people fundamentally feel like it’s not…

How often have I sat down with my journal intending to seek clarity, only to find myself a few pages in, steeped in self-criticism? I came wanting relief, wanting to feel closer to myself, but within minutes a familiar voice appeared on the page. A voice I know all too well. The well-worn tones of my inner critic. Her voice is familiar and follows a predictable pattern. She compares me to the achievements of others in my field, those who glitter on social media feeds. She talks me down, reminding me of what I haven’t done rather than what I have. Why didn’t you say that better? Why haven’t you done more? You should be so much further in your career. You’ll never get to that level. Don’t even think…

Biologically, a sharp stress or fright can literally drain the colour from your cheeks. But the kind of slow burn stress that simmers beneath the surface can slowly turn your attention to all things grey, beige, and dull. I once saw an art-house film where a 30-something woman lived the epitome of a grey life. When told she only had months to live, she injected her home with vibrant colour and set about living a bright, sparkling life. Later, the doctor told her that her illness had miraculously gone — it couldn’t survive the new environment she’d created for herself. And she was enraged, as it meant she no longer had permission to live her new, bold life. Former fashion stylist Kate Harrison grew up with an artist father, and…

1 You’re most drawn to creative activities that feel ♥ Structured and purposeful ♦ Private and low-pressure ♣ Restorative rather than demanding ♠ Meaningful or distinctive 2 A creative idea tends to lose momentum when ♥ It stops matching the picture in your head ♦ You start imagining other people’s reactions ♣ It competes with more important tasks ♠ You see someone else already doing it 3 When you think about your creative side, you’re most likely to feel ♦ Slightly exposed ♥ Frustrated by unrealised potential ♣ Guilty for not giving it more time ♠ Unsure where you fit in 4 You’d like to come across as someone who ♣ Gets things done ♥ Does things well ♠ Cares for others ♦ Is prepared to help 5 You feel…