top of page

Blog


Rejection Sensitivity in Adults: When Feedback Feels Personal
Most people dislike criticism. But for some adults, even mild feedback, a delayed text response, or a subtle shift in tone can trigger a disproportionately intense emotional reaction. The feeling may be immediate and overwhelming: embarrassment, shame, anxiety, anger, or a sudden urge to withdraw.
This pattern is often described as rejection sensitivity—a heightened emotional response to perceived criticism, exclusion, or disapproval.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
12 hours ago


Moral Distress: When Your Values and Reality Clash
Many people feel stressed at work or overwhelmed at home. But sometimes the distress runs deeper. It is not simply about workload or time pressure. It is about feeling that your actions, environment, or choices are misaligned with your core values.
This experience is known as moral distress. Originally studied in healthcare and high-responsibility professions, moral distress occurs when individuals know what feels ethically right but feel unable to act accordingly due to exte

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
6 days ago


Emotional Saturation: When You’ve Reached Your Capacity for Caring
Feeling emotionally maxed out or unable to care the way you used to? Learn what emotional saturation is, why it happens, and how therapy helps restore capacity.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Feb 12


Psychological Safety in Therapy: What It Is and Why It Matters for Progress
When people think about what makes therapy effective, they often focus on the therapist’s credentials, the type of therapy used, or how motivated they feel to change. While these factors matter, research consistently points to another critical ingredient: psychological safety.
Psychological safety in therapy refers to the experience of feeling emotionally safe enough to be honest, vulnerable, and imperfect without fear of judgment, dismissal, or negative consequences.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Feb 10


Grief You’re Not “Supposed” to Have: Validating Invisible and Disenfranchised Grief
When people think of grief, they often picture a clear, socially recognized loss: the death of a loved one, a funeral, a period of mourning supported by rituals and condolences. But many forms of loss do not receive this kind of acknowledgment. Instead, they are minimized, misunderstood, or ignored—leaving individuals to grieve quietly and alone.
This experience is known as disenfranchised grief. It refers to grief that is not openly recognized, socially validated, or support

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Feb 5


Cognitive Load: How Mental Overcrowding Impacts Mood, Focus, and Relationships
Many people describe their minds as feeling “full,” “crowded,” or constantly occupied. Thoughts overlap, tasks compete for attention, and there is little space to pause or think clearly. Even during moments of rest, the mind keeps working—planning, remembering, anticipating, or worrying.
This experience is often related to cognitive load: the total amount of mental effort being used at a given time.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Feb 3


Therapy Fatigue: When Doing “All the Right Things” Still Feels Exhausting
Therapy is often described as a space for relief, healing, and growth. For many people, it is. But for others—especially those who are thoughtful, self-aware, and deeply invested in personal growth—therapy itself can begin to feel draining. Sessions feel heavy. Insight no longer feels energizing. The process that once felt hopeful now feels like work.
This experience is often referred to as therapy fatigue.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 29


Dry January & the Rise of NYC’s Non-Alcoholic Bar Scene
Each January, Dry January invites people to pause their relationship with alcohol—sometimes as a short-term reset, sometimes as the beginning of a longer shift. What’s notable in recent years is how this pause no longer requires opting out of social life altogether. Instead, New York City has seen a meaningful rise in non-alcoholic (NA) bars and alcohol-free social spaces that center creativity, flavor, and—perhaps most importantly—connection.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 26


Emotional Boundaries vs. Emotional Walls: How to Protect Yourself Without Shutting Down
Many people want to feel safe in relationships without feeling closed off. Yet after repeated disappointments, stress, or emotional strain, it can feel easier—and safer—to shut down. You may tell yourself you’re “setting boundaries,” but internally you feel numb, distant, or disconnected.
This is where an important distinction comes in: emotional boundaries are not the same as emotional walls. While both are attempts at self-protection, they have very different effects on men

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 22


Identity Fatigue: When You’re Tired of Being the Same Version of Yourself
Many people reach a point where life looks “fine” from the outside—but internally, something feels heavy, stale, or constricting. You may find yourself thinking, “I’m tired of being this person,” even if you can’t fully articulate why.
This experience is often described as identity fatigue: emotional exhaustion that arises from long-term identification with roles, expectations, or versions of yourself that no longer fit.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 20


Emotional Loneliness: Why You Can Feel Alone Even When You’re Not
Loneliness is often imagined as a lack of people—being isolated, single, or socially disconnected. But many people experience a different, quieter kind of loneliness: feeling emotionally unseen or unsupported despite having relationships, responsibilities, and a full life.
This experience is known as emotional loneliness, and it can be deeply confusing. You may have friends, a partner, family, colleagues, or children—and still feel an underlying sense of emptiness or disconne

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 15


When Your Nervous System Is Stuck in “On”: Understanding Chronic Hyperarousal
Hyperarousal refers to prolonged activation of the body’s stress response system. When the nervous system perceives threat, it activates the sympathetic nervous system, preparing the body for fight or flight. This response is essential for survival.
Chronic hyperarousal occurs when this system remains activated over time—without adequate opportunities to return to a regulated baseline.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 13


Ambiguous Loss: Grieving People, Roles, or Futures That Are Still There
When people think of grief, they often imagine something clear and definitive: the death of a loved one, a funeral, a period of mourning followed by gradual healing. But many forms of loss don’t come with closure, rituals, or a clear ending. Instead, they linger—uncertain, unresolved, and often misunderstood. This type of grief is known as ambiguous loss. It occurs when what has been lost is unclear, incomplete, or psychologically present but physically or emotionally altered

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 8


Decision Fatigue: Why Even Small Choices Feel Overwhelming — And How Therapy Helps
Have you ever reached the end of the day feeling completely depleted—not because of one big problem, but because everything felt hard to decide? What to make for dinner. Whether to answer an email now or later. How to respond to a text. Whether to speak up in a meeting.
When even small choices feel exhausting or paralyzing, you may be experiencing decision fatigue.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Jan 2


Emotional Avoidance: The Invisible Habit Keeping Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout Alive
Emotional Avoidance: The Invisible Habit Keeping Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout Alive
Many people believe that emotional health means not feeling overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or uncomfortable. From an early age, we are often taught—explicitly or implicitly—to “stay strong,” “push through,” or “not dwell on feelings.” Over time, this can lead to a subtle but powerful habit known as emotional avoidance.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Dec 30, 2025


When Therapy Isn’t Working (Yet): What Stalls Progress and How to Get Unstuck
Starting therapy often comes with hope: relief, clarity, change. For many people, therapy does lead to meaningful improvement. But for others, there comes a quieter, more confusing moment—when sessions feel stagnant, progress slows, or the same patterns keep showing up despite effort.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Why isn’t therapy helping?” or “Am I doing something wrong?”—you’re not alone. Feeling stuck in therapy is more common than people realize.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Dec 26, 2025


Digital-Age Stress: How Screens, Social Media & News Cycles Hijack Mental Health
We live in a world where information is constant, content is endless, and stimulation never slows down. Phones buzz, inboxes refill, news alerts glow, and social media updates keep us scrolling. While technology offers convenience and connection, it also brings something else: a persistent sense of pressure, comparison, and emotional overload.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Dec 18, 2025


People-Pleasing, Boundaries & Burnout: Why You Keep Saying “Yes” — And How Therapy Helps You Stop
Many people want to be seen as kind, helpful, supportive, and reliable. But when saying “yes” becomes automatic—and comes at the expense of your well-being—you may be caught in the exhausting cycle of people-pleasing.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Dec 16, 2025


Executive Dysfunction in Adults: When Motivation Problems Are More Than “Laziness”
If you’ve ever stared at an unfinished task for hours, missed deadlines despite good intentions, or felt overwhelmed by everyday responsibilities, you may have wondered: “What is wrong with me? Why can’t I just do it?”
Many adults experience significant difficulty with task initiation, planning, organization, working memory, and follow-through—symptoms that fall under the umbrella of executive dysfunction.

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Dec 11, 2025


Overthinking & Rumination: Why Your Brain Gets Stuck — And How CBT Breaks the Cycle
Most people overthink from time to time—but when your mind gets trapped in repetitive loops, replaying conversations, analyzing decisions endlessly, or mentally rehearsing worst-case scenarios, it becomes something more: rumination. These spiraling thoughts can feel uncontrollable, exhausting, and deeply distressing.
The good news: rumination is a treatable process. With evidence-based therapy, especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

The Team at Upper East Side Psychology
Dec 9, 2025
bottom of page
