by Joshua Hook | Oct 20, 2019 | Emotion
I got together with a friend not too long ago who was struggling. I knew he was having a tough time, but when I asked how he was doing, he just replied, “Fine.” I’m always a little wary when I hear someone say they’re fine. What does fine mean, anyways? FINE: Feelings...
by Joshua Hook | Oct 13, 2019 | Relationships
There’s a simple question I have started to ask people in my life, and it’s been very helpful for my relationships. Here’s the question: Do you want help or feedback? The Fixer In life, my tendency is to be a fixer. It’s just how I’m wired. When someone tells me about...
by Joshua Hook | Aug 21, 2019 | Support
My shoulder has been bothering me when I work out, so I scheduled an appointment to see a physical therapist. Here’s the problem: My shoulder has been bothering me for a while now—probably 2-3 months. But I just now booked an appointment to get some help. What’s the...
by Joshua Hook | Jun 9, 2019 | Time
Author Scott Peck tells an interesting story about a time he was taking a walk in his neighborhood and observed his neighbor fixing his lawn mower. Scott was impressed, because he had always struggled to do anything mechanical. Scott told his neighbor how impressed he...
by Joshua Hook | Mar 13, 2019 | Change
One of the things I’m most passionate about in life is transformation. I love to see people tackle their problems and make huge changes in their life. That’s why I became a psychologist in the first place. I love to help people reach their goals, whether it is a...
by Joshua Hook | Nov 14, 2018 | Sleep
I used to have a bad habit of hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock. For 20-30 minutes in the morning, I would toss and turn in bed, getting interrupted every 5 minutes by my alarm. It wasn’t a great way to wake up. Interrupted Sleep I heard a perspective about...
by Joshua Hook | Oct 22, 2018 | Values
The other day, a colleague asked me if I would be willing to take the lead on part of a research project he was organizing. I felt conflicted. It seemed like a cool project, and it would probably result in a strong publication. On the other hand, the project wasn’t...
by Joshua Hook | Sep 30, 2018 | Helping
The other day, I was spending a lot of time on my iPhone—checking email, posting on social media, and reading articles on ESPN. There’s nothing wrong with those activities per se, but they are all self-focused. When I’m on my iPhone, I’m not engaged with others or...
by Joshua Hook | Jun 24, 2018 | Depression
Depression can be one of the most painful experiences we can have as human beings. I have sat across from clients who couldn’t muster up the energy to get out of bed in the morning, thought they were worthless, and considered ending their lives. I haven’t personally...
by Joshua Hook | Jun 19, 2018 | Death
My grandmother died last week. It wasn’t tragic or surprising. She was quite old, and her health had been declining for several years. Still, though, I felt sad about her death. There’s a finality about death that can be overwhelming. No more eating Chinese food,...
