Growing up, Bianca could never predict her father’s moods: the disorientation of an emotionally immature parent echoed into her adulthood

In therapy, we began with acknowledging this was not her fault. From there, we worked to rebuild Bianca’s sense of agency

Look out for number one! Selfish self-help books are booming – but will they improve your life?

If you yearn for an Ayn Randian existence of absolute self-reliance, there are plenty of bestsellers that can help. They may not make you happier though

Peter Whybrow obituary

Neuropsychiatrist and writer whose research reshaped the understanding and treatment of mood disorders

‘Stay true to yourself – and fly closer to the sun’: what I’ve learned from 50 years of rejection

As a writer, I have been rejected thousands of times, and it initially led to shock, denial and anger. Then I accepted it. Here’s what you can gain from doing so too

‘It made my day more meaningful’: the Japanese gen Zers attempting a two-hour limit on smartphone use

Authorities in Japan are taking action against excessive phone time – but what is it like to restrict scrolling to 120 minutes a day?

Layne Beachley: ‘My peers tagged me as having the compassion of a tiger shark’

The seven-time world surfing champion talks about her search for self-worth, being adopted and hearing the wake-up call to live a better life

Hate your job – but can’t afford to leave? 20 ways to love your work a little more

In these precarious times, many people hang on to roles they’d rather ditch. So, how to rekindle your passion and purpose? Readers and experts share their best suggestions

We all want big personal change at the push of a button – but here is how to actually achieve it

Real growth develops from the inside out. The process involves giving up the illusion of control and discovering the liberation and limits of your own agency

Is it true that … doing puzzles prevents dementia?

Completing a fiendish jigsaw certainly engages many areas of the brain, but genetics and other lifestyle factors also play their part

‘We’re exhausted – but not from doing too much’: can this woman help us survive the age of distraction?

With three jobs, three children and a labradoodle, the behavioural scientist Zelana Montminy knows a lot about being pulled in all directions. What can her new book about finding focus teach the rest of us?

How modern life makes us sick – and what to do about it

From depression to obesity, the concept of ‘evolutionary mismatch’ can help foster self-compassion and point the way to a more rewarding existence

I used to embrace my manic episodes – until a therapist’s advice set me straight, and out on a butterfly hunt

The highs were preferable to the depressive lows, but I needed balance, not extremes. Perhaps a return to a childhood passion could help, says journalist Claire Jackson

‘I don’t know how we would survive’: caregivers speak of fears over upcoming Medicaid cuts

Program covers low-income families, but families brace for cuts to it as part of the Trump-backed ‘one big, beautiful bill’

I’m exhausted but am surviving. How can I heal from burnout without expensive time off?

Lots of us are desperate to come off the watch, advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith writes. One strategy might be to cut the corners you can