With the holidays upon us, now is a good time to think about the people and things we’re most grateful for, as well as the things that bring us the most joy.

One simple way to bring more joy to ourselves is to be kind to other people.

In an article on the Mayo Clinic Health System, The Art of Kindness, Steve Siegle (Psy. D) writes, "Physiologically, kindness can positively change your brain by boosting levels of serotonin and dopamine.”

These neurotransmitters produce feelings of satisfaction and well-being, and cause the pleasure and reward centers in your brain to light up. Endorphins, your body's natural painkiller, also may be released when you show kindness."

So, this new year, let’s remember to perform more acts of random kindness to help ourselves and others. Open a door for someone, say hello to a stranger, allow someone to go ahead of you in line at the store.

To meet the demand for in-person therapy, Sophie Bauer, LICSW, who specializes in anxiety and OCD treatment, will offer in-person sessions starting January 3rd.

To schedule a session with Ms. Bauer, or any of the other therapists at DC Talk Therapy, please call 202-588-1288 or email us at info@dctalktherapy.com.

DC Talk Therapy will offer more in-person sessions in 2024. Please check back for updates!

Many of us have a tendency to overstate how difficult a particular task or challenge will be while simultaneously underplaying our ability to handle it. In that way, we can create significant anxiety for ourselves.

An example: “Going into that roomful of people is going to be super hard, and I’m terrible at networking.”

The terms “super hard” and “terrible” are likely inaccurate. Look for more accurate or rational terms to describe the situation you're in as a way to close the gap between the problem and your ability to deal with the problem. You’ll notice your anxiety will likely decrease.