Savvy Psychologist

550. Continuing our two-part series on speaking up at work, this week's episode tackles how to talk with someone intimidating—a boss, professor, or anyone who makes your adrenaline spike. You’ll learn how to recognize dominance signals, mentally humanize scary people, use your own body language to project calm confidence, and prepare for tough conversations without overpreparing. Regardless of your intimidating situation, these four practical tools will help you use your voice with more clarity and self-respect.

Find Dr. Ellen Hendriksen on Substack.

Find a transcript here.

Have a mental health question? Email us at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com.

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549. Meetings are everywhere—from work and faculty meetings to HOAs and book clubs. But speaking up can feel intimidating, especially if you struggle with social anxiety, perfectionism, or power dynamics. In this episode, we unpack why staying silent feels safer and why it rarely feels good afterward. Then we walk through six practical, low-pressure strategies to help you participate without needing the “perfect” comment. 

Related episodes:

Modern Mentor episode 869 - Make meetings matter: Intentional gatherings for impact

Find Dr. Ellen Hendriksen on Substack.

Find a transcript here.

Have a mental health question? Email us at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com.

Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.

Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links: 
https://quickanddirtytips.com/savvy-psychologist
https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist
https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

113. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen channels her best Talking Heads and asks, on behalf of every middle-aged adult: "How did I get here?" Plus, Dr. Hendriksen explains why time seems to fly as we get older. 

Find Dr. Ellen Hendriksen on Substack.

Find a transcript here.

Have a mental health question? Email us at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com.

Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.

Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links: 
https://quickanddirtytips.com/savvy-psychologist
https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist
https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

548. In a culture of likes, reviews, and constant comparison, deciding if you’ve "done well" can feel impossible. This week, interim host Dr. Ellen Hendriksen unpacks the trap of tying your value to others’ approval. She explores when external evaluation works and when it emphatically fails. She also shares three simple questions to help you define success on your own terms.

Find Dr. Ellen Hendriksen on Substack.

Find Dr. Jade Wu on her website.

Find a transcript here.

Have a mental health question? Email us at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com.

Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.

Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips.

Links: 
https://quickanddirtytips.com/savvy-psychologist
https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist
https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

547. If you've ever followed every sleep rule in the book and still found yourself wide awake at 2 a.m., this episode is for you. Sleep psychologist Dr. Jade Wu looks at why sleep hygiene—like avoiding screens or caffeine—is a great foundation but won't actually fix a "cavity" like chronic insomnia. She looks at why rigid rule-following can create the very anxiety that keeps you awake.

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