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Latest FromKyle MacDonald

Some people don't need drugs or alcohol at all to say inappropriate things. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Roseanne: Can medication make you a racist? No.

7 Jun, 2018 8:28am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on whether drugs, and alcohol, make us 'do bad things'.

We all need a helping hand to see these patterns, these repetitions, that are beyond just needing to change our automatic thoughts, Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Signs you need to see a therapist

31 May, 2018 8:24am
3 minutes to read

Do you find minor things making you upset or angry? Here's what might really be going on.

This is the fettered underbelly of stigma and prejudice in this country, writes Kyle MacDonald. Photo / NZ Herald, Greg Bowker

NEW ZEALAND

Human Rights complaint over David Seymour's letter

25 May, 2018 8:33am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on why he's made a complaint about Seymour's Epsom letter.

When experienced chronically, stress can make us sick, with some studies suggesting that chronic stress is as bad for our physical health as smoking five cigarettes a day. Image / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

The people most impacted by stress at work

17 May, 2018 8:48am
4 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on who is most likely to suffer from stress at work.

Many people will try to tell you that cannabis isn't addictive. Photo / Supplied

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: What we're forgetting about cannabis

11 May, 2018 7:57am
3 minutes to read

Like any process that causes pleasure or relieves pain, cannabis can be addictive.

We need to start thinking about how people, men in this case, become so damaged they wish to subjugate and hate an entire gender. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

The growing concern with 'involuntary celibates'

3 May, 2018 12:44pm
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald on the world of hate, misogyny, contradiction and male entitlement.

There is a danger in comparing yourself to other people and their success. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Why you should compare yourself to others

27 Apr, 2018 9:37am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on why the old adage needs a review.

Free speech isn't a get out of jail free card to say harmful things. Photo / Supplied

LIFESTYLE

Why Israel Folau's gay comment is hate speech

12 Apr, 2018 7:30am
4 minutes to read

Comment: Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on why deeming it 'free speech' is incorrect.

We've become so accustomed to the genre of reality TV, of ordinary people putting themselves through some trial for our entertainment, that we rarely question it. Photo / Supplied

LIFESTYLE

MAFS: Should people's suffering be entertainment?

5 Apr, 2018 8:08am
4 minutes to read

Emerging concerns among psychologists that reality TV shows put people's lives at risk.

Psychologically, the approach confuses the world of imaginative play with the real world in a way that is dangerous and unnecessary. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

It's dangerous to teach kids about gun safety

29 Mar, 2018 8:36am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on why he's against gun education for kids.

Sometimes accepting change can be hard. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: Why you can't accept change

23 Mar, 2018 11:56am
3 minutes to read

Comment: Why accepting or tolerating a different point of view is deeply challenging.

LIFESTYLE

How to manage your inner critic

15 Mar, 2018 7:00am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald discusses what fuels your inner critic and how to cultivate a positive one.

I've realised the truth is more likely to be driven by the pursuit of money than some grand conspiracy. Image / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Everything you know about depression is wrong

8 Mar, 2018 7:00am
4 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald on where the real truth about depression is found.

Kyle Macdonald believes there is more than head injuries to worry about in rugby. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

The big issue with rugby everybody ignores

28 Feb, 2018 4:21pm
4 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald believes rugby players are at risk of far more than just a concussion.

A teddy bear at a makeshift memorial in front of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

LIFESTYLE

How many mass shooters have mental health issues?

22 Feb, 2018 8:30am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald asks: Are the individuals who carry out these deeds mad, or just bad?

Is the way you think and feel unique, odd or unusual? Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Why does everyone else seem to handle life so well?

15 Feb, 2018 8:03am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald explains why we feel this way.

Kyle MacDonald believes we should be asking victims how we can help them feel more powerful. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

How to stop being a victim

8 Feb, 2018 7:00am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald: We should be asking victims how we can help them feel more powerful.

Kyle MacDonald believes New Zealand needs to take a step toward compassionate treatment.

LIFESTYLE

Why cannabis is a gateway drug in the right direction

1 Feb, 2018 8:28am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald on why New Zealand needs to take a step toward compassionate treatment.

We all rely on each other: people need people. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Does New Zealand need a Minister for Loneliness?

25 Jan, 2018 3:24pm
3 minutes to read

Does New Zealand need to follow the UK and appoint a "Minister for Loneliness"?

Generosity is, for me the true heart of Christmas, and it might still be able to save us. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: The true spirit of Christmas

22 Dec, 2017 1:52pm
3 minutes to read

We all need to be prepared to give more and expect less.

Many people now believe that boredom is actually vital for creativity to flourish. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Why your children should be bored this summer

14 Dec, 2017 2:56pm
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on why it's good for kids to experience boredom.

One of the most consistent predictors of life long success is our ability to manage our emotions or to have self-control. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

The one thing you can do to change your life

7 Dec, 2017 11:48am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on the one thing you can do today to change your life.

Increasingly, it looks like stress is one of the leading factors when it comes to understanding the rising rates of depression and anxiety. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Psychotherapist reveals real impact of stress

30 Nov, 2017 12:46pm
3 minutes to read

Heading in to one of the busiest times of the year, it's important not to ignore stress.

We want to turn a blind eye because the truth is too hard to see. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

The real reason people get so angry about beggars

23 Nov, 2017 8:34am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald reveals what's at the heart of people's outrage at begging.

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: The truth about depression

16 Nov, 2017 8:47am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald asks: Do we really know what depression is anymore?

The work of children is play, and it is through imagination and play we learn to manage and deal with the world. Photo / Supplied

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: Why fear is good for kids

9 Nov, 2017 8:05am
3 minutes to read

It's normal to want to protect our kids from fearful things, but to what extent?

Young people increasingly feel as if external circumstances dictate their lives. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

What's really behind our rising anxiety?

26 Oct, 2017 12:54pm
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald discusses what's underpinning the global trend.

Somewhere along the line more and more of us lost our sense of empathy. Somewhere we stopped caring about the fate of others. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

How Weinstein highlights what's missing from society

19 Oct, 2017 10:02am
3 minutes to read

The Weinstein revelations indicate something severely lacking in our modern world.

Are the people who need to be more aware actually listening? Image / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Everything that's wrong with Mental Health Awareness Week

12 Oct, 2017 7:26am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald asks: What are we actually trying to make people aware of?

Should our children really be taught religious education at such a young age? Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Should our kids be taught religion in primary school?

5 Oct, 2017 10:15am
4 minutes to read

Is teaching what some believe and others don't to young kids developmentally appropriate?

Encouraging people who may already feel bereft of human connection to seek solace from a digital programme is like holding Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in a pub. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Is National right about e-therapy for mental health?

28 Sep, 2017 11:36am
3 minutes to read

English says it's equal to face-to-face therapy. A psychotherapist reviews the evidence.

However, I've been challenging people I know to confuse themselves. There are a number of great political questionnaires that have been set up for this election that enable you to see which parties your values and beliefs actually line up with. Image / Rod Emmerson

LIFESTYLE

Why you'll probably vote for the wrong party

21 Sep, 2017 11:44am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald on the psychology behind how you decide who to vote for.

LIFESTYLE

What are political parties doing for mental health?

14 Sep, 2017 9:48am
4 minutes to read

All the political parties were invited to World Suicide Prevention Day. So who showed up?

Some people have misunderstood the push for a review and appropriate funding of mental health services to mean a return to

LIFESTYLE

Where mental health stigmas are still rife

6 Sep, 2017 1:58pm
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald: We're quick to judge those who fall to the bottom of society's ladder.

The uncomfortable reality is we still don't know why we have such an entrenched problem with suicide in this country. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

New Zealand's shocking annual suicide statistics

31 Aug, 2017 9:19am
4 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald discusses the year's appalling numbers released this week.

It's a fine line between taking the mickey and bullying. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Why are people so easily offended these days?

24 Aug, 2017 7:40am
3 minutes to read

Comment: Has political correctness gone mad? Has anyone asked how pigs feel about makeup?

Teaching resilience without addressing the massive social problems we're increasingly facing is like teaching people to swim in response to rising sea levels. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Will teaching resilience in our schools work?

17 Aug, 2017 12:03pm
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald on the Government's pilot programme for Kiwi kids.

If punishing those who are struggling to care for their families is the Kiwi way, then it's time to change the Kiwi way, says Kyle MacDonald following Metiria Turei's resignation. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Don't punish beneficiaries, reward them

10 Aug, 2017 8:08am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Punishing those trying to care for their family shouldn't be the Kiwi way.

Many people grow up with plenty of adversity and also find ways to maintain a sense of hopefulness. Image / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: How to have hope

3 Aug, 2017 7:25am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald discusses the strange yet crucial ability to have hope.

When we're passionate about an idea simple disagreement can feel like a personal attack. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Do politics bring out the worst in you?

27 Jul, 2017 8:36am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald discusses how to keep it together during the election.

I doubt many would believe their success was down to blind luck, or simple good fortune. Photo / Getty Images

LIFESTYLE

Why do people hate the poor?

20 Jul, 2017 9:17am
3 minutes to read

If we assume success is based on hard work, then the opposite must also be true right?

Most people believe drugs are harmful (they are) and that prohibition discourages use and keeps people safe (it doesn't). Image / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Why criminalising drug use doesn't work

13 Jul, 2017 10:30am
3 minutes to read

Laws serve to keep people safe. But drug laws are different. Kyle MacDonald explains.

As an adult it can be hard to remember what it feels like to be young, to get back inside the experience of adolescence. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Why we need to listen to our young people

5 Jul, 2017 2:20pm
4 minutes to read

We need to #breakthesilence on youth suicide. As adults we need to shut up and listen too.

The task is not to simply try to convince ourselves it isn't out fault, but to learn to feel compassion for ourselves. Photo / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Do you feel like everything's your fault?

29 Jun, 2017 9:02am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald on what's behind the tendency to blame ourselves for things that go wrong.

LIFESTYLE

'I got smacked as a kid, it didn't hurt me'

22 Jun, 2017 9:48am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald explains what's wrong with this attitude.

When we hear over and over again our sadness is wrong, it doesn't make the sadness go away. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Why the Kiwi way is bad for our mental health

15 Jun, 2017 7:58am
3 minutes to read

As Kiwis, we're good at saying "get over it". Kyle MacDonald discusses the impact.

Are some people just more optimistic than others? Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

What becomes of the broken hearted?

8 Jun, 2017 11:48am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Love isn't a Hallmark card, or a Hugh Grant movie. And losing love stays with us.

Hoarding is one of those psychiatric conditions that people find fascinating. Perhaps because it's something we can all understand. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

What causes someone to become a hoarder?

1 Jun, 2017 8:10am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald explains what's behind the psychiatric condition.

LIFESTYLE

Why 'snowflake' millennials is a term of abuse

25 May, 2017 10:43am
3 minutes to read

We have raised a generation to speak out, then we abuse and belittle them for doing so.

LIFESTYLE

Why being selfish can be good for you

18 May, 2017 8:20am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald explains how to say no, set limits and put yourself first.

Being too rigid in a world that is unpredictable and constantly changing is generally going to cause problems. Image / NZME

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: Breaking the rules

11 May, 2017 6:45am
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald discusses rights, wrongs and everything in between.

I don’t like the idea of compelling anyone into treatment, and yet I’ve seen lives saved by detaining people against their will. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Should compulsory mental health care end?

4 May, 2017 7:00am
3 minutes to read

It's controversial, but should we abandon it? Kyle MacDonald debates the issue.

The uncomfortable reality is that New Zealand is a violent country, and getting more so. Photo / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Our shame: 'NZ is a nation of bullies'

27 Apr, 2017 6:30pm
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: It's our attitude towards bullies that needs to change, writes Kyle MacDonald.

LIFESTYLE

The problem with our mental health system

20 Apr, 2017 6:45am
3 minutes to read

The People's Mental Health Review found 93% of people experienced the same problem.

LIFESTYLE

Kyle MacDonald: Are families being ignored?

13 Apr, 2017 7:30am
3 minutes to read

OPINION: Are families part of the problem or the solution?

Without doubt the hardest question to answer when someone starts therapy is “how long will it take?” Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

How much counselling will you need?

6 Apr, 2017 1:35pm
3 minutes to read

OPINION: Kyle MacDonald wonders whether four subsidised counselling sessions is enough.

Everything we know about what helps people in emotional turmoil involves other people. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Is it time to ditch those self help books?

30 Mar, 2017 9:52am
3 minutes to read

COMMENT: Next time you're standing in the self help section, buy a novel instead.

What makes sex dangerous is lack of knowledge. Not about sex but about relationships, respect, and consent. Photo / Getty

LIFESTYLE

Why is sex so tough to talk about?

26 Mar, 2017 11:30am
3 minutes to read

Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald discusses what needs to change around sex education.

Being alone can literally kill us. But then some would rather die than feel heartbroken. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

How to overcome loneliness

16 Mar, 2017 1:08pm
3 minutes to read

We all need human connection. But reaching out to others can be easier said than done.

Our understanding and acceptance of individuals' right to define their own gender identity is relatively new. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Why are NZ suicide rates so high among transgender youth?

2 Mar, 2017 11:24am
3 minutes to read

NZ's self-harm statistics for transgender youth are also alarmingly high.

Without trust, we have nothing. Without trust, we have no relationship. And without a relationship, treatment fails. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

Can we trust New Zealand's mental health system?

23 Feb, 2017 1:00pm
2 minutes to read

COMMENT: Psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald explains what needs to change in our mental health system.

The most important mirror is our past experiences with family. That’s where most of the ideas about ourselves form and, for most, the mirror is relatively accurate. Image / NZ Herald

LIFESTYLE

How to respond to criticism

19 Feb, 2017 3:00pm
3 minutes to read

Kyle MacDonald explains how criticism impacts us and how best to react to it.