Dr. Lena Agree logo featuring her name and title as a licensed psychologist, emphasizing professional psychological services.Dr. Lena Agree, JD, PsyD – Licensed Psychologist and Associates

Men’s Mental Health, Self-Care & Relationship Insights

Woman with dreadlocks using a laptop in a green field, illustrating the integration of work and nature, relevant to mental health and self-care strategies for high achievers.

Mental Health and Self-Care Strategies for High AchieversPractical Strategies to Prioritize Wellbeing: Mental Health and Self‑Care for High Achievers

By

High achievers carry a distinct set of mental demands: continuous decision-making, performance pressure, and a habit of pushing self‑care aside to deliver results. This guide defines holistic wellbeing for high‑performing professionals and explains why an integrated plan — one that combines mental, emotional, physical, and social strategies — preserves performance and prevents burnout. You’ll find practical stress‑management tools, time‑efficient routines for packed schedules, clear boundary‑setting frameworks, and guidance on when coaching, therapy, or assessment can turn intentions into lasting change. We summarize the science behind emotional regulation, mindfulness, sleep optimization, and resilience building, then show how to weave these practices into a leadership lifestyle. Keep reading for concise how‑to steps, comparison tables to pick high‑impact options, and signs that indicate…

Read More
Heart shape torn in half on a black background, symbolizing emotional distress and mental health challenges.

Do You Have Toxic Parents?

By

Most people describe their childhood as “normal.”  We tend to normalize our own childhood because it’s the only one we had, and we truly want to have a loving relationship with our parents. However, that wish can be so powerful that it clouds our memory and our vision, making it difficult to see our parents clearly and objectively. So, if you are an adult who is depressed or anxious, how do you know if your relationship with your parents has something to do with it? You may or may not have negative memories of your parents from childhood. But how can you tell if your current relationship with them is healthy or “normal”? How would you know if your desire…

Read More
Seeking Greater Intimacy? Think About Sex.

Seeking Greater Intimacy? Think About Sex.

By

Try this experiment: Place your full attention on something  sexual for several minutes and then think about it for a little while. Afterwards, take notice if you seem to be more talkative. New research cited in a recent article by Elizabeth Bernstein says you will be. And, notably, it suggests that you will also be more inclined to reveal aspects of yourself to those with whom you converse. Apparently, thinking about sex motivates us to seek connection with others by making us chattier about ourselves. The cycle of emotional intimacy According to Dr. Birnbaum, the studies’ lead researcher, “Thinking about sex starts a positive cycle of emotional intimacy: When you think about sex and then disclose personal information, the other person likes you more. If the attraction…

Read More
How to Tell if the Man in Your Life is Depressed (and if You Could Be Too)

How to Tell if the Man in Your Life is Depressed (and if You Could Be Too)

By

Do you suspect that a man in your life may be depressed? Unlike women, who are often sad or weepy when depressed, men typically exhibit anger, irritability or complain of “stress.” This is in addition to other depressive symptoms, including loss of interest or pleasure; either sluggishness or agitation; change in sleep, appetite or concentration; feelings of guilt or worthlessness and recurrent thoughts of death. Five or more of these symptoms for 2 consecutive weeks could signal a depressive disorder. However, depressive symptoms aren’t limited to the bouts of moodiness described above. Some people have a “depressive personality,” which can manifest early in life and just kind of “simmer.” There are 2 subtypes of this form of depression: Introjectively depressed people…

Read More
What is Great Sex (Part 2)

What is Great Sex (Part 2)

By

In Part 1 of this article, I reviewed a study of individuals who characterized their sex lives as “great.” [1] In that study, researchers interviewed SM practitioners, people over age 65 in long-term relationships, and professional sex therapists. They then extrapolated from their descriptions six components of optimal sex. Part 1 of this article examined the first three: Presence, Authenticity and Intense emotional connection. Here I discuss the remaining three: Sexual and Erotic intimacy, Communication and Transcendence. As in Part 1, the following italicized descriptions are excerpts from the study (numbered headings are mine).             Participants spoke about the importance of a deep sense of caring for one another, regardless of the duration of the relationship; getting to know the…

Read More
What is great sex? (Part 1)

What is great sex? (Part 1)

By

I have a question for you . . . . .       Can you recall the best sex you ever had? What made it great? Chances are it wasn’t the technique you read in Cosmo or GQ. It was likely something less tangible – perhaps indescribable. The definition of great sex has been largely ignored by the scientific community. However, one study stands out as a conscientious attempt to explore this important topic.[1] In it, researchers interviewed 3 divergent groups of people, all of whom characterized their sex lives as “great”: (a) SM practitioners (people who practice consensual sexual bondage, domination, sadism and masochism), (b) Individuals over age 65 in long-term relationships, and (c) Sex therapists. Despite obvious differences…

Read More