Savvy Psychologist

581. Feeling low and wondering whether your diet could be part of it is more common than you might think. A new study out of UC San Francisco found that cutting ultra-processed food for four weeks produced moderate to large improvements in depression symptoms. Not a little better. Measurably, significantly better. This week, Dr. Judy Ho breaks down the evidence-based psychology behind the gut-brain connection, why these results make sense once you understand it, and three practical ways to shift your diet in ways your brain will notice.

Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com
Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.
Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologist

More from Dr. Ho on her other channels:
Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.
Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips. Find a transcript at QuickandDirtyTips.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

580. The end of a close friendship can hurt just as much as a romantic breakup — and in some ways, more. This week Dr. Judy Ho unpacks the psychology of friendship loss: why it’s so hard to grieve, what makes it different from other kinds of endings, and three evidence-based ways to actually move through it.

Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com
Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.
Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologist

More from Dr. Ho on her other channels:
Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.
Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips. Find a transcript at QuickandDirtyTips.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

579. Some people can calm a room full of hostile foreign ministers and still go quiet at their own dinner table. On “The Diplomat,” Kate Wyler is that person, and the pattern is more common than it looks. Dr. Judy Ho explains why people who are excellent at reading others often struggle with closeness at home, how emotional labor uses up the same self-regulation that intimacy needs, and why this is a depletion pattern rather than a lack of caring. Then she shares three short, actionable, evidence-based tools: a transition ritual, practicing emotional disclosure on purpose, and catching yourself when you start strategizing with your partner instead of asking a real question.

Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com
Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.
Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologist

More from Dr. Ho on her other channels:
Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.
Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips. Find a transcript at QuickandDirtyTips.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

578. You've built something. You've achieved things. And you still can't seem to sit down and focus on one task without your brain bouncing off the walls. This week Dr. Judy Ho explores what ADHD actually looks like in high achievers — the patterns that hide behind success, the strengths that almost never get named, and three tools for working with this brain rather than fighting it.

Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com
Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.
Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologist

More from Dr. Ho on her other channels:
Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.
Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips. Find a transcript at QuickandDirtyTips.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

577. You know doomscrolling is bad for you. You do it anyway. And if you're honest — in the moment, it kind of feels like it's helping. Today Dr. Judy Ho explains why that feeling is real, why it's also making everything worse, and three genuinely practical ways to interrupt the cycle that have nothing to do with deleting your apps.

Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com
Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.
Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologist

More from Dr. Ho on her other channels:
Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.
Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips. Find a transcript at QuickandDirtyTips.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.