I used to embrace my manic episodes – until a therapist’s advice set me straight, and out on a butterfly hunt

The highs were preferable to the depressive lows, but I needed balance, not extremes. Perhaps a return to a childhood passion could help, says journalist Claire Jackson

‘I don’t know how we would survive’: caregivers speak of fears over upcoming Medicaid cuts

Program covers low-income families, but families brace for cuts to it as part of the Trump-backed ‘one big, beautiful bill’

I’m exhausted but am surviving. How can I heal from burnout without expensive time off?

Lots of us are desperate to come off the watch, advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith writes. One strategy might be to cut the corners you can

The secret to happiness? Finding joy in others. It’s free, simple and will gladden your heart

When we rejoice in others’ success, the Dalai Lama once said, we multiply our chances by billions. These are good odds!

I long to carpe diem! How can I be more present?

It’s worth asking not just how to seize the day but why exactly we’re not, advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith writes

Julie was smart and competent, yet her less qualified colleagues surpassed her. Imposter syndrome held her back

By not seeking promotion, Julie never risked failure. Viewing her chronic self-doubt as a defence mechanism helped her challenge it

A moment that changed me: on the day of my first book deal, a mysterious hum overcame me

When the noise started, I entered a state of perpetual panic and despair. It was unstoppable. Then, in the snows of Transylvania, I suddenly came to terms with the sound …

I’m a perinatal psychiatrist. The US is promoting misinformation on SSRIs and pregnancy

A recent FDA advisory panel discussion contained falsehoods and overstated risks. That’s dangerous for mothers-to-be

‘They ate my ex’s furniture!’: people on their drastic divorce decisions, from training huskies to getting plastic surgery

Whether it’s quitting a job and hitting the road, selling precious gems or jumping out of a plane, the agony of a breakup can spark huge changes – for better or worse …

Naomi Stadlen obituary

Psychotherapist and author who focused on the communication of mothers with their babies

A moment that changed me: I clapped my hands and hit the brakes on years of depression

I was stuck in a job that made me miserable – then my friend suggested I go to a yoga class. When we played a kids’ game, the dark clouds parted and my life took a radical turn

‘Women have more power than they think’: self-help superstar Mel Robbins on success, survival and silencing her critics

The lawyer turned motivational speaker fills arenas with her promise that you can always turn things around – even if her ideas aren’t exactly new. What is it about her that makes people listen?

Drowning in admin? 14 productivity hacks to regain control of your diary, inbox – and life

No one knows more about admin than administrators. They share their top tips, from ‘eating the frog’ to drawing up a ‘ta-da’ list

No, age isn’t just a number – and the sooner we realise that, the happier we will be

It’s tempting to want to stay young for ever. But each new life stage brings gains as well as losses

I do not need a £100 hairbrush. So why have I spent so long fantasising about one?

I think it’s my way of avoiding my feelings – and that whatever they are, I’d be better off facing up to them