Dear Dr. Hurd, I’m at a crossroads. I’ve fallen in love with my best friend whom I have known for years. The catch? She’s married with kids. I’m not entirely sure of the depth of her feelings for me, and … Continue reading
Author Archives: D3 Support
Your Life is Your Own (Delaware Wave)
I received an email from a reader who asks, ‘I’m not sure I can give proper advice to my brother. He’s gay and really loves our parents, who are slightly religious but don’t practice. They’ve made anti-gay remarks in the … Continue reading
Interview With Dr. Michael Hurd on Psychology and Therapy
A graduate student in clinical psychology recently asked to interview me for a study he’s doing. Below are his questions and my answers, published here with his permission. Many readers have written in with these questions themselves, so I thought … Continue reading
Hypnosis: Fact or Fantasy?
A new study reported in the General Archives of Psychiatry suggests that differences in people’s brains make some people susceptible to hypnosis, and others not. The authors of the study maintain that there are no personality differences explaining the different … Continue reading
Is It Really the Economy, Stupid?
Dear Dr. Hurd, Please explain very simply like Economics 101 how to deal with people who insist that the rich do not pay their fair share. Before people get paid money is taken out for taxes. How does it work … Continue reading
Making Your Relationships REAL
One of the biggest impediments to human associations is the unwillingness to say what you think and request what you want. Notice how I phrase this. I say ‘request’ what you want. None of us are entitled to something—time, or … Continue reading
Who Won the Presidential Debate?
A true debate is over ideology and principle. This wasn’t that. It was a debate over attitude; but in this respect, there was a winner. Obama’s attitude — as we know from watching him govern for four years — is … Continue reading
Finding the Love You Want But…What the Heck is Love?
Self-help and psychology spend a lot of time exploring ‘how to find love’ or ‘how to keep the love that you want.’ But rarely do we actually take the time to ask: ‘What is love?’ To start this study, I’ll … Continue reading
What’s Your Opinion?
With an election season upon us, there’s no lack of opinions and observations. Many of them fall into the category of, ‘He never lets a fact get in the way of his opinion.” People often say, with contempt, “She’s opinionated,” … Continue reading
“The Grass is Always Greener” Fallacy
Q: What are your thoughts on the psychology behind the old saying, ‘the grass is always greener,’ where people search endlessly for something better than what they already have? Is that an unhealthy mindset? I know that it’s always good … Continue reading
Election 2012: A Referendum on Mediocrity
Someone once offered me a great analogy of being in a dysfunctional relationship. People asked her why she stayed in it so long. She replied, “It’s kind of like being in a room with a bad odor. After awhile, you … Continue reading
The Self-Effacing Lover (or Friend)
Dear Dr. Hurd: When someone in a romantic relationship expresses no preferences for both small things and values, are they compromising or self-sacrificing? Is it wrong to resent a love interest who consistently does this to themselves? Dr. Hurd’s … Continue reading