“Everyone is in denial about something; just try denying it and watch friends make a list.” An article in the New York Times looks at research on denial and comes to the conclusion that far from being a destructive force it is a necessary part of life, which both protects us and actually helps us to form and nourish relationships.

Is there such a thing as a finite and innate capacity to learn? Is it at all possible to measure it? Is there any point, and what could be the possible motives in doing so?

Is there some kind of division between ‘real’ and ‘unreal’ suffering, noble sufferers and self indulgent rich kids?

Do you ever experience an unwelcome flood of emotions when reminded of a particular person or event? Do you find yourself dragging up the past, and re-hashing old wrongs whenever you try to talk with a certain person? Our Consulting Clinical Psychologist Dr Carver — something of a specialist when it comes to Emotional Memory — offers an explanation of how it works, and a whole host of practical tips that anyone can use.

Our new resident Consulting Psychologist now has his own regular column: Ask the Psychologist. If you’re looking for feedback on a relationship, worried about a friend or family member, or just curious about something you’ve always wanted to ask a psychologist, Dr Carver is here to listen and offer you some thoughts.

We’d like to extend a very warm welcome to Dr Joseph M Carver, who joins us as the site’s Consulting Clinical Psychologist and author of his own regular feature. Many readers will know Dr Carver from his popular articles on relationships, as well as from his frequent contributions in the blog section of the site. Now we’ve decided the time has come for Dr Carver to have a section of his own, a dedicated section where you can…Ask the Psychologist!

Money leads people to play alone, work alone, and put more physical distance between themselves and a new acquaintance, according to a study published in Science magazine. Even very subtle reminders of money appear to exert a tremendous influence on our behaviour and attitudes.