Susan Averna, PhD

Susan Averna, PhD
Mental performance and well-being

09/27/2026

The narratives or stories we tell about ourselves are self-fulfilling prophecies. Continuing to tell the same harmful story keeps us stuck. Same goes for the stories we tell about others. If we want to see a positive change, tell a better story.

09/16/2026

The biggest lessons often come from painful experiences. Don’t make decisions based on fear. Speak up. Trust yourself. Sometimes the best option is not a good option.

09/14/2026

Our brain registers and remembers criticism as a threat. We’re quick to forget and less likely to encode the good but designed to remember the bad. Intentionally noticing and savoring the good brings balance to our experience.

09/12/2026

The summer blooms peaked in early July and by late August have turned brown from the punishing sun, going dormant for fall and winter. But, there’s always a few unexpected repeat bloomers that rally.

09/09/2026

Achievement and healthy competition can motivate, build confidence and be fun. But when self worth is contingent on achievement or winning, we experience overwhelming anxiety and it undermines growth, performance, and wellbeing.

09/07/2026

Illluminate strengths and raise the expectations. Change is bidirectional in relationships. Be deliberate in sharing the best in others, not just the struggles.

09/05/2026

Mental rehearsal or visualization changes the brain in the same way as practicing in real life. Elite athletes and performers use this strategy to their advantage. We can use mental rehearsal to our advantage by being aware of what we are rehearsing and choosing to rehearse the desired outcome.

09/03/2026

Help your teens connect the dots between phone use and feelings. The more they arrive at their own conclusions about what makes them feel well or unwell, the more likely they will be to take action toward their wellbeing.

09/01/2026

Moderate phone and social media use is a skill that is learned over the course of the teen years. Parents help teens build the skill by providing autonomy within parameters. Resist the urge to use the loss of phone as punishment for non-phone related events.

08/30/2026

Becoming aware of our triggers is empowering. We regain control over the external environment. We may learn to have a different response or we may accept and be ok with our response. Either way, we regain our mental wellbeing instead of being at the mercy of others.

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