By John M Oldham MD The term “agency” shows up often in literature on human behavior. It is a desirable feature of someone with a healthy personality. But what does it actually mean? In a new book entitled “Agency, The Psychological History of Human Progress,” well-known psychologist Martin Seligman refers to it as the fusion […]
By John M Oldham MD If you’re among the many who have experienced substantial trauma in life, does that dictate your future? It’ll probably color it, but it depends on many variables. You may be naturally resilient, with inborn strengths that help you cope and recover. If you’re temperamentally anxious and insecure, however, you need […]
By John M Oldham MD By chance I came across an interesting website at Harvard Law School called the “Program on Negotiation” (https://www.pon.harvard.edu/), which is an educational effort focusing on interpersonal negotiation skills. Among the many available resources on the website is a free report entitled “Dealing with Difficult People.” Mostly geared for the high-end […]
by John M Oldham MD I recently attended the annual meeting of the American College of Psychiatrists, where there was a fair amount of interest in the enduring debate about temperament and character. What makes us the way we are? Are we born that way (temperament), or are we made that way by life experiences […]
By John M Oldham MD Recently, a feature appeared in The New York Times entitled “The Friendship Advice Experts Swear By” (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/well/friendship-make-keep-friends.html). In spite of the corny title, author/journalist Catherine Pearson provides some useful tips called “friendship boosters” to help us strengthen our friendship bonds. Such advice is welcome, since we are challenged by the […]
By John M Oldham MD In a series of earlier blogs (November, 2024 and August, 2025), a link is provided to brief videos I was invited to record for a medical education series hosted by Vumedi.com. Recently, I was asked to provide a new one, which has just been posted, entitled “Personality Disorders Update.” This […]
By John M Oldham MD Many years ago, I made a rule for myself: Never send an angry email until the next day! Whatever the situation (setting the record straight, rebuttal or rejoinder to an unfair criticism, confronting an employee about inappropriate behavior, etc.), just write the email and save it as a draft. Then […]
