Parade • 20th February 2026

9 Subtle Self-Defeating Habits You Might Not Even Realize You're Doing, a Psychologist Warns

Dr. Craig Kain, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist, tells Parade, "Mindlessly repeating a self-defeating behavior can severely negatively impact all areas of our lives: our relationships, our career and our physical and emotional health.”

Parade • 26th December 2025

Psychologists Say High-Level Thinkers Avoid These 14 Common 'Mental Mistakes'

Dr. Kain says that high-level thinkers avoid this cognitive mishap, which is a tall feat in today’s world.

KLAS • 11th October 2025

Henderson councilwoman’s claim to psychology trade comes without a license

Dr. Craig Kain, a licensed California psychologist, also underscored the importance of protecting the public. “You haven’t completed what you need to do to be an effective and competent and ethical professional,” Kain told the 8 News Now Investigators. “You wouldn’t want to go see a lawyer that hadn’t passed the bar.” Kain continued, explaining that the psychology licensure requirements — including passing the state exam, better known as the boards — are rigorous. And he has recurring continuing education requirements to maintain his license.

“If you’re not licensed, you cannot call yourself a psychologist,” Kain said. “That’s actually a protected term in the state of California. So really, anybody who is calling themselves a psychologist who has not passed the licensing exam, that’s just illegal in the state of California and also an unethical thing to do.”

Runner's World • 24th September 2025

Even Endurance Athletes Should Be Walking More—Here's Why a Daily Walk Is Essential for People of All Activity Levels

There are reasons why taking a walk to “clear your head”
actually works. “Walking can help with emotional regulation,” Craig Kain, Ph.D., a psychologist and psychotherapist based in Long Beach, California tells Runner’s World. “At times, our feelings get the best of us, and we find ourselves off-balance emotionally. Walking can increase levels of two neurotransmitters, dopamine, the ‘happy hormone,’ anddecrease levels of cortisol, the ‘stress hormone,’ restoringour brains to a state of equilibrium.”

Rituals • 18th September 2025

How to be a better listener and why it's important

Dr. Craig Kain, a psychologist and psychotherapist with over 30 years of private practice, agrees. “Good listening is a crucial element of relationship building and maintenance, because the dynamics of our most intimate human relationships can be distilled to three things: we want to feel safe, we want to feel understood, and we want to feel important,” he explains.

Parade • 7th September 2025

Adults Who Were Name-Called as Kids Might Have These Traits

Parade consulted with two psychologists on this topic to better understand how this experience in childhood can affect someone as an adult.Dr. Craig Kain is a licensed psychologist who provides therapy and counseling services in...

Parade • 22nd July 2025

9 'Unspoken Fears' Common in People With Imposter Syndrome

“Having worked as a therapist for many years, I can assure you that most people do not have it nearly as together on the inside as they may want you to think,” he explains. “Hardly anybody has it all figured out, and nearly nobody feels confident all the time.”

Parade • 5th June 2025

If You Feel Lonely Even Around Friends, Drop These 16 Habits

Dr. Kain gets it—”fine” rolls off the tongue. However, it doesn’t open the door for connection, especially when it’s not true.

“Answering ‘fine’ is a way of hiding by deflecting attention away from ourselves,” Dr. Kain says. “It’s very protective and can lull us into feeling safe, but hiding almost always guarantees we will feel lonely and alone.”

Parade • 13th May 2025

15 Signs Someone Has a 'God Complex,' Psychologists Warn

“If you’re in a relationship with someone who has a God complex, there can be many cons, mostly centered around a lack of freedom to make decisions and restrictions on asserting one’s individuality,” Dr. Kain explains.

Field Mag • 23rd April 2025

How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Data and Love My Bike Rides

“We're relaxed and we don't have that muscle tension, we’re just in that moment,” he adds. “The minute you look at the watch, you're out of the moment. The flow state is all about being present, and trackers can be a huge, huge distraction.”

Simple Practice • 11th April 2025

How to ask another therapist to be your mentor - SimplePractice

While there are many accomplished therapists, career success isn’t the only thing to consider when deciding who to ask.
“I would give someone looking for a mentor the same guidance I give people looking for a therapist,” said Dr. Craig Kain, a psychologist with a private practice in Long Beach, California. “The most important thing is a good fit.”

Parade • 25th February 2025

13 Lies People Tell Themselves That Do More Harm Than Good

“One of our most basic needs throughout our life is to be understood,” he says. “When we lie and tell ourselves no one will understand us, we prevent ourselves from receiving one of the things we need most. Understanding and being understood are the foundation of empathy and connection with others.”

RUN | Powered by Outside • 11th February 2025

Is Strava Ruining My Running? Experts Weigh In

Kain says acknowledging a strained relationship with the app is an important step. Hence, this essay. This is me acknowledging that I have a damaged relationship with Strava, and even with myself. And it’s taking a toll on my relationship with running IRL.

Parade • 4th February 2025

A Psychologist Shares 3 Telltale Signs of Confirmation Bias

“We all carry mental maps in our heads that explain why things happen—our brains like these maps because they require little effort to employ,” Dr. Kain explains. “Most of the time, these maps work out well for us because—most of the time—the facts as they are do fit into our map.”

However, there’s a significant caveat: “Sometimes, our maps are off, and there are things they haven’t accounted for,” he adds. “Ignoring information that doesn’t fit our map can lead to deleterious consequences.”

Parade • 4th December 2024

These 13 Subtle Habits Make You 'Instantly Likable'

“We like people who pay attention to us when we’re talking with them,” Dr. Kain says. “It makes us feel important. If you want to be likable, put the phone away and make eye contact. Position yourself so you’re not distracted by other things around you.”

Parade • 5th November 2024

This Common Habit Might Be Holding You Back, Experts Warn

“Telling ourselves ‘scary stories’ is a habit that can really hold us back,” says Dr. Craig Kain, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist. “These stories can prevent us from trying new things or even reattempting things a second or third time.”

Parents • 17th July 2024

Big Name Athletes Put Mental Health In The Spotlight—This Initiative Aims to Train Youth Coaches on the Issue

Dr. Kain agrees. “Training coaches is our best hope of breaking this generational cycle of creating athletes who are too tough to ask for help,” he says.

GoodtoKnow • 18th June 2024

11 expert-led tips on how to talk to a teenager (even when they don’t want to listen)

"Teenager's minds still transition slowly from one task to another," says Craig Kain, psychologist and psychotherapist. "Just think of how long it takes the typical teen to get out of bed in the morning. Giving teens some advanced notice, for example, 'Can we talk in a few minutes?' allows your teen to prepare to listen and can make them more attentive to what you have to say."

Parade • 17th January 2024

Is It Normal To Talk to Yourself? Here's What Therapists Say

“It’s normal,” says Dr. Craig Kain, Ph.D., a psychologist and psychotherapist. “Talking to yourself is something most people do.”
While we may frequently talk to ourselves, Dr. Kain says people often feel abnormal about the whole thing because it’s not something we bring up often.
“Because very few people speak openly about it, we’re left feeling we are the only ones who do it,” Dr. Kain says.

Best Life • 2nd January 2024

10 Dating Red Flags You Should Never Ignore, Therapists Warn — Best Life

“Your date may treat you as though you’re ‘the one,’ but if they treat the server at your dinner date rudely, you’re bound to be the one on the receiving end of that rudeness sooner than later,” explains psychologist Craig Kain, PhD.

Parade • 14th December 2023

9 Phrases To Use Instead of Asking ‘How Are You?’

"Essentially, Dr. Kain argues that “How are you?” shuts down further sharing rather than opening up an opportunity for authentic interaction. It boxes people into giving a polite but ultimately conversation-stopping pat response."

Newsweek • 14th October 2023

My sister wants $4,200 for looking after our mom—What should I do?

"Despite what your sisters think, for her own well-being, your mom absolutely needs to be a part of this process. Staying active and independent as long as possible is an essential part of your mom's mental health. This includes making her own sound financial decisions. Keep in mind that just because a decision is not what you want, or what you think is fair, does not make it unsound."

Newsweek • 1st June 2023

Shock as man prioritizes partying over his wife's "family emergency"

Craig Kain, a psychologist based in Long Beach, California, told Newsweek: It "hurts and causes us immense fear when we are in a crisis and the person we believe we can always count on isn't available."
What is "most hurtful" about the situation in the Reddit post is the husband's initial reaction, "especially his comment about catering to his spouse," Kain said.
Kain explained: "It is not about catering but comforting. If he could have been more comforting in his initial response...he could have minimized the damage to the relationship."

Mashable • 11th May 2023

Should I get back with my ex? Relationship experts respond

Being in a relationship creates a powerful bond between you and your partner, said Kain, which can develop over a short period of time. "The more we can understand how we feel when we experience an intimacy-bond, the better able we are to make a decision to let a relationship go or get back to it," he said.
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