Pilot Mental Health Publications
Reini Thijssen writes articles about mental health, focused on support for travel-oriented audiences and aviation professionals.
Exploring NASA Stress Management Techniques: Tips for Pilots
In the high-stakes world of aviation, pilots face numerous stressors that can impact their performance and well-being. From managing complex flight operations to navigating challenging weather..
Navigating FOMO in the Competitive World of Pilot Hiring
FOMO, or the Fear of Missing Out, is a phenomenon that is common in various aspects of modern life, and the world of pilot hiring is no exception. Aspiring pilots often…
First Aid for Checkride Anxiety
Whether you are a student pilot working towards your private-pilot certificate or a 4.000-hour ATP going for a captain upgrade, you are expected to be evaluated for your performances in a practical test environment, and you are likely to experience a fear of…
Saying No – Why It Is Important and How to Do It
How do you say no without hurting anyone's feelings? Why is saying no so tricky? Why do you say ′′Fine,” when you feel that you do not have the time, energy, or inclination to do what is asked of you? Many people are raised with the value that you must be nice and accommodate others. However, it turns out that saying no is not as difficult as it might seem. This step-by-step plan helps…
Start Today: Improve Your Self-Confidence
A lack of self-confidence is common. Low self-esteem can affect your motivation and can be damaging to your overall mental well-being and quality of life. But what is self-confidence, what causes a lack of self-confidence…
How to Respond to Hurtful Comments
Unsolicited advice, prejudices, toxic positivity, or ‘funny' comments are among the many ways in which family, friends, coworkers, or even strangers can verbally hurt us. Even if it was not…
Improve Communication About Sex - 5 Tips
It is one of the essentials of a good relationship: great sex. Unfortunately, it usually does not happen automatically. Communicating effectively as sex partners leads to more intimate and fulfilling sex. However, many people find it challenging to discuss their sexual preferences; we are often afraid to hurt our partner's feelings or are afraid to be vulnerable. We are also not taught…
Preventing Burnout for Aviation Professionals
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion and is a reaction to prolonged stress. The risk of burnout increases after months or even years of continuous stress and not being able to recover from the stress. Burnout often is related to work stress, but this is not always the cause. Burnout can be triggered by…
What is Coping?
Everyone around has their automatic responses to problems. Everyone handles stressful situations, such as work pressures, physical discomforts, relationships, or financial concerns differently. In psychology, these are called…
How to Tame Your Impatience
Being impatient is one of the hallmarks of our time. Daily, we receive mixed messages on the subject. The idea that we should adopt a calmer attitude is often widely promoted, while as a society, we value anything that helps us do things faster. The facts are clear: research shows…
Overcoming Feeling Like an Imposter
You have a good education, a job people look up to, and everyone praises you. However, is there this voice in the back of your mind saying, “What if they find out I cannot do it,” making you feel like a fraud? Is it often difficult for you to be proud of yourself?
The Power of Failure – And How to Cope
Everyone experiences failure at some point in their lives – failing a checkride, failing that interview, or a failing relationship. Though everyone experiences failure, there seems to be no place for failure in today’s success-oriented society. However, experts say we need to make mistakes to learn and become good at something. So why do we find it so hard to fail?
Doom Scrolling
Almost everyone does it – quick glances at Twitter, Instagram, and news feeds throughout the day or right before sleeping. Reading the news is not exactly uplifting, even in the best of times. Unfortunately, what used to be a pleasant activity has turned into torment. The endless act of scrolling through miserable news updates is better known as “doom scrolling” and can cause significant stress. Doom scrolling encourages thinking of worst-case scenarios…
Relationship Changes: How to Connect in Time of Diapers
The arrival of a child (particularly the first) is an important transition in life that new parents often underestimate. Life, as you knew it – romance, travel, work, financial freedom, friendships, makes way for sleep deprivation, financial obligations, and navigating between the needs of your…
How to Stay Assertive in Discussions 
A good discussion is often part of our personal and professional lives and provides interesting insights. However, it sometimes results in a never-ending conversation or challenging situations. In the worst case, it is no longer possible to maintain your assertiveness because you feel absorbed..
Prioritize Each Other – Five Tips
Reality check: Take a minute to reflect on how much time was reserved exclusively for you and your partner over the past few weeks – sleeping, watching tv, or social encounters with friends or family not included. How much quality time did you have together? It is not uncommon for couples to…
Start Today, Not Tomorrow
Happy 2022 – the New Year in which all of our plans will come true! Or not? As it turns out, we are overly optimistic about the future and falsely believe that there is more time available tomorrow than there is today. However, the truth is that there is no ideal moment for those challenging tasks and those exciting new plans. Studies have shown…
Survival Skills for the Holidays
Last year, the holidays were celebrated differently by many. Now we are going back to a new normal, December is the month of spending time with family and friends. Christmas and New Year’s are meant to be pleasant and joyful, but often, people experience them as stressful and…
Food For a Better Mood
Being on the road and with the holidays around the corner, our diet is a continuous focus of our attention. What we consume daily directly affects our body, brain, and mood, and can be adversely impact our mental health, such as our stress levels. Stress is not only triggered by…
Healthy Coping with Frustration
Life would be so much easier if everything would go the way it was supposed to go. But unfortunately, the reality is different; people forget appointments, the internet is slow, pandemics happen, and traffic is heavy again. The result may be feeling…