Psychology, mental health and resources to help you understand what you are experiencing
Articles written by the health psychologists at Ocnos Psychology Clinic about anxiety, mood, relationships, sexuality, affirmative therapy, psychological assessment and neuropsychology.
Clear and responsible information to help you put your experiences into words and consider when professional support may be useful.
Latest articles from the Ocnos psychology blog
Discover the latest publications from our team. Use the pagination after the ninth article to browse earlier posts.
Psychologist or psychiatrist? When you may not have to choose
Unsure whether to see a psychologist or psychiatrist? Héctor Lozano explains what each professional does, when seeing both may help and how care can be coordinated with the patient’s permission.
Horizontal and vertical relationships: differences, examples and warning signs
Horizontal and vertical relationships describe how influence, decisions and autonomy are distributed. Learn how to distinguish a practical difference from a harmful imbalance, reflect on your own relationship and know when to seek support.
Social anxiety or shyness: how to tell the difference and when to seek help
Do you avoid speaking, calling, meeting people or expressing an opinion because you fear being judged? Rocío Rodríguez Boza, General Health Psychologist, explains how to distinguish shyness from social anxiety, recognise the symptoms and safety behaviours involved, practise gradual exercises and decide when professional support may be helpful.
Panic attacks: symptoms, how long they last and what to do
A panic attack can cause a racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness, chest tightness and an intense fear of losing control or dying. Héctor Lozano Jiménez, General Health Psychologist, explains how to recognise an attack, how long it may last, what to do during the episode and which psychological techniques can help reduce fear of future attacks.
Butterfly hug for anxiety: how to do it and what the science says
The butterfly hug is a self-regulation exercise that uses gentle alternating taps across the upper chest. Rocío Rodríguez Boza explains how to practise it, when it may help with anxiety, its limitations and what the scientific evidence actually says.
I Don’t Want to Get Older: Why Birthdays Can Make You Feel Sad and How to Cope
Birthdays can bring sadness, anxiety about ageing or the strange feeling that your chronological age does not match who you feel you are. Héctor Lozano explains why this happens, what can help and when it may be time to seek psychological support.
Overexposure to negative news: why you cannot stop checking and how to protect your mental health
Keeping informed can become a difficult cycle: the more distressing the news makes us feel, the more urgently we feel the need to check it. María Ángeles Sanz Ruiz explains why this happens and how to develop a healthier relationship with the news.
What Are Thoughts and Why Not Everything You Think Is True
Thoughts help us understand experiences, solve problems and make decisions, but they do not always reflect reality accurately. This guide explains how thoughts develop, why some feel completely true, and how to respond to worry, rumination and intrusive thoughts.
Ocnos offers practical guidance to Agnes Baden-Powell Scout families
On Sunday 12 July 2026, Ocnos Psychology Clinic held a practical session for families and volunteers from the Agnes Baden-Powell Scout Group. Héctor Lozano, Rocío Rodríguez and María Ángeles Sanz discussed how to observe children’s behaviour, support their emotions and recognise when professional guidance may be helpful.
Find articles about what is concerning you
Go directly to the main areas of the blog if you are looking for information about a particular difficulty, symptom or psychological process.
Anxiety and stress
Worry, fear, repetitive thoughts, physical tension, emotional blockage and avoidance.
Read articles about anxietyDepression and mood
Sadness, apathy, emotional exhaustion, guilt, emptiness and loss of interest.
Read articles about depressionRelationships, couples and attachment
Communication, conflict, emotional dependence, break-ups and ways of relating.
Read articles about relationshipsSexuality and sexual wellbeing
Desire, sexual anxiety, sexual difficulties, intimacy and communication between partners.
Read articles about sexualityAffirmative therapy
Identity, emotional safety, family relationships, minority stress and LGBTQ+ support.
Read about affirmative therapyPsychological assessment
Tests, reports, clinical guidance, learning difficulties and high abilities.
Read about psychological assessmentNeuropsychology
Attention, memory, behaviour, learning, neurodevelopment and executive functions.
Read neuropsychology articlesOcnos news
Talks, activities, collaborations and the clinic’s involvement in the community.
Read Ocnos newsPsychological information written with clinical care and warmth
The Ocnos blog is designed to help you understand psychological experiences without relying on rushed diagnoses, alarmist messages or oversimplified explanations.
Our articles can provide guidance, but they do not replace an individual assessment when distress persists, interferes with daily life or causes concern.
Meet the professionals who write the Ocnos blog
Each professional brings their clinical experience, training and perspective to the psychological topics covered in the blog.
Héctor Lozano Jiménez
Writes about anxiety, stress, adolescence, life changes, high abilities and taking the first steps towards therapy.
Rocío Rodríguez Boza
Writes about emotional regulation, relationships, attachment, affirmative therapy, childhood, adolescence and family life.
María de los Ángeles Sanz Ruiz
Writes about behaviour, personal history, relationships, emotional regulation, neuropsychology and life context.
Not sure where to start?
If one of our articles reflects what you are going through, you can briefly tell us what is concerning you. We will help you consider what type of support may be suitable and which member of the team may be the best fit.
Frequently asked questions about the Ocnos blog
These are some common questions about our articles and the responsible use of psychological information.
Who writes the Ocnos Psychology Clinic blog?
The blog is written by the team of psychologists at Ocnos Psychology Clinic. The articles are intended to provide responsible psychological information, clinical guidance and accessible explanations.
Do the articles replace psychological therapy?
No. They may help you understand a difficulty, put your experiences into words or recognise when to seek help, but they do not replace an individual psychological assessment or a course of therapy.
Can I book an appointment if I identify with an article?
Yes. If an article describes something that is affecting or concerning you, you can book an appointment or contact us for initial guidance. We can help you consider which professional may be the best fit.
What topics does the Ocnos psychology blog cover?
The blog includes articles about anxiety, depression, stress, relationships, attachment, couples therapy, sexuality, affirmative therapy, neuropsychology, psychological assessment, childhood, adolescence and mental health.
Can I search for a particular topic within the blog?
Yes. At the end of this page, you will find a search box that allows you to locate publications using terms such as anxiety, relationships, depression, neuropsychology, sexuality or emotional regulation.
Are you looking for a particular topic?
Enter a word or phrase to find articles related to the difficulty or topic that interests you.