PTSD
Types of PTSD: Everything You Need to Know
You’ve probably heard of PTSD – but did you know there are different types? Here’s what they are, how they show up, and what you…
About the Author
Gabrielle Ilagan is a doctoral student at Fordham University. Her research at Fordham’s Bronx Personality Lab investigates how identity and social interactions influence mental health, especially for individuals from marginalized backgrounds. She is trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy.
Articles by Gabrielle Ilagan, M.A.
Below are articles written by Gabrielle Ilagan, M.A. for the Manhattan Center for Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy blog.
OCD
How to Understand “Just Right OCD” and How to Cope
What Is “Just Right” OCD? Have you ever felt like something isn’t quite right? Maybe it’s your shirt collar that doesn’t sit perfectly, or your…
Addiction
The Story of the Two Wolves
Life is full of choices. Everyday life can pull you in different directions, and sometimes it seems impossible to find peace within yourself. The story of…
DBT
Opposite Action: How to Take Control from Strong Emotions
Understanding Opposite Action in DBT Managing emotions can feel like riding a rollercoaster. Sometimes, our feelings take us in directions that don’t serve us well,…
OCD
How to Recognize Maladaptive Perfectionism and Its Impact
Striving for perfection might seem great – and sometimes, it is! But when perfectionism is excessive, it can take over your life and cause more…
CBT
Anger as a Secondary Emotion: What’s Important to Know
Anger is sometimes more complicated than it seems. Learn how anger is often a secondary emotion, and what that means. Anger can seem simple. You…
Mindfulness and meditation
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Learning How to Master Your Mind
Last updated: March 2nd, 2025 Our minds constantly generate a stream of thoughts that powerfully influence our emotions and decisions. From mundane daydreams to critical…
DBT
DBT’s DEAR MAN Skills: How to Get What You Want
DEAR MAN is an approach to communication taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). DEAR MAN helps you ask for what you want in a way…
Depression
OCD and Depression: How Are They Connected?
Last updated: June 14th, 2025 The relationship between OCD and depression can be difficult to sort through. Understanding these two conditions and how they affect…
DBT
Affect Regulation: Everything You Need To Know
Everybody has emotions, both positive and negative. We can never have complete control over them. If you struggle with intense emotions so much that it…
Anxiety
CBT: An Effective Paruresis Treatment Without Medication or Invasive Devices
Updated: January 23, 2024 What Is Paruresis? Paruresis, also known as “shy bladder syndrome,” is the fear of urinating in public or in the perceived…