Therapist and Bestselling Author Vienna Pharaon Shares 10 Insights on Healing Childhood Wounds and Building Healthier Connections

Many of the behaviors that show up in adult relationships — defensiveness, emotional shutdown, perfectionism, people-pleasing, fear of conflict — often begin as survival strategies long before adulthood. At a recent conversation hosted by The Family Institute at Northwestern University — a Make It Better 2026 Philanthropy Award winner — licensed marriage and family therapist […]

When Insurance Denies Mental Health Coverage, This Nonprofit Helps Patients and Doctors Appeal

Dr. Mojgan Makki, Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with Psychiatry Studio in Chicago, was treating an adolescent patient with ADHD. The patient experienced serious side effects from the oral medication, requiring Dr. Makki to pursue the next clinically appropriate plan: a transdermal patch for ADHD treatment.  “Time was of the essence,” says Dr. Makki. […]

10 Holiday Movies to Help You Navigate the Season’s Rough Patches

Isn’t every holiday movie a Greater Good movie? That is to say—aren’t they all movies that highlight acts of generosity, empathy, compassion, reconciliation, or gratitude?  Alas, no. Or at least, not all of them are very insightful about human goodness or adept at conveying how we become better. We’re sure most readers are familiar with the hits, […]

The 2025 Better Guide to Giving

As the holidays get underway, many of us look for ways to make someone else’s season brighter. And there’s science behind why that makes us feel so good. Research shows that acts of generosity — from gift giving to financial support — increase happiness more than spending on ourselves.  At Better, we’re dedicated to simplifying […]