The predominant workhorse of the psychological healing world is a family of therapeutic practices and exercises centered on what I call “rational self-analysis”, or more colloquially, finding out “who you really are”. This journey towards “authenticity” is central to most forms of talk therapy, and what most people likely think of when they think of…
Tag: personal growth
110) From Shitty-ness to Well-ness, Part 4: Healing, when you hate yourself, think you don’t deserve it, want to die, believe it’s impossible anyway, avoid doing what you most need, and constantly sabotage yourself
When you start to turn towards “healing”, you will very likely experience a backlash. Probably lots of backlashes. You and Mr/Ms Backlash are going to become really great friends, in fact. But first, you’re going to be enemies. Epic enemies. Like, Avengers vs. Thanatos kind of epic. Sparta vs. Xerxes. The Boston Bruins vs. Montreal…
103) From Shitty-ness to Wellness: Part 3 – The Self-Improvement Treadmill and Its Perpetuation of Trauma
I became a Psychologist in order to figure myself out, and my family. I imagine that’s what gets a lot of people’s foot in the psychology-door, initially. You wonder things like, “Why am I (or other people), so screwed up? Why can’t I get myself together? Why do I sabotage my successes? Why do…
97) Dear Abuser,
“What is wrong with you? What is wrong with you? Jesus Christ, what the hell is WRONG with you?” Your words echo in my mind like a beaten child’s wails, their residue embedded in my tissues and tear ducts and neural networks like a terrorist sleeper cell living invisibly in the city they are Heaven-bent…
96) Abuse, Trauma, Shame, and Healing
Hello Dear Reader, In an upcoming series of posts, I am going to explore the dynamics of the inner monster that seems to doom so many people to suffer lives of loneliness and limitation — Shame. As we go through these posts, we’ll explore where Shame comes from, what it feels like, how it…
94) The Day I Saw My Future Unfold
I heard a story once about a girl whose parents were murdered right in front of her. She spent the rest of her life selflessly devoted to one person, with seemingly no will of her own. I knew a man once whose boyhood was robbed by war. He spent the rest of his life addicted…
88) Jordan Peterson: Part 7 – Psychology at the Ending of the World; Subsection 2 – The Doctrine of Original Awesomeness
So what’s the alternative? Do we need more “rules” to help us live like half-decent people who aren’t slobs and losers and depressed and too-agreeable and “weak” and addicted? Do we need more external authority figures structuring our lives for us? Do we need more Dad-advice telling us to clean up our rooms, stand up…
87) Jordan Peterson: Part 7 – Psychology at the Ending of the World; Subsection 1: Where Jordan is Wrong AF
After carefully pointing out, and occasionally flat-out ranting about the irresponsible errors in Jordan Peterson’s public proclamations, I’m ready to sum this up by taking a look at truly the worst part of everything he has said (in my opinion). To put this in context, here’s the deal. The world is rapidly becoming “fucked”. That…
67) Purpose: A Four-part series — Part 1 — “Tearing Down the Wall”
This title comes from Pink Floyd’s brilliant album, The Wall. The Wall is a 3-level album. At the first level, it is a personal narrative, a musical autobiographical allegory of Roger Waters himself, centered around a fictional character named, appropriately enough, “Pink”. At the second level, it is a narrative of the experiences of…
58) Jordan Peterson, Part 5: The Perfect House Problem; Subsection 1 – He Who Is Without Sin
============================================================= Tarantula Identification Assessment Tool Put a check beside each of the following that describes you, at least “somewhat”. – Do you feel self-conscious about your looks? – Do you procrastinate? – Do you criticize yourself? a lot? – Do you watch too much TV, play too many video games, spend too…