Note: This revision, dated February 25, 2024, includes the addition of an introductory section to better contextualize the analysis. Additionally, I cleaned up some grammatical errors and punctuation conventions. Mandatory …
Exploring Mindfulness-Based Therapy: A Path to The Present
In the current model of psychological well-being, mindfulness-based therapy stands out as a transformative approach, integrating the ancient practice of mindfulness with modern therapeutic techniques. This combination creates an effective …
Your Privacy and Preserving The Personal Touch in Mental Health Care
By Keith Norris The expanding role of online mental health support offered by firms like BetterHelp, merits some critical inquiry. These companies took advantage of the relaxed regulations around mental …
Navigating the Psychedelic Journey: The Imperative of Qualified Integration Therapy
By Keith Norris The field of mental health treatment is evolving, and recent research highlights the significant benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapies. These therapies, which utilize psychedelic compounds, have shown promising …
Harnessing Self-Affirmation: Insights for Personal Growth
Introduction: Life’s challenges, from health concerns to academic pressures, often put our self-esteem and identity to the test. Understanding how to positively respond to these challenges is crucial for our …
Stop Rumination
Stop Rumination Reflecting extensively on past, present, or future occurrences can present a formidable challenge, yet viable strategies exist for its management. Herein lie several discerning recommendations: Discern the Underlying …
Transformative Experiences
“Living rationally and authentically means understanding that life centrally involves making leaps of faith, both small and large, and that the value of living is to a large extent the …
What Does it Mean to Be “Spiritual”?
Spiritual wellness encompasses being connected to something greater than oneself and cultivating a set of values, principles, morals, and beliefs that provide a profound sense of purpose and meaning in …
How Do I know if Counselling is Working?
Determining whether counselling or therapy is effective for improving your mental health can be a subjective process, influenced by various factors unique to you. I want to provide you with …
To Lament or Desire to Rewrite the Past.
Imagine, if you will, a life relived over and over, with all its triumphs and tribulations, joys and sorrows, for eternity. What thoughts would arise within you? Would fear grip …
Are You Burned Out?
There are misconceptions surrounding burnout, and it is not merely feeling slightly overworked, stressed, or tired. Burnout manifests as a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by several key symptoms. One significant …
What Happens in Couples’ Therapy
Couples therapy often conjures an unromantic image, associated with patience, arduous work, and uncomfortably intimate discussions about matters we would rather avoid contemplating, let alone discuss with both our partner …
Why We Use Small Talk
Many people experience discomfort when attending social events, which can often stem from a distaste for small talk. The thought of being trapped in conversations about mundane topics such as …
Exploring the Hidden Benefits of Mental Illness
When considering our psychological well-being, it may seem peculiar to consider the positive aspects of being unwell. One might argue that there are only downsides to such a condition. However, …
Embracing Unconditional Love
Embracing Unconditional Love: Letting Go of Expectations and Embracing Forgiveness In the realm of unconditional love, attachment, hidden agendas, and tallying up who gives what to whom have no place. …
Freud vs The Buddha – The Utility of Ego
The ego is a concept used in psychology to describe an individual’s sense of self or identity. It serves as the conscious perception of oneself and their interactions with the …
Are Coincidences Real?
Life’s weird coincidences. I am an unequivocal rationalist and yet I still want to see something strange and wonderful in life’s weird coincidences. In the summer of 2021, I experienced …
Meditation Basics
Meditation is a practice that has been around for thousands of years and involves focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to increase awareness of the present …
Childhood Trauma & Neurosis – How Therapy Helps
One reason we seek out therapy in order to gain perspective and in turn recover from our neuroses. Neurosis is a pattern of negative thinking that can get in the …
Open Letter – Learning to Connect
The following is part of an email thread between a client and myself. I thought I would post it as there is value here for everyone feeling the effects of …
Finding Happiness in Times of Adversity
Stress can manifest from traumatic events, or from lower intensity but frequent daily hassles. Too much stress is a contributor to mental and physical health problems, even as far as …
About Seasonal Depression
Depressed again for no apparent reason? Do you or someone you know consistently feel depressed as we head into fall and winter? Seasonal Depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, …
Ketamine
Ketamine has been around for at least fifty years and commonly used in as a fast-acting anesthetic used in emergency medicine. Ketamine also is a popular illegal party drug because …
Validation
What is validation? It feels good to be seen and understood right? Validation is the method of learning about, understanding, and expressing acceptance of another person’s emotional experience unconditionally, without …
Breathing for Calm
Our breath is a something we always have with us (hopefully), and it can be accessed and utilized in diverse ways to achieve different mental and physiological states. There is …
Practicing Gratitude
It is commonly integrated into therapeutic practices – the concept that employing and exercising routine gratitude can facilitate many benefits. Continually working with feelings of gratitude can alleviate feelings of …