Sigmund Freud’s Psychology of Religion - Applications to Religious Scrupulosity
When it comes to the psychology of religion, Freud is a significant historical character. It has been said that Freud’s theories are the first of their kind; a divergence from religious explanations of the human mind.
Gender, Confidence & Conformity - What’s the Connection?
In their 2017 research about the intersection of gender, confidence, and conformity, Cross et al state that “confidence is implicated as a strong predictor of susceptibility to social influence, and wherever there is evidence for a sex difference in confidence, an indirect effect of sex on social influence via confidence is likely” (Cross et al, 2017).
Making Meaning with Logotherapy
Frankl wrote Man’s Search for Meaning in nine days following his release from a concentration camp in 1945. More importantly, he developed a therapeutic approach that continues to be used in clinical practice today.
The Neuroscience of Religious Extremism
Religious extremism results from a rigid worldview that can entrap the mind. The question is: How can we escape the happy prison of the brain?
Godly Sadness - Biological Correlates of Spirituality & Depression
What is the biological correlation between depression and spirituality? And what is the connection between post-traumatic growth and spirituality?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - Evidence-Based Treatment for PTSD
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. But how does it stack up against the well-known cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Group Logotherapy - Improving Mental Wellness in Nursing Homes
Logotherapy was developed by psychiatrist and Nazi concentration camp survivor Viktor Frankl. His therapeutic approach shows promise for nursing home group therapy.
Thomas Szasz & Toxic Theology
The late American psychiatrist Thomas Szasz is a polarizing character. People either love his theories, or they place the entire blame for the current mental health crisis in America on his shoulders.
The Congruence of Carl R. Rogers
We can easily spot a genuine person. But, if a person is not genuine, it’s to precisely define the quality, let alone provide a framework to help the individual manifest it. This is where Carl Rogers comes in, the father of person-centered psychotherapy, and his theory of congruence.
Psychology & Philosophy - Differing Approaches in the Quest for Human Understanding
Both psychology and philosophy center on contemplative topics including the nature of human beings, how they think and act, and how they acquire knowledge and wisdom. Because of this topical overlap, the question arises: How are these two fields of study differentiated?
Deconstructing the Gender Binary – Implications from Taoist & Buddhist Philosophy
For those who do not have regular contact with non-binary individuals, the very idea of questioning or deconstructing gender identity is something that they may have never considered. This is, no doubt, particularly the case for Americans raised in fundamentalist religious communities based on the Abrahamic faiths
Taking Back What Was Lost to Religious Fundamentalism - Reuniting With My Disfellowshipped Father
The divisive potential of my faith struck close to home when my father chose to assert his opposition to the religious beliefs of our community. Out of loyalty to the AlmightyCreator of the Universe, I shunned my father for 13 years.
Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) - Does it really exist?
Skeptics call Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) a medical fad from the 80s. Recent YouTube drama has reignited criticism. However, clinical and neurobiological evidence points to its validity as an extreme response to trauma.
Meditation for Bipolar Disorder - Does It Work?
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MSBR) and meditation have gone mainstream in recent years. But can these practices be helpful in the treatment of a condition as complex as Bipolar Disorder II?
What Makes Someone Religious? — An Analysis of Recent Research in Religiosity & Personality
Is there correlation between the Big Five personality traits and religiosity? The answer is not so simple.
How Analyzing ISIS’s Recruitment Tactics Helped Liberate Me from Psychological Captivity
As my cognition bifurcated away from the infantile spiritual fantasies of my religious upbringing, I saw more and more connections between the culture and theology of Jehovah’s Witnesses and that of my Muslim neighbors
The Bifurcation of Thought — Darwin, Csikszentmihalyi, & Lao Tzu
Bifurcation of thought as a reparative journey for the conditioned mind.
George A. Kelly’s Constructive Alternativism — An Application to Religious & Ideological Radicalism
Find out how George A. Kelly's theory of constructive alternativism helps us understand the thinking of radicalized groups.
The Spectrum of Conformity & Obedience — From Cults to Cocktail Parties
Conformity and obedience were the focus of much early research in the burgeoning field of social psychology. But social conformity and obedience have a darker side.
Erik Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development — They Don’t Always Happen in Order
Erik Erikson’s framework is well-respected in the behavioral science community. It’s profound. But there are some gaps.