A strange thing happened when I was standing in a large crowd at a recent No Kings anti-Trump demonstration a week or two ago. The energy was high, people were chanting, there were hundreds of signs that were both sharply political and funny. A surprising thing happened, I found myself starting to cry. An entirely unexpected expression of what I could only suspect was some kind of grief or loss or sadness.
In this webcast, I am interested in using the insights of psychoanalysis to better understand what is going on in the wider social, political, and cultural worlds. I have been a practicing psychotherapist and psychoanalyst for over 40 years and have written extensively about these issues at the interface of psychology and the social/political/cultural worlds (see my publications on this website). I hope to explore matters that are related to current events, but also provide some discussion and understanding of more general issues about human development and psychology.
Let’s Stop With the Self – Help Cliches and Bromides
In this video, we break down popular self-help and New Age clichés like “It is what it is” and “It wasn’t meant to be.” These sayings may sound comforting, but they often dismiss real pain and discourage emotional honesty. Let’s talk about why it’s okay to feel, to grieve, and to reject toxic positivity.
Forgiveness is Bullshit
Healing from Childhood: Understanding Forgiveness and Self-Worth We explore the deep-rooted connections between parental treatment and our self-perception. Discover how internalized beliefs shape our value and the journey towards forgiveness and self-love, even when faced with emotional struggles.
Pathogenic Beliefs
At the risk of seeming maybe just a tad pretentious I’m going to talk today about and reveal the secret cause of almost all mental suffering, at least the suffering that I see and have treated in my office for over 40 years. The secret cause of suffering can be found in the concept of pathogenic beliefs.
