Psychology

Category

What I've learned about grieving

WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT GRIEVING

This is a post on grief.  Sooner or later we all encounter grief if we live long enough.  Some people might say that all they know is grief.  But this is the sort of grief that most people are exposed to in our society and culture. Grieving (and healing) very often involves pain.  In fact, it’s the emotional pain that you feel that may indicate that there is a problem in the first place.  Healing is also often best if it progresses from the “inside...

Never too late

NEVER TOO LATE

It is no secret that one of my favorite poets is Lord Alfred Tennyson, and one of my favorite poems is his own Ulysses. The poem is a hypothetical monologue by Ulysses, written by Tennyson in iambic pentameter. It flows beautifully as Ulysses, now in his later years, surveys his life, wondering whether he and he shipmates who are still alive are capable of one more heroric deed. Or, are extreme exploits, awesome adventures and just ordinary good deeds and...

Is someone pulling your strings?

IS SOMEONE PULLING YOUR STRINGS?

This morning, I read a report that people who have gotten the COVID vaccine and who decide they want it removed from their body can bathe in Borax, a toxic substance that will allegedly “remove” the vaccine from their body (and nevermind what the Borax will do to your skin.) This “cure” is nonsense, of course. But it is an indicator of how desparate people in our society have become–what sorts of fantastic notions they believe, and how far they...

The truth is out there. UFO crash

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

Those who have watched–and enjoyed–the X Files will especially appreciate this post. You may remember Episode 17 of Season 1, titled E.B.E. when Fox Mulder is having his conversation with Dana Scully. Mulder says to Scully: “The truth is out there.” The redacted response reads something like this: Scully: “Mulder, the truth is out there, but so are lies.” Today, there are a lot of Mulders running around, posting to social media, sending unsolicited e-mail to family and friends, warning...

Losing hope

LOSING HOPE

This post focuses on pandemic-induced depression as well as feelings of hopelessness, especially as it deals with Christians or anyone else looking for hope or an excuse to go on in these difficult times. Depression occurs for a number of reasons, some beyond your control. It is no shame to be depressed, and it is not a contradiction or indictment of your faith if you do suffer from depression. If you are struggling daily with sadness, losing sleep at night,...

CHRISTIANS AND NARCISSISM

The terms “Christian” and “narcissism” should be mutually exclusive, but unfortunatelty they are not for reasons that will shortly become evident. The word “narcissism” has a very interesting origin. Narcissus was a figure in Greek mythology. He was exceptional in beauty and prowess (and he knew he was.) There was also a cursed nymph named Echo. Echo was cursed by Hera because Echo would try to distract Hera from finding Here’s usband Zeus carrying on with another woman. Echo’s curse was that...