Empathy is the bedrock of all relational and therapeutic work. It is not simply a skill but a mode of being with another mind — what the psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut called vicarious introspection. The capacity to feel into the emotional life of another so that the self can be known, mirrored and stabilized. Without empathy, no self can develop with coherence, and no therapy can heal. Yet empathy … [Read more...]
When talk therapy may not be enough
Research shows that a combination of medication and “talk” therapy provides the best outcome in treatment of depression, anxiety and some other mental health issues. While this may not be the case for everybody, there is enough evidence to support this combination as being optimal for wellness. There is a case for alternative forms of therapy that may not require medication, particularly for … [Read more...]
The dark road that leads to light
Walking along a dark road, it starts to rain, your phone barely has life, when out of nowhere it begins to pour down. The thin jacket you put on when you walked to your friend’s home on this pleasant evening becomes drenched in a heartbeat. You quicken your pace. The 20-minute walk home now feels like an interminable uncertain journey, as you find yourself beginning to shiver, even cough a … [Read more...]
Ease pandemic anxiety with ‘specificity’
It's been about 18 months since we were advised that Covid-19 had arrived on our shores. We viewed the announcement with uncertainty and skepticism. Then we were blindsided and shocked as the virus began taking the lives of loved ones, friends, neighbors and strangers. Now, a year and a half later, many are still gripped by fear of this strange and invisible phenomenon, despite extraordinary … [Read more...]
Life during wartime: the coronavirus psychology
We are engaged in a war. Not a typical war where an enemy is clearly identifiable. We're up against an invisible enemy: the Covid-19 virus. The conflict requires something unique and brutally wrenching from its civilians: isolation and physical disconnection. The collective life force has been stopped dead in its tracks now for over a year. Society's mental wellness clearly has declined, … [Read more...]