My readers know how ardently I put the focus on inner passivity. It is, I contend, the primary mischief-maker of the psyche, the largely unconscious part of us that keeps us from being at our best. Inner passivity, a primary component of inner conflict, is the straw house … [Read more...] about The Difference Between Learned Helplessness and Inner Passivity
Inner Passivity
The Undercover Enabler of Habitual Oversleeping
Habitual oversleeping is another of the many behavioral afflictions that depth psychology addresses. This behavioral problem is the byproduct of underlying psychological issues that can be hazardous to one’s career, relationships, and emotional health. Online searches for … [Read more...] about The Undercover Enabler of Habitual Oversleeping
Answers to Questions from Readers (Part 8)
Readers often send me emails with their comments and questions concerning different aspects of depth psychology, inner conflict, and the process of psychotherapy. Here I answer six of them, mostly related to inner passivity. I’ve done some light editing of the questions, and my … [Read more...] about Answers to Questions from Readers (Part 8)
Our Compulsion to Self-Punish
For many of us, a steady stream of emotional self-punishment can feel as natural as breathing. The process of punishing oneself can operate so subtly that people don’t detect its pernicious nature. This is not a discussion of physical self-injury or self-harm such as skin … [Read more...] about Our Compulsion to Self-Punish
How Meditation and Depth Psychology Overlap
I have long been interested in meditation, and I practiced it on and off for many years when I was a young man. Meditation held me together through my neurotic shenanigans, until depth psychology crossed my path and cleaned out the worst of my inner discombobulations. I used to … [Read more...] about How Meditation and Depth Psychology Overlap