All of us want to feel connected to our better self. That’s when we’re likely to be at our happiest. But inwardly many of us spend much of the time feeling disconnected from our better or best self. Our state of psychological disconnection is subtle and often unrecognized … [Read more...] about How We Disconnect from Our Better Self
mental health
Make Sense of Your Suffering
When it comes to our inner life, many of us are like newborns fluttering our eyes, trying to fathom a mysterious world that makes no sense to us. Not only is this inner world opaque, but our mind rebels when presented with the startling knowledge that exposes our compulsive … [Read more...] about Make Sense of Your Suffering
The Interplay of Neurosis and Democracy
The deeper the insight, the more we resist it. Like wild animals reacting to their reflection in a mirror, we are shocked to see an unknown self. Why are we shocked? In the mirror of self-knowledge, we see the extent of our self-deception—plus our unconscious pursuit of … [Read more...] about The Interplay of Neurosis and Democracy
A Case of Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)
This post is an excerpt from a psychotherapy session I had with a client. The post provides deep insight into aspects of PAS, and it also serves as an example of how my telephone sessions typically proceed. The name Carol is a pseudonym, and the content here has been edited and … [Read more...] about A Case of Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)
How and Why We Sabotage Love
This month I’m posting an excerpt from LoveSmart: Transforming the Emotional Patterns that Sabotage Relationships, by my late wife, Sandra Michaelson. If I knew of a better book on relationships than this one, I would honestly tell you. This book of Sandra’s, one of three she … [Read more...] about How and Why We Sabotage Love