Tag Archives: Psychology

My Manufactured Mental Health Crisis

On June 12, 2018, seven years ago today, I sat in the office of ChristianaCare psychologist Dr. Alan L. Schwartz and told him I had been triggered by unexpected contact with my mother. I told him I had cut myself … Continue reading

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Medicalized Trauma: ChristianaCare’s Behavioral Health Fail

Seven years ago today, I first met with Alan L. Schwartz PsyD, the “embedded” psychologist at ChristianaCare’s Family Medicine Center at Foulk Road, having been referred to him by an intern at that facility. Schwartz (I refuse to use the … Continue reading

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Sigmund Freud is Alive and Well, in Psychoanalysis 

While fewer psychologists today openly use shame-based Freudian terms like “death drive” or “Thanatos,” the core idea has been repackaged in modern psych and trauma discourse under new names, often stripped of Freud’s original poetry but retaining the same oppressive … Continue reading

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The False Claims Of Psychology

Psychology claims to be a science, but much of its methodology does not meet the rigor found in fields that study observable, measurable, and consistently reproducible phenomena. While psychology does use systematic methods, those methods often fail to account for … Continue reading

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When Your Therapist Janks You Up Worse 

An experience I had with a therapist years ago continues to haunt me. It serves as a reminder of how devastating it can be when a therapist not only misses the mark but adds to the trauma they’re supposed to … Continue reading

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When the Practitioner Cannot Attune: A Barrier to Healing

When a healthcare practitioner struggles to attune to a patient, the relational dynamic becomes strained. The practitioner may fail to notice or respond to the patient’s emotional, physiological, and relational cues, leading to a sense of disconnection and misattunement. For … Continue reading

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How the Mental Illness Industry Serves the Ultra-Rich

Wealthy men of the Gilded Age, particularly individuals like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, donated substantial amounts of money to causes and institutions that shaped the mental illness industry. These men, though outwardly portrayed as benefactors, often supported initiatives … Continue reading

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Shame v. Guilt

Shame and guilt are often confused, but they affect us in very different ways. Guilt comes from recognizing a specific action as wrong and feeling a responsibility to make amends. It’s about behavior, what we did. Guilt can motivate positive … Continue reading

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The Neurobiological Truth About Burnout

Burnout isn’t simply “emotional,” because it involves the entire nervous system and body. When we’re under prolonged stress, the systems that regulate our energy, focus, and resilience can become overwhelmed. This creates a cascade of effects. Our bodies may stay … Continue reading

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#1 Healthcare Mistake: Inability to Attune

A practitioner’s ability to attune can be impeded by a variety of factors, often stemming from their own internal state, training, or external pressures. These include: Unresolved Stress or Dysregulation: If the practitioner’s nervous system is in a state of … Continue reading

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