The renown psychotherapist Carl Jung once said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the darkness conscious.” This is important to consider if you are struggling with depression—and in particular associated cognitive distortions. Oftentimes it’s more tempting to try to run away from the negative mindset of depression. Yet, […]
We all experience traumatic wounds. Many people, though, don’t think of themselves as having experienced trauma. They may think of trauma as connected to wartime ordeals, natural disasters, rape, or extreme abuse. Those are certainly all immensely traumatizing situations—generally referred to as “big T” trauma. However, trauma can also come in less extreme measures. What […]
Fairy tales, folktales, literature, dreams, and art can all provide us with meaning. This goes beyond just taking delight in these works. Rather, they can teach us about key aspects of our human development. The unconscious motivates much of our behavior. In order to become our full selves, we need to integrate the unconscious and […]
Our society emphasizes growth and development when we are young. In fact, extensive research has been done into what development looks like in childhood. And even as we grow into adulthood, there are growth milestones. Establishing a career, having a family, and buying a house are a few common examples. As people do these things, […]
We all have the ability to heal ourselves. Dreams are one way we can access that ability because they provide us with information from our unconscious. Sometimes, we have dreams that just stick with us. We can’t stop thinking about them. In fact, it seems as if these dreams are trying to tell us something. […]