Eating Disorders as Toxic Regulation by Our Parents Eating disorders, parental regulation, and self-regulation are intricately intertwined in the intricate dance of human development. From a psychological perspective, the dynamics between individuals and their parents play a key role in shaping their emotional and behavioral regulation without compromising their own regulation. The balance between respecting…
How to Overcome Depression: A Complete Guide to Recovery and Bringing Joy Back to Life Depression is one of the most common and serious mental health problems of our time. If you’re currently struggling with depression, you may feel like you’re trapped in a dark tunnel with no end. It’s important that you know –…
Guilt and How to Process It Guilt – That uncomfortable sensation of having done something wrong or failed to do something right— ranks among our most complex and challenging emotional experiences. As a Gestalt therapist and Somatic Experiencing practitioner, I’ve observed how this powerfully shapes behavior, relationships, and self-perception, sometimes productively guiding moral action…
Shame. Few emotional experiences prove as devastating or difficult to transform as shame. Unlike guilt, which focuses on specific behaviors (“I did something bad”), shame indicts the core self (“I am bad”). This profound emotional state shapes identity, relationships, and behavior in powerful ways, often operating outside conscious awareness while limiting authentic expression and connection.…
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects millions of people worldwide, creating significant challenges with attention regulation, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and impulse control. While conventional treatments like stimulant medications and behavioral interventions remain first-line approaches, growing research suggests that certain mushrooms—both psychedelic and non-psychedelic varieties—may offer promising complementary approaches for addressing ADHD symptoms. This article explores the…
Hug a Pillow. Something as simple as hugging a pillow might seem childish or trivial at first glance. Yet from a therapeutic perspective, particularly through Gestalt and Somatic Experiencing lenses, this practice offers profound physiological and psychological benefits that extend far beyond mere comfort. This seemingly modest action activates multiple neurobiological systems that support emotional…
The concept of the “inner child” represents one of the most powerful frameworks for understanding and healing emotional wounds carried from childhood into adult life. Pioneer John Bradshaw, through his groundbreaking work on family systems and recovery, developed specific meditative approaches for reconnecting with and healing these younger aspects of self. As a Gestalt therapist…
Mania, typically understood as a clinical symptom of bipolar disorder or related conditions, represents one of the most complex and paradoxical expressions of human psychology. While conventional medical perspectives often approach mania primarily as a neurochemical imbalance requiring medication, a deeper psychological and somatic understanding reveals that manic states frequently embody a profound dialectic between…
Depression, commonly approached as a cognitive or neurochemical disorder, takes on new dimensions when viewed through the lens of Somatic Experiencing (SE). This body-centered therapeutic approach, developed by trauma specialist Dr. Peter Levine, offers a distinctive understanding of depression as a physiological response pattern with deep connections to our evolutionary survival mechanisms. By recognizing depression’s…
Anxiety, in its many manifestations, represents one of the most common challenges to mental wellbeing in contemporary society. While conventional approaches often focus on cognitive aspects of anxiety or biochemical interventions, Somatic Experiencing (SE) offers a distinctive perspective that addresses anxiety through the wisdom and innate healing capacity of the body itself. As a body-oriented…