Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed that rather than being guided by forces outside of ourselves, such as God or fate, we are motivated and controlled by the inner workings of our own minds. Specifically the unconscious. He claimed that our experiences are affected by primal drives contained in the unconscious. HisContinue Reading
During the 1990s, an intense controversy began regarding repressed and recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse. The controversy continued through the early years of the twenty-first century when startling new claims emerged. Compelling new accusations involving many clergy members. “Guided” Memories Questions were asked whether a hidden discovery of childContinue Reading
Our bodies, like the ocean, have rhythmic tides that fluctuate, and are controlled by internal clocks. The biological clock that synchronizes the 24-hour cycle is called the Circadian Rhythm, from the Latin “circa” meanings “about” and “diem” meaning “day”. The rhythm of the day parallels the rhythm of life: wakingContinue Reading
William James (1842-1910) is often looked upon as one of America’s greatest philosophers. After attending Harvard Medical School followed by studying psychology in Germany, he was appointed Instructor of Physiology at Harvard in 1872. In 1875 he became the first Professor of Psychology and began writing the first textbook. TheContinue Reading
Memory loss is a little-discussed side effect of all forms of depression. Depression disrupts the ability to think clearly. A person suffering from depression can continually fill their brain with negative thoughts such as guilt, self-blame, and low self-esteem, and beat themselves up by feeling helpless and beyond hope. NegativeContinue Reading
During the 1970s, Psychologist professor and author Elizabeth Loftus began to grow skeptical about the idea of recalling repressed memories or even the ability to exactly recall past events. False Memories Since then, study after study has proven that recollection of facts and events can be distorted by suggestions andContinue Reading
Lucid dreaming usually happens when you’re conscious that you’re dreaming. During a lucid dream, a person feels as if they are fully awake within the dream, and capable of normal thoughts and action. If you ask yourself “am I dreaming?” and you answer “yes,” then you’re having a lucid dreamContinue Reading
There are many types of defense mechanisms (Sigmund Freud referred to these as self-deceptions) that we use to help us deal with anxiety. They can be very rewarding in reducing stressful feelings. Once we learn how to use them and see how well they work, these defense mechanisms can beContinue Reading
Nearly 4 percent of the global population has a slight genetic difference than the rest of the population. This ever so slight difference of as few as just six nucleotides, (sub units of DNA), is enough to alter the senses in which some are crossed with another. It is theContinue Reading
Exploring everyday dream life can be richly rewarding and a source of personal enrichment and personal growth. Let’s start with Sigmund Freud’s (1856-1939) pioneering approach. Condensation To unlock dreams, Freud proposed four dream processes or mental filters that disguise the meanings of dreams. The first is Condensation in which severalContinue Reading