The Taproot Therapy Collective Blog

Expert-led insights on trauma-informed therapy, depth psychology, and the cultural forces shaping mental health today.

Clinically Reviewed & Authored By Verified Experts

Joel Blackstock, LICSW-S, MSW, PIP | Clinical Director, Taproot Therapy Collective
Sourced from First-Hand Clinical Experience

Why Trust Our Mental Health Resources?

Our goal is to provide a trusted, authoritative resource for individuals and professionals seeking to understand the complex links between the psyche, the body, and society. Every article is authored and clinically reviewed by our team of licensed therapists in Birmingham, Alabama. We share our firsthand clinical experience and deep expertise in fields ranging from Jungian insights and somatic healing to cutting-edge, evidence-based modalities.

Not Sure Which Type of Therapy is Right for You?

Understanding different therapeutic approaches can be overwhelming. We’ve compiled a comprehensive, A-Z clinical guide to help patients and professionals navigate modern evidence-based practices and theoretical models.

Read Our Dictionary of All Models of Psychotherapy

What Core Psychology Topics Do We Cover?

What are Evidence-Based Therapy Modalities?

Evidence-based modalities are treatments proven effective through rigorous clinical research. Our clinical guides provide in-depth analysis on EMDR, Brainspotting, and advanced neuromodulation techniques designed to treat severe trauma and rewire the nervous system.

How Does Depth & Somatic Psychology Work?

Depth and somatic psychology connect the unconscious mind with physical bodily sensations. We investigate dream analysis through a Jungian lens, shadow work, and how somatic trauma mapping tracks and actively releases unexpressed pain stored in the body.

Why is Cultural & Integrative Psychology Important?

Mental health cannot be separated from societal influences. We discuss the critical role of micro-nutrition, media psychology, and pressing systemic issues, including the weaponization of collective trauma utilized in modern digital environments and psychological manipulation.

Local Support: Mental Health Resources in Alabama

While our academic insights are read globally, our clinical practice is firmly rooted in the Birmingham community. We regularly share resources for therapists and mental health seekers in Alabama. Our writing bridges clinical depth with cultural relevance, helping you find actionable strategies to cultivate resilience and long-term growth.

Book a Local Session in Birmingham

The Architecture of the Soul and the Machine: A Critical History and Future of Psychotherapy

A critical deep dive into the hidden history of psychotherapy, exploring how the personal traumas of founders like Freud and Jung collided with societal forces to shape modern mental health. Drawing on the works of Adam Curtis, James Hillman, and Sonu Shamdasani, this article traces the shift from the “architecture of the soul” to the “technocratization of care,” exposing the impact of profit motives and algorithmic logic while proposing a metamodern path forward for the profession.

The Influencing Machine: How Technology Shapes the Architecture of Psychosis

Explore how technological delusions in psychosis evolved from the 1810 Air Loom to modern simulation theory, revealing deep truths about technology’s impact on the human psyche and offering insights for healing in the digital age.

Is My Friend or Business Partner a Con Artist?

Understanding the Psychology Behind Deception and Emotional Manipulation Have you ever wondered if your business partner is a con artist? Perhaps you've noticed a pattern where their stories don't quite add up, where their accomplishments seem to exist only in...

The Dictionary of the Psychology of Architecture

The Profession of Social Work is Under Siege: Nurses and Doctors Will be the Next Target

As Goes Social Work, So Go the Doctors The dismantling of one profession's evidence base is not really an attack on that profession. It is a demonstration. The same machinery is being built for nursing and for medicine, and the thing it is built to remove is the same...

The Brief History of Psychotherapy: Freud to the Fourth Wave

From Freud, Jung, and Adler to the Somatic Fourth Wave Every school of therapy is a defense structure. It forms to manage an unbearable anxiety, it hardens into doctrine, and it eventually meets the limit of what it was built to avoid looking at. The history of the...

Microglia’s Potential Role in the Future of Mental Health, Trauma, and Addiction Treatment: Insights from Nakazawa and McGilchrist

TAPROOT THERAPY COLLECTIVE Master Hub Page: "The Microglial Revolution" Patient-education framing. Divi Custom HTML / Code module ready. Paste this entire block into a single Divi Code module. Scoped under .tp-microglia so it will not affect the rest of the theme....

The 2026 ASWB Exam Changes, Explained for the People Who Have to Take Them

What the 2026 ASWB Exam Changes Mean for Social Workers: A Clinician's Breakdown On Monday, August 3, 2026, the test that stands between a social work degree and a social work license changes for the first time since 2018. If you are preparing to sit for the ASWB...

Why Go to Family Counseling

The Fractured Mirror: Why Individual Trauma and Family Chaos are the Exact Same System Modern life has collapsed the traditional boundaries that once protected human psychological well-being. Today, both individuals and families operate under an unprecedented level of...

Re-Teaming: Empowering Teams for Positive Change

By Joel Blackstock, LICSW-S, MSW, PIP | Taproot Therapy Collective, Vestavia Hills, Alabama Re-Teaming: The Neuroscience, Psychology, and Depth of Solution-Focused Organizational Change Most organizational change fails. Not for lack of strategic clarity, not for lack...

Understanding Demisexuality: Exploring the Gray Area Between Asexuality and Allosexuality

By Joel Blackstock, LICSW-S, MSW, PIP | Taproot Therapy Collective, Vestavia Hills, Alabama Key Concepts at a Glance Demisexuality defined: A sexual orientation in which sexual attraction does not emerge until after a significant emotional bond is established. This is...

What Happens When We Can’t Feel Emotion?

By Joel Blackstock, LICSW-S, MSW, PIP | Taproot Therapy Collective, Vestavia Hills, Alabama What Is Emotion? The Science, the Psychology, and the Soul of Our Feeling Life The question looks simple until you try to answer it carefully. What is an emotion? Where does it...

Who Is Victor Lamme?

The Neuroscientist Who Found Consciousness in the Feedback Loops of the Brain When you look at a face, what happens in your brain? The answer turns out to be surprisingly complex. First, visual information streams forward from your eyes through your visual cortex,...

The Freud Legacy: Documentary Evidence of Cover-ups

Anna Freud's Impact on Freud's Biographical Scholarship The systematic efforts to control and sanitize the historical record surrounding Freud have had profound and lasting consequences for our understanding of psychoanalysis and its founder. The work of Frederick...

Pynk Beard, Birmingham, and the Psychology of Becoming Yourself

Before there was a pink beard, there was a boy with an anger problem and a mother who knew what to do about it. Sebastian Kole grew up in Birmingham, the son of two preachers, raised by a father whose discipline ran close to military. When the anger started...

Blessed Are the Rich: The Taylor Sheridan Universe and the Last American Myth

This article is dedicated to all the millenials that watched Yellowstone with their Dad. A young man sits across from me and tells me he has watched all of Yellowstone four times. He is not a rancher. He has never owned an animal larger than a dog. He works a job...

What the Alabama House Bill 582 ban on Social-Emotional Learning Means for Therapists

In the spring of 2025, the Alabama State Department of Education released the first comprehensive update to the state's school counseling standards in twenty-two years. The 2025 Comprehensive School Counseling and Guidance Model is a substantial document. It...

How Confidentiality and the Tarasoff Case are Changing in Alabama

The clinician who has practiced long enough to see a few subpoenas eventually develops a complicated relationship with the word "confidentiality." We say it constantly. We put it in our informed consent documents. We teach it in supervision. And then, inevitably, a...

What Alabama Clinicians Should Know about HB 359 and Involuntary Commitment with Firearm Rights Revocation

Alabama Gun Laws are Changing and Therapists Need to Know Families in Alabama who initiate an involuntary commitment petition through their local probate court are almost never told the full legal consequences of what they are about to do. They are told, accurately,...

Civilization and Its Pretense: What Freud Got Wrong about Civilization and it’s Discontents

In 1930, Freud sat down to explain why people who had every reason to be content kept finding new ways to suffer. The result was Civilization and Its Discontents, a slim book that shaped how the educated West understands its own unhappiness for almost a century. His...

Alabama Legal Update for Ketamine Assisted Therapy

In April 2024, the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling issued a policy statement that has not received the attention it deserves. The statement addresses the question of whether a licensed professional counselor or associate licensed counselor in Alabama may...

Telehealth Updates for Prescribers in Alabama

In December, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services jointly issued what is now being called the Fourth Temporary Extension, a rulemaking that preserves nearly all of the pandemic-era telemedicine flexibilities for...

HB 152 and Social Work: What it Means for the Future

Governor Ivey signed HB 152 into law in April. October 1 brings the first real consequences. A clinician’s analysis of Alabama’s converging social work pipeline crisis.

The Illusion of Alignment: Why Teams Think They Agree When They Don’t

The strategic planning meeting concludes with unanimous approval. Heads nod around the table. The CEO beams. The initiative proceeds. Six months later, the project is a catastrophe. During the post-mortem, a strange truth emerges: nobody actually believed the plan...

Conflict as Information: A Systems Approach to Team Dysfunction

The meeting devolves within minutes. Sarah argues that the product launch timeline is unrealistic. James counters that her concerns reflect negativity rather than legitimate analysis. The technical lead withdraws into her laptop, typing furiously while contributing...

The Double Bind of Middle Management: Caught Between Impossible Demands

The executive team announces a mandatory return-to-office policy, citing "collaboration" and "culture." Your best performer, a single mother who has demonstrated three years of exceptional remote productivity, tells you she will have to resign. The directive comes...

Why Feedback Fails: The Threat Response Hidden in Performance Reviews

The calendar notification appears: "Annual Performance Review, 2:00 PM, Conference Room B." Your stomach tightens. Your mind begins rehearsing defenses for projects that went sideways. You find yourself drafting mental responses to criticisms not yet delivered. By the...

The Neuroscience of Psychological Safety: Why Your Nervous System Knows Before You Do

You walk into a meeting room and something feels wrong. Nobody has said anything inappropriate. The agenda appears reasonable. Your colleagues seem professionally composed. Yet somewhere beneath conscious awareness, your body has already made a decision. Your...

Excerpt from The Spider and the Birdhouse: A story I wrote a decade ago about social work

A Look Back: Three Chapters from The Running Wild Anthology Number One About ten years ago, when I was just starting out as a social worker, I wrote a series of interconnected stories. At the time, it was simply a way for me to process the heavy, often unseen...

The Search Bar and the Couch: How the Internet Rewired the Way We Think, Speak, and Make Meaning

There is a small but revealing detail that most of us have already forgotten. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, using the internet required you to think like a machine. If you wanted to understand why Christianity became the dominant force in medieval Europe, you did...

The Science Behind the Fizz: What Kombucha Actually Does to Your Body and Brain

A few months ago, I started drinking kombucha regularly. Within a couple of weeks, I felt different. More energy. Better sleep and general mood. I'd always heard that the health benefits of kombucha were pseudoscience so I started to look into it. At first I figured...

The Kaleidoscope: Digital Dreamtime and the Collision of Parallel Realities

How do you know that the color blue you see is the same as the color blue I see? We both call it blue. We point at the sky and use the same word. But do we actually share the same subjective experience of that wavelength of light? Some people do not. They might be...

What the Ancient Mysteries Knew About Healing Trauma

The Eleusinian, Mithraic, and Dionysian mysteries weren’t religious observances. They were orchestrated psychodramas designed to shatter the ego and rebuild the self. Modern trauma therapy has inadvertently reconstructed their methods.

The Ethical Advantage: Why Autistic Minds Are Built for Justice

Here is a pattern I see constantly in clinical practice: an autistic client accurately identifies an injustice at work, in their family, or in society. They name it clearly. They expect others to recognize the obvious problem and act accordingly. Instead, they're...

The Mirror World: Why Nothing Means Anything Anymore

Something is wrong, and everyone can feel it. My patients describe it in different ways. A pervasive sense that nothing means anything. A feeling that the world has become incomprehensible. The structures they were told to trust have revealed themselves as hollow. The...

The Insecure Science: How American Psychology Built a World of Fabricated Diseases

The Crisis That Created the DSM Before 1980, American psychiatry was dominated by psychoanalysis. Diagnosis was secondary, almost administrative. The clinician's task was understanding the patient's underlying psychological mechanisms and unique narrative. Mental...

What Hospital Hacks Mean for Hospital Liability and Patient Rights

Your Medical Records Disappeared. Now What? Imagine walking into your therapist's office or your doctor's clinic and hearing five words that stop you cold: "We can't find your records." Not misplaced in a filing cabinet somewhere. Not delayed by a slow system. Gone....

What Alabama Therapists Need to Know About HB445 and Marijuana in Alabama

When Your Patient's PTSD Treatment Becomes a Felony: What Alabama Therapists Need to Know About HB445 Disclaimer: I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, not an attorney. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice, and it should not be relied upon as...

Why You Know Your Patient Is About to Cry Before They Do

You're sitting across from a patient. They're talking about something ordinary. Scheduling conflicts. Work stress. Nothing obviously emotional. And then you feel it. A heaviness in your chest. A tightness in your throat. Something is coming. Thirty seconds later,...

Mind-to-Mind: The Wireless Brain Interface Is Already Here

In 2014, a researcher in India thought the word "Hola." Five thousand miles away, in France, another person perceived a flash of light in their peripheral vision. Then another. Then nothing. Then another flash. The pattern meant something. The receiver decoded it. The...

Rise and Fall of the Empire and The Ego: Ancient Rome as a Therapy Case Study

I've been a trauma therapist for over a decade, and I've noticed something strange happening in the last few years. My patients aren't just coming in with anxiety or depression or PTSD. They're coming in with something harder to name—a pervasive sense that nothing...

When the Screens Go Dark: What Hospital Cyberattacks Reveal About Our Collective Dependence on Systems We Cannot Control

When the Screens Go Dark: What Hospital Cyberattacks Reveal About Our Collective Dependence on Systems We Cannot Control A recent episode of HBO’s The Pitt dramatized what thousands of real healthcare workers have already lived through—and what it teaches us about...

Using John Gardener’s Grendel to Find the Monster in Your Shadow Side

Who was John Gardner? John Gardner's "Grendel" is a postmodern retelling of the Old English epic poem "Beowulf," which explores themes of existentialism, nihilism, and the nature of evil through the eyes of the titular monster. Published in 1971, the novel is a prime...

Why Americans Can’t Access Cuban Drugs That May Work Better Than What We Have

The 90-Mile Medicine Gap: Inside the paradox of American pharmaceutical innovation: We lead the world in drug development but struggle to translate that into affordable, accessible care—while a small island nation under economic embargo may have developed better...

The Hidden Dynamics of Executive Leadership

The Psychic Infrastructure of Power The modern boardroom is not merely a place of financial calculation; it is a ritual space where the unconscious forces of the collective psyche play out in high definition. While MBA programs teach strategy, they rarely address the...

Søren Kierkegaard: The Dizziness of Freedom and the Courage to Be Yourself

By The Clinical Team at GetTherapyBirmingham.com The First Psychologist of the Modern Soul If you have ever stood at the edge of a cliff and felt a strange, vertigo-inducing pull—not the fear that you might slip, but the terrifying realization that you could jump—then...

The Hidden Influence of Parts on Parenting: Why Parents Treat Children Differently

Parental Parts & Differential Treatment of Children: A Parts-Based Perspective It is a commonly observed phenomenon that parents often treat their children differently, even when they strive to be fair and equal. Birth order is often cited as a key reason—the...

Is Schizophrenia really C-PTSD: What I Learned Working with Psychosis

When Trauma Looks Like Schizophrenia: What I Learned Working with Psychosis The line between "broken brain" and "shattered self" is far blurrier than psychiatry admits. Key Points: Up to 80% of people diagnosed with schizophrenia have histories of severe childhood...

How to Understand Internal Family Systems – IFS Therapy

Alabama Is Testing Whether Politicians Can Override Your Professional Board : And Every Licensed Professional and Every State Should be Watching the Precedent

Analysis of Alabama’s HB 382 and HB 152: how state legislation creates a “sovereignty trap” that could bypass professional licensing boards, trap nurses as a captive workforce, and let legislatures redefine what it means to be a doctor, nurse, lawyer, or social worker.

What is the Spyglass Method in Dating?

There's a moment in early dating that almost everyone knows. Things are going well. The conversation flows. You're excited to see their name on your phone. And somewhere in the back of your mind, a small voice whispers: Please don't let me find out something that...

The Secrets in the Crypt: What’s Hidden in the Sealed Freud Archives and Why It Matters

Somewhere in the Library of Congress sits a collection of documents that has shaped how we understand the human mind. The Sigmund Freud Papers contain letters, case notes, interviews, and personal correspondence spanning the birth of psychoanalysis. They should be...

What If Your Mental Health Diagnosis Has a Hidden Cause? The Biological Triggers Most Doctors Never Test For

When someone receives a diagnosis like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe OCD, or even autism, they're usually told it's a lifelong condition. They're given medications to manage symptoms and counseled to accept that this is simply how their brain works. Parents...

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Explore the Articles by Categories on Our Blog

Psychology & Therapy Category Directory

Explore our comprehensive library of clinical insights, depth psychology, and mental health research.

Clinically Reviewed & Edited By:

Joel Blackstock, LICSW-S, MSW, PIP | Clinical Director, Taproot Therapy Collective

General Psychology

Psychology Topics and Articles

A comprehensive exploration of psychology topics spanning the breadth of human experience, from fundamental concepts like memory and emotion to specialized areas like forensic psychology and environmental mental health.

Psychology Articles

Explore the fascinating world of psychology, from depth psychology and symbolism to cognitive, social, and developmental theories. Uncover the mysteries of the human mind and behavior.

Depth Psychology & Jungian Approaches

Jungian Therapy and Depth Psychology

Explore Jungian concepts such as archetypes, the collective unconscious, and individuation. Learn how dream analysis and symbolism facilitate self-awareness and personal growth through the insights of Carl Jung.

Dreams and the Unconscious

Explore the significance of dreams in depth psychology, from Freud’s dream interpretation to Jungian archetypes. Learn how dreams provide insights into the unconscious mind, personal growth, and trauma healing.

Symbolism and Meaning in Psychotherapy

Uncover the profound language of symbolism and meaning-making in the human psyche. Explore universal archetypes, myths, and metaphors through depth psychology and the symbolic dimensions of trauma.

Mythology and Therapy

Journey into the captivating world of classical mythology, focusing on the rich traditions of ancient Greece and Rome. Explore how myths offer profound insights into the human condition and universal themes.

Evidence-Based Practice & Research

Evidence Based Practice and Research Psychology

Explores the frontier of evidence-based practice in psychotherapy, taking a fresh look at the scientific foundations of mental health treatment through the integrative lenses of depth psychology and trauma neurology.

Evidence Based Practice in Therapy

Examines the complex landscape of research-informed therapy while critically evaluating the limitations, biases, and cultural considerations that shape how we apply research findings to real-world clinical practice.

Philosophy & Existential Approaches

Philosophy for Therapists

Explore existentialism, metaphysics, ethics, and the philosophy of mind. Discover insights from renowned thinkers and engage in thought-provoking discussions.

Phenomenology and Existential Psychology

Explore phenomenological and existential approaches to understanding human experience and psychological healing, focusing on lived experience, authenticity, freedom, and meaning-making.

Metamodernism and Deconstruction

Examine how post-postmodern frameworks illuminate contemporary mental health challenges including cultural displacement, narrative fragmentation, authenticity struggles, and the oscillation between hope and despair.

Psychology of Modernism Post Modernism and the Meta Modern

Explore the psychological dimensions of cultural paradigms and their impact on identity, meaning-making, and therapeutic practice.

Neuroscience & Brain-Based Approaches

Neuroscience and the Brain for Therapists

Delve into the intricate relationship between brain function, trauma, and mental health treatment. Discover insights into innovative therapeutic approaches, neuroplasticity, and the role of emotions in healing.

Media & Culture Psychology

Psychology of Film and TV

Explore the hidden dimensions of film and TV through the lenses of depth psychology and trauma neurology. Discover how the moving image reflects and shapes the psyche, both individually and collectively.

Psychology of Media and Culture

Explore the profound psychological and symbolic impact of media and culture on our individual and collective psyche. Uncover the hidden meanings and archetypal themes woven into the fabric of our cultural landscape.

Specialized Psychology Fields

Industrial Organisational Psychology

Explore Industrial-Organizational Psychology, focusing on workplace performance, employee well-being, leadership development, and organizational culture.

Psychology of Buildings and Architecture

Explore the psychology of design and architecture, from the emotional impact of spaces to human-centered design. Learn how architecture influences mental health, well-being, and behavior.

Color Psychology

Explore how colors influence psychological experience, from the neurological mechanisms behind color perception to practical applications in therapeutic environments and creative healing approaches.

Psychology of History

Explore the symbolic significance and psychological undercurrents of historical events through the lens of depth psychology, symbolism, and design psychology.

Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

Examine the psychological dynamics behind conspiracy thinking, critical thinking, and the appeal of alternative narratives in contemporary culture.

Anthropology & Cross-Cultural

Anthropology and Evolutionary Psychology for Therapy

Embark on a fascinating journey into the deep history of the human psyche, exploring how anthropology and evolutionary psychology shed light on ancient origins of modern minds, behaviors, and cultures.

Spiritual & Religious Approaches

Christian Mysticism in Therapy

Discover the transformative power of Christian mysticism and contemplative spirituality, exploring how practices like centering prayer and lectio divina can heal trauma and facilitate encounters with the deep Self.

Spirituality and The Transcendent Function in Psychotherapy

Explore the intersection of spirituality and depth psychology to uncover the role of spiritual practices in trauma healing, consciousness, and personal transformation.

Comparative Religion for Therapy

Discover the universal quest for meaning, transcendence, and healing across spiritual traditions, exploring key practices and insights from world religions through depth psychology and trauma neurology.

Psychology of Mystics, Gurus, and Spiritual Philosophers

Examine the psychological dimensions of mystical experience and spiritual teaching across various traditions and historical periods.

History & Biographical Studies

History of Psychotherapy

Trace the evolution of psychotherapy through the lens of depth psychology and symbolism, from Freudian psychoanalysis to contemporary approaches.

Psychotherapy Biographies: Historical Figures in the History of Psychology

Explore the lives and contributions of influential figures who shaped the field of psychology and psychotherapy.

Models of Psychotherapy

Explore depth psychology, CBT, humanistic therapies, and more. Discover how various therapeutic approaches promote healing and personal growth.

Holistic Health & High Control Groups

Alternative Medicine and Holistic Health

Discover a deeper approach to health and healing by exploring alternative medicine practices and holistic wellbeing through the lenses of depth psychology and trauma neurology.

Guided Meditations for Therapy

Comprehensive collection of guided meditations designed to support mental health, emotional regulation, and spiritual well-being.

Cults and High Control Group Psychology

Explore the shadowy psychodynamics of coercive control, from cults to abusive relationships. Learn to recognize red flags of undue influence and support recovery processes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Our Resources

What is depth psychology and Jungian therapy?

Depth psychology, rooted in the theories of Carl Jung, explores the unconscious mind to uncover the root causes of mental health struggles. It utilizes tools like dream interpretation, archetype analysis, and shadow work to facilitate deep personal transformation and healing.

How does evolutionary psychology inform therapy?

Evolutionary psychology views modern mental health symptoms—like anxiety and hyper-vigilance—as ancient survival mechanisms. By understanding how our brains evolved, therapists can better address trauma, social anxiety, and nervous system dysregulation.

What evidence-based practices are covered in this directory?

Our library covers highly researched therapeutic modalities including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Somatic Experiencing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and neurostimulation diagnostics like QEEG Brain Mapping.

Therapy & Counseling in Alabama

Our clinical research library is read worldwide, but our practice is firmly planted in the Birmingham community. If you need dedicated, expert support from a therapist in Hoover, AL, our clinic is ready to help you begin your healing journey.

Book a Local Session