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Expert-Led Insights on Trauma, Depth Psychology, and Healing
Welcome to the Taproot Therapy Collective Blog, your deep-dive space into trauma-informed therapy, depth psychology, and the cultural forces shaping mental health today. Our goal is to be a trusted, authoritative resource for individuals and professionals seeking to understand the complex links between the psyche, the body, and society.
Authored by Licensed Clinical Experts
As a YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) resource, we prioritize E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). Every article is authored and clinically reviewed by our team of licensed therapists in Birmingham, Alabama. Our writers share their firsthand clinical experience and deep expertise in fields ranging from Jungian insights and somatic healing to cutting-edge, evidence-based modalities.
Explore Our Core Topics
Our blog explores the forefront of mental health, including:
- Evidence-Based Modalities: In-depth guides on EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)—a practice standardized by organizations like EMDRIA—and advanced neuromodulation techniques.
- Depth & Somatic Psychology: Investigations into dream analysis through a Jungian lens, shadow work, and how somatic trauma mapping helps track pain that lives inside the body.
- Integrative & Cultural Topics: Discussions on the role of micro-nutrition, media psychology, and critical issues like the weaponization of collective trauma in our digital era.
A Resource for Our Alabama Community and Beyond
While our insights are relevant globally, we are 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, designed to help you find articles that resonate and cultivate new possibilities for growth, resilience, and meaningful connection.
Search the Blog by Category
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.
Completing the Cycle: Why Animals Don’t Get Traumatized (And What We Can Learn)
Why don’t wild animals get PTSD? Discover the biological mechanism of ‘Completing the Stress Cycle’ and how somatic exercises can release trapped trauma.
The Gut-Brain Axis: Is Your Anxiety Actually Inflammation?
Is your depression actually inflammation? Discover the Gut-Brain Axis, how gluten triggers ‘brain fog,’ and the nutritional psychiatry approach to healing via B12 and Zinc.
Attachment Styles in the Body: How Anxious and Avoidant Nervous Systems Feel
Is your attachment style actually a nervous system state? Learn the biology of Anxious (Fight/Flight) and Avoidant (Freeze) attachment and how somatic therapy heals relationships.
Beyond Mindfulness: Why Meditation Can Sometimes Make Trauma Worse
Does meditation make you anxious or dissociated? You aren’t doing it wrong. Learn why standard mindfulness can trigger trauma and how to practice safely with ‘Trauma-Informed’ modifications.
The Wisdom of Anger: Reclaiming Your Biological “No”
Is your depression actually ‘anger turned inward’? Learn why healthy aggression is vital for safety and boundaries, and use somatic tools to reclaim your biological ‘No.’
Grounding 101: The Biology of Panic and 5 Somatic “Brakes” to Stop It
Stop panic attacks instantly using biology, not willpower. Learn 5 clinical somatic grounding techniques (Cold Water, Voo Sound, Orienting) to reset your nervous system.
Somatic Shadow Work: Where Does the Body Store Shame?
Why does talk therapy fail to change patterns? Because the Shadow is stored in the body. Learn how repressed emotions manifest as chronic pain and tension, and how Somatic Shadow Work releases them.
The Body Keeps the Score: Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough for Trauma
Why does talk therapy fail for PTSD? Discover why trauma is a “Bottom-Up” physiological problem and how Somatic Therapy with Robin Taylor helps the body release trapped survival energy.
Active Imagination vs. Meditation: What’s the Difference?
If you have ever tried to meditate and found yourself frustrated by a mind that refuses to go blank, you are not alone. The modern wellness industry heavily promotes mindfulness and "quieting the mind" as the gold standard for mental health. But for many...
The Useful Mistakes of Fringe Psychology: What We Learn When Science Gets it “Wrong”
From the ‘Stoned Ape’ to the ‘Lizard Brain,’ fringe psychology is full of mistakes. But theorists like Julian Jaynes and Terence McKenna offered metaphors that still heal.
Who Was James Hillman?
An in-depth look at James Hillman, the founder of Archetypal Psychology, exploring his “Acorn Theory,” his critique of modern therapy, and his enduring influence on soul-centered practice.
CBT vs. Somatic Therapy: Why Talking Isn’t Enough for Trauma
Why does talk therapy fail for trauma? Explore the neuroscience of ‘Top-Down’ vs ‘Bottom-Up’ processing and why Somatic Therapy, EMDR, and Brainspotting work when logic doesn’t.
Can Gluten Cause Brain Fog? The Inflammation-Depression Link
Is your depression actually inflammation? Discover the Gut-Brain Axis, how gluten triggers ‘brain fog,’ and the nutritional psychiatry approach to healing.
Shadow Work for Beginners: Is It Safe to Do Alone?
Shadow Work is trending, but is it safe? A clinical guide to exploring your unconscious, understanding the risks, and 3 safe exercises to start your journey.
The “Nice” Trauma Response: Why You Can’t Stop People-Pleasing
Do you apologize constantly or struggle to say no? You might be stuck in the ‘Fawn Response.’ Learn why people-pleasing is a trauma response and how to heal it.
Beyond Fight or Flight: Understanding “Functional Freeze” and Why You Feel Stuck
The “Freeze Response” is often misdiagnosed as laziness or depression. Learn the biology of Functional Freeze, why willpower fails, and somatic tools to release it.
The Vagus Nerve: Your Body’s “Off Switch” for Anxiety
Anxiety isn’t just in your head; it’s in your nerves. Learn 5 evidence-based Vagus Nerve exercises to instantly lower stress and reset your nervous system.
Marion Woodman: The Body as the Shadow
Marion Woodman revolutionized the treatment of addiction and eating disorders by connecting Jungian psychology to the body. Explore her concepts of ‘Addiction to Perfection’ and Conscious Femininity.
Murray Stein: The Architect of Individuation
A comprehensive profile of Murray Stein, the leading modern voice in Jungian psychology. Explore his “Map of the Soul,” his insights on the midlife crisis, and his role in bringing depth psychology to the 21st century.
Beyond Sex: Why Freud Was Wrong About Libido (And Where the Energy Actually Went)
The Architecture of Desire: Rethinking Libido from Freud to Friston The history of depth psychology is, at its core, a history of a single argument: What fuels the human machine? For Sigmund Freud, the answer was singular, biological, and relentless. He believed the...
The Golden Bough and the Voices of the Gods: A Critical Re-evaluation of James George Frazer and Julian Jaynes in the Light of Modern Cognitive Science
A comprehensive critical analysis of James George Frazer’s The Golden Bough and Julian Jaynes’s Bicameral Mind theory, examining how these “magnificent failures” of anthropology and psychology—while rejected by modern scholarship—accurately described the permanent structures of magical thinking, sympathetic association, and the phenomenology of consciousness. Explores validation through cognitive science (Paul Rozin), depth psychology (Freud, Jung, Peterson), and modern anthropology (René Girard, Harvey Whitehouse).
The Architecture of the Self and the Anatomy of Trauma: A Consilient Analysis of Depth Psychology, Somatic Interventions, and Computational Neuroscience
A comprehensive consilient analysis examining how contemporary neuroscience—including Karl Friston’s Free Energy Principle, Mark Solms’ Neuropsychoanalysis, Jaak Panksepp’s Affective Neuroscience, and Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory—adjudicates the historical debates between Freud, Jung, and Adler on trauma, dissociation, repression, and the nature of the Self. Explores the integration of Somatic Experiencing, Brainspotting, and Internal Family Systems with classical depth psychology.
Manly P. Hall and the Psychological Resurrection of Ancient Wisdom
Explore the life and legacy of Manly P. Hall, author of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, examining his prescient influence on depth psychology, Jungian analysis, Gnostic trauma frameworks, and contemporary therapeutic approaches to psychological transformation and archetypal symbolism.
The Psychology of War: Who Therapists Conceptualized War Through the Ages
The analysis of the psychology of war reveals that the history of American conflict is a history of the human mind under extreme duress. From the nervous sensibility of the founding fathers to the moral injury of the modern drone operator the way we experience and understand war has evolved but the fundamental trauma remains the same. The work of theorists like Freud Jung Lifton and Shay provides a roadmap for understanding this trauma not as a pathology but as a deeply human response to the inhumanity of war. By integrating these insights into clinical practice and personal reflection we can begin the work of healing the wounds of history and perhaps breaking the cycle of violence that has defined so much of our past.
The Giants of Behavioral Psychology Lives Legacies and Clinical Foundations
Explore the lives discoveries and lasting influence of the six giants of behavioral psychology including Pavlov Thorndike Watson Skinner Wolpe and Bandura. Learn how their groundbreaking research on classical conditioning operant conditioning systematic desensitization and social learning theory shaped modern evidence-based psychotherapy and continues to inform clinical practice today.
Albert Bandura: The Psychologist Who Revealed the Power of Observation and Belief
Explore the life and transformative contributions of Albert Bandura, the Canadian-American psychologist whose Bobo doll experiments and self-efficacy theory revolutionized our understanding of how people learn and change. Discover how his research on observational learning, social cognitive theory, and beliefs about personal capability continues to shape psychotherapy, education, health behavior, and our understanding of human potential.
Joseph Wolpe: The Pioneer Who Taught Us How to Unlearn Fear
The history of psychotherapy is filled with discoveries that emerged from unusual circumstances, and few are more striking than the origins of systematic desensitization. During World War II, a young South African physician named Joseph Wolpe was assigned to treat...
B.F. Skinner: The Architect of Operant Conditioning and Modern Behavioral Science
Explore the life and revolutionary contributions of B.F. Skinner, the psychologist who developed operant conditioning and transformed our understanding of how consequences shape behavior. Learn how his research on reinforcement schedules, the Skinner box experiments, and behavioral principles laid the foundation for Applied Behavior Analysis, educational technology, and evidence-based behavioral interventions that continue to help millions of people today.
John B. Watson: The Revolutionary Who Transformed Psychology
Discover the revolutionary life and controversial legacy of John B. Watson, the American psychologist who founded behaviorism and transformed psychology from a philosophical discipline into an experimental science. Learn about the famous Little Albert experiment, Watson’s radical vision for psychology, and how his work laid the foundations for modern behavior therapy despite profound ethical concerns that continue to shape research standards today.
Edward Thorndike: The Architect of Consequence
Explore the lives discoveries and lasting influence of the six giants of behavioral psychology including Pavlov Thorndike Watson Skinner Wolpe and Bandura. Learn how their groundbreaking research on classical conditioning operant conditioning systematic desensitization and social learning theory shaped modern evidence-based psychotherapy and continues to inform clinical practice today.
Ivan Pavlov: The Accidental Revolutionary
It is one of the great ironies of scientific history that the father of behavioral psychology never considered himself a psychologist at all. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was a physiologist consumed by the mechanical workings of the digestive system. He viewed the body as an...
The Pragmatic Turn: William James, the Architecture of Consciousness, and the Roots of Modern Psychotherapy
A deep dive into the life and work of William James the father of American psychology. Explore how his battle with depression led to the theories of free will habit and the stream of consciousness that define therapy today.
The Fractured Soul: Politics, Schisms, and the Birth of Modern Psychotherapy in the Age of Nervousness
An exhaustive exploration of the origins of modern psychotherapy, detailing the conflicts between alienists, neurologists, and early psychologists. Discover the legacy of William James, S. Weir Mitchell, and Adolf Meyer in today’s clinical practice.
The Strategic Self: How Game Theory and the Free Energy Principle Reveal the Hidden Mechanics of Trauma Recovery
The Strategic Self explores the intersection of Karl Friston’s Free Energy Principle and Game Theory to offer a revolutionary understanding of trauma and recovery outlining how the brain’s predictive layers can be realigned for healing.
Sailing the Foam: History, Madness, and the Future of Therapy
Joel Blackstock traces the history of madness from medieval demons to modern surveillance and proposes a new path for therapy using Peter Sloterdijk’s concept of Foam. Learn why we must move from swimming to sailing.
The Simulation of Self: Why We Feel Crazy in a “Normal” World
Joel Blackstock explores why the modern world feels like a simulation and how psychology’s obsession with logic and objectivity is failing to heal the human soul. Discover why we need to move beyond the robot model of the self.
The Landlords of Knowledge: Why Academic Publishing is Killing Psychotherapy
Discover why the high-profit business model of academic publishing is hurting psychotherapy. Joel Blackstock explores how paywalls, copyright traps, and the neoliberal capture of knowledge are separating clinicians from the science they need to heal patients.
The Story Science Forgot: Why Psychotherapy Needs Narrative More Than Ever
Discover why the bureaucratic “White Coat” of modern psychotherapy is driving patients toward pseudoscience. Joel Blackstock explores the moral injury of clinicians, the failure of the biomedical model to build trust, and how reclaiming narrative can save the profession.
Magnolia Bark: Mental Health and Anxiety Benefits
Discover how Magnolia officinalis bark extract offers anxiety relief through GABA modulation similar to Xanax and alcohol, but with hepatoprotective benefits instead of liver damage. Comprehensive guide to honokiol, magnolol, safety, dosing, and clinical applications.
What are Dreams: The Architecture of the Night
The Ontology of the Other World In the landscape of contemporary psychotherapy, the dream is frequently relegated to the status of a "residue"—a nightly data dump of the brain's metabolic waste, or at best, an encoded puzzle regarding waking life anxieties to be...
The Shattered Mirror: Rome’s Psychological Collapse and the Death of the Imperial Ego
A Jungian analysis of Rome’s psychological collapse through Edward Edinger’s ego-archetype framework, exploring how the shattering of the Imperial Ego led to mass retreat into mystery cults, the rise of Christianity, and parallels with our current meaning crisis and cultural fragmentation.
The Death of Hollywood: How the Algorithm Ate the Archetype
A comprehensive Jungian analysis of how the transformation of cinema into algorithmic content represents a catastrophic cultural stagnation, examining the psychology of the “Ziploc soul,” historical precedents from Rome to the WPA, and the urgent need for a rebellion of viewers against the death of transformative art.
The Iron Colossus as Birmingham’s Psyche: A Complete Historical and Psychological Analysis of the Vulcan Statue from Geological Predestination to Contemporary Integration
Complete historical and psychological analysis of Birmingham’s Vulcan statue from 1903-present, exploring how the world’s largest cast-iron sculpture mirrors the city’s journey through industrial trauma, commercial exploitation, and authentic restoration, incorporating technical details, cultural impact, and therapeutic significance.
20 Things You Didn’t Know About Birmingham, Alabama (That Explain More Than You’d Think)
Discover 20 surprising facts about Birmingham, Alabama that most locals have never heard, from George Ward’s lost Sibyl Temple to Mountain Brook’s deliberate design choices, and what each reveals about the psychology of place.
The Psychology of Alabama’s Ghosts: Why the South Cannot Stop Haunting Itself
Alabama’s abundant ghost stories reveal a wounded landscape where unprocessed traumas of Indigenous displacement, plantation slavery, industrial exploitation, and racial violence refuse to stay buried. A clinical exploration of why the South haunts itself and what the ghosts are asking of the living.
Niki’s West Cafeteria: The Accidental Psychology of Democratic Space
How a Greek Immigrant's Restaurant Reveals the Hidden Architecture of Human Connection There is a squat brick building on Finley Avenue in Birmingham that has been serving meat and three plates since 1957. Niki's West Cafeteria does not look like a place where history...
The Terminal Station Demolition: The Psychology of Destroying What We Love Most
What Birmingham's Greatest Architectural Loss Reveals About Self-Sabotage In 1969, Birmingham tore down the most beautiful building it had ever constructed. Terminal Station was a Beaux-Arts masterpiece that had welcomed travelers to the city for sixty years, a...
In Search of Blue Star Quartz: Does Alabama’s State Gemstone Actually Exist?
Alabama’s official state gemstone may not actually exist. The Star Blue Quartz enigma reveals profound truths about motivated reasoning, symbolic attachment, and the psychology of wanting to believe. A therapist explores what this geological mystery teaches us about navigating the gap between hope and reality.
Explore the Articles by Categories on Our Blog
Blog Categories
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 Psychology
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.
Specialized Treatment & High-Control Groups
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.
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 & Alternative Approaches
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.