by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Jan 19, 2025 | Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness
Can Therapy Treat Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)? Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) are two complex, often co-occurring conditions that present significant challenges for both patients and...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 27, 2024 | Anthropology and Evo Psych, Comparative Religion, Jungian Concepts
Anthropological Insights into Modern Psychotherapy Throughout human history and across cultures, rituals and storytelling have played a central role in addressing psychological ailments and facilitating healing. While modern psychotherapy can seem like a far cry from...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 26, 2024 | History of Psychotherapy
Who was Otto Rank? Otto Rank (1884-1939) stands as one of the most innovative and controversial figures in the history of psychoanalysis. Rising from humble beginnings in Vienna to become one of Freud’s closest collaborators, Rank ultimately developed his own...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 26, 2024 | History of Psychotherapy
Who was John Bowlby? “What cannot be communicated to the mother cannot be communicated to the self.” – John Bowlby John Bowlby (1907-1990) stands as one of the most influential psychologists of the twentieth century, fundamentally transforming our...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 22, 2024 | Neuroscience and the Brain
Why do Humans Need Justice? Our powerful instinct for fairness and justice is a key part of what makes us human. We expect rewards to match efforts, punishments to fit crimes, and people to be treated equally (Starmans et al., 2017). This drive for equity shapes our...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 19, 2024 | Comparative Religion, Depth Psychology Approaches and Techniques, History of Psychotherapy, Jungian Concepts, Models of Psychotherapy
From Jung to Contemporary Thought Patterns of Self The concept of archetypes is one of the most enduring and influential ideas to emerge from the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. Archetypes are universal patterns of behavior, images, and symbols that Jung...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 18, 2024 | Philosophy, Psychology
Exploring the Contributions of Rollo May to Existential Psychotherapy Who was Rollo May Rollo May (1909-1994) was an influential American existential psychologist and psychotherapist. He played a key role in introducing existential psychology to the United States and...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 18, 2024 | Philosophy
Who was Søren Kierkegaard? Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and author widely regarded as the first existentialist philosopher. His work explored the nature of human existence, emphasizing individuality, personal choice and...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 15, 2024 | Anthropology and Evo Psych, History of Psychotherapy
1. Who Was Marcel Mauss? Marcel Mauss (1872-1950) was a pioneering French sociologist and anthropologist, best known for his influential essay “The Gift” (1925) and his role in shaping the development of social theory in the early 20th century. A nephew...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Oct 15, 2024 | Anthropology and Evo Psych, Jungian Concepts
What Was The Universe 25 Experiment? In the 1970s, ethologist John B. Calhoun conducted a famous experiment called Universe 25. In the study, a colony of mice was placed in a utopian enclosure called a “mouse paradise” with unlimited access to food, water,...