by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Apr 29, 2025 | Psychology Topics
Psychology, as a field, stands at a critical juncture. Over the past few decades, the focus has shifted away from the fundamental nature of human consciousness and towards a more mechanistic, symptom-focused approach to mental health. Manualized therapies, diagnostic...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Apr 29, 2025 | Comparative Religion, Jungian Concepts
Gnosticism as a Metaphor for Consciousness: Meaning, Evolution, and Healing Gnosticism is an ancient spiritual and philosophical worldview that offers a profound metaphor for the nature and dilemmas of human consciousness. While Gnosticism should not be taken as a...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Apr 29, 2025 | Psychology Topics
The Counterintuitive Role of Humor in Trauma Recovery There exists a seeming paradox in the realm of trauma therapy: the juxtaposition of humor against the backdrop of suffering. For those grappling with PTSD and the horrific aspects of life that create it, the idea...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Apr 27, 2025 | Guided Meditations
If you find yourself weighed down by anger, resentment, or a sense of heavy obligation, this guided meditation offers a pathway to peace and freedom. Through the power of visualization and embodied mindfulness, you will journey deep into a tranquil forest to release...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Apr 13, 2025 | Psychology Topics
Neurobiological Intersections and Mistaken Identities Intuition vs. Trauma One of the most common questions that I get as a trauma therapist is “How do you deal with all the crazy people that believe (insert X here) about politics, religion and conspiracy...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Mar 31, 2025 | Neuroscience
The question of consciousness—how subjective experience emerges from physical processes—has challenged philosophers, psychologists, and neuroscientists for centuries. How does the brain, composed of billions of neurons and trillions of synapses, give rise to our rich...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Mar 5, 2025 | Anthropology and Evo Psych, Color Psychology, Jungian Concepts
Understanding Trauma Through Schizophrenia and Schizophrenia Through Trauma The relationship between schizophrenia and trauma has long been a subject of fascination and debate in the fields of psychiatry and psychology. While early theories often focused on...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Mar 3, 2025 | Phenomenology and Existential Psychology
The 19th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer is renowned for his profound and often controversial views on the nature of reality, ethics, aesthetics, and the human condition. Among his most intriguing and influential ideas are his reflections on the...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Feb 26, 2025 | Anthropology and Evo Psych, Color Psychology, Jungian Concepts
The Subcortical Brain and the Roots of the Unconscious The human mind is a vast and complex landscape, with conscious awareness representing only the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface lies a realm of unconscious processes, instincts, and archetypal patterns that...
by Joel Blackstock LICSW-S MSW PIP | Jan 15, 2025 | Anthropology and Evo Psych
What is Biosemiotics? Biosemiotics is an emerging interdisciplinary field that explores how living systems create, interpret, and communicate meaning. It offers a unique lens through which to understand the intricate relationships between biology, consciousness, and...
