Keith R. Wilson's Blog, page 15

How Normal is Abnormal?

Just how common are mental health problems? According to researchers following more than a thousand New Zealanders for 35 years, they’re extremely common. By age 38, they say, 83% have had a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in their lives; in most cases, a mild depression, anxiety, or a substance use disorder. Also,Continue reading "How Normal is Abnormal?"

Detect Dreams

When you’re stuck at an impasse. You find yourself gridlocked. You want children; she doesn’t. He wants you to go to church, but you’re an atheist. She likes to stay home; you’re always ready to party. There doesn’t seem to be any solution. There’s no way to compromise. You’re ready to call it quits. WhatContinue reading "Detect Dreams"

Don’t Force It

Especially when trying to bring about change My father was a car mechanic. When I was a kid, he tried to teach me all about cars, but I wasn’t very interested. After a while, he might have thought he was wasting his time, but one of his lessons stuck with me. I think about itContinue reading "Don’t Force It"

Why Can’t We Turn Away?

The fascinating and appalling state called abjection There’s a psychological mechanism that isn’t very well known, yet it’s involved behind the scenes in many emotions. It plays a part in disgust, revulsion, repugnance, aversion, distaste, nausea, abhorrence, loathing, detestation, horror, contempt, weird, outrage, terror, fear, fright, panic, dread, trepidation, hatred, hate, abomination, execration, odium, antipathy,Continue reading "Why Can’t We Turn Away?"

Announcement

After more than fifteen months of pandemic, I am fully vaccinated and will be ready to see clients in-person after June 1, 2021 at a new location. I’ll be in the office for in-person sessions two days a week. I will still be counseling by telehealth five days a week. The New Location My newContinue reading "Announcement"

On the Psykhe Podcast

Hear me talk about reconciliation and constructive conflict in the Psykhe Podcast

The Perils of Understanding

And how your prejudices can help you understand better I once worked as a therapist with a deaf female client in my office by having her type what she wanted to say to me, as I typed to her. I didn’t know much sign language but was eager to show off what little I had.Continue reading "The Perils of Understanding"

Don’t Be Mindless About Mindfulness

It doesn’t have to involve meditation If you have any connection to psychotherapy or psychotherapists and have been paying attention to trends, you’ve noticed that everyone in shrinkland is talking about something called mindfulness. I don’t know if mindfulness has infiltrated everywhere else as much as it has the land of shrinkishness; but if itContinue reading "Don’t Be Mindless About Mindfulness"

Shame

We have no emotion that’s not useful in some way. Everything is there for a purpose, even an emotion that undermines its purpose. I’m talking about shame. Its purpose seems to be to help us fit in with others. Shame, and its milder version, embarrassment, comes up when you violate a social norm which mightContinue reading "Shame"

Some Strange Ideas about the Strange Situation

And stranger ideas about attachment A mother enters a room with her eighteen-month-old child. Neither have been there before. There’s a few toys on the floor. The mother leaves the child with a stranger for a few minutes. The mother returns. White-coated researchers are standing behind a one-way mirror with clipboards, recording everything that happens.Continue reading "Some Strange Ideas about the Strange Situation"