Understanding how dark traits play out IRL is key for a better shared future. — Recently, I enjoyed the opportunity to email interview Thorsten Quandt, professor and dean at the University of Münster in the Department of Communication, about his substantial work on “dark participation,” a term he originated to describe the “bleak flip side” to selfless, democratically motivated participation in online media. Dr. Quandt…

7. The ability to assert yourself effectively and appropriately. — Psychodynamic psychotherapy, also known as psychoanalytic psychotherapy, is enjoying a renaissance. Founded by Sigmund Freud and crew, psychoanalysis was the dominant form of therapy throughout the 20th century. Its popularity waned over the years as new therapies were developed. But now, younger therapists as well as academics (critical theory, literature…

An interview with Johanna Dobrich, award-winning author, therapist and psychoanalyst, expert in working with siblings of disabled persons — Recently, I had a chance to conduct an email interview with Johanna Dobrich, LCSW, author of Working With Sibling Survivors In Psychoanalysis, a rich clinical and theoretical book discussing her work with people who have disabled siblings. We hope this will be useful to readers.

It builds confidence but real-world outcomes usually aren’t better, and may be worse... — The word “manifest” means “readily perceived by the senses, especially the sense of sight” and “easily understood by the mind”, aka “obvious”. The practice of manifesting, on the other hand, implies a magical summoning of great success through the power of determined faith in oneself, through communion with powerful forces…

New research on relationship dynamics, gaslighter behaviors, gaslighter motivations, survivor consequences, and recovery & post-traumatic growth Gaslighting is a form of manipulation in which one person induces another to doubt their own sense of reality, starting with being pressed to see an unhealthy relationship as coming from love and good intention[1]. There is surprisingly scant research on gaslighting, considering the attention it has received.

Research on how people end friendships identifies seven major strategies and 43 specific actions taken, shaped by personality, age, and gender. — Friendships are key to satisfaction, rivaling relationships with family and romantic partners to provide often life-long support unencumbered by the demands of genetic influence or, typically, sexual entanglement. Friendship, defined by Apostolou, in a recent research paper in the journal Personality and Individual Differences (2023), is “a long-term relationship of…

In the style of Grant H Brenner MD — While ChatGPT is designed to provide information and answer questions to the best of its abilities, there are several reasons why doing your own research can be beneficial: Deeper Understanding: Researching a topic on your own allows you to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. You can explore…

Relationship in the workplace becomes the foundation for new models for employment and collaborative work partnerships Generation Z, as it were “digital natives”, are people born between 1997 and 2012 [the author was born in the1970s and started using computers from a young age, but whatever]. This generation grew up with technology (literally) at their fingertips. They tend to see life, society, and work differently from…

New preliminary research finds three clinically-relevant Borderline classes. KEY POINTS Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a relatively common problem, often difficult to treat. Because there are hundreds of possible symptom combinations, having a system for classifying BPD to guide treatment is highly desirable. New research using “Latent Class Analysis” identifies 3 distinct types of BPD. This information is useful for…