Acceptance means seeing situations and people, including ourselves, as they actually are. However, situations are often difficult to accept (e.g., medical diagnosis, the end of a relationship) and demand the acknowledgment of potential and real losses, feeling the accompanying grief, and taking action to move forward. We sometimes spend much time and energy resisting and […]
Feelings do matter
For the most part, we live in an emotionally illiterate society and are not practiced in expressing and receiving feelings. We often feel embarrassed or vulnerable when talking about certain feelings. We silence ourselves so we might not hurt someone about how we feel. Ironically, we end up hurting our bodies and souls when we […]
False and True Selves
‘True self’ and ‘false self’ are terms introduced into psychotherapy by D. W. Winnicott in 1960. The true self describes a sense of self based on spontaneous authentic experience and a sense of “all-out personal aliveness” or “feeling real.” The false self is an ego defense designed to protect the true self by hiding it. […]
The Value of Pets in Our Lives
More than 50% of Canadian households own pets of some kind. The domestication of animals is not a new trend as evidence suggests that the domestication of dogs occurred at least 12,000 years ago and cats around 9000 years ago. What is the lure to share our living quarters with a pet? People often say […]
Going Our Own Way
Paul Anka’s song lyrics, ‘My Way,’ popularized by Frank Sinatra, succinctly states, “For what is a man what has he got / If not himself then he has not / To say the things he truly feels / And not the words of one who kneels.” These sentiments reflect the concept of individuation and the […]
Jungian Types (part II)
The sensation function emphasises perception using the senses. It notices details, likes to know how things are made and how they work, and likes to see the whole picture. This thorough and precise process of gathering information requires patience (which is frustrating to intuitives). Extroverted sensates place value on external objects and have a keen […]
