Ideas on Mental Health & Meaning
The Power of Meaning: Using Logotherapy Principles to Improve Your Mental Health
Logotherapy—developed by Dr. Viktor Frankl—centers on one core idea: human beings can endure almost any “how” if they have a “why.” Its principles help people build meaning, resilience, and psychological flexibility. Here are practical ways to apply Logotherapy in...
You’re Not as Depressed or as Anxious as You Think You Are – Part II; Anxiety
Don't get me wrong - depression and anxiety are VERY REAL issues in our world today. Whether physiological in nature, a symptom of modern life in a constantly quicker world, or some combination thereof, these issues are real. And sometimes, medication is part of the...
You’re Not as Depressed or as Anxious as You Think You Are – Part I
I've been saying this for a long time. Maybe you are not as depressed or anxious as you think you are. Surely, in my clinical opinion, for what it's worth, you're not that depressed or that anxious that you require medication. You see, when I studied depression and...
Phoenix Revival
Through my journeys in the past few weeks I was recommeded to read a book - an amazing story - a story of intense trauma and revival. A story most of us can't relate to directly, but a situation we can all recognize in our lives, in some parts. This book, Phoenix...
A Story About Men
I am just now descending back into "the real world" after what seems like decades away from the office. In reality, it was only two weeks - several days on a Men's Peer Group Retreat working with plant-based medicine in the mountains of Colorado; followed by my wife...
The Difference Between Selfish and Self-Care
This was an important discussion last week at my men's retreat - what is "selfish" and what is "self-care". From my experience, those of us who tend to ask that question may find ourselves on either end of an extreme. Some people finding themselves "giving until it...
When You Don’t Feel Like A Priority
Sadly, it's been an all-too-common theme, not feeling like #1 in your own marriage or relationship - and I hear it from both sides, both men and women, husbands and wives. That’s a tough and painful place to be, and it makes sense you’d be searching for what to do....
The Logotherapeutic Nature of Tragedy in Psychotherapy
Althought life feels like it might be going well for me, personally, right now, the nature of therapy is to bear witness to other's tragedy - to the suffering of life. And, if I am lucky, or sometimes skilled, I get to help. Ideally, I get to witness others through...
Finding Meaning in the Horror of Our Times
I wrote this last week The world seemed to be continuing to fall apart then. But then I saw all my "friends" on social media going after each other for their beliefs. I thought about sharing this then - but, honestly, I was afraid I would get caught up in the...
What is Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy?
Wow.... 15 years. I've been writing these blog posts for over 15 years. I hope they have been helpful. If you've been reading the blog for the past 15 years - or maybe listening to the podcast for the past 5-ish years, you know that I am always looking for better...
The Meaning of Labor
Labor Day - the traditional end of summer in the U.S. I hope you are enjoying a restful day and pondering what your daily labor means to you, your family, and your community. Traditionally, I return to Frankl's chapter in The Doctor and the Soul, "The Meaning...
Comparing Frankl’s View of Love
I've shared dozens of times the differences between VIktor Frankl's most famous book, Man's Search for Meaning, a book I believe everyone should read, and the book that is considered to be his magnum opus, The Doctor and the Soul. Man's Search for Meaning was written...