by Harper West | Aug 15, 2021 | Emotions
When I was a beginning therapist, I was concerned about yawning in front of a client. I knew that making someone feel I was disinterested was not only rude, but would disrupt the therapeutic alliance and trust. Yet I was working two jobs and often 14 hours a day, so...
by Harper West | Oct 25, 2017 | Emotions, Trauma
Imagine you are walking through a forest alone and hear the rustling of leaves and the ominous crack of a branch behind you. You freeze, listening hard to figure out what is back there. You turn slowly and see a bear staring at you, ready to attack. Your heart is...
by Harper West | Apr 3, 2016 | Emotions, Relationships
Fear isn’t just about physical danger. Emotional fear can look a lot like anger. But relationships do not thrive in anger or fear. People who behave with fear, generate fear in others. People who behave with love, generate love in others. Think about your...
by Harper West | Nov 2, 2015 | Depression, Emotions, Psychoactive Medication, Shame
Blogger Phillip Hickey, PhD, has another great Mad in America post debunking the “chemical imbalance” theory of depression based on an article on Florida State University’s DigiNole Commons. The article is a very easy read and I recommend it highly...
by Harper West | Jul 24, 2015 | Accountability, Emotions
I saw key parts of the dashcam video from the Sandra Bland arrest and immediately noticed how the emotion of shame played a big role. Early in the traffic stop Ms. Bland stated to state trooper Brian Encinia that she hadn’t signaled a lane change because he was coming...
by Harper West | Apr 3, 2014 | Emotions
Pardon a former writer’s semantic debate about two words: anger and indignation. As a psychologist now, I certainly deal with anger as an emotion in the therapy room. But I say we need to revive use of the word “indignation.” It has a depth of meaning that “anger”...
