Blog
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Recent Research on Incorporating Psychedelics Into Psychotherapy: A New Frontier in Mental Health
For decades, the word “psychedelics” conjured images of tie-dye, Woodstock, and trippy journeys into the unknown. But today, these mind-altering substances are at the center of groundbreaking mental health research exploring their powerful potential to heal deep psychological wounds. What was once fringe is now frontier. Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is gaining traction among researchers, licensed…
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Steps for Recovery After Leaving a Cult: A Personal Guide to Healing & Reclaiming Yourself
Leaving a cult is often the bravest thing a person ever does Especially if you’ve been told over and over again that leaving is the worst possible thing you could do, that you will be lost, betrayed, punished. Yet you sense that something inside you is suffocating, dying, even disconnected from your true self. In previous Soul Wisdom…
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Should You Stay or Should You Leave? Figuring Out If You’re Part of a Cult — and What to Do Next
In a previous blog, I discussed the dangers of being inducted into a cult. But what happens after you begin to suspect or fully realize that the group you’re in might be a cult? The word cult can feel extreme. Over the top. Like something that happens to other people. But the reality is, many people find themselves…
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Maintaining Your Sibling Bond While Caring for Your Elderly or Ill Parent(s)
It has been said that children grow up in different families together. This is so even if you have the same biological parents and seemingly equal benefits. If you were to ask your adult siblings to describe their childhood, you might hear divergent responses. While one might recall their childhood as idyllic, another might shake…
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What are the Perils of an AI Therapist?
Artificial Intelligence is not just the wave of the future. It is here and now and being incorporated into many aspects of our lives, including psychotherapy. For some, it is a free or low-cost convenience, available 24/7 that prevents long waits to schedule an appointment with a human therapist either in person or via telehealth….
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Spiritual Community and Cult Abuse Resources
If you’ve experienced harm in a spiritual or religious setting, you’re not alone—and there is a path to healing. Below are carefully chosen resources that support different parts of the recovery journey. These are not sponsored links—just trusted, meaningful spaces that many survivors have found helpful. Professional Therapy & Directories 1. Reclamation Collective Clinician Directory…
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Why Are People Drawn to Cults?
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘cult’? People in long robes, with shaven heads, chanting and soliciting money from travelers in airports? Some of the most infamous cults include The Manson family who murdered Sharon Tate and others in Hollywood. Keep in mind that Charles Manson didn’t commit the crimes himself but…
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Why Do We Think in Black and White? How Do We Access Shades of Grey?
Humans tend to think in dichotomies, such as up vs. down, in vs. out, good vs. evil, and right vs. wrong. It is programmed into our brains from an early age and hopefully shapes our conscience. A parent who wants to teach their children to act responsibly, may tell them not to touch something that…
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Artificial Intelligence as an Adjunct to Therapy
For those of a certain generation, the idea of an AI therapist may seem like science fiction or something out of the cartoon, The Jetsons. According to an article in Sage Journal entitled “Artificial intelligence (AI) in psychotherapy: A challenging frontier.” “Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have emerged as a potential tool to revolutionize mental health…
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What Is EMDR and How Might It Benefit You?
EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – is a therapeutic modality designed to assist people in processing traumatic memories that talk therapy alone may not be able to reach. Most therapists will tell you that trauma remains in the body and mind long after the precipitating event(s). While it may feel safer to repress…
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Some Mental Health Effects of Weight Loss Drugs
Last month, we explored the recent phenomenon of glucagon-like peptide-1 medication (GLP-1) to assist in weight loss and balanced blood sugar. When prescription drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic and Zepbound hit the market, the response was resounding. They were touted by some as a simple way to shed pounds and were often disparaged as ‘cheating.’…
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The Influence of Birth Order on Personality
There is a saying that ‘children grow up in different families together.’ Is it nature or nurture? The concept of birth order is fascinating and may impact on the ways in which children develop and the kind of adults they become. Keep in mind that theories are just that and there are no absolutes when…