Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. There is nothing wrong with you. Try that on for size. A client told me that every time he shared one of his challenges with his old therapist, the therapist would explain it was proof of deep-seated problems. Shame, attachment issues, or some other sort of compulsivity or obsessional behavior. Everything about our friend was broken, or a problem to be solved. After a time, this approach made him more miserable, and he left the...
9 days ago • 5 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. End of Summer Psychedelic Reading As the seasons change, and the kids get ready to go back to school, it's getting to be time to start cozying up with books. I don't want to brag (I want to brag), but I've got some pretty brilliant friends who have written some pretty great-looking books that have just come out. I'm looking forward to digging into their books, and it's also my pleasure to share them with you as well. In all...
16 days ago • 4 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. The psychotic drowns in the same waters in which the mystic swims with delight. This is a quote from Joseph Campbell. A classic. It gives us something to shoot for, or rather, swim for. It helps us realize that the water isn't the issue; it's what we do with it. Not only are we invited to swim, we're encouraged to do it with gusto. Enjoy it, it's the perfect temperature. Funny thing is, though, none of us were born instinctively knowing...
23 days ago • 5 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. Egomania and your Personal Brand In the movie "I Heart Huckabees," Jude Law's character Brad is an egomaniac. Most of the characters are, but Brad really manages to illustrate a phenomenon that many integration coaches and therapists deal with in their practice. It's an old movie, so you may not remember it, even if you've seen it, but it's worth a rewatch. It's the need to prove we exist, and that we exist in a particular way. It's the...
30 days ago • 6 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. Bill and Lois Wilson Turning Poison into Medicine I recently learned the reason for Black Sabbath's unique, heavy, psychedelic sound. It turns out that the guitarist, Tommy Iommi lost the tips of two of his fingers when he was working as a machinist. He had to relearn how to play, and he had to play differently. What resulted has become one of the most iconic sounds in rock music. He could have given up. We've all had unpleasant stuff...
about 1 month ago • 7 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. Encouraging Regulated Catharsis I meet many people who emerge from their journeys with a sense of urgency and intensity.They see the enormous amount of pain that they’ve been carrying. They see how the pain leads to actions that hurt the people they love. They see how it sabotages their happiness, their ambitions, and their relationships.They’re committed to dealing with it, but it’s so big, so multifaceted.What generally ensues is one...
about 1 month ago • 6 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. Psychedelic Cinema and the Unlikely Guide Integration through excellent movies is one of my favorite practices. We know that many films are written around the framework of the hero's journey, and that's why they speak to us. The filmmaker dresses up the archetypes in cool ways and gives them awesome dialogue, and it makes it not only fun to watch, but also deeply resonant. Even more so if you're in the critical window after a journey....
2 months ago • 6 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. Integrating the Psychedelic Science Conference I thoroughly enjoyed the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver last week. And as someone who spends most of their time in a tiny little town, I'm grateful to all of you who took the time to say hello in person and give me feedback on this newsletter. Here are just a few reflections on the conference. I could probably go on, but this is good for now... The Body As I write this, I'm still...
2 months ago • 9 min read
Welcome to this Week's Edition of Red Things on Tuesday. Shaky Legs and Spiritual Cannibalism I've been seeing this trend on social media. People are making videos with them, exaggerating their restless leg syndrome while lip-synching to a song about anxiety. Their friend points to the leg as if to ask what the deal is, and they respond, "It's my anxiety." Before I go any further, I want to note that I know that Restless Leg Syndrome is a legitimate medical issue that has various causes, and...
3 months ago • 7 min read