Therapies and practical advice
Freedom and choice
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Recognise free will is an illusion and reap the emotional benefits
The idea that all our choices are determined by past events may seem dispiriting – but it can be emotionally liberating
by Francis Merson
Neurodiversity
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Psychedelics could give a mind’s eye to those who’ve never had one
Case reports suggest psychedelics might reverse aphantasia (a lack of mental imagery), but is that necessarily a good thing?
by Shayla Love
Depression
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What’s going on in depression to make negative beliefs so sticky?
Understanding why negative views persist in the face of contradictory evidence could help inform depression treatment
by Tobias Kube
Emotion regulation
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The Stoics were right – emotional control is good for the soul
Both neuroscience and psychotherapy agree that you can change your mental framework as the Stoic Marcus Aurelius described
by István Darabán
Psychotherapy
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Getting what we think we want can reveal just how complex desire is
Helping my clients probe their unspoken wants creates a space of freedom to express the possibilities that lie dormant
by Charlotte Fox Weber
Self-harm and suicide
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Why religious belief provides a real buffer against suicide risk
Under-recognised as a protective force against suicide, religious faith has multiple features that help to save lives
by David H Rosmarin
Cognitive and behavioural therapies
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CBT is the ‘gold standard’, but is that just for white people?
CBT is supported by a strong evidence base. However, effective cultural adaptation of the therapy is a work in progress
by Shayla Love
Psychotherapy
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Sand-tray therapy can reach feelings at the ‘edge of awareness’
Originally developed for use in child therapy, sand trays are now helping adults with their difficult thoughts and emotions
by Doreen Fleet
Self-harm and suicide
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The violence of suicide reverberates in, and through, us all
A psychodynamic perspective on suicide can help us all reckon more honestly with the interconnectedness of psychic pain
by Kyle Boyd
Stories and literature
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Reading books is not just a pleasure: it helps our minds to heal
Through my own struggles and in teaching bibliotherapy to students, I know that books can help to heal minds and hearts
by Peter Leyland
Psychotherapy
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Psychotherapy under the microscope: how exactly does it work?
To improve psychotherapy, researchers are looking beyond what happens in a session to learn exactly how change is achieved
by Ciarán O’Driscoll
Death and dying
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Should assisted death be available for intractable mental illness?
As a psychiatrist I am extremely wary of even the most careful provisions of assisted dying for people with mental illness
by Marie Nicolini