“How does one human talking to another, as occurs in psychological therapy, bring about changes in brain activity and cure or ease mental disorders? We don’t really know. We need to.” Continue reading
Think tank Centreforum published a report last week on how mental health and wellbeing should be promoted by the government. Continue reading
So, an interesting controversy over Facebook experimentation this week… Continue reading
It can be a conversation killer to tell people you’re a psychologist. “Do you go round analysing people?” is a common response. “Are you reading my mind?” is another. Psychology is very people focused. It’s all about us: why we do things, who we are, what we think and feel and how our minds, brains and bodies interact. While this can be disconcerting if you think someone is reading your mind (we’re really not, we’re too busy worrying about our own), there is something intriguing about reflecting on our own and others’ motivations. Continue reading
Images produced in art psychotherapy sessions used to be kept under wraps, but there’s a growing movement to celebrate and exhibit the artworks that are produced in times of crisis. Continue reading
Why do we love dancing at festivals so much? Is it the mud? The sense of community? The chance to take part in a naked conga? An article here that I wrote for the Huffington Post on the psychology of festival dancing-about, with interviews from Peter Lovatt (aka Dr Dance), George McKay and Swing Patrol.
A belated link here to an article I wrote for Suzi Gage’s Guardian blog: Sifting the Evidence. There has been much hot debate about the evidence for or against Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis but what actually is it?
Trying to do two tasks at once, especially if they are similar, often results in both tasks being done less well. Continue reading
This week I wanted to push people down the escalator at London Bridge station on more than one occasion. I also had strong images of punching a man in the face who kept pushing his backpack into my legs on the 06.54 train from East Dulwich. The trains can be grim when they are especially crowded, but I have never actually punched anyone in the face, nor pushed anyone down the escalator. I have had these intrusive thoughts before though, just like about 80-90% of the non-clinical population (summarised nicely by Clark, 2005). Continue reading
Recent outcry from authors about the new stricter rules on what prisoners can receive in jail, highlighted that prisoners would no longer be able to be sent books. This is, of course, outrageous, but in my mind just as outrageous is that there is a blanket ban on all parcels, including birthday presents. Continue reading
Psychology magpie 