Deep Psychology

The medical system tries to reduce our problems down to simple, pragmatic descriptions and solutions. But does this always help?

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 24/6 episode, The Diagnosis Obsession Part 2.

Diagnoses are always trying to describe a state, which is more real than any diagnosis applied to it, and is independent of it: your state is not the diagnosis, and the diagnosis is not your state.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 24/6 episode, The Diagnosis Obsession Part 2.

We tend to think diagnoses are absolute, when really they are practical tools that professionals use to attempt to improve your health.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 24/6 episode, The Diagnosis Obsession Part 2.

How many people are walking around right now with diagnoses for ADHD, depression, anxiety or other similar conditions that are unnecessary and useless - with dodgy diagnoses?

In part 2 of The Diagnosis Obsession, we explore why diagnoses are a heuristic, why our state is primary and our diagnosis is secondary, and some do's and don'ts when it comes to diagnoses.

Disclaimer: I am not qualified to diagnose or treat medical conditions.

Next listen: The Diagnosis Obsession - Part 1/2

All my episodes on Psychology: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6...

There's a lot of money in medicine and pharmaceuticals, and this puts a huge survival pressure on the industry.

This is not a countercultural slur, just a basic structural fact of healthcare.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 17/6 episode, The Diagnosis Obsession Part 1.

Healthcare professionals' priority is to diagnose you. That is what they are trying to do. But is it necessary? Is it functional? Is it right?

And what's more - patients themselves are often biased towards obtaining a diagnosis.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 17/6 episode, The DIagnosis Imperative Part 1.

How many people have you heard saying "I think I have autism/ADHD/anxiety/depression because of x, y or z"? I'm sure you've heard someone, because diagnoses of this kind have become trendy.

We're so quick to diagnose ourselves and others with psychological illnesses.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 17/6 episode, The Diagnosis Obsession Part 1.

How many people are walking around right now with diagnoses for ADHD, depression, anxiety or other similar conditions that are unnecessary and useless - with dodgy diagnoses?

In part 1 of The Diagnosis Obsession, we explore why the health system runs on diagnoses, why this biases how we understand health, and why ordinary health-system realities reveal the obvious problem.

Disclaimer: I am not qualified to diagnose or treat medical conditions.

Next listen: What is Psychology? (#143) ; My Depression Experience (#73)

All my episodes on Psychology: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4...

Four examples of fake inner work: talk therapy, meditation for emotional benefits, medication, diagnoses.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 10/6 episode, Real vs Fake Inner Work (#148).

This is how you know whether you're doing proper inner work or not. Very simple, but very powerful.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 10/6 episode, Real vs Fake Inner Work (#148).

There are effective ways of doing inner work, and there are ineffective ways. You can uncover gold, but you can also fall into traps.

Here you'll learn a clear litmus test for whether you’re doing real or fake inner work, with lots of clear, grounded examples to make these principles practical.

Next listen: Key Principles for Psychological Work Parts 1&2 (#144 & #147)

All my episodes on Psychology: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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Your psyche is constructed to such a degree that, in fact, it constructs your world too. There is no such thing as accurate perception of life.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 3/6 episode, The Key Principles of Psychological Work, Part 2 (#147).

Next listen: The Key Principles of Psychological Work, Part 1 (#144) ; What is Psychology? (#143)

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Another major implication of psychological non-duality is that because our true nature is unbounded consciousness, our entire self-image is essentially a fiction.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 3/6 episode, The Key Principles of Psychological Work, Part 2 (#147).

Next listen: The Key Principles of Psychological Work, Part 1 (#144) ; What is Psychology? (#143)

All my episodes on Spirituality: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/d173b606-7b30-4e9b-b05b-de22c39973b4

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A major implication of psychological non-duality is that you cannot step outside your experience, and your entire psyche was built inside it, meaning your conception of everything is entirely your own.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 3/6 episode, The Key Principles of Psychological Work, Part 2 (#147).

Next listen: The Key Principles of Psychological Work, Part 1 (#144) ; What is Psychology? (#143)

All my episodes on Spirituality: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/d173b606-7b30-4e9b-b05b-de22c39973b4

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What are the key principles for doing psychological work? How do we know we are doing this work properly? How do we know we are not deceiving ourselves?

In part 2 two-part mini-series we cover principles 3 and 4 for this work. This will underlie any future work we do.

Next listen: What is Psychology? (#143), Key Principles for Psychological Work Part 1 (#144)

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We're all living in our own world. To truly comprehend others, you need to feel into the world they inhabit as you interact with them. Look closely at their true desires, needs and motivations beyond your kneejerk reactions.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 27/5 episode, We All Live In Our Own World (#146), originally published in 2024.

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We only experience a miniscule piece of the entire world, and this little microcosm shapes us and is reflected in our character. Not only that, we interpret the world in our own way. Put these two insights together and it's clear we all live in our own world.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 27/5 episode, We All Live In Our Own World (#146), originally published in 2024.

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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We typically believe there is a single objective world that we may perceive differently but ultimately is common to us all. We also believe we're all the same and have the same goals and values. But is this really true?

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 27/5 episode, We All Live In Our Own World (#146), originally published in 2024.

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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You only experience a finite part of objective reality, of all positive input you could receive, of all possible human experiences,

AND

your unique psychology is so powerful that it puts a particular slant or filter on everything you experience.

This in short is why we all live in our own world.

This is a foundational episode of mine, originally published in July 2024.

Next listen: What is Psychology? (#143); The Key Principles of Psychological Work Part 1 (#144)

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6...

The impressions we have of the events in our life reflect our mind. Things are not inherently one way or another - we make them so. Even down to tiny everyday acts like taking the rubbish out.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 20/5 episode, Your Psychology = Your Life (#145), originally published in 2024.

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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Everything you experience is filtered through your psychology, and then you believe that it is as your psychology presents it. Everything you know and perceive is a reflection of your mind. In other words, life a function of your psychology.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 20/5 episode, Your Psychology = Your Life (#145) originally published in 2024.

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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One of the core human confusions is that of identity: we believe we are something we are not, we believe we are separate from the world around us, and we believe that we live in the head somewhere.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 20/5 episode, Your Psychology = Your Life (#145), originally published in 2024.

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

Explore my 200-episode podcast library: https://deep-psychology.com/#pod-cats

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This video explains one of the fundamental truths of life: that your psychology = your life. Understand this, and your world will turn inside out.

This is a foundational episode of mine, originally published in Dec 2024.

Next listen: What is Psychology? (#143); The Key Principles of Psychological Work Part 1 (#144)

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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Every action of yours has one or two fundamental needs driving it (or a first cause, as I call it). Discovering them is critical for understanding yourself in every situation.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 13/5 episode, The Key Principles for Psychological Work Part 1 (#144).

Next listen: The Key Principles for Psychological Work Part 1 (#144); What is Psychology? (#143)

All my episodes on Psychology: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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The principle of truth is not abstract - it has you be honest about who you are, and that is always visible, right here, right now.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 13/5 episode, The Key Principles for Psychological Work Part 1 (#144)

Next listen: The Key Principles for Psychological Work Part 1 (#144) ; What is Psychology? (#143)

All my episodes on Psychology: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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If psychological work is discovering why you are as you are and changing it if need be, being truthful is a central pillar in that process.

If you are truthful with yourself, you can discover endlessly many aspects of your character that would otherwise remain buried.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 13/5 episode, The Key Principles of Psychological Work (#144).

200-show library by category: https://deep-psychology.com/#pod-cats

Newsletter & books: https://deep-psychology.com/my-links

What are the key principles for doing psychological work? How do we know we are doing this work properly? How do we know we are not deceiving ourselves?

In this two-part mini-series we cover the top 4 principles for this work. This will underlie any future work we do.

Next listen: What is Psychology? (#143), Key Principles for Psychological Work Part 2 (#147)

All my episodes on Psychology: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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My claim: all our traits and ways we are have deep, fundamental reasons behind them, and through self-observation and careful self-directed work, we can change those traits if need be.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 6/5 episode, What is Psychology? (#143)

[Apologies for the mic noise!]

All my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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We are as we are because of a complex mosaic of factors, and the ones we choose to emphasise over the others reveal our own psychology!

[Again, I apologise for the mic tapping!]

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 6/5 episode, What Is Psychology? (#143)

Explore all my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

Explore my 200-episode podcast library: https://deep-psychology.com/#pod-cats

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My definition of psychology is: the study of why you are as you are.

This is a simple but deceptive and very powerful definition, and in this snippet I explain why.

[Again, I apologise for the mic tapping.]

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 6/5 episode, What Is Psychology? (#143)

Explore all my Psychology episodes: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/9f81342e-0c6f-4b7d-ab6c-bd333126470e

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What is psychology? Why are there so many views on how human psychology works? What are some key questions in psychological work?

This is both a foundational episode for understanding all of the work I do on this podcast, and for our May and June Psychology series, where we look at many critical questions in psychological and self-development work.

My definition? Psychology is the study of why you are the way you are.

[I apologise for the mic taps. I attempted to edit out as many as possible.]

Next listen: Key...

Absolute understanding of reality comes not through scientific theory but through direct spiritual awareness. Do not let science replace spiritual awareness.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 29/4 episode, If Science Isn't Ultimate, How Should We Use It? (#142)

Philosophy category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

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Science often gets reduced down into popular slogans that spread quickly through the culture, e.g. "You're distracted because your brain craves dopamine." What are the problems with such slogans?

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 29/4 episode, If Science Isn't Ultimate, How Should We Use It? (#142)

Episode category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

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Though science is conceptual and therefore fundamentally limited, we can also see it as an approximation of truth that may or may not lead us to the ground-bottom nature of reality.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 29/4 episode, If Science Isn't Ultimate, How Should We Use It? (#142)

Episode category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

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After mercilessly deconstructing science this month, today we round off this series by looking at how to skillfully and pragmatically incorporate science into our lives without epistemologically drowning in it.

Next listen: The Hidden Dogma in Scientific Thinking (#138) ; The Limits of Brain Science (#139) ; Science is Addicted to Explanations (#140)

Explore my 200-episode podcast library: https://deep-psychology.com/#pod-cats

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Science doesn't realise that what it's really trying to do is explain and describe our experience, which is primary. Here's what it misses by doing so.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 22/4 episode, What If Experience is Fundamental? (#141)

Philosophy category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

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There is nothing outside your current experience. Sounds obvious, but this is the key to spiritual awakening, and this guided exercise in non-duality will aid your recognition of it.

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 29/4 episode, What If Experience is Fundamental? (#141)

Philosophy category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

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If we are to understand why experience is fundamental, we ought to know what the word experience means in this context!

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 22/4 episode, What If Experience is Fundamental? (#141)

Philosophy category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

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Your life is simply your current experience. That is it. This is the key point science overlooks.

This episode explores the primacy of experience and how everything we think we know or understand appears within it, not the other way round.

This includes all of science and all knowledge of any kind.

We also do a guided exercise to help you deeply grasp what is being said here.

Next listen: The Hidden Dogma in Scientific Thinking (#138) ; The Limits of Brain Science (#139)

Explore my 200-episode podcast library: https://deep-psychology.com...

This is a snippet from my Wednesday 15/4 episode, Science is Addicted to Explanations. (#140)

Philosophy category: https://player.captivate.fm/collection/41de4d4f-0232-4c5d-bb84-436add43f6f9

Explore my 200-episode podcast library: https://deep-psychology.com/#pod-cats

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