A geneticist at McGill University, Moshe Szyf presents research in this TED Talk that updates the nature vs. nurture debate. No longer are genes simply deterministic: we now know that, as Szyf describes, "DNA is a dynamic movie" impacted and altered by experience.
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II. Blog Articles and Podcast Recordings |
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IV. Virtual Seminars on Saturday, January 2, 2021* |
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The Men's Group Seminar: Envy: Causes, Consequences and Ways To Deal with It
A writer for The Guardian argues that we live "in the age of envy," a time in which comparisons with others, and the desire for what others appear to have, are prompted by the never-ending stream of social media which permeates our daily existence. Experts typically associate envy with a deep-seeded insecurity that prompts feelings of inadequacy and weakness in the face of others' success. Distinct from merely being competitive or fearing the potential loss of what one already possesses to others ("jealousy"), some commentators have used the term "menvy" to capture the quality of envy unique to adult men, a cluster of factors associated with damaged self-esteem including delight in others' misfortune and shame-based social isolation -- often from potential supports. At the core of envy is the psychological experience of frustration, a powerful emotional reality that may be suppressed or denied -- especially by men. Unprocessed frustration can give rise to chronic psychological and interpersonal issues including "ressentiment," i.e., "the reassignment of the pain that accompanies our sense of failure or inferiority onto a scapegoat." In the next virtual meeting of the Men's Group Seminar on Saturday, January 2, 2021 (10:15 AM to 11:30 AM), we will explore the nature of envy, focusing on the distinctive elements of male envy, and consider ways to cope with and overcome it.
To register for this upcoming virtual seminar, please see the directions below.
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The Relationship Group Seminar: Unpacking Intimacy: Definitions, Types, and Factors That Support or Block Intimacy
Commonly misunderstood and even trivialized, intimacy is defined in numerous and often contradictory ways. Usually linked with the emotional/romantic connection between two people, experts focus on the sensation of "closeness," the mutual experience of vulnerability, understanding and care, as the distinguishing feature of intimacy. Lacking a simple definition, intimacy has been conceptualized by theorists and researchers as falling into different types including experiential, emotional, intellectual, physical/sexual and spiritual; these types may or may not co-exist together in a single relationship. The "intimacy process" consists of the gradual unfolding of more elaborate and intense self-disclosures by one partner that are met with the empathy, trust, and sharing of the other partner, which establishes a reciprocity of personal experience and shared meaning. Fear of intimacy is not an unusual phenomenon; it encompasses any number of hesitations, anxieties, and corresponding self-destructive behaviors some people exhibit in emerging relationships which may be related to previous relational trauma revolving around unmet need, one's authenticity having been rejected, and/or previous occurrences of abandonment or engulfment. In the next virtual meeting of the Relationship Group Seminar on Saturday, January 2, 2021 (11:45 AM to 1:00 PM), we will discuss the complex interpersonal dynamic that is intimacy.
To register for this upcoming virtual seminar, please see the directions below.
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The Dynamic Psychotherapy Process Group
This therapy group utilizes the emerging dynamics among group members, and between the group members and facilitator, as a basis from which to examine one's characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and relating to others. Our next virtual group session will be held on Saturday, January 2, 2021 (1:15 to 2:30 PM). The Dynamic Psychotherapy Process Group is a therapeutic experience and entry occurs only after a pre-group screening interview.
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* Registration Directions: If you would like to attend the virtual meeting of the Men's Group Seminar and/or the Relationship Group Seminar on January 2, 2021, please RSVP to me at 949-338-4388 or jt@jamestobinphd.com on or before Thursday, December 31, 2020. The fee is $25.00 (payable before entering the virtual meeting) and informed consent for participation in this telehealth event must be completed prior to the seminars. Please note that the Men's Group Seminar and the Relationship Group Seminar are psychoeducational in nature, not therapeutic, and do not constitute psychotherapy or counseling.
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