Monthly Archives: October 2007

Why Does The Brain Have A Wrinkled Appearance?

  By Shawn | October 29, 2007 - 3:56 pm | ,
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wrinkled-brain

The reason the brain looks wrinkled is that it soaks up the surrounding cerebrospinal fluid and gets all pruney, like fingers in a bathtub. I thought everyone knew that. Of course, there are other theories involving far-out notions like “surface area” and “efficiency.” Some people think that folding the outer layers of the brain in on itself provides anatomical advantage. As devastating as it may be to the Prune Finger Theory, they may be onto something. More →

Teaching Children to Worship Emotion

  By Shawn | October 15, 2007 - 12:51 pm | ,
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emotion-worship

Some of us are going to great lengths to protect the feelings of younger generations. A recent example took place right here in Colorado, where a university student was taught that his needs and feelings outweigh the well-being of those around him. While sheltering kids from reality may feel good to some (after all, aren’t feelings the most important thing?), it comes at a cost to the psychological well-being of our youngsters. In fact, denying a child one of life’s most important lessons can be downright cruel. More →

I Have A Crush On My Therapist. What Should I Do?

  By Shawn | October 1, 2007 - 12:41 pm | ,
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crush-on-my-therapist

I wouldn’t know. Being the salty curmudgeon that I am, my clients tend to find me more demanding than cute. Good thing I’m smart, ’cause I ain’t blessed with sexy.

What you’re describing is common. In fact, it is so common that volumes have been written in the professional literature. Chances are, you don’t have a crush on your therapist as much as you have a crush on the person your therapist appears to be. It can be very useful to discuss your feelings with your therapist. Once you bring it up, it’s your therapist’s job to respond in a way that will be useful to you. (Hint: the wrong response involves snuggling.) More →