Dr. Gary Bell's Absurd Psychology

Rabbi Abraham Heschel stated that “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.” Racism is a system of power and privilege based on perceived race and/or ethnicity that defines one group as dominant to and more deserving than all other groups. In this system, there is a dominant group (e.g., whites) and there are subordinate groups, including Native Americans, Black Americans, Latinx and Asian Americans. Racism is rooted in historical oppression (e.g., genocide of Native Americans, enslavement of Africans) such that subordinate groups were and are defined as “inferior” to the ”superior” dominant white group. The dominant group created and currently maintains societal privilege through values, behaviors and institutions. This privilege results in subordinate groups lacking access to power, status and resources. Tune in and learn how we all can improve and bring peace to our lives!

Wisdom is one of those qualities that is difficult to define—because it encompasses so much—but which people generally recognize when they encounter it. And it is encountered most obviously in the realm of decision-making. Psychologists tend to agree that wisdom involves an integration of knowledge, experience, and deep understanding that incorporates tolerance for the uncertainties of life as well as its ups and downs. There's an awareness of how things play out over time, and it confers a sense of balance. Wise people generally share an optimism that life's problems can be solved and experience a certain amount of calm in facing difficult decisions. Intelligence—if only anyone could figure out exactly what it is—may be necessary for wisdom, but it definitely isn't sufficient; an ability to see the big picture, a sense of proportion, and considerable introspection also contribute to its development. Tune in and learn what make our life meaningful!

As cities across America grapple with people living on the streets, homelessness is becoming impossible to ignore. More than half a million Americans are homeless each night, including a staggering 2.5 million children who are homeless in any given year. Children are homeless in every city, county, and state. Tune in and lets examine what is driving all of this mess!

The defining characteristic of asexuality is never feeling sexually attracted to anyone, but asexuals vary in other ways. Romantic attraction, for example, is distinct from sexual attraction, and asexuals vary in the degree to which they experience it. Some asexuals engage in sexual relations, probably because they have a romantic partner who wishes to do so. Asexuals also differ in the frequency with which they masturbate, and in the accompanying fantasies. There are even some qualifications to the key characteristic of never feeling sexually attracted to anyone. “Demi-sexuals” identify as asexual “until they form a strong emotional connection with someone” and “gray-sexuals” are those “who fall somewhere in the spectrum between asexual and sexual.” Tune in a learn more about this fascinating topic. Is it a diagnosis or a sexual preference?

Some of us are in the habit of using the same negative words over and over again out of habit. The problem is that the more we hear, read, or speak a word or phrase, the more power it has over us. This is because the brain uses repetition to learn, searching for patterns and consistency as a way to make sense of the world around us. Only after being burned a few times can we understand that fire is always hot. You may not remember the exact end date of the Civil War, but odds are you still know what 8 x 9 is because you had to repeat your multiplication tables over and over again, drilling it into your consciousness. I’m sure you’ve experienced having a song stuck in your head all day long, and try as you might, you just can’t get the melody out of your head. Repetition is the most powerful tool to imprint something into our minds and keep it there. Tune in and learn how words can determine our life!

Eating disorders are complex psycho-physiologic challenges that require much more than simple determination and a strong will to conquer. One of every fifty children in the United States will deal with them at some point in their lives. And while eating disorders are generally seen as a form of mental illness, here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating we see them as much more than that. We view eating disorders as powerful opportunities to look deeper into our lives at the underlying issues that inevitably have nothing to do with food. Eating disorders are a doorway into our life, our culture, our family system, and our world. Tune in and learn how to overcome this suicidal issue!

The Enneagram is a powerful tool for personal and collective transformation. Stemming from the Greek words ennea (nine) and grammos (a written symbol), the nine-pointed Enneagram symbol represents nine distinct strategies for relating to the self, others and the world. Each Enneagram type has a different pattern of thinking, feeling and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview. Learning about these patterns fosters greater understanding through a universal language that transcends gender, religion, nationality and culture. While we are all unique, we share common experiences. Tune in as we dig deep into each type!

In the case of depersonalization, the individual may feel detached from his or her entire being (e.g., “I am no one,” “I have no self”). He or she may also feel subjectively detached from aspects of the self, including feelings (e.g., hypoemotionality: “I know I have feelings but I don’t feel them”), thoughts (e.g., “My thoughts don’t feel like my own,” “head filled with cotton”), whole body or body parts, or sensations (e.g., touch, proprioception, hunger, thirst, libido). There may also be a diminished sense of agency (e.g., feeling robotic, like an automaton; lacking control of one’s speech or movements). Dissociative disorders involve problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behavior and sense of self. Dissociative symptoms can potentially disrupt every area of mental functioning. Examples of dissociative symptoms include the experience of detachment or feeling as if one is outside one’s body, and loss of memory or amnesia. Tune in and learn more!

While humans seek solace in conspiracy theories, however, they rarely find it. For one thing, conspiratorial thinking can incite individuals to behave in a way that increases their sense of powerlessness, making them feel even worse. The negative and alienated beliefs can also promote dangerous behaviors in some. Tune in and learn all about conspiracy theory and how to rec agonize and deal with it!

While persuasion is a science, it’s also an art. If a person pushes too hard, he will risk being aggressive. If he nudges too lightly, he will get nowhere. If she grips too loudly, she's just a jerk. Many things can influence the decisions of others. For example, people pay attention when an attractive salesperson is talking. Plus, people perk up if that individual uses powerful words such as progress, liberty, and value. Considering what other people want can also help, as this will inform one to devise a plan that benefits all. A thoughtful, persuasive argument can lead to getting what is wanted.