What does it mean to engage in spiritual bypassing? How might it stymie growth for the person doing it and how might it affect others? Join me as we discuss choosing the harder but more rewarding path of growth as an alternative to escapism and avoidance that includes healing old emotional wounds, or "unfinished business."

REFERENCES:

Ahmad, S. S., McLaughlin, M. M., & Weisman de Mamani, A. (2023). Spiritual bypass as a moderator of the relationships between religious coping and psychological distress in Muslims living in the United States. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 15(1), 32.

Fox, J., Cashwell, C. S., & Picciotto, G. (2017). The opiate of the masses: Measuring spiritual bypass and its relationship to spirituality, religion, mindfulness, psychological distress, and personality. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 4(4), 274.

Reed-Gilbert, P. (2023). Wounding Words: A Phenomenological study of how individuals experience receiving spiritual bypass [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. LIberty University.

Welwood, J. (1984). Principles of inner work: Psychological and spiritual. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 16(1), 63-73.

OTHER:

Music featured in this episode: "The Song that Feels So Familiar," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com

What is grief, and what do we grieve in life? Is it just about losing a loved one, or can we grieve change and other types of losses? Join me as I discuss how my own grief process reflects Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' theory of grief, as do other experiences in life.

Music featured in this episode: "The Song that Feels So Familiar," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com

What does it mean to just "survive" vs. actually living a more present and meaningful life? How do we live more and get out of survival mode? Join me as we discuss survival mode and living.

Music featured in this episode: "The Song that Feels So Familiar," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com

I'm kicking off season two of Psych & Spirit with an end-of-the-year reflection! What has the past year been like for you? What lessons have you learned? Life often humbles us so that we can understand ourselves better. Join me as I get personal and share some of my own lessons and ask you questions to reflect on lessons from 2022 and create a clean slate for 2023.

Music featured in this episode: "The Song that Feels So Familiar," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com

What does this esoteric term in spiritual circles really mean? Why is it so difficult to put into practice? And how can we take steps toward surrender in our lives? Join me as I answer your burning questions about surrender.

Music featured in this episode: "The Song that Feels So Familiar," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com

Does being outside and enjoying nature improve our mental health and functioning? Join me as I discuss what the research suggests about spending time in nature and provide tips on how to appreciate nature and the outdoors.

Music featured in this episode: "Alice in Neptune," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com

References

Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 15, 169-182.

Pouso, S., Borja, Á., Fleming, L. E., Gómez-Baggethun, E., White, M. P., & Uyarra, M. C. (2021). Contact with blue-green spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown beneficial for mental health. The Science of the total environment, 756, 143984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143984

Soga, M., Evans, M. J., Tsuchiya, K., & Fukano, Y. (2021). A room with a green view: the importance of nearby nature for mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Ecological Applications, 31(2), e2248.

Stevenson, M. P., Schilhab, T., and Bentsen, P. (2018). Attention restoration theory II: a systematic review to clarify attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology & Environmental Health Part B, 21, 227–268. doi: 10.1080/10937404.2018.1505571

Yin, J., Yuan, J., Arfaei, N., Catalano, P. J., Allen, J. G., & Spengler, J. D. (2020). Effects of biophilic indoor environment on stress and anxiety recovery: A between-subjects experiment in virtual reality. Environment International, 136, 105427.

Zhang, J. W., Howell, R. T., & Iyer, R. (2014). Engagement with natural beauty moderates the positive relation between connectedness with nature and psychological well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 55-63.

What is your life challenge? Many folks have a few specific themes that pervade their lives, specific areas that they experience fear, difficulty, or disillusionment for most of their lives. Join me as I discuss common life challenges and provide tips on how to face those challenges with compassion and courage.

Music featured in this episode: "Alice in Neptune," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com/the8thhouse/shop

Is the world unjust AND beautiful? What does it mean to hold two contradictory realities simultaneously and how might that benefit us? Join me as I discuss embracing contradictions in our lives and leaving space for multiple realities.

Music featured in this episode: "Sour Grapes," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com/the8thhouse/shop

References

Ciccarelli, S. K.& White, J. N. (2015).  Psychology (5th Ed.). Pearson.

Linehan, M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. The Guilford Press.

When large-scale tragedies strike, how do we manage the emotions that arise? When progress toward human rights is stymied in our country due to laws passed or reversed, what can we do? What can we do in the short-term and long-term when tragedy strikes us on a cultural scale? Join me as I discuss ways that tragedy affects us and what we can do about it.

Music featured in this episode: "The Song That Feels So Familiar," by Larissa Seay Dashjian (under the moniker The 8th House).

Purchase music from the podcast here: https://www.musicglue.com/the8thhouse/shop

Join me in relaxation for a guided body scan meditation as a bonus addition to the 2-part meditation episodes. The meditation is about 22 minutes long.