As we're winding down May, Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to share some reflections on the temptation to romanticize the act of taking your own life. When we suffer immensely, suicide can easily be seen as the final way to assert control. But this act is not epic. Here are some thoughts inspired by the reactions to Richard "Beebo" Russell (AKA "Sky King" ), who stole an airplane to end his life in 2018. I tie in The Dead Poets Society, Twenty One Pilots, the male loneliness epidemic, and a very personal reason why I care about all this.
#SuicidePrevention #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #SkyKing #DeadPoetsSociety #TwentyOnePilots #maleloneliness #becauseyoumatter
I'm taking a brief break from my typical videos to give some encouragement inspired by the new Looney Tunes movie, "Coyote vs. Acme," featuring my favorite characters, Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner. If you've been facing challenges and disappointments, take some lessons from the genius that is Wile E. Coyote!
#CoyotevsAcme #TherapistReaction #LooneyTunes #WileECoyote #Roadrunner #Discouragement #Trials #Grief #Sadness
During the Alliance for Therapeutic Choice & Scientific Integrity online conference Aug. 28 & 29, 2026, a topic came up in our Q&A. I expounded on a phenomenon I've observed with certain male clients that contributes to some degree to their homosexuality. These clients come from strict religious upbringings that emphasize the purity of women. These anxious clients then internalize this as a block against their own heterosexual development. Let's discuss!
#SexualDevelopment #PurityCulture #SSA #HeterosexualDevelopment #HomosexualDevelopment #SexualAttraction #Sexuality
Following up on my videos on shame and guilt, let's address the question, "Can a thought be a sin?" This is a challenge for my clients with sexual struggles (such as unwanted same-sex attraction, fetishes, or addiction) and OCD or high trait anxiety. To help with this question, I consult wisdom from Scripture, the Early Church, and Fr. Stephen De Young and Fr. Andrew Damick from The Lord of Spirits podcast.
#Sin #Thoughts #Sexuality #OCD #ScrupulosityOCD #UnwantedSSA #ThoughtsvsIdeas #TheNous #TheMind #Mindfulness #LordofSpirits #FatherStephenDeYoung #FatherAndrewDamick #StJerome #EvilThoughts