#trauma therapist san francisco

[drcammyfroude]

How to Find a Trauma Therapist in San Francisco | Trauma Therapist Bay Area

If you are in search of a trauma therapist in San Francisco and Bay Area, you'll be pleased to know that the region offers a range of qualified professionals to support you on your healing journey.

San Francisco, in particular, boasts a vibrant community of trauma therapists who specialize in providing compassionate care for individuals who have experienced trauma.

These therapists are trained to help clients navigate the effects of trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other related symptoms.

With their expertise and evidence-based approaches, trauma therapists in San Francisco can assist you in processing and resolving traumatic experiences, fostering resilience, and promoting overall well-being.

Whether you are seeking individual therapy, group therapy, or specialized trauma treatment modalities, you can find competent trauma therapists in the Bay Area who are dedicated to supporting your healing and growth.

Exploring Couples Therapy in San Francisco and Couples Counseling:

If you and your partner are in need of couples therapy in San Francisco, you'll discover a wealth of resources and skilled professionals to assist you in strengthening your relationship. Couples counseling is a valuable avenue for addressing challenges, improving communication, and deepening the connection between partners.

In San Francisco, you can find couples therapists who specialize in a range of approaches, including Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Gottman Method Couples Therapy, and Imago Relationship Therapy. These therapists create a safe and supportive environment for couples to explore their concerns, resolve conflicts, and develop healthy relationship patterns.

Whether you're facing difficulties in communication, trust issues, intimacy concerns, or navigating major life transitions, couples therapists in San Francisco are equipped to guide you towards healthier, more fulfilling partnerships.

Don't hesitate to reach out and prioritize your relationship's well-being with the help of these experienced professionals.

Find the Nearest PTSD Therapist in San Francisco:

If you're seeking PTSD therapy or treatment in San Francisco or looking for PTSD therapists near me location, you'll find a range of specialized professionals who can provide the support you need. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, can have a significant impact on an individual's well-being and quality of life.

Fortunately, San Francisco offers a diverse selection of therapists who specialize in working with PTSD and trauma-related conditions. These therapists employ evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trauma-Focused Therapy to help individuals effectively process and manage their traumatic experiences.

Whether you prefer in-person therapy or online sessions, there are PTSD therapists and treatment options available in San Francisco and nearby areas to assist you on your healing journey.

Remember, seeking professional help is a courageous step towards healing, and you don't have to face PTSD alone – support is within reach.

[sharksfrommars]

Hi👋🏻

For your asylum ford au, I was wondering how shermie handled ford being released into his care (as in his reaction) and also how he tries to help ford when bill takes over. Does he let it run its course or like TACKLE him to the floor or something💀💀 Also, does shermie feel safe when ford is like that (possessed/ tormented by bill)? I am beyond OBSESSED w this au and check DAILY for new posts about it 🛐🛐🛐

Ur so sweet, anon! Glad you enjoy it! I wrote a LOT more than I expected for this so I hope you enjoy.

——

Shermie was actively fighting for Ford to be released to him. He didn’t trust the asylums, especially not the first one they sent him to. It was actively something he wanted. It wouldn’t have been realistic for Ford to stay with him at first, since he had a young child. But that didn’t stop him from constantly fighting for Ford to get better treatment. Ford spent time in 3 different mental institutions over the 30 years.

The first asylum was in Oregon, where Ford was sent by the state. It wasn’t great, was incredibly understaffed, and lacked resources. It wasn’t helped by the fact that it was run by a shady government organisation who may or may not have been performing highly unethical experiments on the patients. All the staff there hated him, and Ford was generally uncooperative.

About 5 years later, Shermie managed to get Ford transferred to an asylum just outside of San Francisco. It was built to treat violent criminals, but they had much better funding. There was one therapist that Ford kind of got along with, which was quite frankly, a miracle. Shermie didn’t like his brother being treated like a criminal, but he was glad that Ford could get actual treatment. Still, it wasn’t amazing.

Ford stayed there until 1998. By the end, they were allowing him weekends outside the facility when he was doing well. Shermie really appreciated it. After that, Ford was released to Shermie’s care. Shermie’s son had just gotten married, so Ford took his room. Things went well for about a week.

until Bill decided to pop in. Ford still had regular hallucinations, general emotional instability, and total breaks from reality (gifts from Bill). Shermie was expecting this. It was in Ford’s release papers. But he hadn’t been expecting Ford to smash every plate in the house, carve triangles into the walls, and perform blood rituals in the middle of the night. The drugs they gave Ford were expensive, and getting less affective by the day. Still, it was manageable. Keep Ford away from sharp objects, make sure to give him plastic dishes and cutlery, have him sleep in a sleeping bag. A lot of the things Bill did to Ford during this time was more silly in nature. Ford has a number of embarrassing tattoos from bill taking the body on joyrides. He made food taste horrible. Made him extra sensitive to temperature changes. Shermie didn’t believe that Bill was real. The asylum had told him that “bill” was a manifestation of Ford’s trauma, likely relating to his father.

Then the twins were born. Ford was immediately smitten. He realised he couldn’t let Bill hurt these kids. He had managed to keep Bill from doing any major harm to others for at least 5 years, but he could tell his current meds weren’t going to keep him at bay forever. One day, Bill would figure a way to fully possess him again. He couldn’t let him in his head ever again. Not when these kids were at risk.

Ford started falling back into old habits. Not sleeping, being constantly suspicious, almost afraid, of people. Barely leaving the house. Shermie was getting worried.

then one day, Shermie and his wife came home to find Ford on the bathroom floor, bleeding from the head. His scalp was half detached, and he had a circular saw in his hand. Ford tried to put a metal plate in his head. By himself. He fainted from blood-loss and shock before he managed to get any further, thank goodness.

After that, Shermie talked to Ford about getting mental help again. Ford was resistant to the idea, naturally, but eventually relented once he realised how hard it was for Shermie to keep looking after him. He didn’t want to be a burden. So Ford was voluntarily institutionalised. Shermie found the best mental hospital they could afford. It was a nice place and they specialised in the difficult cases, like Ford’s. It also helped that Ford actually tried, rather than just putting up with it.

Ford started improving substantially. He got different meds, that kept bill out of everything but his dreams. His councillor didn’t outright dismiss bill either, which led to him coming out about the abuse he faced at Bill’s hands. Of course, the councillor didn’t believe that Bill was actually a dream demon, but that didn’t matter so much. It was a turning point, one that led to Ford actually processing the things he had been through. Ford’s councillor had suggested that Ford may have been in an extremely abusive relationship that somehow his mind was actively repressing and replacing with a triangle. Ford knew that bill was actually a dream demon, but it felt nice having someone validate his experiences, rather than tell him that it was all in his head.

Ford got better, a lot. He became an outpatient at the mental hospital, and was allowed to stay with Shermie. This time, it was mostly calm. Of course there were difficulties; Bill had messed with Ford’s mind to an irrecoverable extent. But Ford kept getting better, and Shermie was just happy to have his brother with him.

but as Ford’s mental health improved, he would find himself drifting. He was a lot better at telling reality from hallucinations these days, having learned methods of living with them. He has gaps in his memory, times where he didn’t feel real, none more so than the portal. These days, Ford wasn’t sure there was an actual portal. But he believed Stan was alive. And there was no where else he could be.

Ford wanted to go to gravity falls first to confirm one way or the other. But it was real. And that meant Stan was in there. And even though it had been so long, Ford couldn’t leave him.

[lightxand-shadow]

✦ Riven Halliwell-Turner ✦

“Born of light. Marked by shadow.”

They say he shouldn't exist.

> Name: Riven Halliwell-Turner

> Pronouns: he/him

> Age: appears 25 (actual age unknown – time magic distortion)

> Species: Witch-Demon hybrid

> Alignment: Chaotic Neutral leaning toward redemption

> Affiliations: Halliwell family (estranged), The Veil Watchers (secret magic order)

> Location: San Francisco (and in dreams... elsewhere)

Powers

・Empathic shadowcasting – turns emotions into real, controllable shadows

・Temporal echoes – brief glimpses into past/future timelines

・Demonic aura – suppressed, but manifests under extreme stress

・Spellcraft – trained in both Halliwell witchcraft and underworld rituals

・Dreamwalking – enters others’ dreams (voluntarily… or not)

Aesthetic

Black roses, blood on white silk, flickering candles, ancient tomes, broken mirrors, a voice in the void whispering “choose.”

Status

“Trying to save what’s left of me before the shadows claim what I’ve become.”

By day: therapist, specializing in trauma and empathy.

By night: haunted by visions of a realm beneath, where whispers call him "the heir," where flames recognize his soul.

Magic leaks from his fingertips when he's not careful. Healing. Destroying. He doesn’t always know which until it’s too late.

He's not trying to be a hero. He's just trying to survive the legacy of a father he never met and a mother who still looks at him like he's a prophecy she never wanted to fulfill.

There are people trying to bring Cole back.

Not the man. The demon.

And Riven?

He’s the key.

Whether he wants to be or not.

Backstory

Born from a love that defied realms, Riven carries the weight of two worlds — the purity of Phoebe’s lineage, and the chaos of Cole’s demonic blood. Raised in secrecy, shielded from both good and evil, he walks the knife’s edge between fate and freedom. He wasn’t supposed to exist. Yet here he is.

[mariacallous]

“Ketamine is helpful for getting one out of the negative frame of mind,” Elon Musk told an interviewer last year. The unelected man currently gutting US federal programs isn’t the only one who thinks so. Ketamine, approved decades ago as a surgical anesthetic and long used as a party drug, is the off-label mental-health treatment of the moment. It induces a “trancelike” state of “sensory isolation,” researchers say, and may temporarily boost the brain’s neuroplasticity—which, in theory, makes mental ruts easier to escape. At the same time, ketamine abuse can be deadly, and the drug remains illegal to use without a prescription. (Musk says he has one from “an actual, real doctor.”)

WIRED spoke to the cofounders of an organization that offers ketamine-assisted leadership coaching in the San Francisco Bay Area. The two speakers are identified by pseudonyms, which they selected for themselves. Aria Stone has a doctorate in psychology. Shuang Shuang is a spiritual coach. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Shuang Shuang: We fast-track coaching by really locking it in with the psychedelics. We deliver it to you on a cellular level.

Aria Stone: With ketamine, there’s a 24- to 48-hour window of optimization, when people’s brains are literally more neuroplastic, which is why this is a multiday experience.

SS: We call it an off-site, not a retreat, because we’re not retreating from anything. We don’t do them big—nine or 10 clients—partially due to the importance of confidentiality. Our clientele is primarily CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, CFOs, C-level founders of startups. All of them are in a pressure cooker.

AS: Those are the kind of leaders that come—people who have achieved so much in their life, and they’re like, “OK, what’s the next horizon? Because I’ve checked pretty much every box.”

SS:  Here are all the loneliest people. They have to lead and go through so many things by themselves. They can come and see that they’re not alone, and let go of the burden of being so protected all the time. They just want to be people.

To screen clients, we ask about their medical and psychological background, whether they currently work with a therapist, and whether they’ve participated in a group program before. We would slow down around accepting someone with a significant trauma history, someone who is actively suicidal or has a history of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, the latter of which can be contraindicated with ketamine.

AS: And since ketamine can certainly be misused, a history of substance abuse would also give us pause.

SS: Our off-site costs $2,600 for three days, plus a $350 fee for a medical assessment and ketamine prescription. Meals are included, but transportation and lodging are not.

AS: Over the course of a three-day off-site in the Mission, in a beautiful, open space with a tall ceiling, clients have two ketamine experiences. When you walk in, all of these BackJack floor chairs are in a circle. In the center are candles. We put a rose on every seat, and information about what to expect.

SS: The vibes are witchy.

The first day is about settling into that radical acceptance, welcoming what’s coming to us on ketamine. Our opening ceremony could include movement, dancing, getting into the body, or we might just talk to each other about what’s alive for us. We have an intention-setting session.

We check with everybody to see if we have their consent, from every part of their body, to receive medicine. Then our medical doctor and registered nurse distribute the medicine through a shot—it’s all intramuscular.

If it’s your first time using ketamine and you’re nervous about it, thank God! That’s the way it should be. But there’s also the option to not do ketamine at all: You thought you wanted to do it, and then when push comes to shove, you’re on your journey mat and you’re just like, “I really don’t want to do it.”

Ketamine and psychedelics are not a panacea. We know that it’s not for everyone. You don’t have to push yourself to do this new, innovative, cutting-edge type of therapy. Yes, there is great promise, and the data over and over again makes this area very frothy and enthusiastic. But it’s perfectly OK if you’re scared and anxious. Just listen to your body and heart.

AS: When we transition into the journey, we pull the BackJacks out.

SS: It’s pretty sweet. They have little nests, little beds. They’re all tucked in. They have blankets and pillows, and earplugs if the ambient music playing on the speakers gets too loud. They’re wearing eye masks, because ketamine is more of a dissociative medicine—there is this sense of naturally going inward and being quiet. There are a bunch of stuffed animals there that some people take for their journey.

AS: There’s this huge teddy bear holding a cup of the intramuscular ketamine.

We encourage clients to bring things that are meaningful for them—like a journal, photos of loved ones, loved ones that have passed, rocks. It’s just really loving, grounding, and open.

SS:  It’s like an executive-coaching psychedelic slumber party.

On the first day we do a psycholytic dose of ketamine. It’s not exactly a psychedelic dose, but it lets you kind of just teeter onto the realms. The next day is a mid-dose. That day is all about medicine and integration, and there’s coaching around it.

AS: Four of us facilitate the off-sites. While people are on their ketamine journey, we’re all very attentive. We’re in silent communication with each other. Collectively, we’re really holding this space, seeing what emerges. I mean, we’ve seen over 100 ketamine journeys at this point.

SS: In a supportive clinical setting, the chance of having a bad trip is severely diminished. Also, I hold the faith that there’s no such thing as a bad trip. Rather, there are challenging or uncomfortable journeys.

Let’s say someone’s trauma comes through. One way that could show up is you are screaming, or a lot of energy is just ripping through your body. You’ll get off your mat and you’ll just want to run. You’ll think you’re in a dangerous situation. The first thing we do is make sure you’re in a safe hold so that you feel cared for. We’ll let you take your eye mask off. Some people need a handhold or would like to be walked around the room. All these things help bring you back to now.

The third day is all integration and coaching: “What does this mean for me? How did I feel? And how do I bring something positive from that journey into my everyday life?”

AS: And about a week and a half after, we have a follow-up virtual integration session, focused on the application of what they’ve learned to their leadership.

SS:  One person came in not being able to feel their body. “I’m just a head, and this is my meat sack,” basically is what they said. After the off-site, they were able to pinpoint, “Actually, I feel like I can feel my chest. I can go to other places inside my body and be connected to it.”

AS: People are floating away at the end. They’re like, “I don’t want this to end. Can I integrate this way of being into my life?”

[beardedmrbean]

A UCLA student is suing two California doctors, alleging they inappropriately "fast-tracked" her for an "irreversibly damaging" gender transition, starting when she was 12 years old.

Kaya Clementine Breen, now 20, filed her suit Thursday accusing Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, who runs the nation's largest transgender youth clinic at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and numerous other defendants, of rushing her into transition to a male and overlooking her mental health struggles and history of sexual abuse.

"She needed psychotherapy," the suit reads in part. Instead, Breen was "fast-tracked onto the conveyor belt of irreversibly damaging" transgender medical procedures.

Breen began puberty blockers at age 12, started cross-sex hormones at 13 and underwent a double mastectomy at 14, according to the suit.

Olson-Kennedy diagnosed Breen with gender dysmorphia "mere minutes" into their first appointment and recommended puberty blockers at the same meeting, according to the suit, which accuses the doctor of concealing important information and even outright lying to Breen and her parents about the risks and necessity of treatments.

A spokesperson for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles told Fox News Digital on Monday that the Center for Transyouth Health and Development "has provided high quality, age-appropriate, medically necessary care for more than 30 years."

The spokesperson continued in an email that the center does not comment on pending litigation, nor does it comment on specific patients and their treatment.

Olson-Kennedy came under attack this fall after admitting to The New York Times that her team had not yet published research showing that puberty blockers did not lead to mental health improvements among young people to avoid the findings being "weaponized" by critics of transgender medical procedures.

Breen started seeing a therapist shortly before attending college and realized she "may not actually be ‘trans’ but rather had been suffering from PTSD and other issues related to her unresolved trauma," according to the suit.

She has since stopped taking testosterone and says her mental health has improved, but "her body has been irreversibly and profoundly damaged" to the point that she is "almost certainly infertile," the suit claims.

The Golden State has increasingly positioned itself as a sanctuary for transgender people, passing a shield law prohibiting police from cooperating with out-of-state prosecutions for people who seek transgender medical procedures and drugs in California, and banning school districts from notifying parents if their child identifies as a gender that's different from their school record.

Breen's lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed the day after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over whether states can ban gender transition care for minors.

Also named in her suit are Dr. Scott Mosser and the Gender Confirmation Center of San Francisco. Olson-Kennedy recommended Breen get top-surgery from Mosser, and surgery was scheduled "after a perfunctory virtual meeting" with someone on Mosser's staff, the lawsuit says.

The day of the surgery, Mosser met with Breen and her mother for less than 30 minutes before he "rubber-stamped" the operation.

A spokesperson for the Gender Confirmation Center cited HIPAA when declining to comment on "protected health information or pending litigation," but told Fox News Digital in an email that there is "no such thing as a rubber-stamped patient interaction at the GCC."

The center referred Fox News Digital to an additional statement from Mosser reading in part, "Our robust processes and protocols are designed to ensure that patients navigating our services fully understand the implications of the gender-affirming procedures they may choose to undergo as part of their transition."

The statement continued, "We regularly hear from former patients sharing updates about the overwhelmingly positive impact these surgeries have had on their lives—messages that continue to arrive many years after their procedures."

[warningsine]

If the language used on the internet is a reliable indicator, we’re more psychologically enlightened than ever. We discuss attachment styles like the weather. We joke about our coping mechanisms. We project, or are projected on to. We shun “toxic” people. We catastrophise and ruminate. We diagnose, or are diagnosed: OCD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, narcissism. We make, break or struggle to “hold” boundaries. We practise self-care. We know how to spot gaslighting. We’re tuned into our emotional labour. We’re triggered. We’re processing our trauma. We’re doing the work.

The language of the therapy room has long permeated popular culture. Common terms like “repression”, “denial”, “slip of the tongue”, “hysteria” and “inner child” all lead back to Freud. But over the last decade or so, with the vast expansion of social media networks, a new, seemingly sophisticated language sits on modern society’s tongue. Some call it therapy-speak. Or psychobabble. But despite its prevalence, the language is divisive.

Last month, online discourse throbbed with disdain when Sarah Brady, the ex-partner of Jonah Hill, shared text messages he’d sent her about his “boundaries” (no “surfing with men”, no friendships with “women who are in unstable places” and no swimsuit selfies). Many argued that his self-satisfied language was a weaponising of therapy-speak; using “expert” terms to try to control her behaviour.

If we’re often online and are plugged into wellness, self-help or relationship worlds on social media, therapy-speak is our first language. Here, algorithms feed us from a bottomless well of content by coaches and other self-proclaimed experts who teach us how to cope with being triggered; how to identify a narcissist; how to “show up” in relationships; how to hold a boundary and so much more. With every scroll, a new tutorial in human psychology. But what are we actually learning?

“By virtue of being human beings, we’re masters at distancing ourselves from difficult aspects of emotional life,” says Dr Jonathan Shedler, a psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco. “One way we distance ourselves is through words. What we’ve got now is this kind of pop-psychology language of clichés, abstract concepts and turns of phrase that are so different from speaking from the heart.”

For Shedler, modern therapy-speak is “not actually a product of reflection and examination”. In psychotherapy, he says, “we always move from the general to the specific. People will say something general or abstract and a good therapist is always asking for examples. If a person says that they felt stressed, we might say, ‘OK, tell me more about that. How did you experience the stress?’ If a patient is using therapy-speak, the goal of the work has to be to move away from this to something more immediate and emotionally alive.”

Platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok pull in colossal viewing numbers on these abstract concepts. Search “gaslighting” on YouTube and the top result (“10 Examples of What Gaslighting Sounds Like”) has 3.3m views. On TikTok, the #narcissism hashtag has 3.8bn views. Search “triggered” on Instagram and a tidal wave of multimedia content appears. You can scroll for 10 minutes and still be fed lists, memes and vlogs. Even if only a small portion of viewers take the language they’re absorbing online into their offline conversations, we can still imagine how easily it seeps into public consciousness. Particularly among young people, the main demographic for platforms like TikTok.

We might argue that an increased awareness of psychological dynamics, and a growing ease for identifying and discussing mental health issues, are particularly good things for teenagers and young adults. The historical backdrop is that mental health was shrouded in stigma and taboo for so long. If young people can have a freer, more matter-of-fact understanding of mental health, it may lead to less suffering in silo. Maybe even a positive effect on generations to come. But the expansion of certain language worries some professionals who work with young people.

Kate teaches biology in a secondary school in Manchester, where she has worked for 15 years. She has been a form tutor for 10. In her experience, conversations she hears among teenagers – and the way issues brought to her are described – have changed dramatically in the last five years. “I hear words like ‘triggered’, ‘gaslighting’ and ‘narcissist’ so often now,” she says. “Young people are using these words to describe their fellow pupils and other teachers, when they feel hurt or singled out. I had to look up what gaslighting meant.”

She reflects empathically on how difficulties in friendships when you’re at school can “feel like the end of the world”. “You want to validate how they feel,” she says. “Because being a teenager is really hard. But sometimes it seems as if they’re wedded to words they’ve picked up on social media. They’re dismissing each other and, sometimes, struggling to take responsibility for their own behaviour because they have compelling words like ‘triggered’ that make their own feelings the most important thing, above all else.”

Kate wanted to be quoted under a pseudonym. She was worried that her reflections might be seen to be taking a coping strategy away from young people when “the world is stacked against them.” It makes sense.

Climate change weighs heavy on their minds. Media influence and gender norms continue to create a disparity between their lived reality and future aspirations. (Men are still portrayed as independent, emotionally stoic and in roles that signify strength; women as childcarers, home-keepers and care-workers. A young person’s real-life sense of themselves may not fit with the images they absorb, and may cause mental distress or limit a young person’s sense of potential.) The pandemic, social inequality, austerity and online harm have driven a huge rise in NHS mental health referrals – and the system is buckling. Thresholds for getting specialist help are so high that many young people are refused care, sometimes with fatal consequences. It is a curious phenomenon that, while statistics suggest young people’s mental health is declining, social media has provided a compelling language with which to navigate their lives.

But some therapists (including myself, and many I know) believe that the expressive nature of therapy-speak is, actually, not all that expressive. The language barely aligns with what therapy is; a singular relationship between the therapist and their client, with its own intimate context and idiosyncrasies.

Shedler focuses on the word “triggered”. “For some people, it’s very difficult to say, ‘I was angry’ or, ‘I was terrified’. So there’s already a layer of obfuscation about what their internal experience is. Something we try very hard not to do in therapy is locate the upsetting thing externally. If you leave the ‘I was triggered’ there, your internal experience is almost secondary. In meaningful therapy we try to reverse that. All our experiences take on personal meaning. The work of therapy is to explore those layers.”

The psychotherapists I have trained with, and been supervised by, use very little of the therapy-speak I see on social media. Theory and literature inform the work, but conversations are in much more plain English than you might think. This is what we try to invite in our clients: the freedom to speak plainly.

In my experience, some younger clients have brought in words like “triggering”, “gaslighting”, “narcissism” and some confident diagnoses of others’ “personality disorders”. Sometimes, it has seemed hard for them to name emotions like fear or anger. The influence over their language doesn’t just come from social media, but from reality shows like Love Island, Love is Blind and Married at First Sight. (I was struck at how often the term “gaslighting” was used in the last season of MAFS, a show that consumed me more than I’d care to admit.)

It can take a long time to get beneath the use of these terms – which may be described as a defence mechanism – and explore someone’s deeper, more vulnerable emotional experiences. This relies on building a safe, trusting relationship. But often we don’t have time.

For so many people, long-term therapy is unaffordable. In the UK, if you can’t afford private therapy, mental health support on the NHS is often dictated by a postcode lottery and limited to six-to-eight sessions of CBT. Short-term work can be effective and meaningful for some people. But in-depth therapy is often a luxury. This might explain why the confessional nature of therapy-speak annoys some of us. It might seem imperious; a white, middle-class gate-keeping of suffering from people who, in relative terms, suffer the least.

I’m reminded of a Twitter thread from 2019 on which someone offered a template for responding to a friend in distress when you don’t feel able to help. It said: “Hey! I’m so glad you reached out. I’m actually at capacity/helping someone else who’s in crisis/dealing with some personal stuff right now, and I don’t think I can hold appropriate space for you. Could we connect [later date or time] instead/Do you have someone else you could reach out to?” The vocabulary was widely made fun of, with many people identifying how hard the person was working to avoid a friend in distress.

For Shedler, the kind of therapy-speak we’re saturated with online is particularly destructive: “It alienates us from our internal experience while pretending to do the opposite,” he says. We might say it’s helping people to become so much more psychologically minded. But he feels “the reality is it’s actually doing the reverse.” It’s probably true that there’s little room for self-awareness, or taking responsibility, if we’re quick to tell people they’re gaslighting us by expressing something we don’t agree with. (Incidentally, the term comes from a film in the 1940s, not psychology literature.) Or if we confuse conflict with “abuse”.

I have shifted positions on the casual use of therapy-speak many times. I still don’t know exactly what I think, other than that I think about it a lot. I have worked in a charity providing therapy to survivors of domestic and sexual abuse. Many of my clients have struggled with the effects of austerity and navigating the benefits system, while living with chronic health issues that compound their emotional distress. As a result, I have bristled at the term “trauma” being bandied around. I have balked at pithy Instagram memes about drinking, after witnessing the devastation of addiction. I’ve also observed that people are still more likely to minimise their distress than embellish it.

I have struggled seeing “triggers” (a concept derived from the treatment of PTSD) so widely appropriated, and the increased cultural understanding that we should avoid being triggered at all costs. This is in conflict with the most robustly evidenced approach for trauma therapy: to slowly and carefully help someone tolerate their discomfort by increasing their exposure to their feelings, both in the room with a therapist, and in the outside world.

However, writing all this down also makes me think, what right do I have to assume passport control for certain words? The language of healing, or surviving, will look different for everyone. It’s complex.

Social media undoubtedly plays a role in flattening human emotions into neat, shareable terms. We’re encouraged to pathologise friends, family or lovers with vocabulary that strips away nuance and context. This probably does get in the way of the “speaking from the heart” that Shedler speaks of. It might help us feel more powerful when we’re hurt or afraid. But what happens to the pain and fear once we’ve labelled someone? Where does it go?

I’m not sure where I sit with some of the other language. If someone says they were traumatised by the pandemic – by isolation, caring for dying people, loss of loved ones, financial ruin, long Covid – is that not valid? If a young person is struggling because their parents can barely afford to feed them, or with their identity in a world that doesn’t seem hospitable to who they might want to be, might appropriating therapy-speak help them feel like they have more agency?

A good experience of therapy can help someone flourish. It’s also an experience many of us might struggle to have. But notions of the therapy world continue to be positioned as the “right” way of being; in ourselves, and with each other. Therapy-speak might be annoying, tiring and get in the way of authentic emotional expression. Perhaps even with damaging consequences. But something so pervasive requires a little more than suspicion.

Could the expansion of this language speak to a collective hunger for a framework that helps us talk about our existence in modern society? That is, trying to feel peaceful, purposeful and connected while many structural forces collide and make that existence feel harder and harder. There’s no clear solution, other than: make the world easier to live in. But a therapist might tell you that’s magical thinking.

[thebreakfastgenie]

Night Five is so funny because Stanley isn't even Josh's regular therapist. He specifically referred him out because he's a trauma specialist and Josh doesn't need intense care going forward. And then Josh calls him and convinces him to fly from San Francisco to DC so he must have told him it was an emergency. And then it turns out to be a ruse to secretly give the president who also does not need a trauma specialist therapy.

[harveycenterforrelationships]

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[spintaxi]

Social Constructs

Ten Immutable Realities the Political Left Swears Are Social Constructs (Because Science Hurts Their Feelings)

By Sofia Rodriguez | Culture | SpinTaxi Magazine It began with gender. Then it moved to race. Then to math. Then breakfast. Now the left has launched a full-scale epistemological napalm campaign against reality itself-one tweet, TikTok, and university syllabus at a time. What's real? What's fake? Ask a modern progressive and they'll say, "Everything is fake unless it validates my identity and gets likes on Instagram." Today, SpinTaxi dives deep into the ten absolute, observable, testable, smellable, undeniable truths that the political left insists are "social constructs"-all while being crushed by them in real time.

Gravity: The Unconsensual Hug of the Earth

At a recent climate protest in San Francisco, a barefoot activist hurled a compostable smoothie cup into the air and shouted, "This is for Sir Isaac Newton, the patriarchal architect of planetary oppression!" The cup immediately fell and splashed acai on a passing therapist. The irony was not composted. Gravity, the pesky force that holds us to the Earth and gives yoga its market value, has come under leftist attack for years. One Twitter user argued: "Gravity only exists because we believe in it. Manifest levitation!" The Biden administration reportedly considered funding a $12 million "Lived Experience Anti-Gravity Grant" until Kamala Harris slipped on an anti-racism mural and gravity said "Hello."

Death: The Ultimate Cancellation

Death is no longer inevitable. It's just a vibe. According to a Yale postmodern theology course called Dying While Woke, death is a capitalist punishment for non-productivity. "Life expectancy is just another form of privilege," claimed one student, moments before overdrafting her DoorDash account. Hospice care centers have been rebranded as "Existential Deprogramming Facilities," and the Grim Reaper was recently sued for gender misidentification after referring to a nonbinary poet as "he." Still, every woke theorist eventually meets the same unconstructed end: horizontal, cold, and surprisingly ungrateful.

Weather: Nature's Microaggression

The left is convinced that weather is problematic. Rain is passive-aggressive. Sunlight is "ableist." And wind? That's literal gaslighting. Last week, a prominent influencer blamed her seasonal depression on "heteronormative clouds." The city of Portland responded by instituting an ordinance requiring clouds to apply for parade permits. Meanwhile, hurricanes have been accused of being "cisgender storms" due to their binary naming system. Climate activists now propose naming hurricanes after TikTok handles to better reflect their emotional impact. FEMA has already rejected emergency relief applications that use the phrase "natural disaster"-replacing it with "consent-optional climate encounter."

Math: The Final Frontier of Oppression

If numbers make you uncomfortable, congratulations: You might be qualified to teach math in Seattle. Math has been declared racist, sexist, classist, and somehow homophobic-even though it's too nerdy to get laid. In one school district, a teacher was fired for writing 2+2=4 without a trigger warning. "What even IS a number?" asked one activist during a protest. "It's a white man's attempt to put us all in boxes. And I'm a circle." A new educational standard called "Feelings-Based Arithmetic" allows students to write that 5 times 5 equals "trauma," and that's a valid answer as long as it's submitted on recycled paper.

Time: The Clock Is Literally Ticking on Your Privilege

The concept of time has long been under attack. Punctuality, once a virtue, is now considered a microaggression against people with unstructured sleep cycles and deep attachments to astrology apps. At a recent academic conference titled Chrononormativity and Clock Colonialism, speakers argued that the 24-hour day is an artifact of Eurocentric control. A new movement called "Horological Anarchism" believes we should abolish time entirely and simply vibe through existence. Unfortunately, their rally started late because no one knew when it began. A satirical app called "When?" allows users to RSVP to events using only feelings, moon phases, and Spotify playlists. It has 2 million downloads.

Biological Sex: Canceled at the Chromosomal Level

Once upon a time, humans were born with bodies and bones. Then came the pamphlets. Now, if you acknowledge the existence of XY chromosomes, you're officially an oppressor. A famous liberal columnist recently wrote: "Science is violence." Their readers responded by demanding the Smithsonian apologize to skeletons for assigning them sex posthumously. The Museum of Natural History was forced to remove "male/female" from its fossil descriptions and replace them with "Tyrannosaurus in transition." In academia, you're now required to refer to sperm as "consensually mobile gender particles."

Dogs: The Problematic Pet Binary

Canines, once man's best friend, have been reassigned as problematic symbols of toxic loyalty and enforced domesticity. A group in Brooklyn known as Dogs Against Speciesism (D.A.S.) argues that even the concept of "pet" is domination disguised as affection. "We don't walk our dogs," said group founder Iris Fern. "They walk with us in mutual liberation." In their latest protest, D.A.S. members freed 47 poodles from a grooming salon. Six promptly ate gluten, three ran into traffic, and one self-identified as a libertarian and bit the mailman. The SPCA is now requiring all dogs to undergo consent training before fetching.

The Moon: Celestial Colonizer

Astrology used to be fun. Now it's a moral obligation. And the moon has been accused of reflecting problematic light-specifically, light from the masculine sun. "The moon is a mirror of the patriarchy," said a Medium blogger named Venus Thermos. "It waxes and wanes, just like cis-male approval." A group of college students held a lunar protest titled #NotMySatellite, waving signs that read "Moonlight Is Emotional Labor" and "Stop Gentrifying the Night Sky." NASA is now developing "nonbinary rocket boosters" for future missions.

Food: Oppression You Can Eat

Gone are the days when you could enjoy a sandwich without contemplating its geopolitical implications. The left now sees food not as sustenance, but as a colonial act of mastication. "I don't eat. I just embody resistance," said TikTok activist @SoyFreeSadness, sipping dandelion water through a bamboo straw. In certain neighborhoods, toasting bread is considered cultural appropriation, and gluten is a metaphor for late-stage capitalism. Whole Foods has issued a statement acknowledging their role in "bread privilege" and announced a new line of ethically harvested, culturally repentant crackers.

Babies: Consent-Free Beings

Once celebrated, babies are now suspect. Why? Because they can't opt into existence. One Berkeley panel argued that we should "give infants legal personhood at 30 days, once they've had time to reflect." There's a growing online movement called "Postpartum Consent Culture" that seeks to abolish baby showers on grounds of "fetal surveillance." One activist claimed: "Diapers are the first form of carceral state conditioning. Free the tushies!" New parents now face pressure to refer to their child as "Theyby"-a genderless potato with rights but no responsibilities. Meanwhile, the baby is still crying and just wants a bottle. Reality remains undefeated.

What the Funny People Are Saying

Dave Chappelle: "So math is racist now? Great. I'm gonna pay my taxes in interpretive dance." Sarah Silverman: "If death is a social construct, does that mean I can cancel mine?" Bill Burr: "Gravity's a conspiracy? Then why does my beer fall every damn time I drop it?" Ricky Gervais: "Imagine telling the moon it's problematic. That's the kind of crazy you can only get with a philosophy degree and rich parents." Ali Wong: "My baby didn't consent to being born, but she did consent to pooping on everything I own." Jerry Seinfeld: "What's the deal with time? It's either always offensive or always late!"

In Conclusion: Reconstructing Reality, One Collapse at a Time

What ties all these delusions together? A refusal to acknowledge that some things simply are. Gravity isn't up for debate. Death isn't optional. Math doesn't need an emotional support llama. But in today's ideological buffet, you can build your own reality-just don't try walking off a building to prove it. The left's war on truth is less about liberation and more about exhaustion. Because when everything is a construct, nothing means anything, and your avocado toast becomes a fascist artifact. Disclaimer: This article is a fully human collaboration between a tenured professor of metaphysics and a dairy farmer with a podcast. It contains irony, sarcasm, parody, observational humor, and trace elements of science.  

SpinTaxi Magazine - A wide-format satirical cartoon in the style of SPINTAXI Magazine, illustrating a fake article titled 'Time Zones Are Colonialist Why Clocks Are Racist, S... - Alan Nafzger 4

Time Zones Are Colonialist: Why Clocks Are Racist, Sexist, and TikTok-Phobic

Let's begin with the obvious: time zones were invented by railroad barons, i.e., white men with pocket watches, monocles, and deeply problematic facial hair. Time zones are nothing more than cartographic prisons, slicing up Mother Earth like a colonized grapefruit. The globe doesn't know it's 3 PM in Chicago. Only your exploitative Outlook calendar does. And who standardized global time? Britain. That's right-Greenwich Mean Time is the Queen's lingering revenge. It's imperialist punctuality imposed on our chaotic spiritual rhythms. Being late isn't lazy. It's decolonized temporality. Worse, clocks don't respect identity. They're binary (tick/tock), and they refuse to acknowledge your emotional timeline. A TikToker named @ChronoWoke recently launched a campaign to replace all clocks with rotating mood wheels. "I'm not late," she says. "I'm in my vulnerable reflection window." Time zones are also patriarchal. Daylight Saving Time was invented by a man who wanted more hours to golf. What about women? What about queer owls who thrive at 2 AM? Should they be excluded just because of "business hours"? In response, activists have created ChronoJustice Circles where participants meet whenever they feel like it. No one shows up, but that's the point. Time cannot oppress those who refuse to wear watches. If clocks were inclusive, they would beep affirmations like "You're doing your best" instead of buzzing like capitalist cattle prods. Until then, I refuse to be shackled to minutes, hours, and Outlook invites. Time is a white-collar lie. TikTok isn't a clock; it's a lifestyle. So next time someone says you're late, just tell them: "I don't believe in time-only in vibes."

SpinTaxi Magazine - A wide-format satirical cartoon in the style of SPINTAXI Magazine, illustrating a fake article titled 'I Identify as a Gravity-Free Spirit My Life in Zero... - Alan Nafzger 2

I Identify as a Gravity-Free Spirit: My Life in Zero-G Consciousness

Gravity is the last socially accepted form of oppression. While society pressures me to "stay grounded," I reject the tyranny of Earth's pull. I identify as gravity-fluid, meaning I float above labels-and sidewalks. My awakening began during a yoga class when I ascended 3 inches during downward dog. My instructor screamed. I levitated. Doctors diagnosed me with vertigo. I called it vertical liberation. You say "falling down." I say "transcending structural weight bias." Every day is a struggle against mass-centric norms. Seatbelts, stairs, chairs-tools of gravitational gatekeeping. Elevators? They're fine. But I demand the option to emotionally hover. I once got kicked out of Whole Foods for attempting a zero-gravity protest in the gluten-free aisle. My sign read, "My Spirit Soars, Let My Body Follow." Someone tripped on my tether cord. Society wasn't ready. NASA rejected my application to join the International Space Station on the grounds that I lacked "training, credentials, and mental coherence." I call that floatphobia. At night, I dream of anti-gravity sanctuaries where no one forces you to stand in line or wear orthopedic shoes. Until then, I use helium balloons and inner peace to stay unanchored. Some say I'm delusional. I say: just because your soul is heavy doesn't mean mine has to be. Stay light, stay woke.

SpinTaxi Magazine - A wide-format satirical cartoon in the style of SPINTAXI Magazine, illustrating a fake article titled 'I Tried to Cancel Death and All I Got Was Cremated'... - Alan Nafzger 1

I Tried to Cancel Death and All I Got Was Cremated

Death is a construct. A social myth reinforced by Big Casket and the necro-industrial complex. When my astrologer told me Pluto was in retrograde, I knew it was time to cancel mortality. I started a campaign: #DeathIsOver. It trended briefly until two wellness influencers died from trying to detox death using kombucha and sage. Still, I persisted. I stopped wearing black. I created affirmations: "I am infinite," "My mitochondria are valid," and "Worms are cannibalistic fascists." My death certificate would not be signed without my consent. Then I died. A freak incident involving a goat yoga retreat, a trampoline, and expired hummus. As I hovered in the in-between, I demanded to speak with the Manager of Reality. Instead, I met Death. He wore a robe made of dry cleaning bags and muttered, "You again?" Apparently I had filed 22 formal complaints from my past lives. I tried to unionize the afterlife. The ghosts ghosted me. Even Hell has zoning laws. Eventually, I was cremated. The urn is compostable and identifies as a vase. My legacy lives on in a TED Talk no one asked for: "Beyond Dying: Embracing Perpetual Non-Endingness." Ashes to ashes, unless you file an appeal.

The Moon Is Problematic: A Feminist Rebuttal to Celestial Whiteness

The moon, once celebrated by poets and werewolves alike, has become the newest target of intersectional critique. I looked up one night and thought: "Why is she so pale? So round? So… center-stage in every romantic scene ever shot by male directors?" Let's get this straight: the moon reflects light from the sun. She has no light of her own. That's called emotional labor. A collective of astrologically oppressed womxn launched #DecenterTheMoon. They say it's time to acknowledge lunar privilege-being constantly visible, dictating tides, and ruining women's moods without apology. Moonlight is now understood to be an erasure of darker skies. A light-skinned celestial body dominating the night? Check your crater privilege. During a full moon last month, I held a protest drum circle and was immediately dive-bombed by moths-white moths. Coincidence? I think not. We demand an inclusive lunar model. One that phases based on emotional availability. One that glows in colors reflecting BIPOC starlight. Until then, I sleep with blackout curtains and write poems titled, "Moon-splaining: When the Sky Won't Shut Up." Let's decolonize the cosmos, starting with that smug nightlight in the sky.

Math Is Violence: Stop Solving Problems, Start Feeling Them

Math is the only subject that requires you to be wrong… in public. And that's violent. The tyranny of correct answers is a direct assault on neurodivergent expression, and also why I failed pre-algebra. Numbers are aggressive shapes. Look at the number 7. That's a shiv. Even geometry is shady-why are triangles always pointing at me? I enrolled in a radical counting circle. We use emotions, not integers. Two apples plus two apples equals "anxiety," depending on context and apple origin. The quadratic formula? Colonizer code. Pi? A fat-shaming circle. And don't get me started on mathletes-literal numerical supremacists in khakis. Abolish the SAT. Replace it with a dance. Or at least vibe-based calculus. I once submitted a feelings collage as my accounting final. My professor gave me an F and a pamphlet for trade school. I now run a nonprofit called "Alge-bro No!" Our mission: dismantle STEM in favor of STEAMY-Sensual Thought, Embodied Awareness, and Mantra Yoga. So no, I will not "carry the one." I will cradle the one, give it emotional support, and let it decide what number it wants to be.

Ten Things That Aren't Social Constructs (But the Left Insists Are, for Reasons Known Only to Their Compost Bins)

Reality Check Bounced In the grand progressive pursuit of deconstructing everything from bathroom signage to biological fact, the political left has declared open season on… well, reality itself. From claiming gravity is a tool of patriarchy to suspecting breakfast cereal is a neo-colonial plot, here are ten things that absolutely are not social constructs-but try telling that to someone double-majoring in Gender Studies and Interpretive Dance.

1. Gravity

Despite zero peer-reviewed journal entries from Berkeley, gravity remains a natural phenomenon. Yet, somewhere in a gender-neutral yurt, someone insists gravity was invented by Isaac Newton to keep marginalized communities "down." "That's just YOUR lived experience of falling," said activist Skylark Moon, seconds before tripping over their own Birkenstocks.

2. Death

Try as they might, even the most enlightened Marxist can't theorize their way out of dying. One grad student tweeted, "Death is a capitalist myth designed to end worker productivity." Karl Marx died anyway.

3. Weather

According to some activists, snow is racist and hurricanes are transphobic. The Weather Channel tried to identify as "climate-queer" last winter but was still blamed for wind. The phrase "weather privilege" has now appeared unironically in Teen Vogue.

4.

Read the full article

[swingoutmister]

Oklahomo, by writer, photographer, and costumer C.T. Madrigal is one of the most well-written, moving, and enjoyable books of the genre known as the “gay memoir.” It is with high praise that I place this book in the company of Gen-X memoirs like David Crabb’s 2015 tome Bad Kid and 2006’s I Am Not Myself These Days: A Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (aka the taller of the Beekman Boys). Madrigal and his older sister are born to a teenage mother in the early 1970s in suburban San Francisco, where his mother is in a common law marriage with her second husband, a dangerous and violent biker named Mickey. Madrigal’s discovery of his true self is instinctual and fast out of the gate.

The author’s mother and Mickey lock the children out of the house during the day, feeling that children should not be “in the house all day.” For reasons unknown to the author, he and his sister are sent to live with their father, his new wife, and her spoiled four children. The stepmother lives up to the reputation by labeling the name-brand food for “her children,” the other two were not allowed to participate in pizza feasts and other familial activities. Any disagreement was brought to “family court,” where the stepmother’s children sat as jury. A guilty verdict was guaranteed. After two years, their mother took them back after leaving her abusive spouse; the family was quite happy in a small apartment until the spouse found them, painting offensive language on the car and slicing the tires. The next step was his trying to burn down the house, sending the small family, along with Madrigal’s grandmother and uncle, to Oklahoma.

Here, Madrigal’s teenage years begin, and he cannot resist the natural exploration that culminates with his leaving school and town at thirteen after multiple confrontations with his mother and an unloving relationship with his sister. If all of this sounds dour, and as a therapist, I lost count of the traumas experienced by Madrigal, he writes with a devilish sense of humor, in a kind of “Sedaris, hold me beer” fashion. One moment that made me laugh aloud was his proclamation that running away to New York, where a pimp would greet him at the bus station, was a valid life alternative. Madrigal becomes what has come to be known as an outlier of a small-town club kid, which flourished in the 1980s and early 1990s, with teenage Madrigal discovering the power of drag.

The subtitle, “Pee, Peeping, Police, Pistols, Puritans, Pedophiles, and a Witch,” validly describes the contents inside. On a personal note, as a gay kid the same age as Madrigal, I felt scared and excited about the choices that he made, although I realize that several of the decisions were made out of a lack of options, but many were made by tremendous acts of courage. I did not come out until I was 28, but Madrigal’s path would be one to model if I could do it again.

What made me different and introverted in expressing my true self? As memoirs leave Generation X, we leave a world behind, forgotten. Madrigal does not water-own the references. I cannot imagine there could be more than a handful of these tomes left as our generation speeds through their fifties (mine would be boring AF).

As I sneak around on the internet and see Madrigal’s multiple accomplishments, I cannot help but admire – and find myself jealous – his life and achievements. So yeah, Oklahomo is one of the best memoirs this memoir-lover has read in some time. 

#C.T. Madrigal

[drcammyfroude]

10 Steps to Finding the Right Trauma Therapist in San Francisco and Bay Area

Finding the right trauma therapist in San Francisco and the Bay Area involves careful research and consideration. Here are 10 steps to help you in your search:

Understand your needs: Begin by gaining clarity on your specific trauma-related needs. Consider the type of trauma you've experienced, any specific therapeutic approaches you're interested in, and any other factors that are important to you in a therapist.

Seek referrals: Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or healthcare professionals for recommendations. They may have firsthand experience with trauma therapists in the area or know someone who does.

Utilize online directories: Use online directories specifically designed to help you find therapists in your area. Websites like Psychology Today, GoodTherapy, and TherapyDen allow you to filter results based on location, specialty, and other criteria.

Research therapists' credentials: Once you've identified potential therapists, research their credentials and background. Look for therapists who are licensed, experienced in trauma therapy, and preferably have additional certifications or training in evidence-based trauma treatments.

Read therapist profiles: Carefully read the profiles and biographies of therapists to learn more about their approaches, specialties, and areas of expertise. Look for therapists who specifically mention trauma therapy and describe their experience working with trauma survivors.

Check for compatibility: Assess whether the therapist's approach aligns with your preferences and needs. Consider factors such as gender, cultural sensitivity, and therapeutic orientation. If a therapist offers a free initial consultation, take advantage of it to assess compatibility.

Consider logistics: Take into account logistical factors such as location, availability, and fees. Ensure the therapist's office is easily accessible and their schedule matches yours. If cost is a concern, inquire about sliding scale fees or whether they accept insurance.

Read client reviews: Look for client reviews or testimonials on the therapist's website, online directories, or other platforms. While individual experiences may vary, reading reviews can provide insights into the therapist's effectiveness and client satisfaction.

Contact potential therapists: Reach out to the therapists on your shortlist and schedule an initial phone call or consultation. Use this opportunity to ask questions about their experience, approach, and how they typically work with trauma survivors.

Trust your instincts: Finally, trust your gut feeling when making a decision. Pay attention to how comfortable you feel during the consultation, and whether the therapist seems understanding, empathetic, and supportive. Ultimately, choose a therapist with whom you feel safe and understood.

Remember, finding the right therapist is a personal process, and it may take time and multiple consultations before you find the best fit. Don't hesitate to explore different options until you feel confident in your choice.

[calmagaincounseling]

At Calm Again Counseling, we believe in the power of body-mind connection to promote healing. Our experienced somatic therapist offers a safe, nurturing environment where clients can explore and process emotions stored in the body. We use gentle body-centered practices that empower clients to release stress and trauma, gain clarity, and build resilience.

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[dolliesrot]

Yeah, even at their best the public is exhausting. And honestly how often are they at their best? :/ You're in the service industry too, right? I don't know much about art but I figure if you keep looking at the world, trying things, and having fun with it that's what it's about.

You could tell I was hoping you'd ask what movies, right?

Sunday

Dracula (The Dirty Old Man) (1969, William Edwards) Pretty repugnant, but it was amusing how they saw their movie was shit and then MST3Ked themselves recording the voiceover narration.

Devil Story (1986, Bernard Launois) I was deliberately trying to pick "fever dream" stuff and this qualified. Devil horses are hard to shoot.

Monday

Calamity of Snakes (1982, Chi Chang) Kind of a dud. I watched the "cruelty free" version, which doesn't show snakes being killed on camera but supposes that they don't mind being sprayed with fire extinguishers. Captures Taiwan (?) at a truly unfortunate moment for fashion. Morbid curiosity was not rewarded.

Viy (1967, Konstantin Ershov & Georgiy Kropachyov) Banger! Magic and witches and state-of-the-art Soviet special effects courtesy of Aleksandr Ptushko.

A Virgin Among the Living Dead (1973, Jesus Franco) Rewatch, but I previously had only seen the Wizard VHS version with the alternate clothed takes and the added terrible slow motion zombie scenes. Much better in this version.

Conquest (1983, Lucio Fulci) Vivid in its gruesome derivative patchwork brutality, in spite of looking like it was shot through cheesecloth.

Tuesday

Kuroneko (1968, Kaneto Shindō) Awesome. Spooky and atmospheric and features a kitty.

The Empire Strikes Back Uncut (2012, Casey Pugh) Warm and cuddly fun starring multiple dogs as Chewbacca.

Wednesday

Blonde Ambition (1980, John and Lem Amero) Easily the most charming and effervescent porno I've ever seen. Also deserving of praise that isn't so faint as to be backhanded!

The Cassandra Cat (1963, Vojtěch Jasný) Pretty terrific and beautiful fable. The cat had little wee glasses!

Lord of Illusions (1995, Clive Barker) Enjoyed the LA scenery and stage magic milieu. Unexpectedly terrifying turn from George's boss Mr. Kruger from Seinfeld. (Daniel von Bargen RIP)

Torture Dungeon (1969, Andy Milligan) What can one say about an Andy Milligan movie?

Thursday

The Boogey Man (1980, Ulli Lommel) I was unprepared for how great this was. A slasher ghost story about how childhood trauma follows you through life. John Carradine, couples therapist. I wept. Watch this one, Anna!

Shogun Assassin (1980, Kenji Misumi and Robert Houston) Finally got to hear all the skits from Liquid Swordz in their proper context!

Friday

Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988, RJ Kizer & Donald G. Jackson) Total male fantasy about how hot it would be if Sandahl Bergman wore glasses and had a bomb she could use to blow up your cock whenever she so chose.

The Night of the Hunter (1955, Charles Laughton) Rewatch. Classic. Needs no introduction. It is so good!

The Night of the Hunted (1980, Jean Rollin) Eerily quiet time capsule of a particular era of Parisian architecture. Also weirdly prefigures Memento, but with more nudity.

Perversion Story (1969, Lucio Fulci) Total male fantasy about how hot it would be if Marisa Mell did anything, in this case send you to the gas chamber by framing you for her murder. Really amazing time capsule footage of San Francisco, too. And there's a photographer character, those are always fun.

Oh and I watched a bunch of old Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies in there, too.

Yay The Fly! I've never seen The Hunt. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you watched the one Mads Mikkelsen is in. :D Am I right?

Hope you're feeling better soon! Enjoy that time away from work.

Oh wowowow you managed to get through a lot! I have a hard time multitasking, which makes it hard to watch movies and paint :,c wish it wasn't either or, but god scrambled me that way so whatyyagonnado. DUDE I watched Night of the Hunter for the first time like two months ago and am pretty pissed off that I haven't watched it sooner! I wish the song about the pretty fly and the spider was on spotify 🕸️Also!! Thank you! You totally gave me some bangers I need to put on my list! (Probably gonna try and get to Viy, A Virgin Among the Living Dead, and The Boogey Man first!).

Also,,,, I think i'd bang him </3 religious psychosis and murderous nature be damned mans got a way with werds.

[riverdamien]

Living the Questions!

"Sloughing To Galilee!"

Mental Health Awareness Month!

Carlo Acuta

Damien of Molokai

Francis of Assisi

Dorothy Day

"Being Faithful In the Midst of Question!"

"All Work That Is Worth Doing is Done In Faith~" Albert Schiezer

"Down these Mean Streets a person must go who is not mean, tarnished or afraid (Blue Bloods)".

"Imagine if we all walked into the world with the belief that each person was inherently worthy.

Imagine if our goal was to help each other recognize that we are worthy of being loved.

Imagine if we sought to LISTEN MORE THAN WE SPOKE."

--Fred Rogers=

I wear around my neck a small piece of jewelry, all I have to do is punch it and the police and an ambulance suddenly appear; I go to a hospital and am treated. I can go to the store and pick up whatever I choose to eat; In the last two weeks I have sat with two young guys who overdosed; others are in tents, the doorways. Deep contrasts I see! Deep contrasts that are hidden! As I look at my own life I see the journey it has taken me to get here, a journey of pain, rejection, and deconstruction, and yet a journey of joy and healing.

I look back to my childhood in a small southern town, where I had great parents, but from the moment I was born, I was set up for religious trauma, which continues even now, in many ways in my life of faith-raising questions.

As far as I could remember I was taught that being queer, gay, was a deep sin; that such activities like masturbation, and cussing were sins. There was deep shame instilled. The environment was racist, with separate schools and separate parts of town people lived in. I was raised in the church, and at 12 at church camp found myself called to ministry, and even to this day that call is strong, leading my life and saving me from desperation.

Because of not being able to be myself truly I had many of the characteristics of low self-esteem, lack of maturity, lack of boundaries, and difficulty in interpreting relationships. My childhood and adolescence were harrowing and scary.

Through college, seminary, and years in the parish, I took anti-depressants. When my little brother was killed in an accident I broke down and told my District Superintendent I needed to see a therapist to look at my "sexual identity," and was sent to  "conversion therapy", my god, the way I was treated, harrassed, beaten and finally kicked out on the streets. The Church followed suit, and I lost every relationship I have ever had, I was so alone and fearful. I ceased believing in God and turned to the streets in L.A., became a hustler, a whore.

This was the time I rebelled--against the system; against society, and authority figures; there were days for the first time in my life I had no money for food or a place to stay, so I lived on the streets, and when I made money motels. I was raped, beaten up, and a life of survivor, but it provided me my first chance to experiment with my sexuality.

There was much shame in my life, had always been, much guilt, my closest friends were my fellow street kids, I came to love them, to understand them, receiving the greatest gift of all their acceptance, and my gift for my coming ministry.

So within three years, I had begun my coming off the streets, got a job in Minneapolis as a counselor lying about where I had been, and gave several "johns" as references, saying I had provided in-home counseling, and so off the streets, and my coming out continued.

Like an addict, who just gets clean off drugs, I was mentally stuck in adolescence and so I started growing up, I am not sure I have ever grown up. But am still growing!

And so I came to San Francisco for a workshop, and fell in love with the City, but more importantly the kids on the street. I missed the streets, and I understood those kids.  And so I came to San Francisco, found a job as a counselor, a place on Polk Street, and began by buying kids piazza, and as I have done all my years, simply listened, being a presence and a friend. I found a therapist and for ten years worked on my coming out, and finally found peace. Found peace in my ministry! Life is gray, full of gray areas, no black and white; my anger arises when conservatives come proclaiming their gospel; when people come in and make judgments on what the people on the street should do or believe.

Like the "Hound of Heaven," God never let me go, and during these years God reminded me that I was called in my mother's womb and knew exactly who I was.

These years have been tough and yet filled with joy. The established churches have never accepted me, because of the people I work with, for the Church seems to want to keep its distance. Other institutions very seldom work with the bottom ten percent like I do, and they too nervously work with me when they have to.

Again the church tries to shame me, tries to shame my queer kids, and all homeless people and I am no longer available for that shaming. Dorothy Day once said, "The system is dirty and rotten!" and she was right. Like her, I do not vote, and my protests are in listening, caring, and giving of food to the homeless!

As I am coming to my 30th year in ministry, I am still questioning God and myself, but I know without God I frankly would never have survived for in God I find my purpose. Rather than a place to hide, Calvary shines as a light on a cruel hill, a luminous revelation of God's utter self-give, revealed in all its bloody transparency. In honest faithfulness Christ discloses God's love as the perfect gift, calling us to share that love with everyone!

 For me God is universal, God is a God of Absolute love, and most of the guys know I am a priest, they see me in the Haight and elsewhere celebrating the Eucharist, and many come because it too is all-inclusive.

I have a gathering at my place twice a month early Sunday morning for individuals working overnight, be they hookers or nurses, and we share, no matter their beliefs, and I celebrate the Eucharist as a sign of God's inclusive love.

My ministry is one of presence, walking with each person where he or she is without judgment. No one knows the road of pain they are on, and so my ministry is that of simply listening and caring.

In my years only the therapists or others who could simply walk with me, without judgment with Roger's approach of listening is where I found my path.

In these years I have been beaten, stabbed, shot at, and threatened; the gossip has been the most painful. Again there is much joy!

Religious Trauma has been and is a major part of my life. It has shaped my personality, but now on the whole I am at peace. Religious Trauma has brought me in service to others in the same boat.

The painting at the head of this article was drawn by a young man questioning his beliefs in light of being condemned for being gay, and he committed suicide. It is a painting that haunts me, a haunting presence of the cruelty of religious trauma. A painting of the cruelty of black-and-white religion, not of the presence of inclusive love!

I question all the time if there is a God, and I often wonder if my trust in the presence I feel a lot is fake, but ultimately God is what has gotten me through these years! Like Mother Teresa, I have my doubts, but like her, I continue on understanding, that "God has not called us to success; He has called us to be faithful."

In listening to an interview on "Sixty Minutes" Sunday with Pope Francis, he summarized the major problem in our world--"indifference" people ignoring others and the pain around them, and the ever-present trauma. For me, I got off my duff as a result of faith, and summoned others regardless of belief to do the same!

Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

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I affirm that I believe in God the Father, Almighty.

I believe and trust in Jesus Christ, his Son.

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

I believe and trust in the Three in One.

I respect with all of my heart where others are in their lives and meet them unconditionally.

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Dr. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

Post Office Box 642656

San Francisco, CA 94164

www.temenos.org

paypal.com

415-305-2124

Dr. River Sims, D.Min., D.S.T.

Director

Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Certificate in Spiritual Direction

Prayer of St. Brendan!

"Help me to journey beyond the familiar

and into the unknown.

Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You. Christ of the mysteries I trust in You to be stronger than each storm within me.

I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in Your hands.

Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,

and somehow, make my obedience count for You"

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(Temenos and Dr. River seek to remain accessible to everyone. We do not endorse particular causes, political parties, or candidates, or take part in public controversies, whether religious, political or social--Our pastoral ministry is to everyone!

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Therapy is a dynamic and transformative process aimed at improving mental, emotional, and relational well-being. Rooted in diverse theoretical frameworks and approaches, therapy provides individuals with a confidential and supportive space to explore, understand, and address a wide array of challenges.

The Purpose of Therapy:

1. Promoting Mental Health: Therapy is not just for addressing problems; it's a proactive tool for enhancing mental health. It helps individuals gain insights, build resilience, and develop coping mechanisms to navigate life's complexities.

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2. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT focuses on identifying and modifying negative thought patterns and behaviors, fostering practical solutions to current issues.

3. Humanistic and Person-Centered Therapy: Rooted in empathy and acceptance, this approach emphasizes personal growth, self-actualization, and the therapist-client relationship.

4. Mindfulness-Based Therapies: Incorporating mindfulness and meditation, these therapies aim to cultivate present-moment awareness, reducing stress and promoting mental clarity. For more anxiety therapist san francisco  visit.

The Therapeutic Relationship:

1. Building Trust: Central to therapy is the therapeutic alliance – a trusting relationship between therapist and client. Trust provides a foundation for open communication and vulnerability.

2. Effective Communication: Therapists employ active listening, empathy, and non-verbal cues to create a safe space for clients to express themselves and explore their thoughts and feelings.

Specialized Areas of Therapy:

1. Marriage and Family Therapy: Addressing relational dynamics, family therapists work to improve communication and resolve conflicts within familial relationships.

2. Trauma-Informed Therapy: Tailored for individuals who have experienced trauma, this approach focuses on safety, trust, and empowerment in the healing process.

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2. Destigmatization of Mental Health: Efforts to destigmatize mental health are encouraging open conversations, making therapy a normalized and accepted avenue for self-care.

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Therapy is a powerful tool for self-discovery, growth, and resilience. Whether addressing specific challenges or proactively enhancing well-being, therapy offers a unique and personalized journey toward a more fulfilling and balanced life. It's a testament to the human capacity for change and the belief that, with the right support, individuals can navigate life's complexities with strength and understanding. Take the step towards a healthier, more fulfilling relationship by contacting online therapy san francisco today. Located conveniently in Oakland, Bay Area CBT Center welcomes couples of all backgrounds and orientations to embark on a journey of growth and connection.

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Exploring the Healing Journey: Therapy in San Francisco

San Francisco, a city known for its picturesque landscapes, cultural diversity, and progressive mindset, also stands out as a hub for mental health and well-being. As the pace of life accelerates and the challenges of the modern world unfold, many San Franciscans turn to therapy as a valuable resource for self-discovery, healing, and personal growth. In this article, we delve into the vibrant landscape of therapy in San Francisco, exploring the various approaches, cultural nuances, and the thriving community of mental health professionals.

Diverse Therapeutic Approaches: One of the remarkable aspects of therapy in San Francisco is the diverse range of therapeutic approaches available to individuals seeking support. The city hosts therapists san francisco ca trained in traditional psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, mindfulness-based practices, and more. This diversity allows residents to find a therapeutic approach that resonates with their unique needs and preferences.

Moreover, San Francisco is at the forefront of incorporating holistic and alternative therapies into mainstream mental health practices. Practices like art therapy, somatic experiencing, and ecotherapy have gained popularity, emphasizing the mind-body connection and the importance of holistic well-being.

Cultural Competence: The cultural diversity within San Francisco is mirrored in its therapy landscape. Therapists in the city often undergo specialized training to enhance their cultural competence, enabling them to better serve clients from various backgrounds. This emphasis on diversity and inclusion helps create a safe and supportive space for individuals of different ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and cultural backgrounds.

Community Support and Group Therapy: The sense of community is deeply ingrained in the fabric of San Francisco, and this is reflected in the availability of group therapy options. Group therapy provides a unique opportunity for individuals to share their experiences, gain insights from others facing similar challenges, and build a support network. Whether it's therapy groups focused on specific issues like anxiety, depression, or trauma, or more general personal growth groups, the city offers a variety of options for those seeking a collective healing experience.

Innovative Therapeutic Practices: San Francisco's progressive culture extends to its adoption of innovative therapeutic practices. Technology-assisted therapy, including virtual sessions and mental health apps, has become increasingly prevalent. This allows residents to access therapy conveniently and addresses the evolving needs of a tech-savvy population.

Additionally, integrative practices that combine traditional therapy with activities like yoga, meditation, and outdoor experiences have gained popularity. These approaches acknowledge the importance of lifestyle factors in mental health and offer a more comprehensive approach to well-being.

Therapy in San Francisco is not merely a service; it's a reflection of the city's commitment to holistic well-being and the diverse needs of its residents. The rich tapestry of therapeutic approaches, cultural competence, community support, and innovative practices creates a landscape where individuals can embark on a healing journey tailored to their unique circumstances. Whether you're navigating the complexities of city life, facing personal challenges, or simply seeking personal growth, San Francisco's therapy scene stands ready to offer a diverse and supportive array of resources.