You don't mean to do it. Someone gets close—really close—and something in you starts to pull back. You pick a fight. You go cold. You find a reason to leave, or you act in a way that makes them leave first. Afterward, you wonder: why do I keep doing this?

You've noticed the pattern. The people you're drawn to—really drawn to, with that pull you can't quite explain—are the ones who don't fully show up. They're charming but hard to pin down. Warm one moment, distant the next. You keep thinking this time will be different. It never is.

If you've read about anxious, avoidant, and secure attachment, you may have wondered: Am I stuck with this?

In the realm of psychoanalysis, where language is often revered as the pinnacle of self-expression, art emerges as a boundary-stretching force, revealing the limits of words and offering a sophisticated non-verbal pathway to understanding the self. Far from being an "acting out" behavior, artistic creation is a pre-analytic process that not only complements but arguably enhances the goals of psychoanalysis.

Explore Wilhelm Reich’s 1933 technique of character analysis, emphasizing how mannerisms reveal latent resistances. Learn why early analysis is key for lasting therapy success.

Free association is a foundational technique in psychoanalysis, serving as a central method for exploring the unconscious mind. To an outside observer, it might appear to be a simple act of speaking whatever comes to mind. However, for the clinician, it is a powerful tool designed to bypass the ego's defenses and access repressed thoughts, memories, and desires (Freud, 1913). What is the function of this cornerstone of psychoanalytic practice, and how has its application evolved?

Discover the truth about Freud's terminology. Did he use 'subconscious' or 'unconscious'? Learn the real psychology behind this common misconception.

Hyman Spotnitz (September 29, 1908 – April 18, 2008) was an American psychoanalyst and psychiatrist renowned for his pioneering work in modern psychoanalysis.

Relationships thrive on responsiveness. When one partner extends a "bid" for connection—whether through a comment, question, touch, or glance—how the other responds can either strengthen or weaken the relationship's foundation. This dynamic, first identified by relationship researcher Dr. John Gottman, reveals much about why some relationships flourish while others falter (Gottman & Silver, 1999).