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Objective Reasoning: Truth About the Reality of Suicide
[DISCLAIMER] Personal Ownership I recently listened to an episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast in which he discussed Theo Von’s purported issues with mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), as I thought of a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Before elaborating, it’s worth noting that when practicing REBT I use personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”). For better understanding, re
Deric Hollings
4 days ago22 min read
Existentialism: Meaning Versus Meaninglessness
[DISCLAIMER] When serving as military police (MP) while in the United States Marine Corps, assigned to Camp Kinser (1997-1999), I befriended a fellow Texan to whom I’ll refer as “Jugador.” He and I were fairly close when stationed in Okinawa, Japan. However, so went the familiar phrase when I served in the military, Jugador was an “out of sight, out of mind” type of friend. This expression is used to mean that a person stops thinking about something or someone if he or sh
Deric Hollings
6 days ago16 min read
Displeasing: Choose How You Will Suffer
[DISCLAIMER] The American Psychological Association defines the term suffering as “the experience of pain or acute distress, either physical or psychological, in response to a physical trauma or a significant event, particularly one that is threatening or involves loss (e.g., the death of a loved one).” When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I differentiate between physical and psychological trauma, as well as separating disp
Deric Hollings
7 days ago11 min read
The Speed of Thoughts and Beliefs: Flipping the Bird
[DISCLAIMER] I invite you to contemplate Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) through use of a psychoeducational lesson spawned by two lyricists that aren’t to be confused with rappers. For context, a rapper merely performs the function of rapping (rhythmic wordplay to a beat). Some rappers are arguably better than others. A lyricist raps while concentrating on the art of storytelling, devotes attention to written lyrics, experiments with wordplay, emphasizes poetic d
Deric Hollings
May 1513 min read
Owning Up to Personal and Collective Codes of Conduct
[DISCLAIMER] The American Psychological Association defines a rule as “a guideline or standard that is used to guide responses or behavior or that communicates situational norms.” I’ll now provide a mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”) lesson on a form of rule. When practicing Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I use personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”). For improved understanding, responsibility i
Deric Hollings
May 1510 min read
Separating the Art From the Artist: Shamone, Hee Hee
[DISCLAIMER] Earlier, when listening to 2010 A.D. (2015) by lyricist Planet Asia and producer DirtyDiggs, I heard the track “Love Hell or Right” on which the lyricist states, “Second grade, I started playin’ soccer. Michael Jackson [MJ] was the shit!” This event spawned a psychoeducational lesson. Before I discuss the psychotherapeutic modality that I favor, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I thank you for bearing with me as I discuss my own perspective on MJ and
Deric Hollings
May 1217 min read
What's Love Got to Do With It?
[DISCLAIMER] *What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, Property of Touchstone Pictures and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, fair use My now-deceased mom was a fan of the late Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock). As such, my mother owned a vinyl record of Private Dancer (1984) and played the song “What’s Love Got to Do with It” loudly from a stereo when cleaning our home. The chorus states: What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Deric Hollings
May 1117 min read
Discomfort Anxiety: Where Are You Going?
[DISCLAIMER] In high school, after years of tolerating distorted vision, a family that invited me to live with them from the children’s home in which I was a resident took me to an optometrist. It turned out that I needed prescription eyewear. If memory serves, once I received my new glasses, I was excited about being able to see details of the leaves on a tree from a window of the optometry clinic. “See that?” the optometrist said, “That’s what you’ve been missing!” On
Deric Hollings
May 1011 min read
Political Violence: Freedom's Got a Shotgun
[DISCLAIMER] Unique disclaimer: Nothing expressed herein is meant to serve as a how-to method regarding violence, which the American Psychological Association defines as “the expression of hostility and rage with the intent to injure or damage people or property through physical force.” Readers are strongly encouraged to use personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”) when reviewing the material contained herein. As explicitly stated within my bl
Deric Hollings
May 918 min read
Havoc: How Do You Want It, Nigga?
[DISCLAIMER] *Havoc (2005) spoilers contained herein. I recently posted a blog entry on The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026), as I stated, “I enjoyed it due to appreciating the acting of Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt.” Since then, I’ve become aware of controversy surrounding Hathaway, as one source states: She’s currently riding high on the success of the hotly-anticipated sequel, The Devil Wears Prada 2. Yet Anne Hathaway’s life couldn’t have be
Deric Hollings
May 916 min read
The Devil Wears Prada 2: Maybe We Should Just Be Not Perfect Together
[DISCLAIMER] *The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of 20th Century Studios, fair use I never read the novel The Devil Wears Prada (2003)—about a young woman hired as a personal assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor, a job that becomes challenging as she experiences difficulty trying to keep up with her boss’s schedule and disobliging expectations. All the same, I watched the comedy-drama film The Devil Wears Prada (2
Deric Hollings
May 411 min read
I'ma Air Out My Problemz
[DISCLAIMER] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness. For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, n
Deric Hollings
May 48 min read
Willfully Stuck: I'm Stuck in My Ways
[DISCLAIMER] On his album Wednesday After Next (2019), rapper Chris Webby featured the song “Stuck in My Ways” in which he states, “While these minutes on the clock tickin’, either learn to love me as the man I am, or don’t, but I’m not switching,” and he continues on a chorus by admitting: I’m stuck in my ways, stuck in my ways They saying that I gotta grow up, and to start acting my age I ain’t saying I’ma never change But some things’ll always be the same I’m stuck in
Deric Hollings
Apr 308 min read
Causality: Effects of a Merry-Go-Round Don't Last Forever
[DISCLAIMER] Photo credit, Designed by Magnific, fair use As it pertains to this blogpost, the American Psychological Association (APA) defines an effect as “an event or state that is brought about as the result of another (its cause).” To demonstrate a causative effect, I now invite you to consider Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). First, it may be worth noting that one source states, “A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (Inter
Deric Hollings
Apr 297 min read
Self-Motivation: Trying to Motivate the Unmotivated
[DISCLAIMER] In common parlance, motivation is defined as the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something. Given this description, I value consideration of thoughts and beliefs which are rational (in accordance with both logic and reason). Here, “logic” is the interrelation or sequence of facts or events when seen as inevitable or predictable, and “reason” is a statement offered in explanation or justification. For instance, a modus ponens syllogism uses
Deric Hollings
Apr 2812 min read
Maybe We Should Wanna Run Far Away
[DISCLAIMER] When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I teach people about the ABC model of self-disturbance (how people upset themselves through use of irrational beliefs). Now, I’ll address a finer point of this psychotherapeutic model of wellness. For context, REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate how when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, n
Deric Hollings
Apr 277 min read
Sick of All, You Had Enough
[DISCLAIMER] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Celiá, I heard her spin the track “Before My Eyes” (2025) by Goom Gum and Dancing on Lego. In part, the lyrics state “sick of all, you had enough” and “pick up all you have in love.” When used flexibly, the phrases “sick of all” and “had enough” infer that an individual is tremendously frustrated, annoyed, disappointed, etc. with a situation. However, when used rigidly, the same inference applies tho
Deric Hollings
Apr 275 min read
Negative, but Healthy Anger and Aggression
[DISCLAIMER] In 2024, progressive house supergroup Swedish House Mafia released the song “Lioness” that featured Swedish indietronica duo Niki & the Dove. It’s a subjectively phenomenal track! For the sake of familiarity, the refrain states: You can’t keep me down, I am done, I am furious Fear the lioness, paint her face black and golden [x2] The term “furious” is defined as exhibiting or goaded by anger, indicative of or proceeding from anger. Herein, I’ll make a case
Deric Hollings
Apr 2617 min read
Embarrassment Attacking: Risk-Taking Exercises
[DISCLAIMER] There’s a tool used in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) known as shame attacking. Regarding this useful technique, I stated in Shame Attacking: When working with clients, I find it worthy to differentiate guilt from shame. Guilt (from inside) is something I take credit for, as shame (from outside) is something others assign credit for. Regarding shame and REBT, one source states, “[S]hame attack [homework] assignments are valuable as they challenge
Deric Hollings
Apr 2516 min read
Ain't That a Shame? Oh Well, Goodbye
[DISCLAIMER] In childhood, I enjoyed some artists and songs associated with 1950s rock and roll, as well as boogie-woogie acts, such as the late Fats Domino. For instance, I liked his song “Ain’t That a Shame” (1956) about which one source states: “Ain’t That a Shame” is a song written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. Domino’s recording of the song, originally stated as “Ain’t It a Shame”, released by Imperial Records in 1955, was a hit, eventually selling a million c
Deric Hollings
Apr 238 min read
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