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The Effect of Affect
[DISCLAIMER] As it pertains to this blogpost, the American Psychological Association (APA) defines the term “effect” as “an event or state that is brought about as the result of another (its cause).” Specifically, cause and effect is the principle of causality, establishing one event or action as the direct result of another. As an example, if you place your hand in fire (Action), then you’ll likely sustain a burn (Consequence). Using the ABC model of Rational Emotive Beh
Deric Hollings
Apr 235 min read
It Better Take a Week
[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 227 min read
Inhibition: You've Got to Give It up Till You Can't Get Enough
[ 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 A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Apr 219 min read
You Give Me Such a Vibe: It Feels So Good
[ DISCLAIMER ] Imagine that I told you about an electronic dance music (EDM) track to which I often danced when in South America, as I said “it was such a vibe … it felt so good,” do you think you could identify the error in that expression? If not, you aren’t alone. Many people wouldn’t be able to! As such, I invite you to consider a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) so that you may separate yourself from a crowd of ignorance (lacki
Deric Hollings
Apr 2110 min read
Self-Upset
[ DISCLAIMER ] Concerning this post, the term “upset” regards to trouble mentally or emotionally , or to throw into disorder. Thus, to self-upset is to cause one’s own mental, emotional, and even behavioral chaos. Given this clarification, I now turn to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption , not
Deric Hollings
Apr 215 min read
Inner Citadel: Stuff Cannot Touch the Soul
[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . For this blogpost, it’s worth noting that a citadel is a fortress that commands a city, and a fortress is a fortified place: stronghold—a place of security or survival. Given these useful
Deric Hollings
Apr 216 min read
I Still Had to Learn the Hard Way
[ DISCLAIMER ] On the talented hip hop producer Apollo Brown ’s compilation album Grandeur (2015) is the track “ The Hard Way ” which features lyricists Saga and Ty Farris . When advising Saga, Ty Farris states: Knucklehead for life, wish you would’ve took some advice Shooting dice all night, hit the club, and start a fight That ain’t right That’s why you writing, and your homie is doing that time ‘Cause you was really doing that stupid shit you threw in your rhymes If
Deric Hollings
Apr 207 min read
A Cause for Concern Doesn't Cause Concern
[ DISCLAIMER ] I invite you to consider a psychoeducational lesson on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) which involves how I practice Stoicism regarding a current event. Although you may be tempted to pass by this post, because you don’t care about media stories, I encourage you to stay. I don’t necessarily like or love current geopolitical events, though I make an attempt to daily practice REBT—which involves facing matters for which I have little appreciati
Deric Hollings
Apr 2011 min read
A Special Burden
[ DISCLAIMER ] With Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I opt for use of self about which one source states, “The term use of self in therapy refers specifically to the ways in which the therapist draws upon their own feelings , experiences or personality to enhance the therapeutic process.” As “feelings” were referenced by the aforementioned source, I find it valuable to clarify what this element represents in regard to the construct of beliefs . I say this be
Deric Hollings
Apr 1912 min read
Outcome: Victim Mentality and Playing the Victim
[ DISCLAIMER ] * Outcome (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit , property of Apple Studios, Apple TV, and Strong Baby Productions, fair use When discussing mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “ mental health ”), I often discuss what it is to be a victim (an individual who is the target of another person’s violent , discriminatory , harassing, or assaultive behaviors). There’s a reason that I address this matter. I posit that there’s a di
Deric Hollings
Apr 1917 min read
If You Might Be Everything I Need in My Life
[ 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 A ction occurs and you B elieve an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable a
Deric Hollings
Apr 199 min read
Disgust
[ DISCLAIMER ] From the third compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III (2019), by Dreamville Records , is the song “ Disgusted ” by rappers Cozz and Childish Major . The track begins with Cozz stating: I’m disgusted, she said she[’s] in love, but it’s nothin’ we discussed yet Says she love my hair, and that shit growin’ so luscious And she wanna fuck, but I know she fucked my cousin Every time I think about you I say, “You[’re] disgustin’!” Per the American Psych
Deric Hollings
Apr 1713 min read
Bemoaning My Suffering: Consequences of My Actions
[ DISCLAIMER ] I enlisted in the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps in 1996, serving as military police and as a Marine Security Guard , with a final discharge from military service in 2007. Yet, that single sentence doesn’t provide a meaningful depiction of the in-service challenges I faced. On June 5, 2002, under authority of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), I was subject to a non-judicial punishment procedure for failure to obey an order or regulation (
Deric Hollings
Apr 1611 min read
Intolerance: There's No Way That I Can Take This
[ DISCLAIMER ] I listened to a recent electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Aneya Rose during which she spun the track “ Right Now ” (2022) by James Hurr . In part, the lyrics state, “Tell me, baby, ‘cause I want to break it down. There’s no way that I can take this no more.” With a double negative , the singer uses an unaccommodating belief that indicates intolerance—the quality or state of being intolerant—unable or unwilling to endure. Now, I’ll provide a psychoed
Deric Hollings
Apr 148 min read
PLUR: Addressing Sexual Assault and Rape
[ DISCLAIMER ] Employing the psychotherapeutic technique known as professional use of self , I recently spoke with client X about my past attendance at electronic dance music (EDM) concerts , music festivals , and raves . This individual, significantly younger than I, also attends similar events. Perhaps it’s comprehensible for a current younger raver to dismiss the lived experience of an older person who used to rave in the ‘90s and ‘00s as being passé or even unbeliev
Deric Hollings
Apr 1313 min read
We Gotta Rock It, Don't Stop... Until We Die
[ DISCLAIMER ] Because I don’t have many social media apps on my smartphone , regarding most sites such as Reddit, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and so forth, I often miss up-to-date news about celebrity deaths. This is as I prefer things to be in my life. Still, earlier today, when searching for material online for daily practice of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) I discovered that one source reports, “Influential musical artist Afrika Bambaataa died in Penn
Deric Hollings
Apr 1011 min read
You're Not a Real DJ
[ DISCLAIMER ] Photo credit , fair use When listening to and watching an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by DjMixfe , I observed her using what appears to be a Pioneer DJ DJM-700 DJ Mixer, another piece of sampling equipment which is unfamiliar to me, a plug-in host port, and a laptop. Yet, I saw no DJ decks. Immediately, I was reminded of a phrase I heard throughout my relatively short-lived time as a hobbyist DJ. For context, a “DJ” is a disc jockey. Regarding this
Deric Hollings
Apr 1014 min read
You'll Always Be the Place I Belong, but I'm Letting Go
[ DISCLAIMER ] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Xenia Torino (UA) , I heard her spin the track “ After Love ” by Anyma , from his album Genesys II (2024), featuring vocals by Delilah Montagu . The second verse states: Where does the feeling go when it’s gone? Will it reappear? When it finds its storm ? You’ll always be the place I belong, But I’m letting go . I’m not that strong. When contemplating these lyrics, I can relate from both a per
Deric Hollings
Apr 87 min read
Had Better
[ DISCLAIMER ] When growing up under the tenets of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, my dad instructed me that I “had better” not bow or kneel to anyone other than Jehovah. Confusingly , his prescription clashed with a relatively common practice observed elsewhere in society regarding marriage proposals. Per one source , “The tradition of a man (or woman) proposing on one knee comes from medieval knights bowing before noblewomen as a show of respect . That said, this common gestu
Deric Hollings
Apr 611 min read
How Could This Happen to Me?
[ DISCLAIMER ] On the second studio album Still Not Getting Any... (2004) by Canadian rock band Simple Plan is the song “ Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?) ”. Describing the video for the track, one source states: The music video tells a story of a car crash on a rainy evening where a young male drunk driver crashes his Toyota Camry head-on into a Trans Am driven by a female, resulting in her death. The drunk driver, however, survives relatively uninjured, and en
Deric Hollings
Apr 510 min read
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