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Stay in Your Lane: If You Don’t Feel Too Well, Then Tune Out With Indifference
[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. Now, consider that on his debut commercial mixtape Misunderstood (2019), the late rapper JayDaYoungan released the song “Survive”, in which he said, “We gon’ come bust your fuckin’ brain, so, puss

Deric Hollings
2 days ago17 min read


Semantics: Procedural Rationality vs. Substantive Rationality
[DISCLAIMER] The Words We Use Matter: On Feelings When providing psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I encourage people to consider that the words we use matter. Now, I invite you to contemplate the rationale underlying this conclusion. Regarding my approach to care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I invite people to consider scripts which are rational (in accordance with both logic and reaso

Deric Hollings
Jul 1914 min read


I Can’t Take Anymore, the Feelings I Have for You
[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
Jul 198 min read


It’s Not an Opinion, It’s a Fact: Am I Taking Crazy Pills?
[DISCLAIMER] When providing care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I’m sometimes reminded of an Internet mere regarding the antiquated term crazy (not mentally sound: marked by thought or action that lacks reason). Specifically, one source states: Zoolander is a 2001 comedy film [written and directed by,] and starring Ben Stiller. In it[,] he plays Derek Zoolander, an American male model brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of

Deric Hollings
Jul 612 min read


Play Your Part, Don’t Play Yourself
[DISCLAIMER] On the debut mixtape Indigoism (2013), by hip hop duo The Underachievers (rappers AK the Savior and Issa Gold), is the song “Play Your Part”. Also referred to as ‘play your role’ or ‘play your position,’ one source states that this phrase means to “check yourself’, or ‘act right.” As an example, the hook of “Play Your Part” states, “Better play your part, nigga, or you won’t get far. Started from the bottom, we was swimming with the fishes. Now, we the New Yo

Deric Hollings
Jul 69 min read


Don’t Nobody Else Make Me Feel Like: Sadness
[DISCLAIMER] When browsing the Shuffle subreddit recently, I discovered one Redditor’s video that featured the electronic dance music (EDM) track “Make Me Feel” (2025) by oskar med k. In repetition, lyrics of the song state, “Don’t nobody else make me feel like.” According to one source: The song is built around a vocal sample, with its lyric cutting off after the phrase “make me feel like…”, letting place to synth melodies in where the missing word would normally land. O

Deric Hollings
Jun 2310 min read


What Can I Do? You Give Me That Feeling!
[DISCLAIMER] When browsing the Shuffle subreddit recently, I discovered one Redditor’s video that featured the electronic dance music (EDM) track “What Can I Do” (2025) by Portrait. Lyrics of the song, which I enjoy quite a bit, soulfully state: When I rise into the morning light There’s a joy that gives a way I know that one moment he is my world to embrace What can I do? You give me that feeling, get us the feeling Fresh, free, and you don’t wanna lose this feeling Ke

Deric Hollings
Jun 239 min read


Feels Like a Dream
[DISCLAIMER] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Solour, I heard her spin the track “Kidz (CamelPhat Remix)” (2025) by Arodes. I then thought of a psychoeducational lesson relevant to my practice of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, not the occurrence itself, that causes an un

Deric Hollings
Jun 77 min read


I Feel You in My Mind
[DISCLAIMER] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Deva Vicci, I heard her spin the song “My Mind” (2025) by Korolova and JOA. In part, the lyrics state, “I feel you in my mind.” When hearing the track, I helpfully thought of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, not the occurrence

Deric Hollings
Jun 17 min read


The Logic Is Correct: Yuh, I Felt That One in My Nuggets!
[DISCLAIMER] I recently listened to conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson interviewing German banking and development economist Richard Werner. Even if you don’t typically appreciate Carlson or his perspective, I invite you to consider that Werner stated when discussing bankers: Mathematics is logic, and the logic is correct. And here’s the trick, here’s the great deception. We like logic. Men like logic. People like logic. Logic is convincing to us, and so co

Deric Hollings
May 256 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


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


Can You Feel It?
[ DISCLAIMER ] When listening to an electronic dance music (EDM) DJ set by Holly Loo , I heard her spin the track “ Can You Feel It? ” (2024) by Chymamusique and Floyd D. , featuring vocals by Wanda Baloyi . Lyrics state in part: Can you feel it? I never thought I’d feel this way About somebody else who is not me All these feels that you’ve given me Are so brand new Oh, they’re new to me Could this be love? Could this be true? Could this be real between me and you?

Deric Hollings
Dec 29, 202511 min read


I Guess It Must Have Been Magic
[ DISCLAIMER ] I can’t recommend enough for eclectic hip hop heads to check out the 2011 album Professional Dreamers by Looptroop...

Deric Hollings
Sep 15, 20258 min read


Feelings Are Not Facts
[ DISCLAIMER ] For those who participate in the subculture of hip hop, you’re likely familiar with a trend that I find tolerably...

Deric Hollings
Jul 14, 20258 min read


"Safe" Is Not a Feeling
[ DISCLAIMER ] I imagine that you’re familiar (even if vaguely) with a common phrase associated with safety—the condition of being safe...

Deric Hollings
May 8, 20257 min read


Music Sounds Better with You
[ DISCLAIMER ] It was during my time in Okinawa, Japan (1997-1999) when I was introduced to the music of French house duo Daft Punk ,...

Deric Hollings
Feb 11, 20257 min read


I Felt Worthless
[ DISCLAIMER ] Earlier, I listened to The 17th Cipher ’s song “ Dr. Loomis ,” featuring Doza the Drum Dealer , Beedie , Crise P. , and...

Deric Hollings
Jan 19, 202510 min read


Possession
[ DISCLAIMER ] I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent listening to the vocals of Sarah McLachlan interlaced with electronic dance...

Deric Hollings
Jan 17, 20256 min read


Unhealthy vs. Healthy Negative Emotions
[DISCLAIMER] Photo credit, fair use Imagine you’ve just received news that the person to whom you’re emotionally closest has unexpectedly...

Deric Hollings
Mar 18, 20245 min read
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