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Nonconscious Distress and a Centipede
[DISCLAIMER] When undergoing graduate studies for social work (2012-2014), I’d already earned a master’s degree in counseling (2009-2011). In both graduate programs, I participated in amateur photography, as well as having used the tools of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Regarding the photo above, I set out for an evening of nighttime photography in 2013. I wanted to capture the scenic Pennybacker Bridge in Austin, Texas—where I attended the University of Texas
Deric Hollings
4 days ago12 min read
Expletives: I Just Do Shit Differently Than Motherfuckers Do
[DISCLAIMER] When practicing Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I often use irreverent communication (a style of interaction that deliberately disregards normativity standards or expected politeness, incorporating humor, sarcasm, frankness, and atypical observations). This includes expletives (exclamatory words or phrases, especially those which are obscene or profane), also referred to as cusswords, profanity, swear words, and obscenities. For example, the term “m
Deric Hollings
Jul 76 min read
The Sheep Detectives: Repression and Suppression
[DISCLAIMER] *The Sheep Detectives (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Releasing International, et al., fair use A Sucker for Anthropomorphism Admittedly, I’m a sucker (a person irresistibly attracted by something specified) for anthropomorphism (the ascribing of human personality, appearance, conduct, cognition, or other attributes to non-human entities, often including non-human animals). Allow me to explain.
Deric Hollings
Jul 517 min read
If Your Reaction Isn’t Disturbed, Then Why Is It Disturbed-Coded?
[DISCLAIMER] When providing professional care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I predominately use Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). For those who remain unfamiliar with this psychotherapeutic modality, allow me to discuss one of its tools. 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 occurren
Deric Hollings
Jul 17 min read
A Forceful Version of Active-Directive REBT
[DISCLAIMER] Early in graduate school for counseling, I chose to practice Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), developed by the late psychologist Albert Ellis (AE), which is an active-directive form of psychotherapy (often referred to as “therapy”). About this type of therapy, one source states: Active-Directive Therapy is significantly more helpful to more people than is passive, less active therapy. Effective therapists not only listen carefully to their clients an
Deric Hollings
Jul 112 min read
Suicide-Psycho
[DISCLAIMER] During my sophomore year of high school, the Lords of the Underground (L.O.T.U.G.), a hip hop trio composed of lyricists Dupré Kelly (DoItAll), Al’Terik Wardrick (Mr. Funke), and Bruce A. Colston (DJ Lord Jazz), came on to the scene with Here Comes the Lords (1993). The debut studio album contained the song “Psycho”, which was produced by Marley Marl, and represents the golden age of hip hop. Regarding the antiquated term “psycho,” I stated in Psychopathy and
Deric Hollings
Jun 2314 min read
Spilled Milk: Tolerance and Acceptance
[DISCLAIMER] I invite you to consider that one source states, “We’ve all heard the phase before – ‘Don’t cry over spilled milk.’ It’s a classic saying meant to remind us that getting upset over things we can’t change won’t do any good,” using milk as a symbol of something valuable, yet easily lost. Sometimes expressed as “there’s no use crying over spilled milk,” the meaning of this idiomatic expression infers that there’s no point in being upset over something that has a
Deric Hollings
Jun 1817 min read
Obsession
[DISCLAIMER] *Obsession (2025/2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of Blumhouse Productions, Focus Features, Universal Pictures, et al., fair use Why on Earth Would I Pay Attention to Reddit? To strengthen my practice of providing care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), I often peruse Reddit to obtain knowledge, wisdom, and understanding about social trends affecting the field in which I work. “Why?” you may a
Deric Hollings
Jun 1620 min read
Backrooms: Irrational Beliefs and Falsifiability
[DISCLAIMER] *Backrooms (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of North Road Films, A24, et al., fair use Backrooms Previously unfamiliar with the Backrooms, a fictional location invented in a 2019 thread on the imageboard website 4chan, or corresponding science fiction horror web series, Backrooms, I recently watched the film Backrooms (2026). Summarizing the plot, one source states: Backrooms, directed and co-written by 20-year-old YouTuber-turned-
Deric Hollings
Jun 822 min read
What Dies, Kids? Everything, and That’s No Hokum.
[DISCLAIMER] *Hokum (2026) spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Neon, et al., fair use I recently watched the supernatural horror film Hokum (2026). Succinctly summarizing the plot, one source states, “A horror writer visits an Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, unaware the property is said to be haunted by a witch.” Before I continue any further, I’ll note that this was my first time seeing Irish actor Florence Ordesh in a
Deric Hollings
Jun 719 min read
I Don't Care: Ambivalence vs. Apathy
[DISCLAIMER] Realizing that the Electronic Daisy Carnival (EDC) recently took place in its home of Las Vegas, Nevada, I took to YouTube so that I could watch and listen to DJ sets from the largest electronic dance music (EDM) festival in North America, as I saw one of my favorite modern DJs perform. During his DJ set, French EDM producer and DJ going by the name of I Hate Models spun the track “4 by 4 Beats (I Don’t Care)” by Belgian EDM producer and DJ going by the name
Deric Hollings
Jun 317 min read
Step to My Girl: But Ask Yourself, Homeboy, Why Is That?
[DISCLAIMER] I’m a fan of Oakland, California-based underground hip hop collective Hieroglyphics, also known as the Hieroglyphics Crew and Hiero, consisting of lyricists Del the Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, and all four members of the group Souls of Mischief (lyricists Phesto, A-Plus, Opio, and Tajai), as well as DJ Touré and producer/manager Domino. In 2001, Hiero released the album Hiero Oldies Vol 1 that contained the 1990 track “Step to My Girl” by Souls of Mis
Deric Hollings
May 2812 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
May 1811 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
Another Night, Another Dream, but Always You
[DISCLAIMER] Regarding professional care for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”), there are many psychotherapeutic modalities available. My preferred model is Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) which aims to help people get better, not merely feel better. For instance, the American Psychological Association (APA) defines catharsis as “in psychoanalytic theory, the discharge of previously repressed affects connected to traumatic ev
Deric Hollings
May 1310 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
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 Cat in the Hat: Leisure Without Study Is Death
[DISCLAIMER] *The Cat in the Hat spoilers contained herein. Photo credit, property of Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, and United International Pictures, fair use In childhood, I knew next to nothing about mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”). Looking back to that period in life, I experienced quite a bit of ignorance (lack of knowledge, education, or awareness). Therefore, when having a story by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel read
Deric Hollings
May 815 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
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
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