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Obsession

  • Writer: Deric Hollings
    Deric Hollings
  • 4 days ago
  • 20 min read

 

*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 ask.

 

For better, worse, or otherwise, artificial intelligence (AI) mechanisms reportedly train on the social media platform. Therefore, as many of my current clients use AI which gleans information from Reddit, I prefer to familiarize myself with knowledge stemming from AI social media slop.

 

Granted, I don’t pet the proverbial animals when visiting a metaphorical zoo, as I don’t use an active Reddit account. Rather, I observe fallible human beings and AI bots interacting with one another, acquire understanding about how Reddit informs AI, and carry on about my business.

 

Obsession

 

When on a subreddit forum devoted to borderline personality disorder (BPD), I saw a number of Redditors commenting on a thread about the film Obsession that was shot in 2024, premiered in 2025, and which was theatrically released in 2026. Describing the plot, one source states:

 

Bear is a quiet, emotionally guarded young man who works at a second-hand instrument store and spends much of his time longing for Nikki, a co-worker he has never found the courage to approach romantically. Encouraged by his best friend Ian to finally make a move, Bear tries to convince himself that he still has time to say what he feels. But after returning home one day to a devastating personal loss, his loneliness and grief leave him more vulnerable than ever.

 

When Nikki invites him out for a trivia night with their friends, Bear sees a chance to be closer to her. On the way, he stops at a small new age gift shop in hopes of replacing a sentimental item she recently lost. Instead, he is drawn to a strange novelty called a One Wish Willow, a small charm that claims to grant a single wish when snapped in two. What begins as a harmless joke becomes something far more serious after an awkward encounter with Nikki leaves Bear embarrassed, desperate, and afraid that he has missed his chance.

 

In a moment of weakness, Bear makes a wish for Nikki to love him more than anyone else. At first, the wish appears to give him exactly what he wants. Nikki suddenly becomes affectionate, attentive, and eager to be with him, turning Bear’s long-held fantasy into a reality almost overnight. But as their new relationship develops, her devotion begins to feel less like love and more like obsession. Her behavior grows increasingly intense, erratic, and unsettling, while Bear struggles to understand whether Nikki is simply in crisis or whether something far darker has taken hold.

 

As friends begin to notice the disturbing changes in Nikki, Bear is forced to confront the consequences of trying to control another person’s heart. What seemed like a shortcut to love becomes a dangerous and unpredictable nightmare, pushing him into a world of guilt, fear, and escalating horror. With the line between affection and possession rapidly collapsing, Bear must face the terrifying possibility that the wish he made cannot be undone.

 

Viewing Obsession through the subjective framework of professional mental health care, I recognize that Bear’s failure to have properly understood what he controlled and influenced, or not, was what resulted in him ultimately completing suicide. I’ll address this more in a bit.

 

For now, it’s worth noting that in common parlance an obsession relates to a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling. As well, the American Psychological Association (APA) thusly defines obsession:

 

[A] persistent thought, idea, image, or impulse that is experienced as intrusive or inappropriate and results in marked anxiety, distress, or discomfort. Obsessions are often described as ego-dystonic in that they are experienced as alien or inconsistent with one’s self and outside one’s control (though this is not necessarily the case in children).

 

Common obsessions include repeated thoughts about contamination, a need to have things in a particular order or sequence, repeated doubts, aggressive or horrific impulses, and sexual imagery.

 

Obsessions can be distinguished from excessive worries about everyday occurrences in that they are not concerned with real-life problems. The response to an obsession is often an effort to ignore or suppress the thought or impulse or to neutralize it by a compulsion.

 

When providing professional mental health care services, it isn’t uncommon for clients to refer to obsessions as compulsions (seemingly irresistible and persistent impulses to perform an act, such as excessive hand washing). These unwanted drives are perceived as quite bothersome.

 

Noteworthy, the APA defines obsessive behavior as “behavior characteristic of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, such as persistent brooding, doubting, ruminating, worrying over trifles, or cleaning up and keeping things in perfect order.”

 

Personal Ownership

 

When reading the aforementioned BPD subreddit forum, one Redditor stated of Obsession, “It stigmatizes mental illness instead of actually helping people who already feel insecure for having a mental illness.” Personally, this response reeks of the stench common of a victim mentality.

 

In this regard, practicing Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I use personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”). Responsibility is defined as the quality or state of being responsible, such as a moral, legal, or mental accountability.

 

Here, “responsible” is defined as liable to be called to account as the primary cause, motive, or agent, and being able to answer for one’s conduct and obligations—something, such as the demands of conscience or custom, that obligates one to a course of action.

 

Also, “accountable” is defined as subject to giving an account—a statement explaining one’s conduct. Accountability is defined as the quality or state of being accountable, especially regarding an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.

 

When providing psychoeducational lessons on REBT, a psychotherapeutic modality which arguably requires that one preferably should take personal ownership in order to reduce self-distress or self-disturbance, I lean heavily on both responsibility and accountability.

 

This is because I maintain that people have personal agency (a person’s ability to control one’s own reactions to activating events which are beyond one’s own dominion, especially when one’s response is limited by someone or something else). This is a matter of self-empowerment.

 

Claiming that Obsession “stigmatizes mental illness instead of actually helping people who already feel insecure for having a mental illness” necessarily deprives those with mental health conditions of personal agency and ownership. Of this matter, an REBT tool comes to mind.

 

ABC Model

 

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 unpleasant Consequence. This is known as distress or disturbance.

 

Noteworthy, with virtually any undesirable Action that occurs, it’s your unfavorable Beliefs which cause unpleasant distress or disturbance (Consequence). Given this framing of self-distress and self-disturbance, it’s worth noting that one REBT source states (page 71):

 

REBT conceptualizes [distress] as healthy even though it is intense. Other approaches to therapy have as their goal the reduction of the intensity of negative emotions. They take this position because they do not keenly differentiate between healthy negative emotions (distress) and unhealthy negative emotions (disturbance).

 

Now, REBT keenly distinguishes between healthy distress and unhealthy disturbance. Healthy distress stems from your rational beliefs about a negative activating event [Action], whilst disturbance stems from your irrational beliefs about the same event.

 

Complete elimination of distress is highly unlikely in an impermanent and uncertain world wherein people conceptually suffer, struggle, and battle with, or merely experience hardship. Still, individuals often make matters worse for themselves by disturbing about such instances.

 

In particular, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people often use to distress or disturb themselves: global evaluations, low frustration tolerance, awfulizing, and demandingness. When contemplating these unproductive scripts, think of the acronym GLAD.

 

Worth noting, the two forms of should, must, and ought demands with which people most often distress or disturb are associated with use of absolutistic and conditional beliefs. Generally speaking, these scripts serve as inflexible commands used toward oneself, others, and life.

 

An absolute must narrative is, “You absolutely must do as I say!” A conditional should narrative is, “Either you should do as I say, or you should be punished!” Noteworthy, in REBT literature, demandingness of this sort is said to function as a primary appraisal mechanism of self-upset.

 

Global evaluations (i.e., self-downing, other-downing, and life-downing), low frustration tolerance (also known as frustration intolerance), and awfulizing (e.g., terrible, horrible, etc.) function as secondary appraisal mechanisms. Together, GLAD will make you sad or mad, etc.

 

While still functioning as prescriptive rather than descriptive, flexible use of recommendatory, preferential, ideal, empirical, moral and ethical, and legal ought beliefs won’t inevitably cause disturbance, as they may align with distress. Rigidity versus flexibility makes a difference.

 

Additionally, from a psychological standpoint, people distress or disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.

 

For example, from an A-C frame, a Redditor watches Obsession (Action) and forms an unfavorable opinion about the film (Consequence). However, Obsession isn’t what helps or hurts those with mental disorders. Rather, the B-C connection does that.

 

For instance, someone with BPD watches Obsession (Action) and Believes, “Life is meaningless when BPD is stigmatized [G], so I can’t stand the film [L], because it’s horrific how poorly the most severe elements of BPD are portrayed [A], so no one should watch the movie [D]!”

 

With this unaccommodating point of view, someone with BPD then causes one’s own negative and unhealthy anger and aggression (Consequence). This is a matter of self-induced disturbance, and it reeks of victimhood. How disempowering!

 

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unproductive philosophies of life in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Whereas rigid beliefs cause self-disturbance, flexible beliefs result in an un-disturbed condition.

 

Rather than using a narrative of self-disturbance, suppose that someone with BPD watches Obsession (Action) and Effectively believes, “Although I don’t like or love how elements of mental health are portrayed in the film, I can simply choose not to watch Obsession.”

 

Unconditional Acceptance

 

Shifting from a Redditor’s perspective and hypothetical person with BPD, I now return to the case of Bear from Obsession. In the film, he ingests an unknown quantity of medication to complete suicide and break the curse of the One Wish Willow.

 

While Obsession presents Nikki as being obsessed, as she demonstrates some of the most severe symptoms of mental disorders, it was Bear who was initially obsessed in the film. Although not quite to the level of compulsion, his obsession with Nikki began his downward trajectory.

 

Thus, he could’ve benefitted from the REBT tool of unconditional acceptance (UA) that relieves self-induced suffering. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance (USA), unconditional other-acceptance (UOA), and unconditional life-acceptance (ULA).

 

With my approach to REBT, I incorporate author Stephen Covey’s concepts regarding the circles of control, influence, and concern, as well as an area of no concern. UA maps onto the circle of control (USA), circle of influence (UOA), and circle of concern and area of no concern (ULA).

 

The circle of control encompasses only oneself, the circle of influence encapsulates elements which may be subject to one’s sway, the circle of concern engrosses most matters one can imagine, and the area of no concern relates to all content which isn’t yet imagined.

 

Regarding Bear’s circle of control and USA, he could’ve admitted that in life one has control over only one’s own reaction to love or not being loved. Concerning his circle of influence and UOA, Bear may’ve been able to have influenced Nikki for an intimate partner relationship.

 

Pertaining to Bear’s circle of concern and ULA, each person has exceedingly limited control and influence in an imperfect life. Thus, when Bear self-disturbed with unhelpful beliefs to where he was unable to admit his affection for Nikki, he then unfortunately sought supernatural control.

 

This is where the area of no concern is represented in Obsession. It’s the realm in which otherworldly powers can deprive Nikki of her personal agency and ownership, allowing Bear to supersede her free will while he engages in a nonconsensual romantic relationship.

 

Understandably, Obsession is a supernatural psychological horror film. The frightening possibility of essentially being sexually assaulted or raped, which is what it is to be under the effects of a mystical spell while someone else treats you as a romantic partner, isn’t great.

 

Fortunately, I see no valid or reliable evidence that many elements within the area of no concern actually exist. Therefore, I focus on realistic, not idealistic, possibilities. Ergo, I ask myself in all circumstances: (1) What do I control? (2) What do I influence?

 

I’ve had plenty of Nikki-esque characters in my life that represented unrequited love. Once I learned about REBT, I started to ask, “What do I control, given that she doesn’t appear to share my affection?” The answer is the same every time! “I control only my reaction to this situation.”

 

Similarly, I began inquiring of myself, “What do I influence, as in, is she able to be persuaded to see whether or not we’re compatible for a romantic relationship?” Sometimes, I was effective at persuasion. Other times, I wasn’t. So be it! I wasn’t a victim. I simply controlled my reaction!

 

Conclusion

 

I often rely on Reddit content to inform me of how AI may be influencing people. As an example, I recently discovered a subreddit forum in which the film Obsession was discussed. Herein, I’ve defined “obsession” for a psychoeducational lesson on mental health.

 

Specifically, I demonstrated how personal ownership plays an integral role in the practice of the ABC model and UA. Rather than disempoweringly viewing oneself as a victim, REBT illustrates how to empoweringly stop the unfavorable process of self-disturbance.

 

Ultimately, I advocate the helpful practice of asking what one may control and influence in all circumstances. In Obsession, this productive approach to rational living could’ve saved the lives of both Bear and Nikki (i.e., he wouldn’t have killed himself for having ostensibly raped her).

 

Now, I present this lesson to you. Irrespective of your view on Obsession, I suspect that you can consider how mild, moderate, and severe forms of obsession may not serve your healthy interests and goals (e.g., pursuing an intimate partner relationship rather than seeking to control others).

 

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

 

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

 

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

 

 

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

 

References:

 

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Hollings, D. (2025, July 2). I love you, baby. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/i-love-you-baby

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Ideal should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ideal-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, April 27). Ideal-world vs. real-world. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ideal-world-vs-real-world

Hollings, D. (2026, June 9). If we could be love, then we must be love. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/if-we-could-be-love-then-we-must-be-love

Hollings, D. (2026, June 15). If you’re a fallible human being, then so be it: Go HAM. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/if-you-re-a-fallible-human-being-then-so-be-it-go-ham

Hollings, D. (2024, May 24). Imagery. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/imagery

Hollings, D. (2024, October 21). Impermanence and uncertainty. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/impermanence-and-uncertainty

Hollings, D. (2025, September 21). Impugning motive: Swallowing a toad. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/impugning-motive-swallowing-a-toad

Hollings, D. (2026, April 26). Impulse. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/impulse

Hollings, D. (2022, November 8). Information overload. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/information-overload

Hollings, D. (2024, February 14). Insufferable vs. undesirable. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/insufferable-vs-undesirable

Hollings, D. (2024, November 8). Is your fear valid? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/is-your-fear-valid

Hollings, D. (2025, October 13). Knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/knowledge-wisdom-understanding

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Legal should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/legal-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2025, January 8). Life-downing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-downing

Hollings, D. (2022, December 9). Like it, love it, accept it. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/like-it-love-it-accept-it

Hollings, D. (2026, May 17). Listening to reason through argument: Is the rhetoric of whataboutism persuasive? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/listening-to-reason-through-argument-is-the-rhetoric-of-whataboutism-persuasive

Hollings, D. (2022, December 2). Low frustration tolerance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/low-frustration-tolerance

Hollings, D. (2024, March 4). Mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-emotional-and-behavioral-health

Hollings, D. (2025, November 16). Mental health, mental illness, and mental disorder. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-health-mental-illness-and-mental-disorder

Hollings, D. (2025, April 16). Mentally corrupt decisions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mentally-corrupt-decisions

Hollings, D. (2026, April 28). Metaphor: Life’s a dance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/metaphor-life-s-a-dance

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Moral and ethical should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/moral-and-ethical-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2026, February 16). Moral panic: The irrationality of slogans such as “believe women” and “believe victims”. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/moral-panic-the-irrationality-of-slogans-such-as-believe-women-and-believe-victims

Hollings, D. (2024, September 27). My attitude. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/my-attitude

Hollings, D. (2025, August 2). My philosophy. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/my-philosophy

Hollings, D. (2026, April 26). Negative, but healthy anger and aggression. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/negative-but-healthy-anger-and-aggression

Hollings, D. (2025, April 13). Non-aggression principle – Don’t put your hands on me. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/non-aggression-principle-don-t-put-your-hands-on-me

Hollings, D. (2026, April 4). Objective reality. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/objective-reality

Hollings, D. (2026, May 21). Objective reasoning: Truth about the reality of suicide. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/objective-reasoning-truth-about-the-reality-of-suicide

Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings

Hollings, D. (2024, June 17). On free will. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-free-will

Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Open, honest, and vulnerable communication. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/open-honest-and-vulnerable-communication

Hollings, D. (2024, November 18). Opinions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/opinions

Hollings, D. (2025, January 7). Other-downing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/other-downing

Hollings, D. (2026, April 19). Outcome: Victim mentality and playing the victim. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/outcome-victim-mentality-and-playing-the-victim

Hollings, D. (2025, April 9). Perception, action, and will. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/perception-action-and-will

Hollings, D. (2023, June 3). Perfect is the enemy of good. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/perfect-is-the-enemy-of-good

Hollings, D. (2024, February 24). Personal agency. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/personal-agency

Hollings, D. (2022, November 7). Personal ownership. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/personal-ownership

Hollings, D. (2025, September 9). Personal responsibility and accountability. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/personal-responsibility-and-accountability

Hollings, D. (2026, April 13). PLUR: Addressing sexual assault and rape. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/plur-addressing-sexual-assault-and-rape

Hollings, D. (2026, June 15). Point of view. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/point-of-view

Hollings, D. (2025, January 17). Possession. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/possession

Hollings, D. (2025, September 19). Power. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/power

Hollings, D. (2025, April 25). Preferences vs. expectations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/preferences-vs-expectations

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Preferential should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/preferential-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2023, November 23). Problems. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/problems

Hollings, D. (2024, January 1). Psychoeducation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychoeducation

Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2024, May 15). Rational living. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-living

Hollings, D. (2025, August 13). Rational versus irrational thoughts and beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-versus-irrational-thoughts-and-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, January 1). Rational vs. irrational. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-vs-irrational

Hollings, D. (2024, May 22). Reasoning with the unreasonable. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/reasoning-with-the-unreasonable

Hollings, D. (2024, March 14). REBT and emotions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rebt-and-emotions

Hollings, D. (2024, July 18). REBT flexibility. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rebt-flexibility

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Recommendatory should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/recommendatory-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, January 20). Reliability vs. validity. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/reliability-vs-validity

Hollings, D. (2023, February 17). Revisiting the circle of control. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/revisiting-the-circle-of-control

Hollings, D. (2024, January 4). Rigid vs. rigorous. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rigid-vs-rigorous

Hollings, D. (2024, December 26). Sadfishing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/sadfishing

Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2025, January 6). Self-downing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-downing

Hollings, D. (2026, April 21). Self-upset. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-upset

Hollings, D. (2022, October 7). Should, must, and ought. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/should-must-and-ought

Hollings, D. (2024, March 24). Smartphone and social media addiction. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/smartphone-and-social-media-addiction

Hollings, D. (2025, December 24). Some people advocate walking. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/some-people-advocate-walking

Hollings, D. (2024, February 27). Suffering, struggling, and battling vs. experiencing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/suffering-struggling-and-battling-vs-experiencing

Hollings, D. (2025, August 6). Take an inventory of your obligations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/take-an-inventory-of-your-obligations

Hollings, D. (2022, December 23). The A-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-a-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2025, December 21). The awful, very bad, horrible, terrible, no good, unacceptable elements of life. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-awful-very-bad-horrible-terrible-no-good-unacceptable-elements-of-life

Hollings, D. (2022, December 25). The B-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-b-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2026, April 12). The Cartesian crisis: What do I control? What do I influence? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ the-cartesian-crisis-what-do-i-control-what-do-i-influence

Hollings, D. (2022, November 2). The critical A. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-critical-a

Hollings, D. (2025, December 12). The dark one. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-dark-one

Hollings, D. (2025, January 2). The distinction between law and justice. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-distinction-between-law-and-justice

Hollings, D. (2026, February 21). The preferences versus expectations paradigm: Love is not enough, though virtue is. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-preferences-versus-expectations-paradigm-love-is-not-enough-though-virtue-is

Hollings, D. (2026, May 15). The speed of thoughts and beliefs: Flipping the bird. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-speed-of-thoughts-and-beliefs-flipping-the-bird

Hollings, D. (2026, April 23). The three traditionally identified components of the mind: Affect, cognition, and conation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-three-traditionally-identified-components-of-the-mind-affect-cognition-and-conation

Hollings, D. (2025, April 15). This cake smells unpleasant. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/this-cake-smells-unpleasant

Hollings, D. (2023, February 16). Tna. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/__tna

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2025, January 9). Traditional ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/traditional-abc-model

Hollings, D. (2026, March 14). Trolley problem: Distress or disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/trolley-problem-distress-or-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2024, October 20). Unconditional acceptance redux. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance-redux

Hollings, D. (2023, March 11). Unconditional life-acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-life-acceptance

Hollings, D. (2023, February 25). Unconditional other-acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-other-acceptance

Hollings, D. (2023, March 1). Unconditional self-acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-self-acceptance

Hollings, D. (2024, March 18). Unhealthy vs. healthy negative emotions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unhealthy-vs-healthy-negative-emotions

Hollings, D. (2024, October 26). Unhelpful expectations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unhelpful-expectations

Hollings, D. (2022, November 25). Victimhood. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/victimhood

Hollings, D. (2023, May 3). Want vs. need. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/want-vs-need

Hollings, D. (2025, September 28). War crimes: A rational course of action. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/war-crimes-a-rational-course-of-action

Hollings, D. (2024, August 20). We all make our choices. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/we-all-make-our-choices

Hollings, D. (2025, March 11). We live in an imperfect world. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/we-live-in-an-imperfect-world

Hollings, D. (2023, July 7). When idealism doesn’t stack up to realism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/when-idealism-doesn-t-stack-up-to-realism

Hollings, D. (2024, April 17). Wishes, dreams, and goals. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/wishes-dreams-and-goals

Hollings, D. (2026, March 22). Worry: Would It Help? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/worry-would-it-help

Hollings, D. (2026, March 8). You are not your beliefs or ideas. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/you-are-not-your-beliefs-or-ideas

Hollings, D. (2026, March 26). You’ll have suffered twice. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/you-ll-have-suffered-twice

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