Larger series: This is part of a larger series of explorations delving into the world of psychology and its applications to everyday life.

Description: To live in this world is to live in a social world. To live in a social world is to be swimming in an intersubjective sea of other people’s psychologies. Therefore, to be a person in this world is to be in a continual process of navigating these collective waters (other people’s minds as well as the external behavioral manifestations of those minds). Many of these interactions are positive. There may be other interactions, however, which express the unconscious acting out of an individual’s psychological issues, which may unfortunately, at times be harmful to others. The newly circulating phrase “gaslighting,” is but one of many of these relational dynamics that many people are familiar with nowadays. In this meeting we explore many such ego-games people play as well as how one may begin spot such games and thereby inoculate, protect, circumvent, or otherwise surmount them. In other words, in order to live effectively in this world, we need to have “psychological street smarts.”

Agenda for meeting: We begin our meetings with a warm-up exploration in small groups of 2-3, then move into a brief talk. After the talk, we again gather in small groups of 2-3 to an applied exercise or group exploration, then come back together to share, and have time at end for free form connecting.

Who is it for: This event is free and open to all interested in the topic. Part of the vision of this series of events is the building of a community centered around deeper and more meaningful ways of connecting.

 

Takeaways: 

  • Discovery: Learn about the variety of ego-games that people play in the social world. Knowing these helps one to be able to quickly detect and recognize when such a game is in play, and frequently the nature of such game (e.g., the mechanics and motivations that often underlie or accompany such games).
  • Process: Learn the internal processes and skills one can employ to retain one’s internal sense of perspective, power, self-determination, autonomy, and self-respect when in the midst of such a game.
  • Applied Practice: Learn about the external actions one may take to inoculate, protect, circumvent, otherwise surmount the relational dynamic or dynamics in play.

 

Host: Arvin Paul, PhD (US Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist, & Educator)