Life with Ken

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My therapeutic approach to mental health pulls from mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and psychodynamic therapy mainly; with a mix of gestalt psychology, Freudian psychology more broadly, and analytical psychology. I’ve landed here through formal and informal education, lived experiences, and introspection. The advancement of psychology is currently in the broaching of its history. From Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, to Descartes, Nietzsche, Moll, Freud and beyond, to me what makes psychology, psychology, resonates in a few different themes, concepts, and or ideas.

Those things are the scientific method, development particularly among children, adolescents, and young adults, theology/existentialism/psyche, sex, drugs, neurology, propaganda, and self-actualization. If you can apply intellectual and emotional intelligence to your interaction and therapeutic work, particularly with the scope of the aforementioned in mind, with specific intentions, you can create opportunities to be impactful and effective in a person’s life.

Within the context of the study of human behavior, experimentation, growth/aging/maturation, connection with the outside world, connection with oneself, the proper function of a person’s brain, what and how a person thinks, and anything that influences any of what is listed here, is human behavior. My approach also applies political paradigms and the dynamics and physics of power. I write about this in my book, “Get Your Mind Right,” where I discuss essentially how to be more human, with yourself and with other people.

I value the progressive approach to relating to people from the perspective of an “elite” and or educated class, making considerate decisions for those who depend on and value their guidance. I also value a conservative approach to governance from the perspective of empowering people to make healthy decisions for themselves. In my book I define a healthy or “right” decision as one that is aligned with a person’s wants and desires. When you consider temperament and character development, there is so much of a person’s personality that is innately present and gets defined and shaped over time.

One of the main contributions to a person’s personality development is their phenotype. Phenotypes aren’t always conducive to development whether it be childhood development, adolescent development, the psychosocial stages, or the development of a person’s self-concept. Success in this context stems from a high-quality support system. If someone doesn’t have regular access to a high-quality support system, people who will speak words of encouragement to and over them, take action, put their money where their mouth is, and be resourceful, then there should be a way for someone to experience that help in some capacity, albeit maybe and likely a limited one.

My psychological perspective at the very least tries to be a bridge in that gap between no and or poor support, and high quality support. This approach is reflected in my lifestyle brand Life with Ken, where we focus on helping people live more confidently by providing various supportive resources. My understanding of this resonates with my own existential journey. Who I am doesn’t fully align with where I come from phenotypically and it has taken high quality support to get me to a place where I can thrive as a more authentic and integrated person. The reality of this lived experience materialized itself for me within the concept and etymology of confidence and desires.

By studying confidence and desires and applying a neurological, mindfulness, and metaphysical approach to my understanding, I’ve been able to help myself and others experience the potential of all I or they could be. In the context of being in a vacuum or with limited resources, a full range of possibilities can be difficult to demonstrate. My approach is more concerned with creating moments or spaces where support can be experienced, particularly from a secondary or tertiary perspective. If you are the primary source or are within one degree of separation from a primary source, you would want to consider adopting a lifestyle approach or a pattern of consistency in creating opportunities for you or someone else to experience support, AKA a high-quality support system.

Everyone may not be able to do that but anyone can be intentional about facilitating a moment where they themselves or someone else are and feels acknowledged. In the end personality is going to be developed one way or another. But it’s in the poor development of a person where phrases like “hurt people hurt people” come from. My psychological approach is inclined to help people develop well. A well-developed person passes that healthiness on to someone else, creates a ripple effect, and positively impacts the world for the better.

My approach is about facilitating honesty to allow people to become a better version of themselves. Its commitment to psychology and the philosophical study thereof is what makes it effective. Use the tools and inherent experience within the field of the study of human behavior to help someone suspend their unbelief enough for them to ask the question, “why not me and why not now?”, and actually believe it and get inspired enough to be willing to take action on it. Simply put, do the work for yourself first, if necessary, then help someone else believe the possibility of a new reality for themselves. Once you or the person you are helping arrives here the next step should therapeutic or similar support continue, would be deciphering desire; uncovering whether or not what is espoused is what that person has the willpower to pursue, and what actionable steps towards that desired end looks like.

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