@mbeisen Originally followed for the academic content. Stayed for the Gooner content.

@will_owen9 I see a couple of sides to this. I think on one hand, the drama is sports adds to things. On the other hand, the media will blow things our of proportion and it leads to players and referees being harmed (and stepping away like Busby recently sadly).

@thepaulwilliams Thought Wales weren't terrible yesterday and fronted up / did their best. Just that this is probably the best ever French outfit. I find that whenever France or Wales are at their peak, the other is usually at their opposite (in the 6N era)!

@AnnLeinsterFan Merry Sixmas one and all.

@NTFabiano Great work. Brings to mind both the importance of dynamic and person centred formulation, as well as also another reason why manualised therapies in both academic studies and real world settings only appear to help a minority.

@TightFive_Rugby Merry Sixmas!

@DavidPuder As McWilliam's says a complex myriad intersects all of this. From common depressive character styles in therapists preventing disclosures+disagreements, power imbalances and different orientations/views/personality of the SV-er making true expression (esp for trainees) nuanced.

@dremilyanhalt 💯. Even going back to Harry Stack Sullivan they often talk about reciprocal actions between infant and mother dyads. Breastfeeding is one of the earliest sources of comfort and having a need met by another. Sad that services can omiss knowledge at times that is out there.

@proud_penelope 🎯. Nail on the head. For a field where we encourage many patients to see shades of grey over categorising as black or white, it is also outstanding how practitioners (or academics) take rigidly oppositional stances over things that in fact do not need to be in opposition!

@jefffinethomas I find it can be one of the most criticised defences in general discourse (and mixed up by non trained people with being emotionless or perhaps have a neurodevelopmental disorder). Intellectualisation can be an excellent defence to "stand back" and survey difficult emotions.

@RugbyInsideLine Himself and Sheehan neck and neck.

@JonathanShedler As witnessed in programmes such as England's IAPT service. Whilst good intentions, focusing on symptom measures leads to less person centred formulations or therapy directed by a goal/fanasy, and more immediate symptom reduction via Dx specific, rigid, manuals.

@DoctorPerin Certainly helpful for the early stages of therapeutic intervention. Helps the patient, depending on their psych mindedness, draw links between the body, actions and emotional states. Can help improve self esteem/confidence before deeper work too.

@ek_rugby Hope they are able to give a good crack at this. In the 2010's what a fixture this used to be!

@JoeNaConnacht Breakdown battle is going to be carnage between this and the England team.

@MarkLRuffalo Without appreciating the role one plays in where they find themselves, I don't see how meaningful change can happen. I like to hold in mind approaches like Wachtel's cyclical psychodynamics. Yes there may be trauma, but how does that affect what *you* do in the here and now.

@thepaulwilliams Great job posting these W's Paul. Please keep it up, even though I'm not a Welsh supporter. A doom and gloom narrative doesn't help gain momentum for bums on seats - optimism (balanced with ofc some realism) however is a great combination!

@MarkLRuffalo Can't help but think that in countries that are effectively two party states that there is a deliberate seizing on splitting/black and white thinking styles. There can be shades of grey, and we can disagree with things that come from those we most admire (and vice/versa)!

@JDaviesPhD Of note, psychotherapy used to be a v male dominated field up until perhaps the 70s? Leading figures in psychoanalysis, behavioural, cognitive schools etc often men. Of course, many variables societally explain this (e.g. barriers for women), as do many explain the current swing.