Between 50-80% of individuals in prisons and jails are estimated to have a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Behind these statistics are people unjustly punished for injuries that went unseen. This prevalence is five times higher than in the general population. Yet, there is a consistent issue of lack of diagnosis, treatment, and aid provided to […]
David Ritter’s poem Gone tells the story of someone trapped in the painful cycle of addiction and the long journey to recovery. Through repetition and emotional honesty, Ritter reflects on the physical suffering, broken promises, and emotional emptiness caused by alcoholism, while also showing what it means to slowly reclaim one's life. Here is an […]
As conflict and unrest continue in Iran, many members of the Iranian community, who reside outside the country are struggling with feelings of guilt and helplessness. Research suggests psychological strain is common even as they are physically safe; fear for the safety of their loved ones can be debilitating. A recent study on Iranian diaspora […]
According to the 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, the rate of adolescents with poor mental health had more than doubled between 2019 and 2023. The survey assessed mental well-being in 2019, and checked in with those same participants four years later. Initially, only 12% of youth aged 12 to 17 had rated […]
The song My Mind (2020) by Tems has been like a friend for me during some of the hardest, busiest times in my life. As a psychology student working multiple jobs while trying to set myself up for graduate school and my future career, life can get really overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like there’s never […]
In Imposter Syndrome by Cassie B, I felt like she had drawn the thoughts that are constantly buzzing in my head as a student. The figure in the artwork is dressed in a clown outfit, bright, exaggerated, impossible to ignore. On the surface, it looks confident and playful, but I cannot help seeing it as […]
The Substance (2024) is a psychological body horror film about a fading celebrity who is offered a mysterious treatment that allows her to temporarily create a younger, “better” version of herself. The two versions are meant to share one life, but the process quickly becomes unstable and increasingly disturbing. The film highlights something very familiar: […]
Messy (2024) by Lola Young is a song that gained popularity rapidly last year. Part of what makes it so popular is not just the sound, but the honesty in how it captures emotional confusion, especially in relationships that start early in life and shape who we become. What stands out most is the perspective. […]
Addiction is often described as something physical, but Maria Mastay’s poem Addiction reveals how deeply emotional and psychological the experience can become. Rather than focusing only on substances themselves, the poem explores the constant battle between relapse and recovery, memory, destruction and healing. In only a few short lines, Mastay captures the exhausting push and […]
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Besser van der Kolk is a popular book about the effects of psychological trauma on the body. With it being published in more than 30 languages, the book has touched thousands of readers around the world, shedding light on how […]