Dr. James Tobin Ph.D. - Psychologist
Articles
WELCOME TO DR. TOBIN’S ARTICLES
Dr. Tobin regularly publishes blog articles and posts information and writings by other authors on various issues including child development and adolescence, parenting, romantic love, men and masculinity, the psychotherapy process, the training and supervision of psychologists, sexual compulsivity and addiction, and organizational culture and change. If there is a topic you would like Dr. Tobin to feature, please email him directly at jt@jamestobinphd.com.
Appearance, Shame, and Identity: The Work of Benjamin Kilborne and Its Implications for Psychotherapy
Appearance, Shame, and Identity: The Work of Benjamin Kilborne and Its Implications for Psychotherapy Psychoanalyst Benjamin Kilborne (see his book Disappearing Persons: Shame and Appearance) proposes a new conceptualization of shame: he sees shame not merely as an...
The Psychology of Self-Sabotage: How Psychotherapy Fosters Positive Change
The Psychology of Self-Sabotage: How Psychotherapy Fosters Positive Change James Tobin, Ph.D. Self-sabotage is a relatively common phenomenon appearing across many domains of life (professional/work, relationships, self-care, etc.) and a common reason why people...
Beginning Psychotherapy: The First Session
Beginning Psychotherapy: The First Session The initial psychotherapy session is a complex social interaction unlike any other. The client may understandably experience a range of emotions, expectations, and fears, while the clinician seeks to establish a sense of...
Addressing Problems of Guilt in Psychotherapy: Insights from Donald Carveth’s Psychoanalytic Perspective
Addressing Problems of Guilt in Psychotherapy: Insights from Donald Carveth’s Psychoanalytic Perspective James Tobin, Ph.D. Initially trained as a sociologist, the Canadian psychoanalyst Donald Carveth provides an intriguing perspective on guilt and its role in the...
Why We Pursue the Familiar: Insights from Psychology and Psychoanalysis
Why We Pursue the Familiar: Insights from Psychology and Psychoanalysis James Tobin, Ph.D. Being drawn to the familiar is a human tendency determined by an array of psychological, neurobiological, and evolutionary factors. Although there are advantages to...
The Psychology of Resilience: Coping Challenges and How Psychotherapy Bolsters Adaptability
The Psychology of Resilience: Coping Challenges and How Psychotherapy Bolsters Adaptability Resilience is an acquired capacity encompassing an array of emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral (coping) skills which can be supported and advanced by psychotherapy. KEY...
What is a Sadomasochistic Relationship? Psychology and Dynamics
What is a Sadomasochistic Relationship? Psychology and Dynamics James Tobin, Ph.D. A relationship dynamic may evolve in which one partner is motivated by sadistic impulses and the other by masochistic needs; these complementary roles interlock and form a symbiotic...
Parasitic Relationships Provide “Narcissistic Supplies” Lacking in the Narcissist
Parasitic Relationships Provide "Narcissistic Supplies" Lacking in the Narcissist James Tobin, Ph.D. Narcissistic individuals "parasitically" relate to others to extract psychological nourishment rather than cultivate authentic interpersonal connection, intimacy,...
“Knowing” and “Unknowing” Your Partner: How Couples Therapy Promotes Narrative Deconstruction
"Knowing” and "Unknowing" Your Partner: How Couples Therapy Promotes Narrative Deconstruction Positive change occurs in couples therapy when partners’ deeply ingrained assumptions about, and biased views of, each other are challenged and refined, re-igniting...