Although regret is commonly viewed as the emotional experience that arises when you feel you’ve made a mistake or acted in ways that prevented something good from happening, there is actually little scientific consensus on what regret is and even less agreement on whether it is good for you or not. As it turns out, regret is one of the most complex, multi-determined, and ambiguous emotional experiences we can have.  There is widespread disagreement on such issues as what differentiates regret from the emotional experiences of loss and guilt, the degree to which regret is related more to internal (“I screwed up”) vs. external (“things outside of my control occurred”) factors, and is regret stronger if the opportunity for correction (of a bad choice or a mistake) exists or does not exist. Others suggest different types of regret, i.e., regret that is related to inaction vs. action. Moreover, some believe that regret is “positive” in the sense that it causes one to learn from his/her past mistakes, yet others contend that regret can negatively impact one’s self-esteem, lead to compulsive and ruminative thinking, and perhaps even cause depression, anxiety and other psychiatric symptoms. In the next virtual meeting of the Men’s Group Seminar on Saturday, August 15, 2020 (10:15 to 11:30 AM), we will explore the complex experience that regret embodies. For those interested in this topic, you might enjoy watching the compelling TED Talk “Being Wrong” by Kathryn Schulz, author of Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error.

* Registration Directions: If you would like to attend the virtual meeting of the Men’s Group Seminar on August 15, 2020, 10:15 to 11:30 AM, please RSVP to me at 949-338-4388 or jt@jamestobinphd.com at your earliest convenience. The fee is $25.00 (payable before entering the virtual meeting) and informed consent for participation in this telehealth event must be completed prior to the seminar. Please note that the Men’s Group Seminar is psychoeducational in nature, not therapeutic, and does not constitute psychotherapy or counseling.