Defense mechanisms are unconscious responses to overwhelming stress in our lives. Although they serve an important purpose, if left unchecked, protective instincts from defense mechanisms can inhibit the development of healthier coping skills. We are going to dive into two common defense mechanisms: denial and regression. Denial One of our … Read More
Projection and Social Repercussion
Famous psychotherapist Sigmund Freud may have provided a vocabulary and framework for defining defense mechanisms, but the simplest explanation is often just a folksy saying away. Ever heard the saying, ‘Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black’? It’s a pithy description of the defense mechanism Freud referred to as … Read More
Defense Mechanisms & Coping Skills – Regression – Part 3
As I mentioned in previous blogs, defense mechanisms like denial, are unconscious responses to overwhelming stress in our lives. Although they serve an important purpose, if left unchecked, protective instincts from defense mechanisms can inhibit the development of healthier coping skills. Today, we are going to dive into the topic … Read More
Defense Mechanisms & Coping Skills – Denial – Part 2
One of our most primitive defense mechanisms is denial. Mark Twain perfectly captured the essence of denial when he quipped, Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. In effect, denial is an effort to avoid the pain or discomfort of reality by pretending it doesn’t exist. It is the emotional … Read More
