Applied Psychodynamics with Aaron Balick

Are Therapists Sizzled in the Age of AI? My AI dopplegänger seems to think so.

Because psychotherapy is among the most human centred of the professions, many of us believe that jobs will be among the last to be taken away by the…

Nov 16 • 

Aaron Balick

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October 2025

Therapy in the Age of AI: How to Stay Human

Taking a short break from our regularly scheduled newsletter programming, I'd like to share with you this wide-ranging and fun interview I had with…

Oct 15 • 

Aaron Balick

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AI and Mental Health, Part III: The Hotel California Effect

Chatbots are designed to keep you talking. But what happens when the conversation never really ends? The psychology of AI's dark patterns that hook us…

Oct 4 • 

Aaron Balick

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September 2025

AI and Mental Health, Part Two: AI Companions or Dangerous Liaisons?

In the midst of a loneliness epidemic, young people are seeking AI companionship more than ever. How worried should we be?

Sep 22 • 

Aaron Balick

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AI and Mental Health, Part One: What We Know, What We Fear

We’ve seen the headlines and felt the winds of a moral panic – but what is the real state of play of AI therapy and mental health today? Make sense of…

Sep 8 • 

Aaron Balick

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The Hidden Mystical Life of Carl Jung:

Carl Jung wasn’t just a psychologist—he was a mystic. From séances and occult experiments to his fascination with Eastern spirituality, Jung’s hidden…

Sep 2 • 

Aaron Balick

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August 2025

Why You Still Feel 25 Even Though You're Actually *mumble* SOMETHING

Your actual age and your subjective age are only in sync for the briefest of periods around your mid-twenties. Here's why we spend most of our lives in…

Aug 23 • 

Aaron Balick

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Why Your Strengths Are Holding You Back

Sticking to what you’re best at feels safe — but Carl Jung warned it can stunt your growth. The secret? Develop your “inferior function” and learn to…

Aug 15 • 

Aaron Balick

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Is AI Making Us Too Comfortable For Our Own Good?

Technology can help us avoid some of life's frictions — but frictions are essential for growth, learning, and expertise. From dating apps to AI, each…

Aug 11 • 

Aaron Balick

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July 2025

Why You Shouldn’t Always Trust Your Gut (and what to do instead)

Gut instinct can be helpful — but it can also be a reflex shaped by trauma, bias, or fear. Learn how to tell the difference between real intuition and…

Jul 28 • 

Aaron Balick

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Mid-Week Poll

What do you want to hear from Applied Psychodynamics? Help me make my newsletter the perfect one for you to read.

Jul 23 • 

Aaron Balick

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The Midlife Crisis Guide For Millennials

A crisis of meaning no longer waits for midlife, instead expect a series of 'crisisettes' all along the way. Here's how to get to grips with them.

Jul 21 • 

Aaron Balick

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