Applied Psychodynamics with Aaron Balick

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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How Your ‘Crazy’ is the Key to Your Psychological Freedom

Each of us has our own unique kind of freak-out. Instead of letting it get you down, find out how it to use your freak-out to free yourself from its…

Jul 14 • 

Aaron Balick

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