In this podcast, Dr. Greg explores the concept of health as adaptability and discusses the principles of ordered adaptability. He delves into the universal human instinct to avoid death and its connection to defense mechanisms. The episode also focuses on the importance of uncovering subjective dissonance and aligning it with objective truth, goodness, and beauty to achieve true health.
Being healthy means having ordered adaptability in all aspects (physical, psychological, and spiritual)
Fear of death leads to the development of defense mechanisms and compromises in life, which can be uncovered through introspection and mentorship
Deep dives
Principle of Adaptability and Ordered Adaptability
Health is defined as being adaptable and having ordered adaptability in all aspects, including physical, psychological, and spiritual health. Adaptability allows individuals to navigate different situations and experiences while maintaining a sense of balance and stability. This principle emphasizes the importance of flexibility and openness to new perspectives and approaches, while also recognizing the need for certain boundaries and principles.
Root of Disorder is Death and Defense Mechanisms
The podcast highlights the root cause of disorder as the fear of death and the subsequent development of defense mechanisms. It acknowledges that the avoidance of mortality leads to the development of various defense mechanisms, such as repression, suppression, and intellectualization, which enable individuals to ignore inconvenient truths and maintain a sense of control and security. The podcast also explains how the fear of death serves as the catalyst for other compromises and distortions in one's life.
Subjective Dissonance and Objective Misalignment
The podcast explores the concept of subjective dissonance as an indicator of objective misalignment. It delves into the idea that when individuals experience inner conflict, discomfort, or a sense of internal incongruity, it often points to a misalignment with objective truths, goodness, and beauty. The example used in the podcast illustrates how deeper introspection and mentorship can help individuals uncover subjective dissonance and identify areas of objective misalignment in their lives. Furthermore, the podcast highlights the hope that subjective dissonance brings, as it indicates the potential for growth, healing, and realignment with one's natural, core identity.
Welcome to Episode 145 of the Being Human Podcast: What Does It Mean to Be Healthy?
In this episode, Dr. Greg delves deeper into important truths about how we are made, how we are wounded, and what we are made for as he explores what it means to be truly healthy!
Discussed in the episode:
What are the four principles of integration?
Why ordered adaptability and flexibility in body, mind, and spirit is key to becoming a psychologically and spiritually healthy person;
How “death anxiety” and our basic drive for survival causes us to develop defense mechanisms;
The ways we can distort reality through intellectualization or over-spiritualization;
The importance of uncovering and examining our defense mechanisms as a way to help us become more of who God calls us to be;
The objective nature of truth and why the good is an objective moral quality;
How misalignment to the objective good can help to point us to what we are actually made for;
Why Mentorship and accompaniment can aid in revealing distortions in how we see reality.
Become a member of the Integrated Life Community to get access to every course Dr. Greg has created, plus the opportunity to participate in Integrated LIVE’s - weekly, Mentor hosted Q&As covering topics like boundaries, communication, trauma, forgiveness, and more!
Contact us! Have a topic or a question you would like Dr. Greg to address on the podcast? Want to give some feedback about this episode? Email us at beinghuman@catholicpsych.com - we would love to hear from you!
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