Just as healing physical whiplash requires avoiding activities that might inflame the affected tissues, getting over an encounter with a manipulator requires avoiding self-reproach and learning to ascribe responsibility where it truly belongs.

How do we express outwardly to the world our inner sense of identity, and how do we feed the body, mind and spirit that makes us rounded and healthy human beings? The Roman poet Juvenal recommended “a healthy mind in a healthy body” as the only blessing worth praying for, but how easy is that to achieve in the wake of the festive season?

The sound of our own voice is something we take for granted as just a part of who we are, but what if our voice were to change drastically or be taken away altogether? How would that affect our sense of who we are and how we are perceived by others?

For the therapeutic relationship to be truly effective, it’s vital for therapists to be aware of their own ‘emotional baggage’ in order to help clients understand their own, and that’s why undertaking personal development work is so important.

I’ve always wondered why some people have such a pressing desire to “see the world.” Recently, I stumbled upon the work of Dr. Michael Brein, who has developed a sort of “psychology of travel.”

Once upon a time, I was less than understanding and happy about being an INFP because this is largely an extravert’s world.

In this second of the series on sense of self and how it differs across cultures, I am going to look at the interconnected or relational self, and how awareness of how interdependent we are might lead to fear of others.