Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  Demons, Spirits, and Scary Spirituality Evangelical Christians are warned against activities that invite Satan or evil spirits into their lives. “Don’t read Harry Potter.” Stay away from the Ouija board.” “Yoga is a pathway to spiritual evil.”  Christians who read the Bible in a literal or near literal way have plenty of texts to give them reasons to believe they are in the midst of millennia-old spiritual warfare and the battle is getting more intense as some see the end of the world in sight. In 2020, I completed writing a textbook on Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians . One topic that struck me as unique is the subject of Chapter 14, “ Devils, Demons, and Deliverance. ”  When I looked at books that offer approaches to Christian Counseling, I noticed a gaping hole when it came to helping Christians troubled by what they understand as demonic influence or the work of the devil in their lives. 12 Things to Know About Christian...

 The Big 12 of Gratitude Thanksgiving is more than turkey and pumpkin pie — it’s a reminder of something deeper: gratitude. But here’s the secret… you don’t have to wait for the holiday table to enjoy its benefits. Gratitude isn’t just a religious practice or a polite “thank you.” It’s a mindset that changes how we see the world, and science shows it can transform our lives. Why Gratitude Matters 1. Across cultures and faiths, gratitude is celebrated as a virtue. 2. Psychologists describe it as a positive emotion directed toward those who give us gifts or kindness. 3. For people of faith, gratitude often points back to God. For everyone else, it’s simply a way of recognizing the good in life. Either way, gratitude is powerful — and it pays off in ways you might not expect. Ad. Read more about Gratitude and Faith in Chapter 4 of Living Well Buy on AMAZON The Big 12 Blessings of Gratitude Grateful people tend to experience: 1. More positive emotions 2. Greater life satisf...

When Reward Systems Fail to Reward On a recent trip, I used rewards to pay for part of a hotel stay, purchase a quick lunch at McDonalds, and pay for my wife’s jacket at Sam’s Club. Some reward systems work better than others. We also stopped at a place X for hot drinks. Alas, my reward had expired. Yesterday I stopped by my local X and was told I was one visit away from a reward. I smiled and thought they don’t know how to do rewards. It’s not just that the rewards expired too soon but they don't always offer rewards on items I particularly like. Give me points toward things I like and I will come more often. Effective reward systems must actually reward someone for their loyalty.  That’s hard to do when people have different tastes. However, companies like McDonalds, Subway, and Firehouse Subs get it right. Loyal customers earn points on a tier system. You can select from a variety of low cost items or save points for better items--things you would actually buy there l...

  What makes for a safe space anymore?   Three mass shootings have recently made news—Buffalo, Uvalde, Tulsa. Yesterday, we made a rare trip to our local mall where we ate our evening meal. As we were leaving, my wife said she found herself looking around to see where she could hide if there was a shooter. We began to analyze her idea. ***** As usual, there are a lot of opinions about how to stop gun violence. Our elected representatives debate. Gun control keeps popping up like a virus that won’t go away. Yesterday (2 June 2022), the American Medical Association injected their ideas. They focus on the means to quickly kill a lot of people. See what they wrote.   increasing the purchasing age for semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21; banning the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines and bump stocks and related devices; closing the “ghost-gun loophole;” and creating federal requirements for safe gun stora...

 In today's Washington Post, there's a story about the Texas shooter who entered an elementary school--19 children are dead. Could you predict that the Texas shooter was at high risk? Possibly. The first paragraph of the WP article caught my attention. "The gunman in Tuesday’s elementary school massacre was a lonely 18-year-old who was bullied over a childhood speech impediment, suffered from a fraught home life and lashed out violently against peers and strangers recently and over the years, friends and relatives said." How is that helpful? Peterson and Densley have studied mass shooters. A large number of shooters had a history of childhood trauma and most were in a state of crisis close to the time of the shooting. Here's a quote from their book, The Violence Project . Almost 70% of the mass shooters in schools had a history of childhood trauma  and they killed more people than shooters who did not have trauma. And there's something else about the Texas sh...

During my early years, several women were my teachers, bosses, supervisors, or mentors. It took awhile for me to realize that this was not a normal experience and that women were not treated as equals in society. So, I celebrate them for their accomplishments and their leadership. Sandra Sutton -- for managing work and family so well for so many years before I realized what women were up against. My lifelong friend and partner. Gladys  (New) Sutton , my first boss--she owned a bookstore  and she is one reason I thought it was normal for women to own and manage businesses! Thanks mum.   Obituary 2012 Joan Salamanca , High School English-- who encouraged me to write. I never forgot her kind words. Marjorie Moloney , High School Chemistry-- a no nonsense role model for women in science. 2021 Obituary  I had both women and men teach me math and science. Corrine S. Copy, PhD , Counseling Psychology. My Master's Degree Advisor was a top flight professor who boost...

  The USA is the world’s superpower in many respects. We have a huge economy, significant military strength, world-class universities, large numbers of Nobel Prize winning scientists, leading healthcare technologies and discoveries, and powerful international businesses like Apple and Microsoft not to mention fast food and financial giants around the globe. We also happen to be a democracy that takes human rights seriously. No. I do not wear rose-colored glasses.   America has some weaknesses too. It’s those weaknesses that might make a difference in 2022 and beyond. Is the US being tested? As I write, Russia has amassed troops on their border with Ukraine. Stock markets are tumbling. President Biden has threatened sanctions. We are sending troops and weapons. It looks like we are on the brink of war. (e.g., CNN ) Earlier today, we learn the world’s second most powerful nation sent 39 warplanes toward Taiwan, which split from China during the 1949 Civil War. Yester...