Our Many Selves: From Help to Harm

From the earliest days of modern psychological thought, Freud recognized that our psyches are made of different parts. He named them the id, ego and superego. Since Freud's day, research and discoveries have expanded upon those ideas. One of the most significant discoveries has been the use of brain imaging to lend credence to Freud’s original ideas and expand his theory. Our understanding of the way the brain works has catapulted psychological understanding to a new level.

One of the most valuable contributions of the new technologies, is the discovery that our brains are split (left and right) and how that split impacts child development. We now understand that people have many psychological aspects which develop through out our lives. Every part has its own job to do, and does so with its own feelings, functions and motivation. Some are designed to help us “get on with life” others to keep us safe. Their intentions are positive.

Stuck In the Past

Unfortunately, some of those pieces of ourselves are stuck in the past. They were useful at a time, but now that time for has passed and, when activated, their archaic methods actually hurt us as adults. We are not aware that these divisions exist in our unconscious mind and still influence what we think, feel and do.