I’m just going to begin with saying, please go listen to/read Gábor Máté’s work. I have used a lot of the studies and cases he has referenced in his book ‘When the body says no’ in my thesis. His work sums up the root of the rise in mental health disorders, chronic illnesses and talks about the great lack of addressing their developmental psychologic background in general health care.
Listening to this and this podcast with him has inspired me to sit down and write about authenticity.
He addresses the tension between our two essential needs: attachment and authenticity - acting in a way not aligned with what we feel in order to please the other, be accepted.
I have personally been working on the whole concept of showing up authentically in different scenarios. (and still working on it!) Here’s what dr. Máté has said (referencing another dr.):