Author Archives: Shervan K Shahhian, LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, The Most Comprehensive Online Library Regarding Mental Health, Psychology and Parapsychology in the World.

Doctored Degree in Clinical Psychology (PSYD) (ABD) All But Dissertation, a Masters (M.A.) in Clinical Psychology, a Bachelor's Degree (B.A.) in Psychology, a Associate Degree (AA) in Liberal Arts with an emphases in Psychology, Certification in Anger Management, Certification in MRT-Moral Reconation Therapy®, Certification in Clinical Hypnotherapy, and Certification in Advanced Hypnotherapy.

How to Focus on Actionable Steps:

How to Focus on Actionable Steps:

Focusing on actionable steps requires breaking down goals into clear, manageable tasks and maintaining discipline in execution.

 Here’s how you can do it:

1. Clarify Your Goal

  • Define your objective in precise terms.
  • Ask: What do I want to achieve?

2. Break It Down

  • Divide the goal into smaller, actionable steps.
  • Each step should be specific and achievable.

3. Prioritize Tasks

  • Identify the most critical actions.
  • Use frameworks like urgent vs. important

4. Set Deadlines

  • Assign realistic deadlines to each step.
  • Time constraints create accountability.

5. Create a Plan

  • Use a checklist, planner, or project management tool.
  • Track progress regularly.

6. Eliminate Distractions

  • Remove obstacles that hinder execution.
  • Create a focused work environment.

7. Take Immediate Action

  • Avoid overthinking. Start with the first step.
  • Small consistent actions lead to momentum.

8. Review & Adjust

  • Evaluate progress periodically.
  • Adapt based on results and feedback.

Shervan K Shahhian

How to Use Mindfulness:

How to Use Mindfulness:

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware in the moment, without judgment. It helps improve mental clarity, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. 

Here’s how you can use mindfulness in different areas of life:

1. Basic Mindfulness Practice

  • Breathing Awareness — Focus on your breath, noticing each inhale and exhale. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back.
  • Body Scan — Pay attention to physical sensations from head to toe, releasing tension as you go.
  • Sensory Awareness — Engage your senses: notice sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures around you.

2. Mindfulness in Daily Life

  • Eating Mindfully — Slow down, savor each bite, and appreciate the textures and flavors.
  • Walking Meditation — Focus on each step, feeling the connection with the ground.
  • Mindful Conversations — Listen actively without thinking about your response.

3. Mindfulness for Emotional Balance

  • Label Your Emotions — Acknowledge feelings without judgment (e.g., “I notice I am feeling anxious”).
  • Self-Compassion — Treat yourself with kindness instead of self-criticism.
  • Detach from Thoughts — Observe thoughts like passing clouds, without attaching to them.

4. Mindfulness in Work & Productivity

  • Single-tasking — Focus on one task at a time rather than multitasking.
  • Take Mindful Breaks — Step away, breathe, and reset before resuming work.
  • Set Intentions — Begin tasks with a clear focus and purpose.

5. Mindfulness in Parapsychology

  • Enhancing Intuition — Quiet the mind to perceive subtle impressions clearly.
  • Non-Judgmental Observation — Accept all incoming perceptions without filtering or doubting.
  • Grounding Techniques — Stay centered before and after sessions using mindful breathing.
  • Shervan K Shahhian

How to Stop our Ruminating on past or future worries:

How to Stop our Ruminating on past or future worries:

Stopping rumination — especially about the past or future — requires a mix of mindfulness, cognitive reframing, and intentional action. You might find both scientific and esoteric approaches useful. 

Here are some techniques you can experiment with:

1. Mindfulness & Presence Techniques

  • Grounding in the Now: Use the 5–4–3–2–1 technique (name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste).
  • Breath Awareness: Focus on slow, deep breaths. The simple act of consciously inhaling and exhaling can pull you out of rumination.

2. Cognitive Shifts

  • Labeling Thoughts: Instead of engaging with a worry, say, “Oh, that’s just a ‘fear thought’” or “That’s just my mind replaying.” Naming it reduces its grip.
  • Reframing: If a thought is distressing, ask, “How else can I interpret this?” or “If I were an outsider, what would I advise myself?”
  • Future Self Exercise: Imagine your future self looking back at this moment — what would they tell you about what truly matters?

3. Embodied Techniques

  • Move Your Body: Physical movement (walking, stretching, dancing) shifts focus and resets the nervous system.
  • Tactile Distraction: Holding something textured (like a stone, worry bead, or piece of fabric) can anchor your awareness in the present.
  • Progressive Relaxation: Scan your body for tension and relax each part consciously.

4. Spiritual & Parapsychological Practices

  • Wisdom: Sometimes, wisdom comes when we stop overthinking and listen inwardly.
  • Intuitive Journaling: Instead of ruminating, write down your thoughts as if channeling insights from your higher self or subconscious.
  • Symbolic Release: Write a repetitive worry on paper, then burn or bury it, symbolizing its release.

5. Redirected Focus & Purpose

  • Micro-Tasks: Engage in something small but meaningful — clean a space, water a plant, read a page of an inspiring book.
  • Service to Others: Helping someone else shifts focus from self-concern to contribution.
  • Creative Expression: Draw, play music, or engage in automatic writing to let subconscious worries transform into something constructive.

Shervan K Shahhian

High Vibration Emotions, what are they:

High Vibration Emotions, what are they:

High-vibration emotions are positive emotional states that resonate at a higher frequency, promoting well-being, clarity, and spiritual growth. These emotions are often associated with love, gratitude, joy, and compassion. Many spiritual traditions and even some scientific perspectives suggests that emotions operate on a vibrational scale, with lower emotions (like fear, anger, and shame) having denser, heavier energies and higher emotions having lighter, expansive energies.

Examples of High-Vibration Emotions:

  1. Love — The highest frequency emotion, often linked to unconditional acceptance and unity consciousness.
  2. Gratitude — Amplifies abundance and attracts more positivity.
  3. Joy — A state of deep happiness and contentment, radiating positivity.
  4. Compassion — The ability to empathize with others and extend kindness without judgment.
  5. Peace — Inner stillness and harmony, often achieved through deep self-awareness and acceptance.
  6. Forgiveness — Releases emotional burdens and raises personal vibration.
  7. Trust — A deep knowing that life unfolds as it should, free from fear or resistance.
  8. Enthusiasm — Passion and excitement for life, driven by inspiration and purpose.
  9. Courage — Overcoming fear and taking aligned action with confidence.

These emotions can elevate consciousness, make one more attuned to higher realms of existence. Raising one’s vibration through these emotions can lead to deeper insights, synchronicities, and a stronger connection to the universal field of intelligence.

Shervan K Shahhian

Limiting Beliefs, what are they:

Limiting Beliefs, what are they:

Limiting beliefs are deeply held thoughts, assumptions, or convictions that restrict your potential and keep you from achieving your goals. They are often subconscious and can stem from past experiences, societal conditioning, or inherited beliefs from family or culture.

Common Types of Limiting Beliefs:
Self-Doubt: “I’m not good enough to succeed.”
Fear of Failure: “If I try and fail, I’ll be humiliated.”
Scarcity Mindset: “There’s not enough success/money/love to go around.”
Fixed Identity Beliefs: “I’ve always been this way, I can’t change.”
Authority-Based Beliefs: “I have to follow what others say because they know better.”


Where Do They Come From?
Childhood programming (parents, teachers, society)
Past failures or traumatic experiences
Cultural or religious beliefs
Peer influence and media


How to Overcome Limiting Beliefs:
Identify Them — Notice recurring negative thoughts or fears.
Challenge Them — Ask: Is this really true? Where did I learn this?
Reframe & Replace — Replace them with empowering beliefs:
“I’m not good enough” → “I am constantly growing and improving.”
Take Action Despite Fear — Prove the belief wrong through action.
Use Visualization & Affirmations — Train your mind to adopt new empowering beliefs.

Shervan K Shahhian

How to achieve Inner Peace:

How to achieve Inner Peace:

Achieving inner peace is a journey of self-awareness, balance, and alignment with your true nature.

 You might be likely to appreciate both scientific and metaphysical approaches. Here’s a blend of both:

1. Self-Awareness & Acceptance

  • Know Yourself: Reflect on your thoughts, emotions, and subconscious patterns. Practices like journaling and introspection can help.
  • Accept Imperfection: Inner peace comes when you stop resisting reality. Accept yourself and others as they are.

2. Mastering the Mind

  • Meditation & Mindfulness: These techniques help in quieting mental chatter and staying present.
  • Intuition: Tuning into deeper levels of consciousness can align you with higher truths, reducing inner conflict.
  • Detach from Ego: The ego thrives on conflict. Observing thoughts without attachment lessens its grip.

3. Emotional & Energetic Balance

  • Transmute Negative Emotions: Instead of suppressing anger, fear, or sadness, acknowledge and transform them into learning experiences.
  • Breathwork & Energy Practices: Techniques like Pranayama, Qi Gong, or HeartMath coherence breathing can regulate emotions.

4. Connection with Higher Consciousness

  • Spirituality & Cosmic Awareness: Deepening your connection with higher power or cosmic consciousness can offer guidance and peace.
  • Synchronicities & Signs: Trust in the flow of the universe. When aligned, life unfolds harmoniously.

5. Living with Purpose & Integrity

  • Follow Your Calling: A sense of mission provides fulfillment and peace.
  • Service to Others: Acts of kindness and service dissolve inner turmoil.
  • Stay True to Your Ethics: Integrity in thoughts and actions eliminates inner conflict.

Shervan K Shahhian

Understanding those who are battling Chemical Dependency:

Understanding those who are battling Chemical Dependency:

Understanding those who struggle with chemical dependency requires a compassionate and multidimensional perspective. You might find it helpful to explore this issue not only from a clinical standpoint, but also from a deeper, possibly even metaphysical, perspective.


Psychological Aspects:
The Cycle of Addiction - Chemical dependency is often a self-reinforcing cycle that involves physical cravings, psychological distress, and social reinforcement.

Trauma and Emotional Pain - Many individuals struggling with addiction have unresolved trauma or deep emotional wounds that drive them to substance use as a form of escape.

Cognitive Dissonance - Those battling dependency often experience inner conflict between their actions and their values, leading to guilt and shame.
Neurological Hijacking - Repeated substance use alters brain chemistry, particularly in the dopamine and reward pathways, making it difficult to stop using even when one desires to.

Personality and Coping Styles - Some people have predispositions to addiction due to impulsivity, sensation-seeking behavior, or difficulties managing stress.

Spiritual and Parapsychological Perspectives:
Energy and Entities - Some traditions and schools of thought suggest that addiction can be influenced by external energies, negative thought-forms, or even parasitic entities that feed on human suffering.

Past Life Influences - From a reincarnational standpoint, some believe that addiction can be tied to unresolved karmic patterns or past-life traumas.
Higher Consciousness Suppression - Addiction may serve as a means of suppressing one’s own spiritual awakening, keeping an individual stuck in lower vibrational states.

Psychokinesis & Mind Over Matter - Could the power of intention and consciousness transformation help break addiction? Some researchers in parapsychology suggest that altered states of consciousness and focused intention can rewire the mind.

Paths to Healing:
Holistic Approaches - Combining psychology with spiritual or parapsychological healing methods (such as meditation, energy work) may help individuals recover.

Support Systems - Social support, whether through therapy, 12-step programs, or conscious communities, is crucial for long-term healing.
Shifting Identity - Many people with addiction see themselves as powerless, but shifting their identity to one of empowerment and transformation can be life-changing.

Mystical Experiences - Some have reported that profound spiritual experiences (such as near-death experiences or deep meditation) have permanently shifted them away from addiction.
Shervan K Shahhian

Psycho Educational Coping Skills, what are they:

Psycho Educational Coping Skills, what are they:

Psycho-educational coping skills are strategies taught through psychoeducation to help individuals manage stress, emotions, and challenges in life. These skills combine psychological knowledge with practical techniques to enhance emotional regulation, resilience, and problem-solving. They are often used in therapy, counseling, and self-help programs to support mental well-being.

Examples of Psycho-Educational Coping Skills:

Cognitive Coping Strategies

  • Reframing negative thoughts (Cognitive Restructuring)
  • Identifying cognitive distortions
  • Positive self-talk

Emotional Regulation Techniques

  • Mindfulness and meditation
  • Deep breathing exercises (e.g., diaphragmatic breathing)
  • Progressive muscle relaxation

Behavioral Coping Strategies

  • Setting healthy boundaries
  • Assertiveness training
  • Developing problem-solving skills

Social Coping Skills

  • Effective communication techniques
  • Conflict resolution strategies
  • Seeking social support from friends, family, or support groups

Stress Management Techniques

  • Time management and organization
  • Engaging in hobbies and creative outlets
  • Physical exercise and self-care routines

Resilience Building

  • Developing adaptability to change
  • Practicing gratitude and positive psychology techniques
  • Building a strong sense of purpose and meaning

These coping skills are taught in psychoeducational settings, such as therapy groups, workshops, and counseling sessions, to empower individuals in handling life’s challenges more effectively.

Shervan K Shahhian

Shervan K Shahhian

Understanding Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Mental Health conditions:

Understanding Substance Abuse and Co-Occurring Mental Health conditions:

Substance abuse and co-occurring mental health conditions (also known as dual diagnosis) refer to the presence of both a substance use disorder (SUD) and a mental health condition in an individual. These conditions often interact in complex ways, making diagnosis and treatment more challenging.

Here’s a deeper look at the relationship between them:

  1. The Connection Between Substance Abuse and Mental Health
    Self-Medication Hypothesis: Many individuals with mental health conditions use substances like alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other disorders.
    Neurological Overlap: Substance use can alter brain chemistry in ways that contribute to mental health disorders, while pre-existing mental health issues can make the brain more susceptible to addiction.
    Common Risk Factors: Genetic predisposition, early life trauma, chronic stress, and social/environmental factors contribute to both conditions.
  2. Common Mental Health Conditions That Co-Occur with Substance Abuse
    Depression: Individuals may use alcohol or drugs to cope with feelings of sadness, guilt, or hopelessness.
    Anxiety Disorders: Substances like benzodiazepines, alcohol, or cannabis may be used to alleviate anxiety but often lead to dependence.
    Bipolar Disorder: Manic and depressive episodes may lead to risky substance use patterns.
    PTSD: Trauma survivors often turn to substances to numb emotional pain or flashbacks.
    Schizophrenia: People with schizophrenia may misuse substances, worsening their symptoms and increasing psychotic episodes.
  3. Challenges of Dual Diagnosis
    Difficult Diagnosis: Symptoms of substance use and mental health conditions can mimic each other.
    Worsening of Symptoms: Substance use can intensify mental health symptoms and vice versa.
    Treatment Resistance: Some individuals struggle with adherence to treatment due to substance dependence.
    Higher Risk of Relapse: Untreated mental health conditions can lead to recurring substance use.
  4. Treatment Approaches
    Integrated Treatment: Addressing both conditions simultaneously using a multidisciplinary approach.
    Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Medications like antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or anti-anxiety meds, along with addiction treatment drugs (e.g., methadone, naltrexone).
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps reframe negative thought patterns and develop coping skills.
    Motivational Interviewing (MI): Encourages individuals to recognize and change substance use behaviors.
    Support Groups: Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), or Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA) offer peer support.
    Shervan K Shahhian

How to Maintain Confidence:

How to Maintain Confidence:

Maintaining confidence requires a combination of mindset, habits, and self-care.

Here are some practical steps to help you stay confident:

1. Cultivate a Growth Mindset

  • View failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.
  • Accept that mistakes are part of the journey toward mastery.

2. Practice Self-Awareness

  • Know your strengths and weaknesses.
  • Keep track of your achievements, no matter how small.

3. Develop Positive Self-Talk

  • Replace negative thoughts with constructive ones.
  • Use affirmations like “I am capable and strong.”

4. Improve Your Body Language

  • Stand tall with an open posture.
  • Maintain eye contact and speak clearly.

5. Face Challenges Gradually

  • Step out of your comfort zone in small ways.
  • Celebrate progress, even if it’s minor.

6. Take Care of Your Mind & Body

  • Exercise regularly to boost endorphins.
  • Get enough sleep and eat nutritious food.

7. Surround Yourself with Positivity

  • Spend time with supportive people.
  • Avoid toxic environments that drain your confidence.

8. Be Prepared

  • Confidence comes from knowledge and practice.
  • Whether for a speech, interview, or task, preparation reduces uncertainty.

9. Engage in Activities That Make You Feel Competent

  • Pursue hobbies and skills that reinforce your self-worth.
  • Challenge yourself with new learning experiences.

10. Trust Yourself

  • Believe in your intuition and decisions.
  • Avoid seeking excessive validation from others.

Shervan K Shahhian