ExperiMentations

Loneliness

What Happens When We Simultaneously Seek and Avoid Intimacy?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on April 4, 2026

How we manage or mismanage intimacy is one of the core drivers of whether we find a balance among solitude, isolation, and connection.

How we manage or mismanage intimacy is one of the core drivers of whether we find a balance among solitude, isolation, and connection.

Artificial Intelligence

Is War With AI Unavoidable?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on April 2, 2026

The biggest risk may not be AI's intentions, but ours. How one perceives and approaches threats shapes outcomes, often more than the threats themselves.

The biggest risk may not be AI's intentions, but ours. How one perceives and approaches threats shapes outcomes, often more than the threats themselves.

Artificial Intelligence

Unconsciousness, Consciousness, Computsciousness

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on March 25, 2026

The human psyche may be reorganizing around a third register. What happens when computation joins psyche, not just a tool beside it? Are we seeing the emergence of Psyche 2.0?

The human psyche may be reorganizing around a third register. What happens when computation joins psyche, not just a tool beside it? Are we seeing the emergence of Psyche 2.0?

Consciousness

How Does the Brain Know Itself?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on March 13, 2026

The mechanisms of subjective experience—what we understand, what we don't, and why it matters more than ever.

The mechanisms of subjective experience—what we understand, what we don't, and why it matters more than ever.

Therapy

Denial of Brain: How Therapy Can Struggle With Neuroscience

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on March 8, 2026

Personal Perspective: As science advances, we have a better understanding how how neuroscience can inform the work of psychotherapy.

Personal Perspective: As science advances, we have a better understanding how how neuroscience can inform the work of psychotherapy.

Artificial Intelligence

Are You a Doomer, a Zoomer, or a Tuner?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on March 5, 2026

A fictional AI scenario moved markets in just a few hours. This is what your reaction reveals about your thinking — and what to do differently next time.

A fictional AI scenario moved markets in just a few hours. This is what your reaction reveals about your thinking — and what to do differently next time.

Artificial Intelligence

How Do Human Beings Stay Relevant in an AI-Fueled Future?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 26, 2026

In what ways does AI need humanity, and how can we define what makes us unique and essential in the face of this strange new technology?

In what ways does AI need humanity, and how can we define what makes us unique and essential in the face of this strange new technology?

Artificial Intelligence

Could AI Hijack the Human Psyche?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 22, 2026

Is humanity at a crossroads, potentially in the crosshairs of malign AI? We may not know, but best not to ignore the possibilities.

Is humanity at a crossroads, potentially in the crosshairs of malign AI? We may not know, but best not to ignore the possibilities.

Intuition

How Science Is Learning to Explore Ground Truth

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 20, 2026

A study reveals random exploration outperforms focused analysis—shedding scientific light on non-ordinary ways of knowing.

A study reveals random exploration outperforms focused analysis—shedding scientific light on non-ordinary ways of knowing.

Artificial Intelligence

Accomplishment Hallucination: When the Tool Uses You

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 19, 2026

Dancing with the ultmate "Yes-Man" can be a heady experience. But if you aren't careful, you can head for disaster when you use a tool which can use you back.

Dancing with the ultmate "Yes-Man" can be a heady experience. But if you aren't careful, you can head for disaster when you use a tool which can use you back.

Artificial Intelligence

How Do Humans Stay Essential in an AI Economy?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 9, 2026

AI tracks its own work automatically. The harder question is how to recognize what humans bring. The phantastic concept of Human Agency Tokens is a way to begin to think about it.

AI tracks its own work automatically. The harder question is how to recognize what humans bring. The phantastic concept of Human Agency Tokens is a way to begin to think about it.

Artificial Intelligence

What If API Tokens Became a Universal Monetary Standard?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 8, 2026

We have shared languages for diplomacy and time, but there is no common tongue for the economy of intelligence.

We have shared languages for diplomacy and time, but there is no common tongue for the economy of intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence

The Digital Savanna

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 6, 2026

AI amplifies whatever we bring to it—wisdom or folly, compassion or callousness. Will human greed get the better of us, or will our better natures get the best?

AI amplifies whatever we bring to it—wisdom or folly, compassion or callousness. Will human greed get the better of us, or will our better natures get the best?

Decision-Making

Securing the Sweet Spot for Effective Decision-Making

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on February 4, 2026

Life is fast. Decisions shouldn't always be. Learning how to hurry up and slow down leads to less regret, less of "those" texts, and better work and professional relationships.

Life is fast. Decisions shouldn't always be. Learning how to hurry up and slow down leads to less regret, less of "those" texts, and better work and professional relationships.

Narcissism

How Victimization May Be Grounded in Narcissism

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on January 27, 2026

Chronic victim identity and vulnerable narcissism share deep roots. New research explains both the mindset and observers' conflicted reactions—and offers paths toward change.

Chronic victim identity and vulnerable narcissism share deep roots. New research explains both the mindset and observers' conflicted reactions—and offers paths toward change.

Artificial Intelligence

The Age of Relational Machines

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on January 26, 2026

We've crossed a threshold: machines that appear to relate. The promise is real, but so is the risk of eroding human identity.

We've crossed a threshold: machines that appear to relate. The promise is real, but so is the risk of eroding human identity.

Creativity

Must Creativity Necessarily Come at the Price of Misery?

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on January 25, 2026

Must creativity come at the price of misery? Romanticizing suffering can trap us in despair. There are alternative paths to creative flourishing—ones that don't require agony.

Must creativity come at the price of misery? Romanticizing suffering can trap us in despair. There are alternative paths to creative flourishing—ones that don't require agony.

Artificial Intelligence

On Developing New Ways of Thinking to Adapt to AI

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on January 20, 2026

It's think-or-swim time. AI may be our greatest evolutionary challenge since we came down from the trees. Meeting it requires wisdom and innovation.

It's think-or-swim time. AI may be our greatest evolutionary challenge since we came down from the trees. Meeting it requires wisdom and innovation.

Narcissism

The Pros and Cons of Narcissism

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on January 15, 2026

We have a love-hate relationship with narcissism. Here are some perspectives, tips, and tools to balance the confusion and distress the behavior often evokes.

We have a love-hate relationship with narcissism. Here are some perspectives, tips, and tools to balance the confusion and distress the behavior often evokes.

Artificial Intelligence

The Sixth Element: AI as Consciousness' Great Convergence

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on January 10, 2026

What do you get when you mix fire's power, electricity's reach, math's precision, and language's connection? AI—humanity's most profound tool and greatest identity challenge.

What do you get when you mix fire's power, electricity's reach, math's precision, and language's connection? AI—humanity's most profound tool and greatest identity challenge.