About Psychmaster

The goal of Psychmaster is to provide basic, understandable information, stories, and media productions that educate and inspire.  Psychmaster DVDs, CDs and other media seek to answer fundamental questions about spirituality and psychology, the reality of mental health and illness, coping with the challenges and tragedies inherent in human existence, and achieving actualization and fulfillment.

Originally based on the work of Dr. Judy Marshall on spirituality, mental health and illness, Psychmaster is evolving towards a broader base of projects and media products "that educate and inspire."  As our new catalogue unfolds over the next few months, we hope to include personal and fictional stories, music, artwork - and possibly on-line courses or presentations.

Psychmaster media involve three primary areas:

(1)  How spirituality can transform psychology

In the high-tech, scientific world of the 21st century, many are crying out for the presence of a spiritual connection in their lives.  Yet, there is much confusion regarding spirituality, which traditionally has been associated with religion and, to a lesser extent, with what is occult or esoteric.

What is spirituality, particularly on a personal level, and how does the experience of spirituality transform our lives?

Dr. Marshall takes the position that spirituality is a living commitment to universal spiritual principles.  There is a "perennial philosophy," a spiritual DNA that has existed in some form in almost all belief systems throughout the world and recorded time.

More importantly, spirituality is primarily experiential.  To the degree that an individual engages in meaningful spiritual practice and incorporates the universal principles into attitude and behavior, the more that individual will have the awareness of an expanded reality, the resource and foundation of emotional peace, a sense of purpose and direction, as well as new avenues for meaningful connection with others.  People who are truly spiritually committed have an entirely different way of understanding the world and their own experience.

In other words, spiritual belief and practice can transform personal psychology.  Psychmaster media discuss how we can conceptualize traditional psychological issues such as identity, self-esteem, healing, emotion, and relationship in spiritual terms.  Also presented is a spiritual approach to dealing with typical psychological problems, such as depression.

(2)  The reality of mental health and illness

As a society we are relatively well informed regarding physical health and disease, but ill-formed regarding mental health and disorder.  Popular psychology has focused on a few areas, such as addiction and dysfunctional family patterns, but the reality of mental illness (which continues to involve a tremendous stigma) is still "in the closet."

Yet, the landscape of mental illness is very similar to that of physical illness.  We can suffer disorders that are mild or severe, temporary or chronic, biologically based or the result of psychological injury.  But, we will suffer them.  There are estimates that as many as one third to one half of us will have a diagnosable mental disorder of some kind during our lives.  Almost all of us are affected by mental illness, at least indirectly.

Like physical illness, mental illness is a natural, but challenging part of human life.  Psychmaster media provide consumer-friendly, empathetic information about mental illness in general, as well as specific disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress, and Alzheimer's disease.  In addition to presenting basic material (signs, symptoms, causes, course, and treatment), there is also an attempt to explore what it is like experientially for the individual struggling with mental suffering or dysfunction.  The idea is that education leads to recognition, understanding (of one's self and others), and compassion, all of which must occur in order to deal effectively with real mental health issues - on both the personal and societal levels.

(3)  Inspirational media

We know it when we feel it.  These are the personal stories, films, pieces of artwork, and music that affect, haunt, and transform us - often at a level beyond words.