Betwixt: The Story of You

When you face a challenge or opportunity, which inner voice tends to show up first? (Please ignore the character references if you're not familiar with the world of ACOTAR — these are here in reference to our latest video)

14 hours ago | [YT] | 29

Betwixt: The Story of You

How much do you still believe, deep down, that playing by the rules is necessary for survival?

1 day ago | [YT] | 73

Betwixt: The Story of You

Which version of the Inner Predator do you recognise most in yourself?

2 days ago | [YT] | 110

Betwixt: The Story of You

Have you ever been in a situation that looked perfect from the outside, but felt very wrong on the inside?

3 days ago | [YT] | 91

Betwixt: The Story of You

What if the thing keeping you from the life you most want isn't something like fear, shame, or bad luck, but a very convincing, very beautiful imitation of happiness? Welcome to the ACOTAR version of self-reflection, exploring the archetypal differences between Tamlin and Rhysand, and how to know which of these two voices you're "courting" on the inside.

In this video, we use Jungian psychology and K.M. Weiland's archetypal character arc framework to unpack what's really going on in Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury – and what Feyre's journey from the Spring Court to the Night Court reveals about your own inner world.

Whether you're an ACOTAR obsessive, a psychology nerd, a romantasy fan, or someone who just wants to understand why certain relationships feel like home even when they're destroying you, this one's for you.

Topics include:
🧚 Archetypal character arc – the Tenderfoot's Tale (or Maiden's Journey)
🧚 Archetypal antagonists – Authority and the Predator
🧚 Tamlin as Predator
🧚 Tamlin as unintegrated animus
🧚 Rhysand as animus in the process of integration
🧚 The importance of letting yourself want what you want
🧚 Guided meditation, Prythian-style

1 week ago | [YT] | 43

Betwixt: The Story of You

Which of these feels most like "losing yourself"?

(As always, if your answer isn’t below, please tell us in the comments!)

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 138

Betwixt: The Story of You

Do you have a clear sense of your "ideal self"?

(If so, please feel free to tell us about it — and how you feel about it — in the comments!)

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 103

Betwixt: The Story of You

Hi all! I'm extremely excited to share this week's video with you, as it was a joy to create.

Everyone has an idea of what their ideal self looks like. We may not have sat down and mood-boarded it, but we have a sense of it: a slightly more capable version of who we are; someone who's just a bit more disciplined or virtuous or successful.
But what if the very act of chasing this ideal self could be moving us in the opposite direction?

Join writer and former therapist Hazel Gale for a Jungian–Lacanian deep dive into one of the most successful animated movies of all time, Spirited Away. Brought to you by the creators of the mental health app Betwixt.


Topics include:
- Chihiro, Haku and Yubaba as aspects of self
- How to stay rooted in your authentic self while on a journey of change
- Lacan’s three registers: the Real, the Imaginary and the Symbolic
- What it means to keep hold of your “name”

References:
- Spirited Away [Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi]; directed by Miyazaki, H. (2001); Studio Ghibli.
- Madalina Brockmann, "Metamorphosis and Identity: Psychoanalytical Notes to Miyazaki’s Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle."
- Yury Li-Toroptsov, "Spirited Away and the Journey of the Soul: A Jungian Reading of Miyazaki’s Classic."
- Lacan, J. "Écrits: The First Complete Edition in English" (B. Fink, Trans.). W. W. Norton & Company (2005).
- Evans, D. "An Introductory Dictionary of Lacanian Psychoanalysis". Routledge (1996).
- Jung, C. G. The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (1968).

Thumbnail image credit: Spirited Away directed by Hayao Miyazaki

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 68

Betwixt: The Story of You

Why is everyone so scared of male beauty? Join Hazel for a trip into the history of fashion in our latest video.

1 month ago | [YT] | 61

Betwixt: The Story of You

What do you typically do with your anger?

1 month ago | [YT] | 158