John’s Blog
Beware, Dad Jokes may occur.
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What Happens to Something Extraordinary When It Becomes Invisible?
I have the same dream over and over again. In it, I can fly. Not for a few seconds. Not in the awkward “I’m falling with style” kind of way. I can actually control it. I soar over trees, neighborhoods, and buildings as naturally as someone riding a… Read More
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The Good We Can’t Always See
One of the things people notice about me is that I tend to use playfulness in situations where most people wouldn’t. I’ve used it while working psychiatric crises, during suicide interventions, in therapy sessions, and even while performing magic. There’s something strangely powerful about play. It interrupts expectation.… Read More
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Why We Hold On to False Beliefs: When Being Wrong Feels Like Losing Ourselves
Most people like to think they are rational. We imagine that when presented with enough evidence, we will simply adjust our beliefs and move forward. Yet history, politics, religion, science, and even our personal relationships repeatedly demonstrate that this is often not how human beings operate. In fact,… Read More
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Why Do Humans Keep Telling the Same Stories?
One of the questions that has fascinated me for years is this: Why do humans keep creating the same stories? Not similar stories. The same stories. Across continents. Across languages. Across thousands of years. Long before the internet, telephones, airplanes, or even reliable maps, cultures separated by oceans… Read More
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When Promises, Contracts, and Silence Collide: My Experience With Steve Turney and Mental Health Marketing
I debated for a long time whether I should write this. I work in mental health. I’m also a professional magician and educator. My reputation matters to me, and I generally try to handle disputes privately and professionally whenever possible. But after months of delays, written promises, court… Read More
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When the Eyes “Go Dark”: Abuse, Belief, and the Psychology of Fear
I have encountered this scenario repeatedly throughout my career: someone becomes convinced that another person’s eyes visibly “changed,” “went black,” or “went dark.” What surprises me is how often this experience becomes interpreted as evidence of a supernatural or spiritual force. I have worked with individuals in abusive… Read More