I've been working on a Master of Professional Psychology this year, toiling away in an online flipped-classroom environment as a full-time mature-aged student. One of my final assignments required the use of AI to generate case study results. What do you think, when you hear or read "AI"?
I have to admit, I was a little scared to use AI at first!
But, with the encouragement of a friendly classmate, I dove in. Out of curiosity, I asked Co-Pilot a few questions about my first book, [RE]BIRTH Self-Transformation over Tea and Tarot. I was interested to see if Co-Pilot actually read my book, or skimmed over the back cover. It certainly didn't do a deep-dive, but I would agree with most of the responses.
I've included the responses that Co-Pilot produced below. Any comments that I'd like to add are beneath the Co-Pilot response, in italics. The first reponse relates to my research project for university. It was to examin an experience that might be typical for people who are in a relationship with someone who has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and how to help them from my position as a provisional psychologist.
The images in this article were also generated by Co-Pilot.

Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon could be a deeply transformative experience for a woman whose husband has PTSD. The book is designed to guide readers through a journey of self-discovery and healing, using the allegory of “the fool’s journey” from tarot.
Here are some potential outcomes:
Emotional Healing: The book encourages reflection on past experiences and emotions, which could help her process any feelings of stress or trauma related to her husband’s condition.
Increased Awareness: By exploring her own frustrations and desires, she might gain a new level of self-awareness and understanding.
Empowerment: The book aims to inspire hope and dreams for a positive future, which could be empowering and uplifting.
Mindfulness Practices: The exercises in the book, such as drawing and imagining, promote mindfulness, which can be beneficial for mental health.
Overall, the book’s gentle and supportive approach could provide her with tools to navigate her own emotional landscape while supporting her husband.
I really liked this response from Co-Pilot, especially how it mentioned the mindfulness-related drawing. When I wrote the book, I wanted to really encourage my readers to draw what you imagined as you read, and to draw memories as well as aspirations. This can be a very healing process.
I should note about the fool's journey - this refers to the major arcana of the tarot, which has character and situation cards that depict a person going from innocent and naive, to experienced, wise and successful. Hence, the fool's journey depicts all of us, at some point in our lives. I wonder sometimes, if this deck of cards was ever used as an aid by travelers as they met people who spoke different languages and dialects. The deck, afterall, is a few hundred years old, so how else would people tell stories and discover stuff?
Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can offer several benefits for someone with PTSD:
Emotional Healing: The book provides gentle methods for healing from past traumas, which can be particularly helpful for individuals with PTSD.
Mindfulness Practices: The mindfulness exercises, such as tea rituals and tarot readings, can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm and relaxation.
Self-Reflection: Encouraging self-reflection and introspection, the book can help individuals understand and process their experiences and emotions.
Empowerment: By fostering personal growth and transformation, the book can empower individuals to take control of their healing journey.
Creative Outlet: The unique combination of tea and tarot offers a creative and engaging way to explore personal growth, which can be both therapeutic and enjoyable.
These aspects can make the book a valuable resource for someone looking to manage and heal from PTSD.
When I read this response from Co-Pilot, I thought the mention of "tea rituals and tarot readings" was misleading. The book is not about these things at all. Sure, at the start, I invite you to make a cuppa and get comfortable, but I wouldn't call that a "tea ritual"! And, I never invite you to do a tarot reading with this book - ever. That said, I appreciate most of what Co-Pilot has put here.
Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon offers several benefits:
Personal Insight: The book provides a deep dive into life experiences, covering themes like love, romance, heartache, aspiration, and achievement.
Healing and Inspiration: It offers gentle ways to heal from past traumas and powerful inspiration to make positive changes in your life.
Practical Tools: The book includes practical tools and exercises that readers can use to facilitate their own self-transformation.
Engaging Format: Combining tea and tarot, the book presents a unique and engaging way to explore personal growth.
Reusability: Readers often return to the book and the exercises it inspires, making it a valuable resource for ongoing personal development.
This book isn't so much "combining tea and tarot" as saying, get comfy with a cuppa, and learn to draw your life from different perspectives. Just take some time to ponder. In this book, I've used the major and minor arcanas of the tarot as my structure and inspiration, because I found them really wonderful tools for self-awareness and self-development. Those arcanas are just 2 sets of playing cards from centuries past; nothing to be scared of.
Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can be particularly beneficial for women in several ways:
Empowerment: The book encourages women to take control of their personal growth and transformation, fostering a sense of empowerment and self-confidence.
Emotional Healing: It provides gentle methods for healing from past traumas and emotional wounds, which can be especially relevant for women who have faced various life challenges.
Self-Discovery: The exercises and tools in the book promote self-discovery, helping women to better understand their own identities, desires, and goals.
Mindfulness and Relaxation: The mindfulness practices, such as tea rituals and tarot readings, offer a calming and reflective experience, helping to reduce stress and promote relaxation.
Community and Connection: The themes of the book can resonate with many women, fostering a sense of connection and shared experience, which can be very comforting and supportive.
Apart from the "tea rituals and tarot readings", I'm pretty happy with this response from Co-Pilot. But, compare the responses for women, with the responses for men (below)!

Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can be beneficial for men in several ways:
Self-Reflection: The book encourages introspection, helping men to explore their emotions, thoughts, and experiences in a safe and structured way.
Emotional Intelligence: By engaging with themes of love, heartache, and personal growth, men can develop a deeper understanding of their own emotions and those of others.
Healing: The practical tools and exercises provided can aid in healing from past traumas and fostering personal growth.
Unique Perspective: The combination of tea and tarot offers a unique approach to self-transformation that can be both intriguing and enlightening.
Inclusivity: The themes of the book are universal, making it relevant and accessible to anyone, regardless of gender.
I've got to call the gender-police! Women get to have empowerment, emotional healing and self-discovery, while men get self-reflection, emotional intelligence and healing ?? I had to laugh. Also, the women got mindfulness and relaxation, community and connection, while the men got a unique perspective and inclusivity. I'm not disagreeing, but I am interested in the distinctions ...
Not only that, the women get the tea rituals and tarot readings but the men don't. Why has Co-Pilot made such a huge gender assumption?

Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can be particularly beneficial for teenagers in several ways:
Self-Discovery: The book encourages teenagers to explore their own identities, emotions, and aspirations, which is crucial during this formative period.
Emotional Resilience: By addressing themes of love, heartache, and personal growth, it helps teenagers build emotional resilience and cope with the challenges they face.
Mindfulness and Reflection: The exercises and tools provided promote mindfulness and self-reflection, which can help teenagers manage stress and anxiety.
Creative Expression: The book’s unique format offers a creative outlet for teenagers to express themselves and explore new perspectives.
Empowerment: It empowers teenagers to take control of their personal growth and transformation, fostering a sense of agency and confidence.
Now we're talking! I can't disagree with any of this. I absolutely love this for the teens!
Now, that I'm getting on, I wondered how my book would fare with older persons ....

Middle-aged people can gain several benefits from reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon:
Midlife Reflection: The book encourages introspection, which can be particularly valuable during midlife when people often reassess their goals and achievements.
Emotional Healing: It provides gentle ways to heal from past traumas and emotional wounds, which can accumulate over the years.
Personal Growth: The practical tools and exercises help foster continuous personal development, which is important for maintaining a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Stress Reduction: The mindfulness practices can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
New Perspectives: The unique format offers fresh perspectives on life challenges, helping to break old patterns and inspire new ways of thinking.
Being "middle-aged" myself, I thought I'd better check! That odd phrase near the end, about "the unique combination of tea and tarot" doesn't sit perfectly for me, but I do like how Co-Pilot suggested breaking old patterns and inspiring new ways of thinking - that's great! Let's see how the older folk fare!

Elderly people can gain several benefits from reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon:
Reflective Practice: The book encourages reflection on life experiences, which can be particularly meaningful for elderly individuals looking to make sense of their past and find peace.
Emotional Healing: It offers gentle ways to heal from long-held traumas and emotional wounds, promoting overall well-being.
Mindfulness and Relaxation: The mindfulness practices can help reduce stress and provide a sense of calm and relaxation.
Continued Growth: The practical tools and exercises support ongoing personal development, helping elderly individuals to continue growing and finding new purposes in life.
Creative Engagement: The unique structure of the book offers a creative and engaging way to explore personal growth, which can be both stimulating and enjoyable.
Just because we get older, doesn't mean we get wiser. But we can!
I've been a life transitions coach since 2018, so what about "transitions"?

Reading [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can be particularly beneficial for someone who has been made redundant in several ways:
Emotional Healing: The book provides gentle methods for healing from the emotional impact of job loss, helping individuals process feelings of grief, anger, and uncertainty.
Self-Reflection: It encourages self-reflection and introspection, which can help individuals reassess their goals, skills, and passions, and find new directions in their career and personal life.
Empowerment: By fostering personal growth and transformation, the book can empower individuals to take control of their future and rebuild their confidence.
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction: The mindfulness practices can help reduce stress and promote a sense of calm and relaxation during a challenging time.
New Perspectives: The unique approach offers fresh perspectives on life challenges, helping individuals to see new opportunities and possibilities.
These aspects can make the book a valuable resource for someone looking to navigate the emotional and practical challenges of redundancy.
I like it! I have learned that the way I title my book will have a big impact on how Co-Pilot responds to my questions. Maybe if I word my questions differently, it might be better? I specified the imagery and drawing activities to see what Co-Pilot came up with next.

The imagery and drawing activities in [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can be particularly beneficial for someone finishing school, college, or university in several ways:
Processing Transitions: These activities help individuals process the significant transition from academic life to the next phase, whether it’s entering the workforce or pursuing further studies.
Clarifying Goals: Imagery and drawing can aid in visualizing future goals and aspirations, making it easier to set clear and achievable objectives.
Reducing Stress: Engaging in creative activities like drawing can be a form of mindfulness, helping to reduce stress and anxiety associated with major life changes.
Enhancing Self-Reflection: These activities encourage deep self-reflection, allowing individuals to better understand their strengths, weaknesses, and passions.
Boosting Creativity: Creative exercises can stimulate new ways of thinking and problem-solving, which are valuable skills in both personal and professional life.
These benefits can make the book a valuable resource for young adults navigating the challenges and opportunities that come with finishing their education.
Oh. Now I get it!
By being more specific about the main activities that I suggested in the book, I was able to get rid of the "tea rituals" and "tarot readings", and actually get a response from Co-Pilot that I like!

The imagery and drawing activities in [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon can be particularly beneficial for someone who has just retired from the workforce in several ways:
Processing Life Transitions: These activities help retirees process the significant transition from a structured work life to retirement, providing a creative outlet to explore and express their feelings about this change.
Maintaining Cognitive Function: Engaging in creative activities like drawing can help maintain cognitive function and mental agility, which is important for overall brain health.
Reducing Stress: Creative self-expression through imagery and drawing can reduce stress and promote relaxation, helping retirees adjust to their new lifestyle.
Enhancing Self-Reflection: These activities encourage deep self-reflection, allowing retirees to explore their past experiences and future aspirations in a meaningful way.
Boosting Emotional Well-Being: Creative activities can improve mood and increase self-confidence, contributing to a sense of fulfillment and purpose in retirement.
These benefits can make the book a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate the emotional and practical challenges of retirement.
Not bad. I'm really seeing how the intentions I had when I wrote this book are coming through, loud and clear.
Now. Let's see what scholarly (academic) articles might have to say about my book.
Well, I didn't expect any scholarly work that references [RE]BIRTH, because I haven't done the research using this particular book. But there is plenty of research that suggests the tools and techniques described in my book are useful, easy to use, and can have positive effects.
While there may not be scholarly articles specifically about [Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon, several academic sources can support the themes and approaches discussed in the book:
Self-Actualization: Research on Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and self-actualization can provide a theoretical foundation for the book’s focus on personal growth and reaching one’s full potential.
Mindfulness: Studies on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and its benefits can support the book’s emphasis on mindfulness practices.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Scholarly articles on CBT can validate the book’s use of self-reflection and cognitive restructuring techniques.
Positive Psychology: Research in positive psychology, which focuses on strengths and well-being, aligns with the book’s goal of fostering positive change and personal development.
These areas of research provide a strong academic backing for the principles and practices outlined in Hanlon’s book.
Well, that's nice! The thing with scholarly articles is, that they are peer-reviewed (that is, other academics who work in the same field as the authors will scrutinise the manuscript before it's allowed to be published). I've reviewed a few over the years! It's a tough, unpaid job that has to be done, to ensure that what is published as "scholarly" or "academic" is right and true.
Here are some scholarly articles:
[Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon aligns with several psychological theories:
Self-Actualization: The book emphasizes personal growth and reaching one’s full potential, which aligns with Abraham Maslow’s theory of self-actualization.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): The practical tools and exercises in the book encourage self-reflection and cognitive restructuring, which are key components of CBT.
Mindfulness: The book’s focus on mindfulness practices aligns with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques.
Positive Psychology: By promoting positive change and personal development, the book aligns with the principles of positive psychology, which focuses on strengths and well-being.
These theories provide a strong foundation for the book’s approach to self-transformation and personal growth.
I was pretty happy with this response from Co-Pilot. Although, I would also include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Emotion-Focussed Therapy (EFT). My book uses a lot of imagery, allegory, metaphor and explores emotions; and these are all very much ACT and EFT concepts. It's also a great coaching tool, and any ACT practitioner will tell you, that ACT has a lot of coaching.
So, I asked Co-Pilot how my book aligns with ACT. And this is what it said.
[Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon aligns with several core principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT):
Mindfulness: The book’s emphasis on mindfulness practices aligns with ACT’s focus on being present and aware in the moment.
Acceptance: It encourages acceptance of past experiences and emotions, which is a key component of ACT. This helps individuals to acknowledge and embrace their feelings without judgment.
Values Clarification: The exercises in the book help readers identify and commit to their personal values, similar to ACT’s process of values clarification and committed action.
Cognitive Defusion: By using creative tools like tarot, the book helps readers to distance themselves from unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, which is a technique known as cognitive defusion in ACT.
Self-Compassion: The book promotes self-compassion and kindness towards oneself, which is an important aspect of ACT, especially in dealing with self-criticism and shame.
These elements make the book a valuable resource for anyone looking to incorporate ACT principles into their personal growth and healing journey.
I read this response from Co-Pilot, and wondered why it hadn't been incorporated into the previous response. It was an articulate reflection of how my book actually does align with ACT! Everything reflects what I put into this book.
[Re]Birth: Self-Transformation Over Tea and Tarot by Mary-Claire Hanlon aligns with several principles of Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT):
Emotional Awareness: The book encourages readers to become more aware of their emotions through reflective practices and mindfulness, which is a core aspect of EFT.
Emotional Expression: By using creative tools like drawing, the book helps individuals express their emotions in a safe and structured way, similar to the expressive techniques used in EFT.
Emotional Regulation: The mindfulness practices promote emotional regulation by helping individuals manage and soothe their emotional responses.
Transforming Emotions: EFT focuses on transforming maladaptive emotions into more adaptive ones. The exercises in the book aim to facilitate this transformation by encouraging self-reflection and personal growth.
Empathy and Self-Compassion: The book promotes empathy and self-compassion, which are essential components of EFT, helping individuals to be kinder to themselves and others.
These elements make the book a valuable resource for anyone looking to incorporate EFT principles into their personal growth and healing journey.
So, yes, my book aligns with a range of therapies, including the gold standard interventions for many psychological problems, and I'd love the funding to research it more specifically. But for now, it's a great adjunct to therapy.
It occurs to me that many people are waiting months to see a psychologist or psychiatrist, and could benefit from a caring, non-judgmental person to talk to. Why not book in for a free strategy session with me, to see if I can help you with some coaching through your life transitions? Let's see if I can help you out.
Also, my books are available from my website - [RE]BIRTH is in paperback and various e-formats, while my other book, Study Skills for Success: How to Learn, Know and Show You’re “The Expert” is available as an e-book, in various formats.
Remember - when you sign up for the first time, you get a free meditation for your mobile device too!
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