By David Hennessy, Clinical Psychologist
What is Psychology?
A highly simplified explanation? Psychology is the understanding of how the mind makes meaning, and how that meaning-making drives each individual’s subjective experiences of life.
Our minds are constantly interpreting, judging, labelling, remembering, planning, imagining, regretting, and hoping. Psychology is the study of that ongoing stream of mental activity—how it helps us, how it hinders us, and how we can work with it more skilfully.
Our Interpretations Shape Our Physiology
The meanings we create don’t just influence how we feel emotionally—they shape what our body does, moment by moment.
Our interpretations influence the autonomic nervous system, which regulates functions like heart rate, breathing, digestion, and muscle tension. This system plays a central role in our stress responses (“fight, flight, freeze, or fawn”) and in our rest and recovery states (“rest, repair, connect”).
If our mind labels something as dangerous—even subtly—our body may respond with tension, racing thoughts, and physical unease.
Conversely, when the meaning we give to a moment is safe, calm, predictable, and understood, our nervous system downshifts into more settled, connected states. We breathe easier. Our shoulders drop. We feel more present, open, and able to relate with care.
In short, how we interpret life changes how we live it, psychologically and physically.
Why Does It Matter?
The meanings we attach to our thoughts, memories, relationships, and sense of self deeply shape:
- how we feel emotionally
- how we behave in the world
- how we relate to others
- how we cope with pain and distress
- how we function physically and socially
- how we access rest, recovery, and wellbeing
Psychology seeks to understand the inner workings of these processes through science and research, as well as therapy and reflection, to better understand human meaning-making in general and to facilitate individual journeys of insight.
It’s Not Just About Mental Illness
Psychology isn’t only about diagnosing or treating mental health conditions. It’s also about growth, meaning, performance, recovery, and connection. It helps explain why we do what we do—and how we might shift things when life feels stuck or overwhelming.
A Human Story
At its heart, psychology is about people. It’s about how we make sense of ourselves, our relationships, our experiences, and the world around us. And it’s about how those stories shape our lives, for better or worse.
The more we understand our mind’s meaning-making, the more we can live with intention, compassion, and care. And the more we honour this process, the more we help both mind and body find balance, calm, and connection.
Appointments / Enquires
David the Varsity Lakes Psychologist: https://hennessyclinicalpsychology.com/#contact
References & Resources
- Australian Psychological Society –About psychologyhttps://psychology.org.au/psychology/about-psychology
- Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation.
- Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are.
- Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2016). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change.
