Articles
Anxiety as a Teenager: Signs, Impact, and Treatment Options
My counseling journey began by working with teenagers, a population that often finds itself at the intersection of rapid growth, identity formation, and complex challenges. Supporting teens required me to cultivate patience, flexibility, and the ability to hold space for strong emotions while also encouraging hope and resilience. Although at times it stretched me outside of my comfort zone, these early experiences shaped my foundation as a counselor and deepened my understanding of the importance of empathy, clear boundaries, and developmental awareness. Life challenges come to us all, regardless of our background, faith, commitments, family situation, age, gender, or walk of [...]
From Burnout to Balance: Rethinking the Costs of Stress in the Workplace
Stress is a factor of life that we experience for different reasons, at various stages of life, to differing degrees, but always with negative long-term results. Stress is the state of our body on high alert, caused by a release of hormones in the nervous system, readying us with a fight, flight, or freeze response. The purpose of stress is to prepare us to survive a life-threatening situation, and this stress response could save our lives. But living in an extended survival mode has the opposite effect and can cause far more damage than good. Frequent headaches, body aches, insomnia, restlessness, [...]
Christian Family Counseling During a Crisis
There is never a “good time” for a family crisis. Whether things seem good or not, family crises rock people to their core. Whether it is a turn in the financial markets, the economy, the sudden discovery of infidelity, or the sudden death of a loved one, a family crisis has the potential to destroy family cohesion and end marriages. For Christian families, these situations become more complex. There are certain things they must weigh when walking out their faith throughout the crisis that honor Christ while still allowing room for them to recognize they are human. This is when it can [...]
Understanding and Managing Teen Anger
There may be nothing so heartbreaking as to see your child trapped and unable to escape a difficult situation. It could be issues with substance abuse, feelings of isolation, and low self-esteem from being bullied. Struggles with depression may lead them to despair, or they may be struggling with anger, caught up in a hot whirlwind of unbridled emotion. The challenges of the teenage years can be disruptive and detrimental to the teen’s well-being. When someone is hurting, the people around them hurt, too. That means if a teen is struggling with anger, the people around them will get hurt, not [...]
Holistic Self-Care for Your Mental Health: Taking Care of Yourself Body, Soul, and Spirit
Self-care is often perceived as selfish. But it is essential for maintaining balance in life. The metaphor “put the oxygen mask on yourself first” is an example of prioritizing personal health to ensure you have enough energy to assist others, whether at home or work. Managing stress holistically and proactively is essential for people to avoid depression and anxiety, and also helps to take an offensive stance against the devil’s schemes. The Bible states that each of us is made up of three parts: a spirit, a soul, and a body. “Now may the God of peace make you holy in [...]
Why Does God Allow Suffering? A Christian Counselor’s Perspective
It’s been a hard month for many people, for many Christians. Our hearts have been heavy with senseless acts of violence. It makes you think about why people do the things they do. It also might make many question God. When you really look at it, you can break it down to not only mental health, but also good versus evil. A former pastor of the C.S. Lewis Institute wrote, “The Bible declares that evil is far worse than we realize. Evil is an invader, a parasite, a rot. It’s a malignant cancer that has spread, a rupture in the cosmic order. [...]
Is There a Connection Between Perfectionism and Anxiety?
Perfectionism can be defined as an unhealthy attempt to portray oneself as flawless. It’s characterized by having unrealistic standards and an overly critical evaluation of oneself. Perfectionism is often rooted in a fear of failure, being viewed as incompetent, or being judged harshly for shortcomings. Perfectionism is often fueled by anxiety or self-esteem issues, while the pursuit of excellence is fueled by a deep sense of satisfaction in one’s work. The life of a perfectionist is often marked by fear and extreme caution, lacking creativity, joy, and inspiration (Kelly, 2015). How does one become a perfectionist? Perfection is usually a self-esteem [...]
Dealing with Loneliness: How Christian Counseling Can Help
There are certain times of the year when it can be especially hard to deal with loneliness. Whether it’s approaching the holidays or a significant milestone in your life, like a birthday or graduation, it can be painful to be lonely. It’s at that time that most people yearn for a sense of connection with others, but it can prove elusive for a variety of reasons. We can all experience loneliness, and there are healthy ways for us to cope with it. Loneliness as a Painful Challenge Have you ever heard the statement that you can be sitting in a crowded [...]
Temper Tantrums or Anger? Anger Issues in Children
Most parents have experienced the dreaded temper tantrum. That moment when your young child does not get their way and suffers a meltdown, typically in a busy store or another public place. For first-time parents, this can be a shock. Your seemingly lovely child is throwing a fit – hitting, kicking, throwing things, and screaming at the top of their lungs. The good news is that tantrums tend to pass and lessen as the child grows and learns to control their feelings. But what if the frustrated child turns their anger inward, and their emotions seem uncontrollable? What if they do [...]