Articles
Understanding Therapeutic Techniques: What is EMDR Therapy?
One of the advantages of living in the time we do is that we are constantly learning more about ourselves, and we’re figuring out new ways to tackle old problems. This is happening in almost every arena of human knowledge, no less in resolving emotional and mental health challenges. As we find out more and more about how our bodies and brains work, we can develop therapeutic techniques that are more effective than past treatments, or that can produce results that would have taken longer to achieve. One therapeutic technique that is useful in dealing with trauma is EMDR. EMDR stands [...]
Identifying Signs of Depression
Depression is a complex mood disorder that few people truly understand, even when they are experiencing it firsthand. Sometimes, it is linked to other disorders such as bipolar, ADHD, or OCD, but depression can also be a standalone medical issue or simply a result of life experiences like grief or overwork. The first step to effectively managing this condition is to identify the signs of depression, which often proves to be a difficult task. Running On Empty Most people who claim to feel drained, tired, or overwhelmed are often actually in the depths of depression. We endure demanding conditions in life [...]
4 Ways to Help Your Spouse Deal with Emotional Abandonment
Emotional abandonment can be a difficult issue to resolve. Emotional abandonment comes from many different sources. People who feel abandoned due to childhood trauma or a lack of emotional availability from parents or loved ones can experience trauma from a specific event in their life. Whatever the case may be, the person experiencing this needs to resolve it so they can participate in healthy relationships in the future. This is especially true for spouses. It can be difficult to live with someone who has made themselves emotionally unavailable to you simply because they don’t know how to express their emotions having not [...]
Burden or Blessing: Navigating Challenges in Relationships
Although we can see the value in forming relationships, sometimes abiding in them can feel burdensome. When we share a part of our hearts and our lives with people, we may get hurt. While we don’t search for harm, part of maturing in faith and life includes awareness that conflicts will surface in the healthiest of relationships. Faith, however, is demonstrated in preparing for and stewarding relationship challenges as opportunities to encounter undiscovered facets of God, others, and ourselves. Relationships can be one of the greatest blessings of our lives, despite potential challenges. These challenges don’t mean we should avoid connection with [...]
Dealing with Anxiety: What to Do When You’re Feeling Anxious
Life presents us with many situations in which future outcomes matter but are unknown, or where it’s likely that things won’t go your way. Where uncertainty reigns, or in situations where you or your loved ones might be at risk in one way or another, it can make us worried and anxious. Anxiety isn’t a bad thing; in fact, anxiety can be a good thing. However, anxiety can become an obstacle to your well-being and sense of flourishing. Anxiety Gets Us All In The End Some people seem to have nerves of steel. Nothing seems to faze them, and they can [...]
Anxiety Reduction: What You Can Do
Most of us deal with anxiety on some level during our lives. In the past, anxiety helped with the fight-or-flight response to keep our ancestors safe during perilous times. It is ingrained in us. Fast forward to today, and we face anxious thoughts and situations instead of dangerous life-and-death circumstances. Still, our minds work the same way, flooding our bloodstream with cortisol and adrenaline and revving up anxiety. The symptoms of anxiety can be scary and interfere with daily life: Worrying excessively about things outside your control. Experiencing mood swings and irritability. Tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep. Waking [...]
Understanding Psychological Trauma and Anxiety
In the modern world, processing and understanding trauma can be daunting. Anxiety and trauma are often linked inextricably, and healing both can take time and support. What is trauma? What is anxiety? Trauma is, at its most basic level, a psychological response to distressing events. Trauma is linked to emotional disturbances, physical symptoms, and psychological manifestations. Trauma is an individualistic response and can play out differently for each of us. Anxiety is a persistent feeling of worry, fear, or unease that can interfere with our functioning at work, school, home, and in relationships. It can involve feelings of impending doom, concern about [...]
The Different Categories of Trauma
In this article, we’ll consider the different categories of trauma. After all, not all “hurt” is created equal. Most of the hurt of living in this world is temporary, passing without any lasting impact. We don’t remember every stubbed toe, every harsh word spoken to us, and the like. We do tend to remember those times of hurt that rise to the level when some actual damage occurs, an injury from which it takes a bit longer to recover and more resources and resilience to address. This is what we would call “harm,” and yet not even all harm is created [...]
The Heart of Stone: Jesus’s Gift of New Beginnings
Sometimes it’s easy to be critical of ourselves. This criticism can often spill over into our spiritual and mental health, as well. We might compare ourselves to our role models or become fixated on certain habitual sins. At times, we may get so obsessed with our imperfections that we start to lose sight of the amazing gift of salvation that Jesus Christ has given us through His death on the cross. My prayer is that through this article, you will come to understand the gift of new beginnings given to us through the blood of Jesus Christ. New Beginnings in Psalm 51 [...]