Articles
Children’s Mental Health: Three Things to Consider
Mental health has become a term used for many different purposes in our culture. We often hear the term “mental health issues” on the news as the reason behind people committing crimes. Social-emotional learning has become a part of most academic curriculums in the school system and through which students are taught about mental health. Many workplaces now offer paid time off for mental health days. Tune into any radio program or turn on any given podcast and the term is likely to be used several times throughout. The term “mental health” is now deeply embedded in our culture. While most [...]
Why Premarital Counseling is for Every Engaged Couple
Premarital counseling is for every engaged couple. That is a simple, but all-encompassing statement. There are many reasons why couples don’t sign up for premarital counseling. Some couples say that they don’t need counseling because they have been together for years, have lived together, or have already talked about all their issues. However, a therapist who has counseled many engaged and married couples, would tell you from experience that premarital counseling, even for those who have been in a long-term relationship, is invaluable. Why Premarital Counseling is Important When a couple gets engaged, they spend a lot of time preparing for [...]
Finding Support for Mourning the Loss of a Parent
In the Lord of the Rings movies, the actor Bernard Hill delivered one of the more poignant lines in the film. When he was in Glasgow, Scotland, a woman had come up to him, telling him how one of her children had died recently, and then she said to him that parents shouldn’t have to bury their children. Hill, who plays a character named Theoden, was so moved by that conversation that he asked for that line to be added to a scene in the movie. The words, “No parent should have to bury their child” align with much of what [...]
Powerful Responses to Gaslighting in Relationships
Gaslighting is a form of manipulation that messes with your mind and emotions, making you second guess your reality. It can make you question your memories, beliefs, and even your sanity. A skilled gaslighter has an interesting and sophisticated set of techniques to draw from. The gas lighter might deny facts, even though the victim is confident of the truth. They might twist the truth just enough that it retains its form but also paints themselves in a more positive light. A gaslighter might blame the victim and use emotional manipulation to gain control, in turn making the victim feel guilty [...]
How to Cope with Anxiety: 7 Practical Tips
Anxiety affects millions of people each year in the U.S. Learning how to cope with anxiety can spare you from the physical and emotional ailments caused by this mental condition. Don’t suffer alone. Help is available for anxiety and its symptoms that interfere with daily activities. Physical and Mental Ailments Caused by Anxiety Anxiety is part of the natural reaction to stress. When our minds perceive danger, the body releases cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream to enable us to run or fight. Unfortunately, for some people, chronic stress keeps their body and mind in a constant state of anxiety. Chronic [...]
How to Pray to God and Improve Your Prayer Life
Are there some people in your life that you find hard to talk to, for whatever reason? Perhaps it’s because they are far away, and you prefer talking face to face with them than over the phone. Perhaps it’s because you’ve had a fractious relationship with them, or maybe even because you never developed what felt like the right language with which to address them and connect with them. Sometimes, our prayer life can feel like talking with a distant relative we struggle to connect with meaningfully. You can feel like you’re meant to talk to them, but you can never [...]
Embracing the Mess of ADHD
If you’re living with ADHD, you already know it can make life messy. Likewise, some people in your life may not be familiar with ADHD symptoms and may not be understanding when symptoms feel inconvenient or difficult. However, there is also something special about this messy chaos. Strengths of People with ADHD ADHD can actually give you some pretty awesome traits and skills that are significant strengths. Remarkably, people rely on you for these same strengths, and they benefit you and those around you. Spontaneity With ADHD you’re pretty much an expert at thinking on your feet. While others are busy [...]
The Reluctant Gratitude Journal
Some people are reluctant to journal. It sounds to Pinterest-perfect. Can writing things down change anything? For those who finally do it, they can speak to its help. Believe it or not, keeping a journal, specifically a gratitude journal, can even halt an emotional or mental spiral. It can retrain brain pathways of negative and overwhelming thoughts. In a nutshell, it can bring hope. When you get started, it can seem like the things that come to mind seem silly, trite, and not worth writing down. It’s worth persevering, though. You can write that you are thankful for the coffee that [...]
Recipe for Recovery: Practical Strategies to Reset After an Emotional Affair
When we make our marital vows and declare that we will forsake all others, we tend to view it as a nod to the threats that infidelity poses. What we assume is that an affair is physical. However, Jesus revealed that what happens in the body first occurs in the mind (Matthew 5:27-28). It's the same with an emotional affair.It may seem intense, but we commit adultery, stepping outside of our marriage, when we share a part of ourselves and our affections with someone who isn’t our spouse. An emotional affair can happen subtly, and we don’t always realize that we have [...]