Articles
Dealing Proactively with Trauma Triggers
Regardless of how much work we have put into dealing with past trauma, there will come a time when we suddenly feel overwhelmed by emotions and memories connected to that experience. Our reaction might have resulted from a physical stimulus, like a song or a smell, or it might have stemmed from an emotional situation, such as being in an argument with a loved one. This is known as a trigger, and almost everyone who has been through trauma will experience them at some point. It’s not always easy to know how to deal with trauma triggers, but the first step [...]
The Challenges and Blessings of Being a Single Father
There are many different challenges that a person can take up in life, but one of the most rewarding journeys a person can undertake is to be a parent. Being a single dad has its challenges, but it certainly has its joys, too. When you’re in the thick of it, it can be hard to pause long enough to appreciate what you have, and it can also be easy to get overwhelmed. Taking stock of the challenges and blessings of being a single father can help you direct your energies better, celebrate your wins better, and face tomorrow with a greater [...]
Protecting Identity: Dissociative Identity Disorder
Once referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder, the rare mental health condition Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is diagnosed in less than 200,000 cases per year in the United States. A person who has experienced extreme and traumatic events may develop the condition as a way for the mind to protect (dissociate) memories and identity. What Exactly is Dissociative Identity Disorder? Dissociative Identity Disorder creates a splintered effect, dissociating the person’s mind and memories from traumatic memories or a series of events. This dissociation causes two or more personalities to emerge. These personalities are fully formed with memories, backstories, motivations, and goals. They [...]
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 [...]