Articles
Finding and Maintaining Fulfilling Female Friendships
The thought of female friendships can be thought of as an oxymoron for some. The world would have us believe that this cannot coexist - women forming loving, reliable, and supportive relationships. The prevalent belief out there is that female friendships are marked by jealousy, competition, strife, and toxicity only to name a few. Though this is true for some friendships, it is not the only experience there is. When done right the bond of female friendships can build, encourage, challenge and support. Those who have built and maintained good and strong friendships will attest to how those relationships have held [...]
8 Types of Deep Breathing for Anxiety
Breathing is a unique process that is both automatic and controllable. Even though it is something you usually do subconsciously and tend to take for granted, the way you breathe can be adjusted and manipulated. Studies indicate that paying attention to how you are breathing can have a major impact on your stress levels. They have shown that a state of anxiety or panic can be induced just by purposefully hyperventilating, which is taking short, shallow breaths from your chest. Deep breathing, on the other hand, has been found to have a calming effect. Shallow breathing versus deep breathing. There are [...]
Understanding Attachment Disorder in Adults
The ability to form attachments with other human beings is an essential skill that typically begins early in life. The parent/caregiver-child relationship is the first crucial relationship that an infant forms. The health of this relationship has a profound effect on the child’s social and emotional development. Attachment disorder is a term that is typically used to describe problems with the emotional attachment that occurs in early childhood. While attachment disorder can occur in adults, it is typically seen in young children and is typically treated by mental health professionals with experience in working with children and families. Types of attachment [...]
Stress Eating: Why We Do It and How We Can Stop
Have you ever caught yourself eating a bag of your favorite sweet or salty snack only to realize you ate way more than you intended to? I think many of us can relate to this unfortunate experience. Consequently, this is often quickly followed by a rush of self-directed negative emotions: frustration, guilt, regret, and even disgust. Then the next day, next week, or next month we find ourselves repeating the cycle. What is going on here and how can we break the cycle? The above scenario describes a situation often associated with emotion-based eating. Research shows that 35-50% of people report [...]
Codependency Recovery: Tips from a Christian Counselor
Codependency refers to pain caused by the sufferings we encounter during childhood but becomes expressed in adulthood, leading to a higher chance of compulsive/addictive behavior and relationship problems. Codependency can be attributed to specific feelings and behaviors, resulting in an aversive relationship full of self-loathing and self-sacrificial behaviors. Codependency is a pattern of sacrificing your needs, well-being, and self-care and putting much of your energy into enabling or supporting the people in your life. If you have been unable to change your situation for a while, codependent thoughts and behaviors require mindful self-care and self-love. Codependent behaviors. You find yourself depending [...]
Family Members and Substance Abuse
One of the hardest problems you can face is being among family members and substance abuse. The reasons someone gets caught up in the lifestyle of drugs or alcohol aren’t always evident. Most of the time it is because they are trying to self-medicate due to some internal pain. Learning to help your loved one overcome addiction and find a workable substance abuse treatment can be difficult. If you are needing help in this area reach out to a Christian counselor near you. What is substance abuse? In today’s terms substance has become the umbrella term for any type of chemical [...]
Couples Counseling: Simple and Overlooked Relationship Game-Changers
When we think of relationship problems for couples, we often wrack our brains and try to figure out where we are going wrong or are falling short. Finances, extra hours at work, and raising children can all cause tension in a relationship. However, sometimes the thing we overlook most is taking the small opportunities to invest in our relationship. Vincent Van Gogh said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Small changes can make a big difference, as well as sessions of couples counseling when you need insight into your problems. Couples counseling: simple and overlooked relationship [...]
Finding Your Tribe: Healing Rejection and Abandonment Through Created Community
Healing rejection and abandonment is possible through created community. Finding your tribe of supporters is a key way to start healing from these hurts. The Bible is many things, including a book that offers insight into relationships. Its narrative highlights the value of different kinds of community: whether family, friend, or faith partner. Instructions from its stories reveal God’s heart for humanity. Our God wants us to experience Him advocating for us. He also places us in proximity to people who will champion us. Community is God’s idea. He abides in fellowship with Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Out [...]
Healing from the Effects of Abandonment Trauma
Abandonment trauma refers to the behaviors and emotional distress that come about as a result of experiences that made you feel unsafe, insecure, isolated, and/or alone as a child. It is an unhealthy fear of loss or rejection, rooted in anxiety, and may include deep emotional and psychological pain associated with memories of being left behind, physically or emotionally neglected, and/or abandoned. While abandonment trauma most commonly begins in early childhood, it can happen at any time of life. Adults may, for example, experience abandonment trauma as the result of the sudden, untimely death of a loved one, or an unwanted [...]