Articles
Simple Ways to Manage Impulse Control Issues
Some people find it difficult to stop themselves from engaging in certain behaviors— this is what it means to have impulse control issues. Many associate children with struggling with impulse control, but adults and teenagers can, too. The diagnosis of ADHD involves a struggle with impulse control, and there are some other impulse-control disorders, like Kleptomania (the inability to refrain from stealing), Pyromania (the incessant urge to start fires), Intermittent Explosive Disorder (distinguished by an overwhelming urge to act on aggressive impulses), Trichotillomania (pulling one’s hair), Conduct Disorder (characterized by behavior that repeatedly breaks social rules), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (which is similar [...]
Teen Counseling: Out-of-the-Box Questions to Ask Your Teenagers
The family should be a closely knit group. The home should be a self-contained shelter of security; a kind of school where life’s basic lessons are taught; and a kind of church where God is honored; a place where wholesome recreation and simple pleasures are enjoyed. – Billy Graham Parenting children in any phase of life is not for the faint of heart, and it is not a task that should be taken lightly. As children grow older and become more independent, it might feel like you should allow them to face obstacles on their own and learn to deal with the [...]
Fear of Abandonment and the Character of God
When Sally was eight, her father suddenly left her mother for another woman. Sally desperately loved her father, but he never showed any interest in being involved in her life. As she grew, she found it difficult to trust others enough to get close to them. Eventually, she fell in love with Tom, a man with whom she had grown up, and they were married. Throughout their life together, Sally was consumed by a nagging sense of anxiety. She worked hard to win Tom’s approval and on the rare occasions that Tom pointed out something she could improve on, she got defensive. [...]
Marriage Advice to Help You Flourish
Relationships come in all shapes and sizes, and no two are the same. What does stay the same, however, is that people tend to act, feel, and think like, well, people. We all want to be loved, to be appreciated, to feel alive, and to have a sense of purpose. We all make mistakes, we all want to be heard, and we’re all just trying to make sense of ourselves in this world. When it comes to marriage, each marriage has its own history, burdens it carries or has overcome, and dynamics within it. While there are happy marriages, bad marriages, marriages [...]
Depression and Lack of Social Contact
As we leave a year filled with anxiety and head into a new year of more of the same with no clear end in sight, everyday activities, and even more so unexpected events can send us over the edge. We are trapped in our homes, working online with little to no physical interaction with others. This does allow for not having to drive to work and deal with the stress of traffic, but even that is a connection of sorts. Human beings are social creatures with a need to be with others. It can have a calming effect to just sit in [...]
What is High-Functioning Depression?
You might’ve heard the phrase “high-functioning depression.” What comes into your mind when you hear that phrase? “High-functioning depression” can describe the condition of anyone who continues to take care of their responsibilities despite ongoing, overwhelming feelings of sadness, despondency, low spirits, etc. Picture waking up, getting ready, and going to work all day, only to come home and walk your dog, cook dinner, do the dishes, and relax for a little while before going to bed on time. Yet the whole time, you’re unmotivated and you have to force yourself to go through the motions because you feel down, hopeless, and [...]
Boundaries: Creating Space for Your Soul
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” - Proverbs 4:23, NIV ". . . It determines the course of your life.” - Proverbs 4:23, NLT In an article published by The Harvard Business Review entitled, "The Daily Routines of Geniuses," the author compared the schedules and lifestyles of 161 artists, scientists, philosophers, and other exceptional thinkers and found several commonalities among them, such as: Creating a workspace that is fresh and calming with minimal distractions Scheduling a mid-day walk as an important part of daily work Making a clear distinction between work that is important and [...]
How to Practice Active Listening
Listening is the most important thing people need to implement in relationships, but it is also one of the hardest. Active listening helps people feel safe, heard, and understood, and it also can lead to growth and change. “When people talk, listen completely.” - Ernest Hemingway It is a sign of strength and humility, of wisdom and maturity. It is a skill underused and often forgotten, but when done poorly, it leads to broken relationships. People do not like to feel unheard. In therapy, the term “active listening” is used to describe an effective style of listening. Counselors use this method of [...]
Journeying Toward Recovery from Sex and Pornography Addiction
When God created us, He created us as sexual beings. This was good. Sex is good. Not only is sex good, but sexuality and sexual pleasure is a good gift from our Creator. Unfortunately, many “religious” communities often cast sex as inherently shameful—as though God winced His way through His creation of human sexual passion. These shame narratives have made talking about sex uncomfortable and complicated for many people. We no longer live in the “before,” when all was right in the world. We live in the times beyond Genesis 3, where the world is broken, sin enslaves our flesh, and self-control [...]