Articles
Anticipatory Grief: What It is, Its Signs, and How to Address It
The future is unknown. That’s something that can unsettle you, or it may be something you take easily in your stride. Most of us struggle with what we don’t know or with what we can’t control. That struggle can be heightened if what you’re facing isn’t pleasant and it seems inevitable. People deal with that in various ways, including denying their feelings or facing them head-on. One way of dealing with such situations is through anticipatory grief. More than grieving a loved one before they’re gone. When you love someone, you want them to be a part of your life for [...]
How to Deal with Anger Effectively
When you are facing a volatile situation, there are a variety of approaches you might take to deal with it. Some would rather avoid it altogether than run the risk of danger. Others may be cavalier and take on the danger, possibly hurting themselves and the people around them. Some will approach the circumstance boldly but with caution, carrying an awareness of the dangers involved but not shying away from what needs to be done. All of us face danger and volatility, however one of the most difficult threats we encounter is our own anger. We are forced to reckon with [...]
Strategies for Overcoming Codependency
Codependency can affect your relationships, your work, and your well-being. As much as you want to make a change, sometimes it can feel difficult to do. Implementing strategies to overcome codependency may be challenging, but it is important. Choosing to overcome codependency is worth the effort. As much as it feels easier to stay in the familiar, overcoming codependency leads to healthier relationships and better overall well-being. Even more importantly, overcoming codependency can give you a stronger sense of who you are. This stronger sense of self is more authentically you. The strategies. These strategies are not something to do all [...]
Postpartum Depression: What It Is and How to Treat It
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a disorder that women develop after giving birth. The symptoms can include feeling sad, anxious, and exhausted, making it difficult for the mother to take care of herself and her child. PPD can emerge right after birth but commonly emerges one to three weeks after delivery. Often, women who experience PPD have never experienced another form of depression. A lack of understanding and experience with PPD can be a barrier to seeking help. Because of this, many new moms feel that these symptoms are their fault, or they are weak or inadequate moms. This is not true. [...]
Practical Strategies for Overcoming Anxiety
Pain is a universal experience that we all face at one point or another. It speaks a language that we all come to know and understand. Regardless of the places we’ve been or the people we’ve encountered, our experience of pain informs our lives by shaping our thoughts and behaviors. For some, it produces dysfunction to the extent that it disrupts what God intended for us to experience and distracts from God’s goodness. Yet, God in His faithfulness, has provided the power to overcome and the peace to endure, in the person of Jesus. Without God, it is easy for us [...]
Anger in the Bible: Help and Healing for Anger Issues
If we ask the question, “What does the Bible say about anger?” we might first be thinking about anger as a negative thing, and in many cases, it is. It doesn’t take much to think of an example of sinful anger. But it might be helpful to think of anger as simply one of a range of human emotions. It can be healthy or unhealthy, righteous or sinful, but it can also be redeemed and used by God for good. Human emotions are no stranger to God. He created our capacity to experience them, and Jesus experienced emotions when he walked the [...]
Group Therapy Vs. Individual Therapy: A Christian Counselor Explains
Sometimes it takes an outsider viewing your insides to help you be the best you can be. – Mike Holmes “Welcome, come on in, and get to know me better,” says the ghost of Christmas present, expressing a basic human need. I believe all humans need others to enter their lives and know and be known. The evidence seems to be everywhere – human beings have always lived in groups. We all need persistent relationship, a deep sense of purpose, and positive reciprocal interpersonal bonds. If most of our interpersonal connections are derogatory the result will be that we gain a [...]
How to Keep Nighttime Anxiety From Disrupting Your Sleep
Anxiety is the body’s response to real or perceived stress. Unlike worry, however, which is typically centered on a specific issue, anxiety is more of a generalized feeling of dread about what may lie ahead.Nighttime anxiety is no different than daytime anxiety, but it can seem worse at night because you manage to avoid it during the day when your mind is busy with other matters. It appears to surface at the end of the day when things quiet down and there are no more daytime distractions to deal with.The typical scenario is that you feel tired and climb into bed hoping [...]
Healing for the Soul: Addressing Trauma, Overcoming Shame
Scripture describes God’s Word as alive and powerful. Sharper than a two-edged sword, it is dynamic to distinguish the nuances between soul and spirit. It is discerning enough to denote what emerges from our spirit that is made new when we confess Christ as Lord and Savior. For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12, NIV As believers in Christ, our soul is in the process of being continually transformed. Hearing and [...]