Articles
8 Benefits of Gratitude as a Daily Practice
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 If you’ve ever had to do a chore or errand you didn’t find particularly pleasant, you probably know that the experience feels interminable. When you go into something expecting it to be bad, it can feel like it’s going on forever. Trips to the DMV, the grocery store, or an unpleasant conversation with an unpleasant character are all difficulties we need to face at one point or another in life. However, it’s possible to make a tough situation [...]
Spiritual Tips to Curb the Influence of Anxiety in Your Life
Our society is marked by busyness. Bursting schedules and activity-packed days squeeze out essential time for rest and rejuvenation. What suffers? Our sleep, peace, and healthy connections with God, self, and others ultimately pay. The high cost of loss mounts in our attempts to keep pace with the bustling world around us and can result in anxiety. We sometimes succumb to the lure of multi-tasking, trying to recoup losses. Doing too much in too little time yields the opposite effect. Playing into the hands of “catch-up” drains energy, erodes focus, and elevates anxiety levels. It frays nerves like the loose ends [...]
Help and Hope for Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Anxiety and panic attacks have certain similarities, but they are two different conditions. How can you tell which is which? The main differences between them are the way they present themselves at their onset and the intensity, severity, and duration of the symptoms. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) describes a panic attack as “a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause.” It does not, however, list or include a definition for what is commonly referred to as an anxiety attack. Although “anxiety attack” is not [...]
Understanding Social Anxiety: Causes and Symptoms
Conversations around anxiousness and stress management are becoming more and more common in our society’s public dialogue. From A-list celebrities talking openly about their mental health struggles, to friends and family admitting how hard it has been to get back to normal after the isolation of early-COVID quarantine, people of every class and creed seem to be experiencing greater feelings of social anxiety and fear than they have before. Many mental and emotional health conditions have been exacerbated by the threats to public health, societal divides, and financial stressors of recent years, and social anxiety is no exception. More people than [...]
When Your Family Gives You Anxiety
In an ideal world, family conflict would not exist. However, the world is full of people who make mistakes or who make choices that you don’t like or agree with. This then puts you in a position of needing to make difficult choices about how to engage with your closest relations. Whether dealing with narcissistic parents, siblings who always bring the drama, or the full political spectrum of aunts/uncles/grandparents, family can become a source of anxiety for many. You are not the only person who feels panicky around the holidays, or when anticipating a family gathering. As an individual focusing on [...]
What to Do With an Unhappy Marriage
Marriage is beautiful. The coming together of two souls, two lives, two bodies, and two minds, into one lifelong relationship is one of the mysteries that still confront us in daily life. But it is also hard. When you love someone, that often requires setting aside your desires to be present for them and meet their needs. Taking someone else’s opinion and feelings into consideration in every decision you make can fray even the best of nerves, and it strains our hearts that delight in being safe and getting what they want. The union is beautiful and mysterious, but it is [...]
7 Methods to Treat Depression in Children All Parents Should Know
Children, at times, may experience depression. However, unlike adults, they likely have not developed the insight to identify when they experience depression-related symptoms, the vocabulary to explain how they are feeling or the insight into how their behavior toward others may impact their relationships. Parents may notice a change in their child’s demeanor, behavior, or ability to tolerate stress. Luckily for children, they may be blessed with resourceful parents that are looking to better understand changes in their child and how to help. If you’re reading this, you may be that parent. Here are 7 methods to treat depression in children [...]
Premarital Counseling: What to Discuss Before the Big Day
If you are recently engaged, there is a high chance your head is spinning with excitement at the prospect of marrying the person you love most in the world and premarital counseling may be the farthest thing from your mind. You may be neck-high in bridal magazines, potential venues, guest lists, registries, and honeymoon planning. What an exciting time of life this is for so many soon-to-be brides and grooms. When a person becomes engaged to someone they love, they often experience heightened feelings of safety and connectedness in the relationship. This is exactly how God intended it to be. The [...]
Behavioral Strategies to Help Your Children’s Mental Health
Children's mental health issues can start early. When Sally was a toddler, she struggled sometimes with leaving her mom’s side to go to preschool. However, as she got older and practiced drop-off many times, she started to recognize that her parent was coming back and her anxiety lessened. However, the anxiety that resulted from separation returned when Sally was nine. It took her mom off guard – she thought they had tackled this earlier in her daughter’s young life. This scenario is common. If one or more of your children are struggling with separation anxiety, you are not alone. Separation Anxiety Disorder [...]