Articles
Understanding Disenfranchised Grief
Grief is the emotional and psychological response people have after suffering significant loss. Different societies have norms, rituals, and attitudes toward grief that are considered normal. When grief does not align itself with these norms and attitudes it is termed disenfranchised grief. The term was coined by Dr. Kenneth Doka, a respected authority on understanding grief and bereavement. According to him, disenfranchised grief is grief that is not openly acknowledged, socially validated, or publicly mourned. Though a person’s grief is normal, real, and legitimate, society denies the grieving person space and support to grieve. For grief to be felt fully and [...]
7 Causes of Resentment in Marriage
Most couples get married with the hope of a, “happily ever after” etched deeply in their hearts and minds. In the early days of marriage, husbands and wives proclaim undying love for each other, telling each other how they couldn’t imagine living a life without the other. Passion, romance, affection, and sharing of hopes and dreams are probably the most common and expected characteristics of the early stages of marriage. It is in these early stages that most people experience the cliched marital bliss and unfortunately, it is also in these same years that the tone is set for whether a [...]
Overcoming Offense: Tackling Conflict in Relationships
Belonging to a family, whether by birth, faith, or choice, develops connections. These can sometimes be marked with apparent contradictions. They can prove exhilarating, but also exhausting. We love each other, but don’t always align. We toggle between the tensions, finding ourselves at odds and offended by each other. Instead of covering faults with prayer and love, we expose one another and misuse our relationship as an opportunity to injure and retaliate. It can result in cutting each other off or continuing in a relationship that is suffering because wounds and major issues are left unaddressed. It is not always intentional, [...]
Types Of Depression: There’s More Than One
Depression is more than feeling unhappy or down in the dumps for a few days. It is a real mental health condition that affects mood and ability to function. It can vary in intensity from mild to severe, be brought about by numerous reasons, and impact you in unique ways. Although the exact cause of depression is not fully known, risk factors include a family history of depression, abnormal brain chemistry, significant losses, chronic stress, and life circumstances. Typically, it develops over an extended length of time and, left untreated, can lead to a downward spiral. There are many different types [...]
Hope in Between: Navigating Therapy’s Messy Middle
Congratulations! You’ve decided to begin the process of working through your heart’s hurt and healing your soul. Yet, when we initiate a counseling journey, we don’t realize how exhausting the process can be. Somewhere between the treatment plan and goal, we find ourselves exhausted and ready to check out. We can wonder if it’s worth it to: Keep appointments. Do the self-examination work. Ask the challenging questions. Negotiate the coping. Cultivate peace with the change. You can have greater hope for navigating therapy’s messy middle with the tips below. The case for counseling. Doubtless, there will be times when it’s difficult [...]
7 Principles About OCD: A Biblical Foundation
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has seemingly uncontrollable, recurring thoughts (“obsessions”), and/or behaviors (“compulsions”) that they feel the urge to repeat over and over. It is a complex, anxiety-related disorder that Christian counselors can help patients with, using a Biblical foundation and a dependency on God to overcome something that can seem very difficult to treat. Principles about OCD. To learn more about OCD anxiety and its alleviation, consider the seven principles below: Knowledge is Power. Many people suffering from OCD anxiety are unaware of what is happening to them, so education [...]
Emotional Burnout: How To Prevent It And Overcome It
According to author, therapist, and attorney, Deedee Cummings, “Emotional burnout happens when you have faced such a high level of stress that your body literally shuts down and just cannot accommodate any more challenges.” It is a gradual process that can creep up on you. It does not happen overnight. Remember to take care of yourself. You can’t pour from an empty cup. – Kamini Wood Among the many things that can trigger emotional burnout are struggling to make ends meet, working long hours without enough rest, having a baby, a high-pressure job, unmet needs, unprocessed emotions, sleep deprivation, living with [...]
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Options
Traumatic events are unpredictable and devastating. They can happen any time and anywhere, leaving the people who experience them with significant struggles as they try to process and recover from the memories of the event.Some people are gradually able to come to terms with what happened, but others are not. People whose symptoms do not go away may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Their symptoms may become so pervasive that they interfere with their ability to function in their day-to-day life.Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose. – Michelle RosenthalIf you have been [...]
How to Improve Your Communication in Marriage
Do you feel like you and your spouse just cannot get through to each other? Or as if you are speaking different languages? Do you often feel unheard or misunderstood? Are you battling with a silent spouse, one who withdraws or avoids conflict, or even the opposite - one who just seems to push all your buttons?Perhaps there are certain important conversations that you just don’t feel that you can have anymore with your spouse without tempers flaring or the relationship deteriorating. These are all signs that communication in your marriage is under strain and needs urgent attention.In this article, we will [...]