Articles
Marriage and Our Phones: The Impact of Technology on Relationships
It’s no surprise that screen usage has enraptured our current generation. From the elderly learning how to navigate Facebook Marketplace to toddlers navigating YouTube Kids, the spectrum of screen usage is wide. In general, the conversation about the negative effects of screen usage is ongoing, but I would like to suggest that we consider the negative effects of screen usage in marriages. Are our phones our second spouse? For most of us, our phones are incredibly helpful. They help us stay connected with family, friends, and even our spouse. Phones, in and of themselves, are not the enemy. But there is [...]
What are the Different Types of Boundaries and How Do I Implement Them?
What exactly is a boundary, and why are they important? A boundary is a spoken or written representation of a limit or restriction one imposes on others. A person conceptualizes a boundary based on their internal feelings based on lived experiences. For example, if a person does not like loud noises because of their childhood experiences, that person can tell people around him or her to speak more softly. While boundaries play a crucial role in relationships, society frequently misappropriates them or weaponizes them for selfish reasons. This is mainly demonstrated in the form of a person implementing a boundary and [...]
What is the Source of Worry? Does Constant Worrying Mean Something is Wrong?
What is the source of worry? Does worrying constantly mean something is wrong? The human brain is immensely complex, making it difficult to understand and interpret all its unique functions. First, let’s consider the physiological and psychological aspects of worrying. Physiological Aspects of Worrying The brain has two primary systems that take in information and decipher it throughout the body. These systems are the peripheral and central nervous systems, but the central nervous system is responsible for receiving information that can potentially harm us. Environmental experiences (i.e., being startled, anxious, etc.) are first relayed through the thalamus to the hypothalamus of [...]
Stress Management Tips for the Working (and Stressed) Mom
Chronic stress can be a killer. Stress contributes to sleepless nights, depression, anxiety, weight gain or loss, mood swings, irritability, high blood pressure, and rapid heart rate. It can also result in physical conditions, such as heart attack, stroke, and Type II diabetes. As a working mother, whether outside the home or remotely, most responsibilities, if not all, fall on your shoulders. You know what needs to be done, and you do it, but are you short-changing yourself? Are you stretched too thin? These stress management tips can help you balance the fine line between Supermom and the woman within. Stress [...]
Identifying 5 Most Common Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders we face today, with nearly 1 in 5 adults experiencing symptoms of anxiety in a year. We also see anxiety numbers being nearly twice as high in women as in men, but both experience anxiety at high levels (as shown in this breakdown by rehabseekers). Anxiety isn’t just rising in adults; it is rising in most segments of the population. There are many different factors for this in our modern world, including a better understanding of anxiety and how it presents itself across demographics. In this article, I want to explore [...]
9 Quick Ways to Deal with Depression and Anxiety
Do you suffer from depression, anxiety, and panic attacks? Do you feel that there is so much more to life than these emotions that make it hard to lift your head or leave the house? You were created for much more than experiencing anxiety and depression. God knew our hearts and minds would become downcast at times. We can reach out to Him and mental health professionals to help us in dealing with depression and anxiety. There are also lifestyle tweaks we can use to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety quickly. How to Deal with Depression and Anxiety Although [...]
Parenting Depressed Teens
If you’re looking for tips and advice on parenting depressed teens, this article is for you. It’s been said that men are from Mars and women are from Venus in their psychological differences and styles of communication. Sometimes it can be as accurate to say the same of teens and parents; the gap between a teen and their parents can feel like the width of a galaxy. The sweet, communicative child can turn into a brooding, distant stranger in a few short years. It often feels impossible to know what they’re going through. For the parent or caregiver, this decade can [...]
How Your Attachment Style Influences Your Relationships
Attachment theory is one of the most acknowledged psychological theories in the last fifty years (Shaver & Mikulincer, 2009). Bowlby, one of the theorists who developed this theory, believed that every person is born with an attachment behavioral system that is wired for survival. The goal of the attachment system is to attain protection and support from those around us in dangerous situations, and it is vital early in life because babies and young children are unable to defend themselves from danger (Shaver & Mikulincer, 2009). Yet, researchers believe that we do not grow out of our attachment style as we [...]
Coping with Grief: Grieving Together with Your Spouse
One of the things implied by being a couple is that you are present with and for each other in better or worse times. Life comes with many joys, but also many sorrows. Couples walk with each other in these seasons, ideally providing support and comfort. When grief visits a family, a couple stands together as they process their loss. Though two people may be in similar circumstances, they don’t necessarily experience them in the same ways. Each spouse may have different ways of grieving, the grief will hit them in different ways, and they will need to find ways to [...]