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Category: Counseling

A collection of posts and writings.

Secure Love

When couples get stuck in negative patterns of relating, they begin to feel the loss of love and connection that might have initially drawn them together. It is common to begin noticing and focusing on the ways your partner lets you down. However, underneath the arguments about kids, finances, or intimacy is often the overall

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Hope In the Midst of Suffering

“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness” (Gabor Mate) [“Trauma” in this quote, refers to Post Traumatic Stress] Often, people engage in counseling because they are suffering. But what is suffering? Dr. KurtThompson, in The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope,

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Emotional Resilience

Emotional Resilience is one’s ability to respond to stressful or unexpected situations and crises, which are events that are absolutely guaranteed to all of us who are living and breathing! In John 16:33b, Jesus reminds His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He doesn’t say, “you might

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sea under white clouds at golden hour

Calming the Mind

Have you ever been surprised by your own emotional reaction? Maybe you lost your temper with a loved one over a seemingly insignificant offense. Or maybe you found yourself panic stricken when you thought you had your worries under control. Perhaps you were hit with a wave of sadness that seemed to come from nowhere.

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Do we FEAR our Feelings?

Our bodies hold our feelings and emotions. Feeling joyful? You might feel a warmth in your chest and face that prompts you to smile from ear to ear.  Feeling sad? You might feel an emptiness in your chest.  Feeling anxious? You may feel your heart racing or palms become sweaty.   Feeling ashamed? Your chest may ache and feel tightness

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Ready for Change?

People arrive in counseling for many different reasons but typically all seek the same thing: relief. Relief from painful emotions, relationship difficulties, parenting concerns, or any other number of factors. But did you know that the speed of the counseling process moves more quickly or slowly depending on your stage of change? The formal concept

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Renewing The Mind

ROMANS 12:2 “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Thoughts are powerful According to the Cleveland Clinic, experts estimate that individuals process between 60,000-80,000

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Promoting Positive Emotional Health in Our Children

Are you wanting to promote positive emotional health in your children, but are not sure where to begin? A great starting place is to read the books by Daniel Siegel, No-Drama Discipline and The Whole Brain Child. Also, check out the women’s ministry YouTube page to watch the videos I recorded with the Women’s Ministry

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Being A Positive Presence For Our Children

One of the most common heart cries of children and teens I work with is their desire to spend quality time with their parents.  We as parents do not always do this perfectly. But if we can be present with our children on their terms, even for five or 10 minutes a day, they will

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woman in black jacket standing on green grass field during daytime

How Our Beliefs Shape Our Lives

Beliefs are powerful.  What you believe about yourself, others, and the world around you, dictates how respond and react to situations.  How you respond and react to situations says a lot about you and your character.  Innately, most of us know this by now. The problem is most people do not take a moment to pause and recognize

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The Healing Power of Gratitude

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalms 107:1 GRATITUDE TURNS WHAT WE HAVE INTO ENOUGH (UNKNOWN) The last thing anyone wants to be told when they are suffering is to “be grateful.” This comment can feel trite to those experiencing loss, financial struggles, grief, relationship distress, or many

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Fences

Why Clear and Consistent Boundaries are Good for Children ‘The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Psalm 16:6  A group of landscape architects conducted a study in the early 2000s to determine what impact a fence might have on children’s behavior at a playground. In the

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