Marriage Advice: 5 Tips to Keep the Home Fires Burning
Marriage is one of the first gifts that God gave human beings in the beginning. While our relationships have become messier and messier with the entrance and ubiquitous presence of sin in the world and the additional complications of living in the 21st century, it remains true to say that marriage is a gift and a blessing. It should go without saying that this [...]
How to Pray a Prayer of Lament
“. . . New life starts in the dark. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb, or Jesus in the tomb, it starts in the dark.” – Barbara Brown Taylor, Learning to Walk in the Dark This quote from Barbara Brown Taylor in Learning to Walk in the Dark reminds us of the hope in the darkness. In the [...]
What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Gifts?
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. – 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 According to this [...]
How to Help your Kids Manage Separation Anxiety
For some children, it can be very distressing to be separated for any length of time from their parents or caregivers. While the separation can induce separation anxiety in children, at the same time parents can have mixed emotions. They can experience anger about the behavior, the desire to “have a break,” and even worry about their child with a longing to help the [...]
4 Tools to Overcome Obstacles as a Broken Family
Being part of a broken family can look very different for each individual involved. Some are dealing with the sudden death of a parent, unfortunate divorce, unexpected diagnosis, or the aftermath of a major event like a house fire or bullying incident. Other families are silently suffering in less obvious ways -- like a child longing for their parent’s approval but never receiving it, [...]
Is It Winter Blues or Depression?
Are you feeling blue today? You may have a case of winter blues, or you might have depression. But how do you know the difference? Here are some guidelines to help you distinguish between the two, and how you can handle them with intention. What Are Winter Blues? Winter blues are feelings that come and go with situations. They are quite common at the [...]
Five Different Types of Depression
All too commonly the different types of depression get lumped together into one medium-sized word: Depression. However, there are many types of depression. This article seeks to clarify five types of depression and how counseling or lifestyle changes can help alleviate the all-encompassing depressions. Five Types of Depression These five types of depression are lack of purpose and meaning, physiological hypo-arousal, neurotransmitter deficiency, isolation, and [...]
Self-Development: Growing Spiritually as a Person
Growth is a part of life. All living things need nourishment, and they use that nourishment to go through different stages of self-development until maturity. The same goes for us as humans. From when we are in our mother’s wombs, we need the nourishment our mothers provide, first through our umbilical cord, then via milk, and as we grow older we start eating solids, [...]
How Bipolar Disorder Treatment Can Be Improved with Counseling
It feels hopeless. The depression is debilitating and the mania is all-encompassing. You have tried medications and they don’t seem to help. You are at a loss about what to do. This is where counseling can help as a method of Bipolar Disorder treatment. Although moderate-to-severe Bipolar Disorder generally requires medication prescribed by a psychiatrist, counseling can help teach the client coping strategies and regulation [...]
What are the Signs of a Toxic Relationship?
If you've ever wondered, "What are the signs of a toxic relationship?" this article is for you. Our relationships have a huge role to play in our well-being and growth as people. Being surrounded by nurturing, compassionate, supportive networks of relationships, will help you to thrive and become the person God meant you to be. We need people around us that care about us, [...]