Christian Counseling

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Repairing Heartache: How to Heal After Relationship Grief

By | | Christian Counseling, Family, Grief, Relationships

Now what do I do? What happens when the people closest to you break your heart? What happens when your spouse betrays you? What do you do when your children ignore or demean you? What do you do when your friends forget about you? What happens when your life derails from the careful way you’ve worked, planned, and built it? Relationships of all types can grieve without anyone dying. Grief is loss, not necessarily death. “Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the […]

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A comforting embrace on the sofa

Why So Many Kids Feel Anxious Today: What Parents Can Do to Help

By | | Anxiety, Christian Counseling, Family, Parenting, Pre-Teen and Teen Counseling

Why So Many Kids Feel Anxious Today:  What Parents Can Do to Help What parents need to know and do when worry becomes a pattern, not just a phase. “My child used to love school. Now every Sunday night ends in tears and I don’t know what to do.” If this sounds familiar, you are far from alone. Anxiety in children has become one of the most common concerns we hear in our counseling practice, and one of the most treatable. We are raising children in a genuinely stressful time. The world they are growing up in is faster, louder,

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Forgiveness and Letting Go

By | | Abuse, Christian Counseling, Relationships

With many in the country celebrating Lent and looking forward to Easter, it is a good time to talk about forgiveness. Forgiveness is more than just a word; it is an action. Understanding Forgiveness Clinical Perspective: Forgiveness is not condoning the offense or excusing the offender. It is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment, anger, and vengeance toward someone who has harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve it. It’s about freeing yourself from the grip of the past. Faith-Based Perspective: In our Christian faith, forgiveness is a core principle. It is a Godly attribute that humans

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Anchored in Identity

By | | Anxiety, Christian Counseling, Personal Growth

In counseling, I often see that anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and shame aren’t just behavior struggles—they’re identity struggles. Underneath these coping patterns are quiet beliefs running the show: “I’m not enough.” “Love has to be earned.” “If I fail, I lose value.” “My mistakes define me.” When these beliefs take root, the nervous system doesn’t rest. It prepares, braces, and scans for threat. Scripture speaks directly to this deeper identity layer—not just behavior, but the core of who we are. In Matthew 4, Jesus is tempted after forty days of fasting. Each temptation begins the same way: “If you are the

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Considerations for Growing in Gratitude & Grace

By | | Christian Counseling, Depression, Grief, Mental Health, Personal Growth

“Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift.  It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation.” – John Ortberg (2009)   Life is a tapestry.  A work of art which has been bestowed upon us by our loving creator with intricate design and eternal purpose.  What a joyful truth!  There is much to behold in this tapestry of life, and we are instructed in Colossians 3:14 “…be thankful” (NIV).  This can be easier said than done amid the trials and tribulations of life as undoubtedly life can be quite a mixed bag.  What can be supportive in favor

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Life’s Journey & Seasons of Change

By | | Christian Counseling, Men's Issues, Personal Growth, Women's Issues

We are on the cusp of fall and what a great reminder that life is all about the changing of seasons.  What comes to mind for you when you think about change?  Many different ideas may be coming up for you with this thought exercise.  Change in and of itself can be thought of as neutral, however, what does the change mean?  How does it impact me and my circumstances?  What about the world and my view of it?  What will happen now and what does the path forward look like?  How do I get through this?  These are among many significant questions that one may ask

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Boy alone under tree

You Are Not Alone: Using Faith and Mental Health to Draw Strength

By | | Christian Counseling, Depression, Grief, Mental Health

“Lonely” is defined as being without company or cut off from others. “Alone” means being separated from others—without aid or support. (Webster’s Dictionary) At different points in my life, I have felt both of these things deeply. I’ve sat in rooms filled with people—family, friends, coworkers—and still felt like no one truly saw me. I’ve walked through seasons where I was surrounded but still felt isolated, like I was in a fog that no one else could penetrate. If you’re feeling that way right now, I want you to know: you are not alone. I know what it’s like to be in

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How Expectations Stole Christmas: Managing Family Expectations During the Holiday Season 

By | | Anxiety, Christian Counseling, Family, Relationships, Stress

“Gifts, Gifts Gift, Gifts” The famous character the Grinch from Dr, Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas offers a picture of holiday stress. As depicted in the book, the Christmas season brings about a variety of emotions (Seuss, 1957). While the Grinch’s solution was to stop Christmas from coming altogether, many couples may relate and feel emotions ranging from elation, and joy, to stress and grief showing that the season can be an overwhelming time.  Common Sources of Holiday Tension  Managing Family Dynamics and Schedules – The holiday season fills calendars with parties, concerts, parades, shopping, and travel plans. The

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A couple in love sitting outside

The Heart of Relationship: Love and the Elements

By | | Christian Counseling, Relationships

The Christian worldview is set into motion in Genesis in the Bible as scripture paints a picture of how our world came into being.  It relays the creation story and describes how God chose to bring to life an earth that was empty, dark, and formless.  God shares how he spoke and brought together many elements to form and order our world.  He describes also how He created mankind in His own image to rule over His creation.  Genesis portrays a momentary pause for reflection as chapter one nears its conclusion: “God saw all that he had made, and it

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