Individual Counseling

Effective Ways of Dealing with Loneliness

, 2025-09-13T06:56:01+00:00September 15th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

Our nature as beings made in God’s image means that we have within us a deep desire and need to be connected to others, as modeled in the relationship nature of the Holy Trinity. We yearn for relationships and a sense of connectedness to God and others, but we don’t always feel this when we need it. The American professor, advocate for world peace, political journalist, and author Norman Cousins is quoted as saying, “The eternal quest of the individual human being is to shatter his loneliness.” Loneliness is a problem that affects people from all walks of life, though some are more prone to it than others. In 2023, the US Attorney General went as far as calling loneliness a public health epidemic, and it’s not hard to understand why, as more research shows its connection to mental health issues. Where God created us to be seen, known, and understood, loneliness is the exact opposite. Loneliness is that sense of emotional isolation and disconnection; it’s painful and unpleasant, and there are healthy as well as unhealthy ways to try and address it. The Problem with Loneliness We all feel lonely at points in our lives. Perhaps you’ve felt it on that first day at school, or other subsequent first days as the years rolled by. Loneliness can set in when a person lacks social connections or relationships. The strange thing about loneliness is that it can set in even when one has those connections or relationships, giving rise to the sentiment of feeling all alone in a crowded room. Loneliness is complex, but at the root, it’s about feeling emotionally disconnected from other people. That’s why it can set in whether you have social connections or not. You can be in relationship with other people, but if you [...]

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Protecting Your Mental Health: For Teens

, 2025-09-09T10:51:03+00:00September 9th, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Teens face many challenges and obstacles that their parents never faced. Your thoughts, emotions, and behavior impact your well-being as a teenager. How you react to others or perceive the world around you can influence your mental health. Good mental health for teens does not mean you will never face any opposition; it simply means you are equipped with coping mechanisms and emotional resilience to carry on despite challenges. Why Their Mental Health is Critical Good mental health for teens is critical for their overall well-being. They must be able to process emotions, flip negative thoughts, adopt healthy habits, and be productive at home, school, church, and community. If they choose Christian counseling as a resource for learning coping skills, you can use these strategies for the rest of their lives when they feel overwhelmed. Tips to Protect Your Mental Health: For Teens Protecting your mental health should be a priority. Although parents try their hardest to help, as a teen, you need to practice healthy habits and learn how to cope physically, mentally, and emotionally. Your mental, emotional, and physical health are all connected. For example, if you feel depressed, you may become fatigued and have unexplained body aches or headaches. If you are chronically ill, you may be more susceptible to depression and anxiety. The following list includes several tips to protect your mental health. Choose a few to try, and skip the ones that don’t fit in with your life. Give yourself a few weeks to develop the habit and see an impact on your mental health. If you seek counseling, share your new healthy habits with your counselor, so they know what worked and what you haven’t tried yet. Carve out me-time School, sports, extracurricular activities, church, chores, family time, the list can seem endless. [...]

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7 Signs of Unresolved Trauma in Men

, 2025-09-02T09:54:05+00:00September 2nd, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Trauma|

The vast majority of people will have to navigate trauma at some point in their lives, if not in themselves, then with their loved ones. Unresolved trauma lies unseen in a person, usually only becoming apparent in our adult lives as we enter serious relationships. Trauma manifests uniquely in everyone. However, some common signs of trauma can be specific to gender. Whether it is in the way they handle their emotions or in the way that they have been affected by toxic masculinity, unresolved trauma is often at the root of behavioral problems that affect and damage men’s relationships. If we want to have healthy and intimate relationships, we might have to begin addressing the unresolved trauma in our lives. Old Wounds Some traumas are ongoing and complex, causing much damage and leaving noticeable marks on a person. However, some events barely even register as traumatic. It is only later in life, when issues pop up, that we might realize we were deeply affected by trauma. The common saying that ‘time heals all wounds’ is untrue; all that time does is cover the memory of the trauma. When a person experiences trauma, especially if it is ongoing trauma, they build beliefs around the traumatic events. For example, a child who is frequently left alone or ignored will begin to believe that they are unworthy of anyone’s attention and care. When a person doesn’t quite understand why they are being treated a certain way, they tend to fill in the blanks. Sometimes they do this in the most hurtful of ways, coming to the bleakest conclusions about themselves. Seven Signs of Unresolved Trauma in Men When you peel back the layers, at the core of any trauma is the feeling of being unsafe. Men and boys in America are conditioned and [...]

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10 Things to Know about Processing Trauma 

, 2025-08-30T08:59:44+00:00September 1st, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Trauma is not a new concept; it's simply a recent buzzword for what we experience. History tells us that almost every, if not every, generation has its share of collective trauma to experience. Besides the chaos happening in the world around us, many of us are facing deeply personal issues that affect every aspect of our lives. What do we do about our trauma, and how do we cope when it feels like life is coming at us from every angle? Thankfully, thousands of people have walked the trauma-paved paths before us and can speak to the situations we are facing. Processing trauma is not easy, but it is possible when we have guidance and support. What You Need to Know about Processing Trauma We are traumatized when we witness or experience something that leaves us emotionally disturbed, overwhelmed, or fearing for our safety. It is a feeling or experience that you or someone you love has gone through something with an inability to overcome it. These events or experiences may be ongoing, or they may have happened only once, even if it was decades ago. Unlike the old saying, time doesn’t automatically heal wounds, and we might feel as if our entire lives have crumbled because of a single experience. Trauma impacts the way we think about the world. It shapes what we feel about ourselves and other people. Some examples include a person who has supported a family member with addiction will likely have trust issues because they were lied to, or a woman who was assaulted by a man in power will naturally avoid similar men. While everyone responds to and deals with trauma in their unique way, there are familiar habits, mindsets, and tendencies that we can address as we learn to process trauma. It’s [...]

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Affirmations for Those Coping With PTSD

, 2025-08-30T08:51:49+00:00September 1st, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Coping with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a process of ups and downs, steps forward to a healthier mind, and steps backward to unhealthy habits. We are often obstacles to ourselves, but that doesn’t have to be the case. We can help ourselves by repeating affirmations and exercises that counter our trauma as often as we need to. Some Affirmations for People Who Are Coping with PTSD I am not my trauma You can live with certain memories for so long that they start to feel like old friends. Even traumatic experiences become familiar because you spend so much time reminiscing, regretting, and reliving them in your head. This is the core of PTSD; it is ghosts of a hurtful, violent, or damaging past haunting our present. They bring back all of the emotions and memories attached to those events. The truth is that, however real and fresh the trauma feels, it is in the past. It is no longer a part of you. You might be forever changed by those events, but you are moving forward, and every day there is distance between you and them. You still have a future. My abilities extend beyond past trauma Abuse can take away our peace of mind, our innocence, and our trust in people. Whatever damaging experience you went through, though, you are still here and enduring. You can heal, forgive, and learn to trust again. As grief counseling teaches, when a tree is cut down, we must mourn its loss. However, we can also create a beautiful garden around its stump and keep it as a memory of what it once was. Trauma might have taken many things from you, but there is still much more for you to discover and enjoy. Memories need not cause so much pain [...]

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What Does It Mean to Have Abandonment Issues In Relationships?

, 2025-08-12T08:54:31+00:00August 12th, 2025|Abandonment and Neglect, Couples Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

The term abandonment issues in relationships refers to an irrational fear of being deserted or rejected by those closest to you. People with abandonment issues have a hard time trusting others or believing that their partner’s feelings are sincere. This can lead to a fear of intimacy and seeing problems where none exist. Reasons People Develop Abandonment Issues In Relationships Abandonment issues in relationships most often stem from family instability growing up. Having a primary caregiver who was unpredictable and inconsistent, for example, or being severely traumatized by physical or emotional neglect or abuse. They can, however, also be rooted in attachment injuries that happen later in life, such as an unexpected divorce or breakup, being betrayed by a partner, or the death of a loved one. Common Characteristics Of People With Abandonment Issues Insecurity You feel needy and insecure, never knowing what to expect, seek constant validation and reassurance that your partner really loves you and is not going to leave you and look for signs that he or she does not. Fear of intimacy You may avoid getting too close to another person or becoming fully committed to a relationship because you associate intimacy with eventual pain and loss. Clinginess On the flip side, you may be clingy, overly attached to your partner, dependent on him or her to meet all your needs, and afraid of any distance between you. You try to micromanage every detail of your relationship and use subtle forms of emotional manipulation to make life feel safe and predictable, which it never does. Trust Issues You don’t believe anyone is reliable, have trouble trusting other people’s commitment and intentions, and are convinced everyone will eventually leave you. Even when you are in a loving, supportive relationship, you still struggle with jealousy and suspicion, overthink [...]

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The Truth about Burnout and PTSD 

, 2025-08-08T07:33:03+00:00August 8th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

As of 2025, an estimated 66% of the American workforce is experiencing burnout in their careers. According to recent information, women are more likely to experience burnout than men, and the average person experiences some kind of burnout before the age of twenty-five. Due to its recent popularity, even the term “burnout” has become a buzzword word which might have caused it to lose meaning. So, what is burnout? How do you know if you are experiencing it, and what can be done about it? The Truth about Burnout Burnout is often used as a sanitized description of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a mental health condition caused by being exposed to traumas like war, genocide, or a global disaster. However, people also experience PTSD from experiencing far more common traumas like crippling workloads, demanding schedules, insurmountable debt, and toxic home or work environments. Few people will readily accept that what they are experiencing is PTSD, but often that is the best description of their mental health state. It starts to make sense once you realize that you are pouring all of your time, energy, and emotional resources into your jobs, schools, or difficult relationships. Sometimes, even when you are doing more enjoyable things like hobbies and socializing, you might get to the point where you are running on empty. However, you do not have to stay there, but it does take intentionality. Identification It’s hard to find a balance when it feels like life is crashing down, and that you are the only thing that keeps disaster at bay. Living under these kinds of stressful conditions forces your nervous system into survival mode. Living in this state can cause issues that can be harmful to us. It can get to the point where you no longer experience [...]

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Self-Reflection and Spiritual Maturity: A Pathway to Inner Growth

, 2025-07-30T09:36:00+00:00July 30th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Spiritual Development|

Self-reflection is a basic part of spiritual development and emotional wellness in the Christian lifestyle. By examining our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, we create a pathway that leads us to deeper spiritual maturity and true transformation. By intentionally engaging in regular self-examination, Christians begin to understand the patterns that shape their responses and actions. The process of self-reflection can be challenging to navigate because it requires individuals to confront aspects of themselves that they would rather avoid. On the positive side, this journey can cultivate growth in faith and spiritual maturity. With careful examination of inner lives, individuals are intentionally creating space for God to work in areas that need healing and transformation. Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord. – Lamentations 3:40, NASB Biblical Self-Examination Believers can discern a clear mandate in Scripture to engage in self-reflection as a part of their spiritual development. When self-examination is established as a practice along with prayer and Bible study, spiritual maturity will continue to progress. Even in the Old Testament, there was a struggle with various issues regarding self-reflection and spiritual maturity. The key to spiritual maturity is to pursue humility with an honest intention. Biblical self-examination is quite a bit different from secular self-reflection because it involves recognizing God’s sovereign power in the process of discovery. Using the lens of the Scriptures, believers can examine their hearts, minds, and motivations and gain access to divine wisdom that transforms human understanding. This is how Christian self-reflection is distinguished from psychological approaches. Christian counselors understand the importance of grounding self-reflection in biblical truth to prevent unhealthy rumination or intense self-focus. It is important to know that spiritual maternity develops through honest assessment guided by God’s word and Spirit. Believers can maintain a proper perspective [...]

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Finding Help for Hoarders Who Are Children

2025-07-16T10:33:48+00:00July 16th, 2025|Christian Counseling for Children, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

If you think back to when you were a kid, you probably remember having a few favorite items, maybe a stuffed animal, a toy truck, or a stack of drawings you kept for years. Now, imagine a child for whom almost every little object, whether a broken pencil, a piece of string, or an old toy, feels like something irreplaceable. Naturally, finding help for hoarders is no easy feat, let alone when the hoarders are kids. When it comes to children who hoard, their belongings aren’t just stuff to them. They can hold deep emotional meaning, becoming part of how the child views themselves or copes with difficult emotions. The reasons children hoard are complex and often tied to emotional and psychological factors. For many young hoarders, the items they collect quickly become their link to memories or feelings, making it hard for the child to let go of them, even if they seem trivial to others. Hoarding can also be a way for children to deal with overwhelming emotions. Kids who have experienced trauma or big life changes, like moving, divorce, or bereavement, might turn to hoarding as a way to cope. The items they gather can feel like a way to hold onto a sense of control in a world that feels uncertain. What does hoarding look like in children? Child hoarders quickly become emotionally attached to things that others might consider trash or clutter. The child might hold onto drawings, toys, or even things they’ve outgrown. Separating the child from items may even cause panic attacks or meltdowns. Their room or living space can quickly become cluttered or full of piling up unused items. They may also resist attempts by family members to clean or declutter, which can lead to conflicts at home. Socially, kids who hoard [...]

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“I Am Angry!” What Your Anger Is Saying, and How to Deal with It

, 2025-07-10T07:38:56+00:00July 10th, 2025|Anger Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Is it such a bad thing for you to feel or get angry? Anger is a powerful emotion that often doesn’t receive the appreciation it deserves. One important reason for this is that the circumstances that typically trigger anger and the ways anger is expressed were not proportionate. It’s not pleasant to revisit the reasons we got angry or the ways we reacted. These negative associations become confused with anger itself. Instead of lumping anger and these negative experiences together, there may be value in recognizing how anger can be helpful and becoming acquainted with the healthy ways anger can be expressed. These steps can help you come to terms with your anger and improve various facets of your life, including your ability to regulate emotions and address your relationships with others. Anger – Yay or Nay? When you think about anger, do you ever think of it as something that the Lord may have given you for a purpose? The sum of your life experiences may lead you to say “No” and feel entirely justified in saying so. Frankly, Scripture says a lot about anger, and most of it is cautionary. Whenever human anger is mentioned, it’s usually a warning that it shouldn’t be indulged. One poignant example of this is from James, which reads, Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God – James 1:19-20, ESV Human anger is placed in stark contrast to a life that does right by God and with others. The idea is to avoid anger altogether, right? It’s possible to take it this way, but that leaves you with an awkward silence when you encounter various Bible passages about God’s [...]

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