Reflecting on Family Time and Christmas
During the Holidays, many of us reflect on spending time with family. Ideally we hope for meaningful family experiences of love, belonging and celebration. These images are portrayed in popular art such as this classic Norman Rockwell’s portrait. Originally appearing in the Saturday Evening Post, Rockwell portrays a joyous family homecoming at Christmas. We love the […]
On Being Thankful
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving, let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Psalm 95:2 Times of prayer and thanking God for the harvest date back to the Protestant Reformation and continued as Pilgrims and Puritans settled in America. Charlie Brown was always concerned with the commercialization of […]
Do I Have A Chemical Imbalance?
Some years ago, I saw a new commercial (watch video here), featuring a sad white bubble, narrated with a subtle phrase, “your depression may be due to a chemical imbalance.” I turned to my 4-year old son and asked, “who’s that (motioning to the friendly looking character)?” He seemed to already accept the fact that […]
Are Emotional Problems Genetic?
Recently, a documentary series, “Through the Wormhole,” asked the question, can poverty be due to a person’s genetics? The host of the show, Morgan Freeman, explores the cultural belief that biology determines a person’s behavior, therefore, creating people who become wealthy and those who become poor. Can we blame poverty on genetics? To hear all aspects […]
Severe Stress and Trauma
Unresolved Trauma: Some events in life cause pain that goes deep and lasts a long time. These are classified as emotional “traumas.” Severe trauma related symptoms can reach the level of disorder, which is referred to as Post Traumatic Stress. Most people are naturally resistant to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, you are more likely […]
How Do You Cope With Stress?
Take The Following Quiz: Take a few minutes to identify the most important problem you have faced during the last year. Then, using the scale below, indicate how often you used each of the following strategies to deal with it.3 = Fairly Often2 = Occasionally1 = A Little0 = Never Survey Answer Key: This survey indicates […]
Are You Feeling Stressed Out?
Take the following quiz to determine your stress level. Check out your quiz results. Let’s see how you measured up on your stress assessment! Here are the average scores according to age, gender and marital status. Higher than average scores indicate problematic stress reactions: AGE GENDER MARITAL […]
What’s Your Parenting Style?
Want to learn more about your parenting style and effective parenting techniques? Improved parenting can transform a child’s life, or be the turning point in many chronic family problems. This month we will be focusing on the importance of the parent child relationship. Christian Counseling Associates offers Christian Active Parenting to help families. This famous 6-session program […]
The Perception of Permanency in Marriage
Is your marriage built to last? Just take a moment and ask an honest question: Is your marriage built to last? When you reflect on your life together with your spouse, do you believe that your commitment is for a lifetime? Among many problems that couples experience, faulty core beliefs about one another are often […]
Invest in Marriage –Donate Today!
For this week’s Marriage Moment – we are asking you to invest in marriage and consider to donate financially to the “Foundation for Christian Counseling.” Donate Here The Foundation seeks to help those in need when you donate by: Helping those who struggle financially to access faith based counseling resources. One fantastic resource for couples is our […]
Set the Direction for Your Marriage
Take a moment to reflect on the direction that your marriage. Thought of the week: You can’t do marriage without God. Scripture tells us in Hebrews 10: 24 – 25, “And let us consider how to spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the […]
Set Priorities In Marriage
Take a moment to reflect on the priority level that you give your marriage! Marriage expert, Dan Seaborn, (our speaker at From This Day Forward 2016 – for more information see below), offers an easy way to remember make marriage a priority. Consider that marriage requires four priority time zones. Just like our country has […]
Anger Management: Practical Strategies
“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” Ephesians 4:26 The emotion of anger was designed for a purpose. Anger can help preserve life in the face of attack, or it may alert us to stand up against injustice. However, when anger is vented thoughtlessly, it […]
Anger Management: Seek Attitude Change
Unresolved anger can “trap” us in many negative life consequences. It can turn us into a ticking time bomb. Anger that is explosive quickly destroys relationships. On the other hand, holding anger inside is also counterproductive. Suppressing anger can lead to bitterness and may even contribute to depression. The first step to avoiding these “traps” […]
When is Anger a Problem?
Anger is not always a problem. Used wisely, it can communicate strength and competence. However, dysfunctional patterns of anger are often at the core of out of control, damaging habits and broken relationships. Anger can be the root of marital issues, failure to perform at work, and chronic isolation. When does anger become a “trap” and […]
Addiction and The Road to Recovery
Addiction and drug dependence have a high cost. Although debates over legalization will continue, families are clearly concerned as they witness (maybe once illegal) drugs become more available to teens. Furthermore, many community leaders may now fall silent on the harmful effects of mood altering substances, as recent opinion polls demonstrate that public opinion is […]
The Cycle of Addiction
We often ask children the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” With hope we hear things like firefighter, dancer, or super hero. We dream of growing up and doing something important and full of purpose. I have never heard a child say, “I want to be an addict someday.” Addiction […]
Don’t Panic!
Panic Disorder is reported to affect 2 to 3 percent of adults and adolescents in the United States. Generally, this pattern can emerge by the age of 14 but most commonly starts to affect those who are between 20 – 24 years of age. Many people who struggle with recurrent and severe panic attacks will […]
Too Much Stuff?
Too much stuff can lead to hoarding. A recent article in a popular magazine told a story of a person who decided to engage in “retail therapy.” She reported that her new habit was therapeutic in the fact that she experienced sheer joy when shopping. Eventually, this endeavor resulted in an 8 foot dining room table […]
Chronic Stress and Anxiety
It is easy to fall into a habit of worry and anxiety. Today’s fast paced, high pressure life is full of stress. For many, worrying is a habit that started early in life. Dysfunctional patterns of worry and anxiety can last quite some time before they become unmanageable. According to the American Psychiatric Association, the […]
