5 Better Ways to Help Your Friends
by: Tim Sosin, MA, NCC. I recently made a friend in his early 20’s, and he told me about some relational issues he was having. He expressed his loneliness and desire for some “real friends” after recounting several situations when he felt excluded, or treated unfairly. He was not sure if he really knew how […]
The Opioid Epidemic Affects Grandparents Too!
by: Jane Snider, LPC. Grandma, What’s Wrong with Mama Mama, What’s Wrong with Grandma? As you know, if you read my last blog, I will be 70 in August. As an official Senior, I am interested in what is going on in my world and with my peers. Imagine my surprise when I received the […]
6 Ways to Build Resilience
by: Claudia Fletcher, M.Ed. My husband Bart and I are the adoptive parents of twelve children who are now ages 18-30. Back in the day we had no idea how deep into ourselves we were going to have to reach to find the strength we would need. Back then we had no idea what an […]
When Life Is Discouraging (A Devotional)
This week’s post has been graciously provided by Dave Frett of Patrick Henry Family Services, an all around great guy who is passionate about the church rising up to meet the needs of families. Dave works with our Safe Families program, and has a website with blogs, a book, and other helpful resources at http://battlestro
Caring for the Disappointed Child
by: Jane Snider, LPC. Most of us have experienced disappointment in our lives from time to time. That’s normal, and it helps us learn patience, develop character, and learn how to self-soothe in a healthy way. It is part of learning to cope, believing in tomorrow, and relying on prayer to get us through. There […]
How to Crush Procrastination and Take Your Life Back
by: Jim Urban, LPC. Raise your hand if you struggle with procrastination to some degree. If we’re being honest, most of us battle this bad habit more so than we allow others to see. You know the tape that plays for you, it might go something like this: “this [insert dreaded task] is hanging over […]
7 Rules for Healthier “Self-Talk”
By Janie Mantooth, LCSW. Have you ever noticed that you “talk” to yourself (sometimes out loud, sometimes just with your thoughts) throughout your day? Whether it is audible or not, our “self talk” is powerful. What we “say” to ourselves can help us or harm us. It can affect our mood, our self esteem, our […]
3 Steps to Thriving as a Senior Citizen
by: Jane Snider, LPC. I have always been fascinated by the Generational Terms that we use as a culture; The Greatest Generation, The Baby-Boomers, Generation X, and our newest group, The Millennials. What is exactly IS a generation? According to Wikipedia, it is many things, including “roughly thirty years”., and “Individu
Don’t Hide Your Scars (They Tell an Incredible Story)
by: Jim Urban, LPC. Several years ago at a conference I met and interviewed a young woman I’ll call “Sophie,” who shared with me the story of her facial reconstructive surgery following an abusive relationship with a boyfriend. The story began when she was 18 and met a charming young man who made many grand […
10 Ways to Show You Care in 10 Minutes or Less
by: Amanda Kirk, MS. With so much vying for our time and attention, we often forget to intentionally show those closest to us how much we love and appreciate them. And, it can feel overwhelming to find a way to adequately express our love when we see grand and creative gestures displayed on social media […]