During a recent session, a client and I explored the idea of our heart’s desires aligning with God’s plan for us. Specifically, we arrived at an important question: How can we guard our hearts in order to seek and maintain alignment with God? The Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:23 the importance of guarding our…
Valentine’s day; think about what that day means to you. For some, it’s flowers, chocolate and a romantic date night. For others, its new valentine’s pajamas for your kids, buying cards and treats for their classrooms, and making heart shaped food. For some, you experience both of these on February 14th. Valentine’s Day is a…
Emotional cycles are the interactive elements in our relationships with family members, friends, and co-workers. Negative cycles start when we become triggered by a someone’s troubling tone of voice, facial expression, or remarks. Immediately, we will feel an emotion that often prompts us to get angry or anxious. We may feel a bodily sensation due…
Hope for Humility & The Good Life As we gear up for a season with seemingly endless opportunities to receive gifts, I contend that one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is developing a more robust practice of gratitude. Even though we like to believe that we do things altruistically for others most…
Have you ever wondered if your therapist has found themselves sitting on a couch across from another therapist having the same hard and beautiful experience that you are as a client? If you have, then good news, you are not alone in asking that question. And the answer is, yes. Most therapists probably have or…
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” (Psalms 127:3) If children are a gift from God, then why is parenting so difficult? Surely God wouldn’t just drop a blessing in our lives and then say, “Here you go, now figure it out.” There are numerous parenting books available to…
When I was a teenager, I sat down to breakfast each morning and waited for my dad to pass me the sports page. The 20 minutes we spent talking headlines, him in his suit, me in my flannels and Timberland boots – it was the 90s – was critical to our relationship. It was just…
Have you ever been in the presence of your partner, longingly looking at them and hoping they will notice your desire for touch and connection? Have you ever heard your friends complain about how their partner never plans anything romantic for them? Why does it feel so hard to ask for what we want and…
What exactly is emotional health? It is the ability to identify, manage and communicate one’s emotions to those around you. It can take practice and even feel scary. Emotional health is important to maintain because it is a part of your overall health and wellbeing. How can you promote emotional health in your home? Here…
Talk About the Holidays Early It is probably not the best time to sort out details for a holiday the week or night before. Beginning to have early conversations about where and how holidays will be spent can take some of the pressure of these decisions later on. The earlier that you can begin to…