All of us have been hurt at one time or another by someone, and an insincere or insufficient apology leaves us even more discouraged. Our world overflows with public and private examples of poor apologies in politics, sports, business, church, and personal arenas. Media critics demonstrate their own inability to distinguish a poor apology from … The Lost Art of Apology
In the world of addiction recovery there is a concept that an addict’s maturity is stunted at the age when he or she begins to use. For example, if a person begins smoking marijuana regularly at age 13, when he begins recovery at age 40, he will have the emotional maturity of a 13 year … Maturity in Addiction Recovery
Have you ever played the game “Telephone”? One person whispers a short story or sentence one time to another person, then that person whispers it to another, and so on until the last person states aloud what he or she heard. During the process, pretty much everything in the story changes. Why does this happen? … I Hear You (I think). Are We Listening?
We all grieve in unique ways—even among loved ones, there can be differences in expressions of grief. Our personalities have much to do with that, as do some cultural influences, including ‘family culture’. This blog is not a detailed 1-2-3 step process of ‘how to grieve’; rather, I would like to suggest ways of marking … How to Grieve–Part 3
As I mentioned in my previous blog, in the realm of counseling, there is a commonly understood process of grief. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was a woman who spent much time researching those in hospice care who were in the process of dying, so that she could learn how we as humans approach death. She identified 5 … The Process of Grief–Part 2
Grieving a loss is a universal experience. We all suffer pain at the loss of someone we love. And no matter how ‘prepared’ you might be (illness, service in war) you are never really ready for the actual experience and ‘finality’ of death. Why does death affect you the way it does? Although you cognitively … Grieving–Part 1
I have been asked this question in counseling more times than I can count, and each time it surprises me. This may not be news to you, but I want to be sure you know we don’t use the term ‘crazy’ in the field of psychotherapy! The word actually was used many years ago as … …So, am I crazy?
The concept of ‘professional counseling’, even ‘professional Christian counseling’, is challenging to many Christians. I can appreciate any hesitancy to step into an unknown realm where you open your feelings—even your heart—to trust someone whom you do not know personally; someone who claims to be a Christian. Sharing your thoughts and feelings is often an … What is Christian Counseling?