Kate Motaung

Sleep, blessed sleep. There’s a verse in Scripture that says the Lord gives His beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2), and that would suggest that sleep is a good thing and it is a gift. However, sleep anxiety is a reality for some who wrestle with it daily. Sleep and nighttime can be a significant source of anxiety that undermines one’s well-being. Sleep Anxiety: What is it? Many different things make people anxious. Among some of the more common are coming [...]

Our emotions are an important part of being human, so acknowledging them and learning to express them in healthy ways promotes our well-being and flourishing. We are told in the Bible that human beings are made in God’s image, that we reflect who God is (Genesis 1:27). God rejoices over people turning from the things that destroy their lives, and He gets angry over what diminishes His creation. So, it is no surprise that we, too, have things we [...]

Codependency in friendships can be a slippery slope when it comes to teens and young adults. Especially when examining relationships your teens have that are new to you, it’s important to understand what codependency in friendships looks like and how you can recognize its roots in either your child or someone else. Teens and Young Adults Are Particularly Susceptible to Codependency in Friendships While anyone can be in a codependent relationship, teens and young adults are especially susceptible. This [...]

When you read about advice for new moms on motherhood websites, you may encounter a ton of baby counsel: how to swaddle or use the Shhh method to help your infant sleep, whether or not to integrate formula into your breastfeeding routine, or where to find the safest baby products. However, what’s a new mom to do after those first three to nine months? What if you suddenly hit the 14-month-old stage and you don’t know what to do? [...]

For those who deal with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, romantic relationships and meaningful friendships can be difficult to navigate without obsessions and compulsive behavior getting in the way. Among all the different types of OCD-related compulsive behavior, there are two that most frequently complicate relationships and keep people stuck. The compulsive behavior of confessing can create difficult relationship dynamics. Confessing is a compulsive behavior that comes up in many different OCD subtypes, but it is in the context of [...]

Have you ever found yourself thinking about what could go wrong or what is going wrong right now? Maybe you are thinking about it repeatedly. You may find yourself feeling uneasy or being overly concerned about a situation or problem you are facing, but you find that all that thinking does not help you find peace or resolution. Instead, you end up feeling anxious and apprehensive, with the problem looming larger in your mind. That is what worry does to us. Our lives are full of [...]

You’ve probably seen them on TV. Those couples who fight all the time, complain about each other in their social circles, or who seem to have this weird co-dependency where they aren’t happy when they’re together, but they also can’t stay away from each other. Maybe the toxic couple that came to mind when you read the title of this article is you and your partner. Toxic couples display a recurring pattern of emotionally damaging behaviors. They disrespect each [...]

Enneagram personality types are part of a model of human personality typing designed to help people understand their own behaviors and motivations. It also helps them understand those of others. It addresses underlying motivations and core fears that drive behaviors. This model consists of nine interconnected personality types, each represented by a number from 1-9. Each type has its own set of core traits, motivations, fears, and desires that determine and influence how a person perceives the world, interacts [...]

Anxiety can be a difficult battle for many teens, but it seems to plague girls a little more frequently than boys. Still, the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders, panic disorders, and social anxiety can severely impact a teenager’s life regardless of gender. Here are five tips to help the teen in your life cope. Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Teens Studies show an increased experience of GAD in girls than in boys, specifically as they reach high school age and [...]

Who are you? How do you define yourself? Are you introspective, extroverted, self-aware, or a learner? Or do you tend to define yourself based on what you are to other people? We indeed live in tandem with other people. We play important roles in others' lives, such as mother, father, sibling, best friend, teacher, boss, etc. There is nothing wrong with having these roles and excelling at them; however, if you have come to a place where you are [...]

Many of us grew up playing the game of tag, where someone is ”It,” and everyone else must run from them to avoid being tagged. There is usually a safe zone in the game, where the kids can go to rest when they are tired of running. This simple childhood game is also a profound picture of how many of us are running from the effects of trauma. A common experience of people who experienced childhood trauma is believing [...]

One of the most common concerns addressed in therapy is that of “anxiety.” Most of us do not have to get far into our daily routine without having to manage anxious emotional events. For instance, let’s follow a working mother through her morning with a first grader. Get the child up and dressed; make breakfast and pack the lunch; get in the car without forgetting something; drive to school and get through the carpool lane; back out in traffic [...]