Sandra Stein, Author at McKinney Christian Counseling

About Sandra Stein

Sandra Kovacs Stein was born in Calcutta, India, grew up in the Dominican Republic, and went to school in Canada, where she planned to settle after getting her Master’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. Instead, she fell in love with an American and moved to Queens, New York after they married.Stein has experienced many unexpected twists and turns in her life, which have taught her to be adaptable and open to trying new things. She has enjoyed a variety of work experiences, including speech pathologist/audiologist, computer programmer, technical writer, abstractor, and transcriptionist. With the advent of digital photography, she became an avid photographer of nature and wildlife, and has used some of her photos to author several children’s picture books.Stein lives in northern Virginia, close to her daughter, three of her seven grandchildren, and four of her six great-grandchildren.

8 Possible Anorexia Treatment Modalities

8 Possible Anorexia Treatment Modalities

By Sandra Stein|2024-09-27T09:50:14+00:00August 23rd, 2024|Christian Counseling For Teens, Eating Disorders, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by a distorted body image and intense fear of gaining weight, that causes you to limit your calorie intake, and the types of foods you eat, and to engage in additional weight-loss behaviors such as compulsive exercise, purging through self-induced vomiting, or the misuse of laxatives. However, several anorexia treatment options are available. Because of the nature of the disorder, anorexia treatment needs to address physical problems as well as psychological ones and typically involves a combination of psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, and supervised weight gain. Its biggest challenge is getting a person to recognize and accept that he or she has a serious illness that, left untreated, can lead to malnutrition, starvation, and even death. The ultimate goal of anorexia treatment is to stabilize your physical condition, equip you with healthy coping strategies, and help you develop proper nutritional skills so you can regain and maintain a normal weight. Anorexia treatment modalities There are several evidence-based treatment modalities for treating anorexia that you can choose from. The following are some of the most common ones. Enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) Enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy is a modified form of cognitive behavior therapy that is used for treating eating disorders. It is considered to be a first-line, gold-standard option for the treatment of anorexia. CBT-E focuses on helping you understand how thoughts influence behavior, and on teaching you how to recognize and address distorted thoughts and beliefs about weight and appearance that are at the root of your disorder and driving your behavior, so you can modify it by changing the way you think. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) The goal of acceptance and commitment therapy is to motivate you to change your behavior rather than be wrapped up in your thoughts and feelings. [...]

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Disenfranchised Grief: What it Is and How to Cope

Disenfranchised Grief: What it Is and How to Cope

By Sandra Stein|2024-09-27T09:49:34+00:00July 6th, 2023|Featured, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling|

Have you ever felt as though your grief was dismissed or minimized, or had people question the importance of your loss? If so, you may have experienced disenfranchised grief, a term coined by bereavement expert Kenneth Doka in 1989, to describe a loss that does not align with society’s norms and that is therefore not recognized as legitimate. Disenfranchised grief can make you feel as though you are not entitled to your grief and that no one understands. It also inhibits you from being able to openly talk about your loss or receive the support you need to help you work through your feelings and begin to heal. Examples of disenfranchised grief Unrecognized relationships. Unrecognized relationships include estranged or private relationships such as an ex-spouse or a partner you did not talk about because others would not have approved of him or her, as well as distant relationships such as a friend, co-worker, neighbor, or coach. Others feel you should not be affected by the loss and do not understand why the relationship was so important to you since you were not a spouse or a member of the immediate family. Unacknowledged losses. Unacknowledged losses are losses that are not considered significant enough to grieve over, such as the death of a pet, or a non-death loss like a divorce, loss of job, loss of mobility, loss of your home or a treasured possession, or a loved one’s dementia or incarceration. Deaths are experienced as part of a job. Deaths experienced regularly as part of a job tend to be downplayed by society. The grief of healthcare workers and other such professionals over the loss of someone who was under their care is not considered a true loss, and they are expected not to take it personally. Deaths carry [...]

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Divorce In The Bible: What Does It Say?

Divorce In The Bible: What Does It Say?

By Sandra Stein|2024-09-27T09:49:52+00:00July 13th, 2022|Featured, Infidelity and Affairs, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues, Spiritual Development|

Many people see divorce as a positive solution to a troubled marriage, but the Bible is clear that God designed marriage to be a lifelong covenant relationship between a man and a woman. It was meant to be a sacred bond based on love, commitment, and mutuality that reflected God’s love for His people, and Christ’s relationship to His church. The Apostle Paul describes this spiritual union that takes place in marriage as a “profound mystery” (Ephesians 5:31-32). Divorce was never an option. After the fall (Genesis 3), man’s sinful nature led to widespread disregard for the sanctity of marriage, making it fall far short of God’s original plan. Husbands were being unfaithful to their wives, disrespecting and mistreating them, and even sending them away without cause so they could marry younger women. Even though God hated divorce (Malachi 2:16), he allowed it in order to protect the disadvantaged woman from the treachery and abuse of her hardhearted husband. A certificate of divorce was instituted under Moses to diminish the injustice perpetrated against the discarded wife. No longer could her husband just unceremoniously throw her out. He had to provide her with a legal document sanctioning the dissolution of their marriage and giving her freedom to remarry and become part of another family where she would hopefully be treated better (Deuteronomy 24:1-2). The behavior of the Israelite men angered God and He would no longer accept their offerings with favor. When they wondered why, He sent them a message through His prophet, Malachi. Another thing you do. You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. You ask, “Why?” It is because the LORD is the witness between you [...]

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Worry in the Bible: Examples and Scripture Verses about Anxiety

Worry in the Bible: Examples and Scripture Verses about Anxiety

By Sandra Stein|2024-09-27T09:49:23+00:00July 6th, 2022|Anxiety, Featured|

Worry is a common human emotion triggered by life circumstances. It can drain your energy, rob you of your peace, and keep you from enjoying your daily blessings. There are many Scripture verses about anxiety and worry in the Bible. For example, in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus gives two reasons why we need to get out of the habit of worrying. The first reason is a practical one. Most of the things you worry about may never happen, and no amount of worrying can change the things that will. Jesus asks, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matt. 6:27, ESV). “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt. 6:34, ESV). The second reason is a theological one. When you worry you are disregarding the nature of God and are implying that He is unable to take care of your needs. Instead of putting your trust in Him, you are putting it in your own ability to figure things out and take charge and be in control. Verses about Anxiety Worry is not good for you. Worrying about tomorrow robs you of today, and can even make you physically sick. Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. – Proverbs 12:25, ESV …casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7, ESV Worrying does not accomplish anything. Worry is a waste of energy that distracts you from God, and that throughout your life can add up to hours and hours of wasted time you’ll never be able to recoup. Worry won’t help solve your problems or bring [...]

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Sandra Stein

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