• Although most of us think of caregiving for a loved one as a blessing, it is hard work that can lead to physical, emotional, and mental burnout. Caregiver burnout can lead to a diminished immune system, making it harder for you to recover from illnesses and raising your risk for cardiovascular disease and other conditions. The responsibility of a caregiver may fall on many of us with aging parents, ill children, or disabled spouses. Learn how to balance the [...]

  • Teens go through major physical and emotional changes as they transition into adulthood. Growth spurts triggered by surges in hormones can contribute to mood swings, as can changes still happening in their brains. A teen’s brain is wired differently from a mature adult’s brain. It is still in the process of developing and being restructured, and does not reach full maturity until the mid-20s. The prefrontal cortex, which is the area primarily responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, [...]

  • Couples counseling is exciting. You have the opportunity to discuss your relationship with a perfect stranger. You get to talk about the ups, the downs, the in-betweens, and the mundane of your relationship. Again, exciting, right? Likely, that’s not what you thought about when you thought of the words couples counseling. For so many, it is a difficult subject to start to think about, let alone go further and meet with a counselor. Why? Simply put, stigma surrounding couples [...]

  • For the most part, whenever the topic of anger comes up, the call is to control our anger better and find ways to blow off steam to avoid bringing destruction into our lives and relationships. It can feel odd to then say that in some instances, a person may not be angry enough. There are many different issues a person may have with anger, and sometimes that might include avoiding it or pretending it doesn’t exist. The Idea Of Repressing [...]

  • Everything changes, and things don’t stay the same. These common reminders are especially true when something as tragic as the loss of a loved one occurs. In particular, the loss of a parent can set off a variety of emotions, thoughts, and memories that reinforce the painful reality that things don’t stay the same. If you lose a parent, there are healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with the loss and grief that follows. Ways of Losing a Parent The [...]

  • A common misconception is that the things we experienced as children can affect us as adults. However, that is exactly the case for so many. From a child’s perspective, neglect does not always feel harmful when it is happening, and they might not show signs of being affected by their environment. Neglect does not leave literal scars, but it shapes our belief systems. It is only decades later that childhood emotional neglect begins affecting us, leaving us unsure of what to do about it. Latchkey Love In the 1970s [...]

  • Having any phobia is a terrible burden to live with because it starts to feel as if it controls everything you do. You have to plan your days around avoiding certain places, situations, or activities to escape the thing that triggers your fear. The non-stop worry chips away at your mental and physical well-being, whether due to a fear of flying, animals, heights, spiders, or something else. One way to work through those fears without diving straight into what [...]

  • Life can be an unpredictable and winding path, taking you places you never thought you’d be. No one who sets off to get married does so thinking they want to get divorced, even if they know it’s a possibility. This could be doubly so for a believer who holds to their faith in Jesus and is walking in the biblical understanding and purpose of marriage. If this is you, how then do you cope in such circumstances? The Challenges [...]

  • Many people with ADHD are seen to be lazy or disinterested in their studies, tasks at work, friendships, and even in their romantic relationships. This is because most of those with ADHD are procrastinators, frequently leaving things unfinished and appointments unattended. While it might be easy for others to judge them, the truth is that their tendency to procrastinate is far more complex than it would seem. The tendency to procrastinate in people with ADHD is often linked to an [...]

  • Chances are that you’ve done this or are doing it right now: scrolling. You’re just checking your feed, right? No big deal. But before long, you begin to feel it. That little ache in your chest, or the pit of your stomach, and the faint whisper in your ear that says that you’re not as attractive or accomplished as those images on the tiny screen. You’re certainly not thin enough after that hearty breakfast. You’re obviously not strong enough because you [...]

  • Our bodies are designed and function in an amazing way. They help us to adapt to a wide range of situations and experiences, and we can operate even under hostile conditions. This means that we are quite resilient and can cope with enormous pressures. However, being resilient is not the same thing as being invincible. Our bodies and minds do take strain and can be overwhelmed in their ability to cope well. Many life circumstances can affect a person’s well-being, [...]

  • Chronic fatigue is something many neurodivergent people have become accustomed to in their day-to-day lives. They not only feel tired after a long day, but most say they usually have a constant tiredness that just doesn’t go away. The causes of this fatigue are simple things the rest of us take for granted, like bright lights, loud noises, or trying to keep up with conversations, which may make them feel overstimulated and drained. Socializing, even for a short time, [...]