Kate Motaung

Can you ever know too much about the people you care about? In some circumstances, you find out things about loved ones that change how you view them, and you might want to turn the clock back to before you asked and obtained the terrible knowledge. In most cases, though, knowing more about your significant other – even the uncomfortable things – helps you appreciate them more as a person. Why ask questions to your significant other? There are [...]

Therapists are asked on a routine basis about the best personal development books to help people in their therapy journey. The recommendations are as varied as the counselors are because different books speak to different counselors. Each counselor will have a book that speaks to their heart, especially in the Christian counseling field. There are thousands of books about psychology, self-improvement, self-help, personal development, and every issue you can imagine from ADHD to Zelophobia (the fear of jealousy). While [...]

We know the Bible verses about God giving us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4), that God has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), and that the Lord directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9). But what does that tangibly mean with reference to our spiritual goals? It can be a challenge to weigh what we want with what we think God has for us. We want to live in a way that honors God and puts our faith into practice [...]

Our culture is obsessed with getting older. More accurately, we are obsessed with not aging. We are laser-focused on looking younger longer. We deny wrinkles, fight back against loose skin, and refuse to let white hair show. Ageism rears its ugly head in movies, where the leading man is in his fifties and his love interest is twenty years younger. Skincare is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Tips and tricks to stay looking young are prolific on the internet. But the [...]

Stress eating is a common response to life’s problems. Whether we call it stress eating or emotional eating, we’re often plagued with the desire to eat for comfort, especially in the modern world where hyper-palatable, inexpensive food is readily available everywhere we turn. Unfortunately, while not all stress eating is inherently harmful, overeating due to stress can have negative impacts on your health. Also, eating while in a state of stress is not good for your digestion. Stress eating [...]

If someone has abandonment issues, they can signal them in several different and seemingly unrelated ways. These can include unhealthy relationship habits, struggling to communicate, constant need for reassurance. If you are looking for help to more effectively cope with abandonment issues, then rest assured that experienced help is at hand. When someone ends an important relationship or friendship with us, or if someone that we are close to passes on, we will experience loss. The angst and anguish [...]

It is common for someone to feel some social anxiety before going into a new situation. Whether it is the first day of a new job, going to a social event, or meeting someone new, most people experience butterflies in their stomachs or a case of jitters. Even those who appear the most confident and in control can be nervous. Fans of Ted Lasso got the chance to see how Rebecca, the owner of the soccer team Ted coaches [...]

Single motherhood can be one of the loneliest and most overlooked experiences any woman can face. Whether she is widowed, divorced, or has never been married, a woman who is parenting alone faces an array of challenges that a married parent does not. Although single parenting is much more common than it used to be, it often carries a stigma, including in the church. No matter how someone became a single mother, they are worthy of love, inclusion, and [...]

There are many misnomers around depression. One is that it is just sadness. Another is that it is rooted in a negative experience – a break-up, job loss, or something else. People think you can power your way through depression or just look on the bright side and things will be better. But as anyone who lives with this pervasive disease can tell you, none of those above statements are true. There is such as thing as functioning depression. [...]

Healing from trauma is a complex process. While you may want it to be an upward trajectory from day one, the reality is that healing from trauma is a journey with many ups and downs. The linear process you long for is more likely to be one with highs and lows. Ultimately, the goal is that you trend upward over time. Even as you account for the ups and downs, your process moves forward to a healthier place than [...]

Having a best friend for life can be a blessing. That blessing, however, is if the friendship is a healthy one. At times, an unhealthy dynamic of codependency  friendships is mistaken for committed care for one another. Knowing the difference between the two can make all the difference. What’s at the heart of codependency in friendships All good relationships have at their heart the mutual care and concern that ought to mark interactions between people. When it comes to [...]

The idea of counseling may be new for your teen. While you may have been thinking about the benefits and researching counselors for some time, your teen may not know much about it. Instead of springing the idea on your teen, you can begin by having some natural conversations and asking him or her questions about his or her thoughts regarding counseling, mental health, and overall mental wellness. Questions to ask your teen about counseling. Sometimes teens are resistant [...]