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What is Stress Eating and How Do You Control It?

By |January 12th, 2024|Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling|

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 is a form of avoidance, so the problem that led you to eat won’t actually get solved, and the emotion won’t get processed.If stress eating is having a negative effect on your life, keep reading to find out more about solutions and alternatives.What is stress eating?The term stress eating can be used interchangeably with the term emotional eating. Stress eating” points to the trigger, and emotional eating describes an overall pattern of eating according to mood.Let’s be clear: most people’s eating habits are influenced by their emotions to some level, and that’s okay.What we want to avoid is a consistent, habitual pattern of using food to self-soothe to an unhealthy extent, instead of primarily using food to fulfill our nutritional and energy needs, for moderate enjoyment, and for community and celebration.Let’s break that down. Stress eating can be harmful when:It is a consistent and habitual pattern.It involves using food as a coping mechanism for negative emotions and experiences, often in place of other, healthier coping mechanisms.The focus is on self-soothing rather than nutrition, connection with others, and traditions/celebration. Eating for connection, traditions, and celebration is seen throughout history and in all of the healthiest cultures in the world today, and it provides a more stable basis for our food consumption than we find in stress or emotional eating.HelpGuide defines emotional eating this [...]

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Helping Children Cope With Relocation Stress

By |December 21st, 2023|Christian Counseling for Children, Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured|

Change is hard. We all find comfort in the familiar and the predictable. Relocation throws us into a world of the unknown which can be stressful, more so for children. However, it is noted that a lot of families need to move at least once in their lifetime. This number increases for families whose lives involve having to move constantly and can cause relocation stress. This is especially true for military families, who on average can spend no more than three years stationed at any one base. No matter the reason for moving, it should be noted that children have a hard time with it and necessary measures need to be put in place to make the transition a lot easier for them. There are many reasons why children experience relocation stress and knowing about potential fears is helpful for parents and guardians to better understand how to help. All this has a lot to do with how old a child is. If they are toddlers, the change might not cause much distress, though they too need to be monitored. If a child is above five years old, already in school systems, and has developed friendships, the move will most likely be harder. With moving comes leaving one’s school, friends, and possibly a favorite teacher. All these need to be taken into consideration. At any age, most children are also anxious about being the new kid in class, having to navigate those first few days or weeks with no friends. Being forced to say goodbye to their friends and family relations is also something that can cause great distress, especially if the move is to another state or country altogether. How to help children cope with relocation stress Relocation is not only stressful for children, but it can be [...]

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How to Recognize Early Warning Signs of Mental Illness

By |November 24th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Personal Development, Women’s Issues|

If you have ever wondered if you or someone you know may have a mental disorder, this article on the warning signs of mental illness could be for you. Mental illness is a broad term that refers to a wide range of mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or addiction that affect your mood and the way you think, feel, and act. They can be a source of intense distress that has a negative impact on every area of your life, including your ability to perform daily chores or take care of your needs. Mental illnesses rarely appear out of the blue. The early signs are not always easy to identify, however, unless you know what to look for. Symptoms can vary by person, depending on the type of disorder, and sometimes manifest as physical issues such as palpitations, shortness of breath, digestive problems, headaches, and other unexplained aches and pains. Common warning signs of mental illness. Typically, one of the first warning signs of mental illness in someone is just a general feeling that something seems off or out of character. If two or more of these other symptoms are also present and have lasted for over two weeks, that is a red flag that should not be ignored. Confused thinking. Trouble concentrating or remembering things. Feeling sad or down. Intense fear or anxiety. Easily irritated. Anger that feels out of control. Loss of emotional regulation. Dramatic mood swings and shifts in feelings from highs to lows. Increased sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells, or touch. Feeling hopeless or overwhelmed. Withdrawing from friends and loved ones. Inability to complete tasks. Loss of interest in hobbies and activities once enjoyed. Sudden drop in performance at work or school. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. Sudden changes in basic habits [...]

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Understanding Abandonment Issues: Causes and Signs

By |November 22nd, 2023|Abandonment and Neglect, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

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 we experience as we go through these experiences is natural. When it comes to abandonment issues it is important to understand that these difficult and complex emotions do not pass normally. Rather a residue of them remains and this may lead to an unhealthy level of worry and fear of this abandonment happening again. If you or someone else struggles with abandonment, then common signs are a struggle to have healthy relationships, difficulty communicating with others, or failure to see one’s own value and self-worth. Defining abandonment issues. A form of anxiety and stress whose residue can affect relationships throughout a person’s life, the term “abandonment issues” cannot simply be interpreted as a medical diagnosis. Experts expect that the fear of being abandoned comes from an anxious attachment style or a trauma experienced in early childhood. Due to experiencing these emotional difficulties, one is unable to easily regulate their emotions. Unregulated worry, for example, can easily affect your actions and how you communicate. An anxious attachment style normally develops when a child’s need for security, and other needs, are not met by their caregivers. Almost all children with an anxious attachment style struggle with insecurities in the area of self-esteem, and some will also struggle with abandonment issues. Main causes. Safety and security are right at the base of Maslow’s [...]

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Long-distance Dating: Overcoming the Challenges

By |November 3rd, 2023|Couples Counseling, Featured, Premarital Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Many people have said, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” But is this true? Can two people truly stay committed in a relationship if they are long-distance dating? To answer this question, we need to understand what it means to be long-distance dating. Long-distance dating is simply a relationship in which two people do not live close enough to see each other more than once or twice a week. Making any relationship work depends on how willing you are to invest time into the relationship. This is not just something that one person can make work. It will take both parties being intentional about the relationship. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV Unique challenges of long-distance dating. Any relationship has challenges, but when it comes to long-distance dating they seem to be more intense. Challenges don’t mean that the relationship is doomed to failure. Challenges cause each person to decide how much they are willing to invest in the relationship. Here are five unique challenges that most couples who are long-distance dating will face. Local relationships and friends. For there to be a sense of trust there must be boundaries regarding local friends and other relationships. Financial impact of travel. Traveling once a week to see each other can be financially draining. Driving a couple of hours of week may not be as impactful as having to purchase an airline ticket. The emotional expectations of meetings. Since you are not seeing each other daily, there [...]

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Common Signs of Social Anxiety and What to Do

By |October 31st, 2023|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling|

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 in England, deals with her nerves. She was helping an employee find the nerve to ask for a window table at a local restaurant. It was something seemingly small, yet for the employee took much courage. The employee commented that it was easy for Rebecca to be assertive since she commanded whatever room she was in. Rebecca laughed. She was often the only woman in a room full of men, she explained. To not be overlooked and brushed off, she had a secret trick. Rebecca demonstrated her trick, which was getting as big as possible. She stood in front of the mirror and raised herself to be as big as possible while silently roaring to herself. It is a reminder to take up space, not to shy away, and that she belongs as much as anyone else. Tricks like Rebecca’s might work for some, but what if jitters go much deeper? What if any new situation, or even a gathering of friends, is enough to send someone into a panic? It is easy for the signs of social anxiety to be overlooked or minimized. Most people are afraid of public speaking. But for some, even the idea of speaking can lead to fears of saying the wrong thing, doing something embarrassing, or committing some truly horrible faux pas! It is [...]

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Single Mom Help: Biblical Reminders for Single Parenting

By |October 24th, 2023|Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Women’s Issues|

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 friendship. If you know someone in this situation, you may wonder how you can offer a single mom help and support. If you are a single mom, or you know you may become one, you might feel overwhelmed daily by your many responsibilities. Or you might crave a listening ear for all the burdens you carry alone. Christian counseling and help with parenting and loneliness support is available for single moms. Biblical reminders for single parenting. Discouragement and burnout can accompany all parents in their daily lives, but especially those who are raising children alone. God’s promises in Scripture provide comfort and reassurance that no matter what we are facing, we don’t have to walk through it alone. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  –  Isaiah 41:10, NIV This passage reminds us that when we feel alone, God is still with us. He gives comfort through his presence and helps us through his supernatural strength. He promises to uphold us, which means giving consistent support and help. Fear often creeps up when we lack companionship and support. The Lord reassures us that no matter how we feel, we do not need to [...]

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Functioning Depression: What Does it Mean When Depression Lingers

By |October 19th, 2023|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

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. Depression is not just a sad day. It is not being down because the weather is bad, or it was a hard day at work. It is not feeling glum because your team isn’t doing well or missing your youngest who just went off to college. This can be sadness, grief, or disappointment. It lasts for a day or two and then you can function normally and not be consumed by whatever got you down. Depression is more than sadness or disappointment. It is, at its core, a feeling of emptiness. It’s a lack of motivation. It can even lead to a sense of hopelessness and an inclination that all we are is a burden. Anyone can get hit with a season of depression. Normally these last anywhere from six to eight months and can be treated with medication, therapy, exercise, and other healthy activities. But what if despondency lingers? What if seasons come and go, winter fades to summer and back again, and the lack of motivation, inability to concentrate, low self-esteem, and loss of interest in what you used to love - lingers? What if even after medication, trying to exercise, eating better, and going to counseling, each day still feels like a grind you are trying to survive with your brain in concrete? What if doing what [...]

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How Counseling Can Help with Family Problems

By |October 12th, 2023|Family Counseling, Featured, Relationship Issues|

Family problems happen. You cannot prepare for every situation or crisis that comes along. Even if you know about specific issues, it is still challenging to navigate through them when you are in the thick of it. Many people seek therapy for family problems. This type of family counseling brings awareness to the problem and methods for dealing with it. Each family member is heard and seen during counseling; their voice matters. Common family problems No family is immune to problems. Yet, some issues can cause offense, isolation, neglect, abuse, and emotional distance. Some family problems can rip relationships apart. Children can turn against their parents, siblings may never speak to each other again, or a parent may feel it is safer to freeze out a child than to confront bad behavior. The Bible stresses the importance of marriage and family. Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court. – Psalm 127:3-5, NIV There are times when it feels as if we are being sliced by those very arrows, our children. The Bible also warns us not to over-discipline our children either, but to raise them with the right amount of discipline and teaching. Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. – Proverbs 22:6, NIV Raising a family is hard enough without outside factors such as bullying, financial downturns, health crisis, and mental conditions adding to the family problems. The following are common family problems counselors address in therapy. Communication issues and clashing personalities. Differences in [...]

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The Journey of Healing After Trauma

By |October 6th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

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 when the trauma occurred. To help you understand this process, it is important to consider different things you may experience along the way. This will help you when the ups and downs come so they don’t catch you off guard and leave you feeling completely derailed and hopeless. When you recognize that your journey will have ups and downs, it helps you persevere so you can find the healing you desire. Steps in the Journey of Healing After Trauma Some of the ups and downs you may feel on your journey of healing after trauma include: Total shock. It is not surprising that someone who experiences a trauma begins by feeling shocked. This can be so intense that it is overwhelming as if you don’t have a way to process what happened. It may even seem like it was impossible or didn’t happen. Trying to process. As the shock wears off, you may begin the journey of processing the trauma. This can mean different things but often involves moving from a state of disbelief to one where you consider what happened and how it impacted you. Feeling okay. One of the most surprising things after a trauma can be the first time you feel okay. You may not feel like life is normal, but at some point, a day, or [...]

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