Grief is a fundamental part of our lives and affects us in ways that can rock us to our core. We tend to view grief as a reaction to death or loss of relationships. However, grief is far more pervasive than that and affects every major and even minor change in our lives. Yes, we grieve the deaths of friends and family, people we know or look up to, our pets, and the loss of relationships. We also grieve [...]
The ability to regulate our emotions and control our impulsiveness is key to our mental health and overall well-being. Our emotional regulation, vulnerabilities, and impulsiveness are affected by our biology (developmental and physical), upbringing/childhood, social environment – both supportive or unsupportive, culture, health – physical and mental, life events, stressors, self-care, personality disorders, trauma, and grief. Some of us are born more emotionally vulnerable and impulsive than others, and we all may respond differently to the same situations. When our [...]
Anxiety disorders affect millions of people a year in the United States. Yet, many people are unaware that lifestyle habits influence the severity of the signs of anxiety. Changing how you eat, move, and sleep can make a difference in your stress and anxiety levels. The Signs of Anxiety The signs of anxiety are varied, and not everyone experiences the symptoms the same way. For example, you may feel more on edge and emotional while your best friend experiences [...]
One of the more challenging ideas to understand in the Christian faith is the concept of freedom. The apostle Paul wrote that, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1, NIV) This freedom is from sin and from the behaviors, attitudes, and mindsets rooted in it. Codependent behavior is one set of patterns that many people need freedom from. [...]
Shame is one of the greatest weapons that the Devil uses to keep us from feeling worthy and achieving God’s plans for our lives. John 10:10 (NKJV) says, “The thief does not come except to steal, kill, and destroy.” Satan lies to us using shame as one of his most devastating tools to keep us stuck in toxicity, bad behaviors, addiction, and a life filled with regret. Shame Brings Condemnation Shame attacks our identity and is a blackmailer, forcing [...]
My Experience With Trauma I remember it like it was yesterday. I knew I had bad dreams and had trouble sleeping. But it was my “normal,” and as I grew into adulthood, I thought nothing of it. It was the fall of 1991, just days after I was married. We spent part of our honeymoon visiting her family in Nebraska. We were staying in a guest room at her parents’ house on an air mattress. We drifted off to [...]
Have you ever truly loved someone and given of yourself for their well-being? It might have been Plato or Shakespeare who said something about love being a sort of madness, and that has a ring of truth to it. Love, however, doesn’t have to be self-destructive or uninformed. It certainly doesn’t need to be codependent to qualify as love, and that’s one reason why knowing the signs of codependency can help you show love well. Several signs of codependency will [...]
Infidelity can turn your world upside down, causing you to feel shocked, angry, wounded, betrayed, and confused. You may find yourself wondering if and how you can possibly heal from this overwhelmingly devastating experience. If so, take heart. As shattering as the betrayal of infidelity can feel, it does not have to mark the end of your relationship. With hard work and dedication, trust and intimacy can be restored. It may, however, be a long and painful process that involves [...]
If you have experienced the loss of a loved one, we invite you to consider finding support from Christian grief counseling in Stone Oak, Texas. Experiencing the loss of a loved one or something important to you can feel overwhelming. In addition to grieving the actual loss, thoughts of what your life could have been may also weigh heavily on your heart. You may want to isolate and withdraw from others as you try to navigate through the intense emotions [...]
Many things are good and helpful in moderation, but bad and destructive in excess. One of those things is anger, which is a natural human emotion that we’ve all felt at one point or another in our lives. Maybe you last got angry when you felt that the wrong politician got voted in, or when someone was late to a meeting and didn’t apologize, or when your children sassed you. Whatever the occasion, we’ve all felt anger in one [...]
You were never meant to stay wrapped in anxiety’s grip. The fight-or-flight response is a remarkable response activated by the nervous system to protect us in times of danger. However, our minds can take this one step further and leave us in a state of chronic anxiety. If anxiety is interfering with your life, you need to make lasting lifestyle changes to lessen its effect. At Stone Oak Christian Counseling in Texas, we offer practical ways to help with [...]
Not everyone alive today will reach old age. However, it’s hard to see aging as the gift and privilege it is because society is geared toward youth and the young. The beauty and wellness industry, advertising, entertainment, and professional sectors have drilled it into our thinking that old age equates to mental decline, disease, and unhappiness. Not only is this insulting to those who are aging, but it’s incorrect. While there are new challenges to face as you age, [...]
