A popular series of books has been written to help expecting and new parents navigate pregnancy and the early milestones in their child’s life. When you know what to expect and what is typical in a given situation, you know what to look out for, how to make sense of your journey, and the right questions to ask. In the same way, there’s great benefit in getting a heads up about what to expect in the first year of [...]
It might be hard to hear, but the combination of codependency and narcissism in a relationship makes for a toxic dynamic that damages both parties in the long run. In this dynamic, the narcissist believes they are owed love, loyalty, and devotion while not offering much in return. The codependent partner, meanwhile, spends all their energy desperately trying to make the relationship work, often at the expense of their own happiness, desires, and needs. This is a simplified explanation [...]
Most couples marry with the idea that they will be together forever. Unfortunately, for roughly half of those couples, their lifelong commitment will end in divorce. While there are many reasons a marriage might end, and frankly most divorces are a culmination of several factors, infidelity is sometimes the final blow to the “happily ever after.” One of the more difficult aspects of infidelity is the secrecy and uncertainty that it includes. It’s not like your spouse is likely [...]
When you’re young and in a new relationship, we all know how amazing it feels to have someone who wants to be around you all the time, texting constantly, and checking in on what you’re doing. But is this good for teen mental health and wellbeing?At first, that kind of intensity feels like love, like proof that you matter. For many people, this is true. But here’s the tricky part: sometimes what seems like intense love can really be unhealthy [...]
In elementary school, you could walk up to someone on the playground and ask, “Do you want to play?” and by the time the bell rang, you’d have a new friend. In college, proximity did most of the work for you. Because you lived, went to school with, and sometimes worked alongside people on campus, you naturally grew into friendship with them without much effort. But there comes a point in adulthood when you realize that friendships don’t come as automatically [...]
Understanding a mother with borderline personality disorder can be immensely perplexing due to her unpredictable behavior and lack of consistency. She lacks the emotional tools to provide stable parenting, and whereas to other people, she may seem like a kind, likable, normal person, at home, it is a different story. At home, the borderline mother tends to be a whirlwind of unpredictable reactions, unable to provide solid emotional rapport to her child. One moment she may be loving, empathetic, [...]
What are cognitive distortions? Everyone uses cognitive distortions at some time while trying to make sense of life events. Cognitive distortions are known by other names such as faulty thinking, mistaken beliefs, core beliefs, and thinking errors. Cognitive distortions are a person’s misinterpreted perceptions that support their personal belief system about themselves, others, and the world around them. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a personal belief system is a deep-lying acceptance of ideas that are usually rooted in a [...]
Are you codependent? If you have any of the following traits, you may be struggling with codependency. Excessively relying on and prioritizing the needs, emotions, and well-being of others over your own Feeling the need to “fix” others Enabling other people, even when they do hurtful things to you or others you care about Depending on others too much for your own emotional needs Being afraid to stand up for yourself Inability to set healthy boundaries with others Having [...]
Knowing how to create healthy boundaries is as important as recognizing the need for those boundaries in the first place. Boundaries are the foundation of healthy relationships that guarantee both parties’ needs, wants, and safety are ensured. They provide rules of order and a blueprint that the relationship should be built from. Galatians 6:5 (NIV) says, “For each one should carry their own load.” Boundaries establish respect, care, and security, as well as prevent dependency, unfair dynamics, and toxicity. [...]
🎧 Listen to this article https://stoneoakchristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Stone-Oak-Christian-Counseling-How-Christian-Couples-Counseling-in-Stone-Oak-Texas-Can-Help.mp3 Christian couples counseling in Stone Oak, Texas can benefit relationships before and during a marriage. The strongest marital foundations have Christ as the cornerstone and couples who honor their marriage covenant with God. Christian couples counseling in Stone Oak, Texas reminds partners that God and His principles come first, then each other. Husbands and wives are to love each other as Christ loves His Church. Ways That Christian Couples Counseling in Stone [...]
🎧 Listen to this article https://stoneoakchristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Stone-Oak-Christian-Counseling-Will-a-Bipolar-Diagnosis-Affect-My-Relationships-How-Do-I-Handle-It.mp3 When someone receives a bipolar diagnosis, it doesn’t just stay in the doctor’s office. It creeps into friendships, family ties, dating, and even workplace connections. People around you may not fully understand what the diagnosis means, and that gap in understanding can create tension. Some may worry about how to support you, while others may misinterpret your moods as personal attacks. This is not only frustrating but also isolating, because relationships thrive [...]
Have you concluded that you are in an abusive relationship? Below are the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder in the DSM 5. This is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) that psychiatrists and therapists use to diagnose mental illness. Traits of Narcissism Look at the criteria below and see if you are currently with someone who has these traits. Grandiose sense of self-importance. Exaggerates achievements and talents; expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate [...]
