Any trauma can leave a lasting imprint on your mental and emotional health. Unfortunately, some prolonged trauma is harder to heal since it feels as if the painful memories have taken root deep into your mind, body and soul. Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) can mirror PTSD, but the effects from the condition are [...]
Though it may be a popular idea, the concept of forgiving yourself is fruitless. I believe people have meant well when they told me during difficult times when I was ridden with guilt that God has forgiven me, but I haven’t forgiven myself. I think what they meant to say is that I haven’t [...]
According to a 2016 report by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, by the 2015-2016 school year, half of all students surveyed reported having attended counseling for mental health concerns. In 2009, 37% of students complained about problems with anxiety. The percentage of students with anxiety reached 46% in 2013 and 51% in 2016. [...]
Do you feel as if people don’t respect you? That they take advantage of you, don’t listen to you, or that you end up in situations where you are unhappy? When you learn to set healthy boundaries, your self-esteem will be strengthened, your relationships can improve, and you can experience the freedom and empowerment [...]
In 2018, researchers asked American adults if they were depressed. Almost one in twelve said yes (AAFP). Women reported depression twice as often as men did. Depression is rampant in our culture, yet it’s been a reality throughout history. If you’ve experienced depression, you know it’s real. Its current pervasiveness may be partially just [...]
Times of loss are painful and dark. Whether it’s hearing a new diagnosis or getting a call from the police, the pain of loss is difficult. Nothing makes it easier. There is no way to face loss without pain. The two are deeply intertwined like smoke and fire, where one is the other will [...]
Sometimes people experience ongoing low-level anxiety – a distress that seems to hang out continually as if it were an appendage. It can be like that constant whirring noise of a fan in the background that’s left on day and night. On the other hand, one can experience those sudden episodes of anxiety that [...]
When the issue of “abuse” is brought up, what comes to mind is often physical or sexual abuse – situations that evoke a strong reaction from others to help the victim. Emotional abuse, however, is something that not everyone is aware of or something that people may not be willing to acknowledge. Although people [...]
One of the most emotionally scarring events a person can feel is abandonment. When a person has experienced it, it greatly affects how they view themselves. They may feel helpless, incomplete, insignificant, and unwanted despite their personal talents and achievements. The usual consequence of abandonment is that the one who was abandoned often tries [...]
People are sometimes confused as to what constitutes domestic abuse. Is it strictly physical in nature? If so, does it have to leave a mark to be considered abuse? What about frequency? Would a single incident meet criterion for domestic abuse or does it have to reach a certain number to qualify? In addition [...]
