How an Attitude of Gratitude Helps Our Mental Health
With anxiety and depression on the rise, researchers have been studying various evidence-based coping skills to help people improve their mental health. Yet some of these techniques are as old as the Bible. Let’s specifically look at the concept of gratitude. Gratitude – or, as the Bible typically calls it, thanksgiving – is an evidence-based practice that has strong roots in the Scriptures. For example, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 states, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ [...]
What are the Signs of OCD?
Popular culture has its uses, such as keeping us entertained. Often, however, it does not provide the most accurate information if that’s what you’re looking for. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of those terms that have made it into the popular lexicon through movies and TV shows, but there is widespread misunderstanding about the signs of OCD and what it is and isn’t. Some people are meticulous – they arrange their sock and underwear drawer just so, wash their hands frequently, and live [...]
13 Signs of a Toxic Marriage
Do you think you might have a toxic marriage? There are signs of a toxic marriage that you can look for and if you see any of these signs, it's important to get help from someone like a Christian counselor or pastor. They can give you the guidance and practical help you need to stop problems in their tracks and turn your marriage around for the better. Signs of a toxic marriage. You may notice some of these signs popping up in your [...]
What is Toxic Positivity?
Many people can complete the adage that “every cloud has a silver lining.” This translates to the notion that while we all experience dark times within the sunny days of our lives, there are often good experiences and unexpected blessings tucked within those very places that seemed to have rained on our proverbial parades. It is a good practice to recognize the positive and the upside to difficulty. It helps to foster resilience when we cultivate a place of gratitude within those spaces [...]
Overcoming the Dark Side of Social Media and Body Image
Is it hard not to view your body through the lens of social media these days? You may not even be aware of this tendency, but it can be harmful to body image and thus your mental and emotional health. We all understand the complexities that come from our self-perception as well as the worries of what we assume other people think about us. We also have our desires and intentions for who we want to be, but create false expectations of how [...]
Helping Your Child with Their Big Emotions: A Child and Family Therapist Shares Some Tips
When your children are so filled with emotions, do they dissolve into tears, start yelling, run to their room, or begin to panic? Big emotions can feel scary and overwhelming – for kids and their parents. But there are some simple steps to help kids express their emotions in healthy ways. The biology of big emotions. First, let’s talk briefly about what happens in our bodies when we feel these big emotions. When a big emotion comes, typically it floods the front of the [...]