Individual Counseling

Enjoying the Golden Years Successful Aging in the 21st Century

2024-09-25T09:06:41+00:00July 12th, 2022|Aging and Geriatric Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling|

When we think about aging, many people imagine Granny from a famous cartoon sitting in her rocking chair, letting the world whiz by her. However, with modern medical breakthroughs, technological advances, and access to financial planning, successful aging in the 21st century is possible. You do not have to resign yourself to spending your days in a chair while others go about life. Even if you are physically unable to walk, your mind and your body can stay healthy and young for many years with a few tips for successful aging. Ten Tips for Successful Aging The following are ten tips for successful aging that focus on physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Financial planning is also critical in preparing for your future. You can find various online resources or contact a financial planner specializing in elder laws to help you create a plan to prepare you for retirement and estimated inflation over the next 20-40 years. Keep Up with Physician Appointments Routine doctor appointments, screenings, and lab work can be tiresome. But preventing issues is a key component to aging successfully. Catching problems early can mean getting treatment as soon as possible and living longer. No one wants to hear bad news, but initiative-taking can help you access resources that can lengthen your time with your family. Speak with your doctor about a routine schedule for appointments, or use your birthday month as a trigger to schedule annual exams and screenings. Stay Active The longer you can stay flexible and strong, the better your physical health. Researchers recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise per week. You can spread this out to thirty-minute sessions five days a week or three ten-minute sessions per day. Speak to your physician about clearance for exercise before beginning an exercise [...]

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Understanding Depression from a Christian Perspective

2024-09-25T09:04:35+00:00July 7th, 2022|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

In Psalm 42:11, the psalmist speaks to himself, saying “Why so downcast O my soul? Why the unease within me?” He gives himself the advice of putting his trust in the LORD, reminding himself that God is steady when everything else is in turmoil. Throughout the Psalms, and the rest of the Scriptures, there are honest and raw accounts of people engaged in battles with depression, sometimes to the point of despair, all of which can help in understanding depression. People have been battling depression for centuries, well before there was the research or the framework of understanding that we currently have. Despite this, there is still much conflict and a lack of understanding in the area of emotions and how to integrate spiritual concepts with psychological research. Fear and shame abound where there is a lack of understanding and educating yourself on the topic of depression can make you a valuable resource for friends, family, or even yourself. What Is Depression? Depression is different from just being sad or down. Certainly, these moods are a part of depression, but depression is a disorder that may or may not be rooted in brain chemistry, meaning that a person cannot just “snap out of it.” Called MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) or clinical depression, a person experiencing this will feel low energy, low enthusiasm, an unwillingness to engage in day-to-day tasks and may feel an overwhelming sense of defeat, sadness, and hopelessness. It may even have regular thoughts of suicide. It is very important to note that depression does not always have a logical cause. People may experience depression because of going through a traumatic or difficult situation like divorce, the death of a loved one, unemployment, or ongoing hardships. At other times, depression can accompany other disorders such as anxiety, [...]

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How to Work on a Strained Relationship

2024-10-29T12:11:02+00:00June 27th, 2022|Couples Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

If you have a strained relationship, your heart aches all the time. It's challenging to have a relationship with someone who doesn't reciprocate with you or possibly makes life more difficult for you. The good news is that a caring Christian counselor can help you navigate a strained relationship in your life. Why Do We Have a Strained Relationship? Strained relationships can come from different sources. Perhaps you had a relationship that was close at one point and misunderstandings put a strain on the relationship. On the other hand, you may have a relationship that never got off on the right foot and is now in a worse place than when you started. Relationships can also become strained if they carry a heavy load of criticism and defensiveness over time, or if the relationships are not maintained well by growth and support. These strained relationships can exist at home, in an extended family, at work, in friendships, and even in community groups or churches. They cause a lot of discomfort, usually for both people involved in the relationship, and even for people surrounding that relationship. Strained relationships sometimes happen because the other person is almost entirely at fault. Sometimes they occur because we have blind spots, and we don't recognize our contributions to the problems. However, even if the reason for the strain is only one percent your fault, you can start working on that part with the help of a trained counselor. Even though you may not be able to completely change the strain in the relationship, you can start building up your strength to handle it. Examples You may see a mirror of the strain in your relationship in one or more of these scenarios. Due to constant conflict, a dad is at odds with his teenage [...]

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Bible Verses for Building Self-Esteem

2024-10-29T12:11:09+00:00June 17th, 2022|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

Do you need help building self-esteem? These Bible verses are ideal for helping you choose a positive outlook even when you aren’t sure about the esteem you have for yourself. You can meditate on them to gain the peace and confidence you are seeking. Any time you need help building self-esteem, you can turn to these verses. Write them out and post them where you can see them often. Then turn them into prayers that will encourage your faith. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20, ESV This is great news! As a believer, you no longer live by your own power. Jesus lives in you through the power of the Holy Spirit. He guides you and empowers you to live a life of abundant joy because he loves you so much. When you focus on God’s love for you, it can change everything regarding how you feel about yourself. Meditate on all parts of this verse, thinking about the ways it can lift you up when you feel down. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. – Psalm 139:14, ESV This entire psalm is one of the best places to turn in the Bible when you need to build your self-esteem. It teaches you that God masterfully created you before you were ever born and loves every single detail about the way that he made you You are a unique and beautiful creation handcrafted by him for his glory, and no one can take that identity away from you. By hiding [...]

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13 Helpful Bible Verses About Anxiety

2024-09-25T09:04:50+00:00June 6th, 2022|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

If you worry a lot and are anxious about many things, this article will provide you with helpful Bible verses about anxiety. Anxiety is one of the weapons Satan uses to overwhelm and paralyze you, and keep you from experiencing the full life God intended for you to have. However, take heart. God has equipped you with His spiritual armor with which to defeat the foe. The most powerful piece of this armor is His Word, the sword of the Spirit, which is “alive and powerful, and sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword” (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12). Praying and declaring Scripture over your struggles and circumstances can protect you from every scheme of the enemy by countering Satan’s lies with the all-powerful truth of God’s Word. Jesus, Himself used it when He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13). By following His example, you too can be victorious in your battle against anxiety. Bible verses about anxiety Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7, NIV It’s easy to feel anxious when life throws you a curve ball such as ill-health, the loss of a job, or a growing pile of bills you don’t have money to pay, but when you surrender your anxious thoughts to God through prayer, with thanksgiving, He promises to replace them with peace that surpasses understanding. And which of you being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? – Luke 12:25-26, ESV [...]

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