Parenting in Times of Uncertainty
Model a flexible mindset & lead with empathy Life isn’t always perfect, and in this season it feels like unexpected changes are happening all the time. Teach your teen about how they can manage their expectations during this season. We all experience uncomfortable emotions This one goes out to all my pre-teens who are figuring […]
5 Tips on Learning to Love Yourself
Shortly after I graduated from high school, I quickly understood the meaning of anxiety and depression. You see, not only did the Columbine shooting happen during my last year of high school, but then just two years later, we experienced the most terrifying terrorist attack in the history of our nation, now commonly referred to […]
What To Do When Your Friend is Suicidal
Having a friend who has shared suicidal thoughts can be overwhelming and terrifying. You may feel an immense amount of pressure to do or say the right thing to help. Take a deep breath and know you are not supposed to be able to carry this on your own. Here are some steps you can […]
How to Support a Friend or Family Member Struggling with Depression
Depression is a subject that is difficult for me because it is something I have experienced. As a counselor, my diagnosis is not something that usually comes into the counseling room. However, I hope that my journey with depression will be eye-opening for parents with children suffering from depression, and relatable for those that have […]
My Boyfriend Is Addicted to Porn. How Does It Affect Him?
A healthy person is balanced spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally and socially. This person also thinks about and serves others more than himself or herself. Sadly, viewing pornography attacks health in every one of these areas. And the damaging effects are profound both personally and relationally. So, what are the unhealthy side effects of viewing pornography? Spiritually, […]
Should You Overlook His Porn Addiction?
Pornography is deadly. It can kill hopes, dreams and romantic connection. It can distort a brain, overtake emotions, harm a body and devastate a soul. So, I ask you: “Why would you date someone who is headed down that lonely, lifeless path?” The pornography-impacted brain is regularly searching. It has downloaded into its pleasure center […]
“There’s an App for that!” Using Technology to Help with Anxiety
As a school psychologist and private therapist, I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of teenage girls suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. Every day I see all different kinds of kids of every race and background who are struggling with fears, worry, and sometimes panic. There is no particular type of girl […]
The Descent of Depression
I think one of the symptoms that are most core to the experience of depression is the state of feeling lost. When depressed, you second guess, you doubt, you unravel. Mental illness is, at its core, an unraveling. But it is not an unraveling that is beyond repair. Depression strips you of your life compass. […]