Let’s face it, life can be stressful. Bills pile up, families fight, pipes burst, back pain happens, family members get sick. There are seasons of life that can put us flat on our backs with no warning and leave us to throw our hands up and wonder, “How am I supposed to handle this?” Signs... Continue Reading →
If I asked you to tell me about the weather where you lived, would you be able to describe it? Not just the weather today but generally, what is the weather like all year? Here in Illinois, this would be an impossible task. I could tell you it is 72 degrees and cloudy today, but... Continue Reading →
“I’m lonely,” a woman told me. She describes how she longs for meaningful friendships but doesn’t know how to make those happen. With tears, she explains how she looks around, and it seems everyone has someone but her. She feels desperate and is void of any hope that things will change. She says she knows... Continue Reading →
The wellness wheel is a model of eight parts that make up a well-rounded and balanced lifestyle. It is a visual reminder that our lives are made up of many facets and that each one is important and should be recognized. If we are out of balance in one area, that will affect other areas... Continue Reading →
A few weeks ago, I was performing internship duties at a location on the West Side of Chicago with one of the highest rates of incarceration, violence, poverty, and other aspects of disadvantage. I was scheduled to run my first session on Peace Management as a supplement to the needs of formerly incarcerated men, and... Continue Reading →
I'm in the final weeks of the summer semester in the middle of my 2.5-year grad program. The last weeks of the semester are filled with research papers, final presentations, and end-of-semester reports. Even if you are the most diligent student and have kept up with all the assigned reading and assignments, the last few... Continue Reading →
We all tend to overthink situations from time to time. We can feel our anxiety start to rise in our bodies. Our heart rate goes up, our palms get sweaty, our neck starts to feel tense. Thoughts race through our mind faster than we can keep up with as our mind jumps from one idea... Continue Reading →
When events happen in your life, are you reacting or are you responding? What is the difference? Reaction is based on our subconscious patterns and beliefs. Think of it as a "knee-jerk" reaction, one that happens instantly and does not require time to process or evaluate. A reaction is often a habit, and it is... Continue Reading →
Problems often seem pregnant, with active and intrusive parents who do not seem to leave them alone. This is an insight that I gained earlier this week during a counseling session at Roseland Christian Ministries where, as a counseling intern with Olive Branch Counseling Assoiates, I provide counseling services to members of the community. That... Continue Reading →
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