I’ve worked with lots of clients on sleep. It is estimate that about 40% of Americans are sleep deprived (let that number sink in). Impaired sleep is one of those things that can be a symptom of mental health problems, but it is also a potential cause all by itself. For example,
Many people look at their story and think that nothing traumatic has ever happened because our understanding of trauma is often so extreme. We think if we haven’t experienced sexual abuse, combat zones, or physical injury, then we haven’t experienced any significant amount of trauma. But this unfortunate understanding keeps us from recognizing and dealing with the trauma in our own lives.
When it comes to navigating the bevy of credentials, certifications, specializations, and licenses, finding a good counselor or therapist can be daunting. Even with all the degrees and letters aside, there are many practical, ideological, and relational dynamics that may help you narrow your search.
Though the idea of going to therapy is starting to be more acceptable, questions about the details of seeing a therapist remain. When should you see one? How should you choose one? How will you know what to talk about, and will you just be sitting there awkwardly trying to figure it out?
Don't settle for coffee to merely get you going in the morning, instead let your heart revel in the beauty of your coffee's brewed goodness. Enjoy the artful flavors and precision of a single, glorious cup of pure delight, crafted by your own hands, in a ritual inviting your body and your mind to experience the joy of one of God's greatest gifts: Coffee.
In my effort to be logical, I eliminated data from my evaluation, hobbling my self in the very goal (being rational) I intended to pursue. I will never be rational if I eradicate relevant data, even emotional data, from my calculus. It turns out that by diminishing, ignoring and downplaying my emotional experience, I was becoming less rational.
Spiritual Abuse is likely one of the most subtle, profound, and widespread types of trauma in the world. One need look no further than their closest congregation, parish, or temple to find a history of victimization in the name of God. Movies, news stories, rumors, and memes all illustrate ways in which God's power is invoked in an attempt to coerce, manipulate, or otherwise harm the very people that have dedicated their lives to following him.
As we creatively engage our fellow travelers with courage, compassion, and curiosity, an authentic connection marked by mutuality, reciprocity, respect, and dignity, will grow and develop. In this space, we will have the opportunity to cultivate a new story, one written with an eye to the needs and desires of both parties. We can pursue living with an orientation to developing meaning, pursuing the dreams of our shared wonder, cultivating purpose, and enjoying the abundance of the deeper life.
Compassionate curiosity, when pursued with courage in the context of relationship results in space to creatively weave our story together with our partner or friend; it orients us toward the rich tapestry of human connection. So courage is pursued in our orientation toward ourselves, in our perspective of others, and in the unique blend that results from the interweaving of our individual story with the stories that are happening all around us. Courage is neither foolhardy nor complacent; rather it is engaging the heart while intentionally bringing life, restoration, and wholeness in the writing of today's stories.
