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Spiritual Wellness
Pioneers in Christian Counseling: An Interview with Paul Meier
Paul Meier, M.D., is cofounder and Medical Director of New Life Clinics, one of the largest nationwide providers of Christian mental health care. He is also co-host of “New Life Live!” a national radio program. Author of more than 50 books, he is a well-known teacher and speaker who has appeared ... Read More
Be There: Keeping Kids Emotionally Safe
“What is daddy doing, mommy?” Daniel asked as his little fingers clutched the car door and his nose pressed against the window, peering out and trying to make sense of what perplexed him. “He’s moving around.” Sylvia, his mother, answered. What else could she say? “Look’s like Dad is moving side-... Read More
Living with Cancer: A view from a transformed oncologist
This morning started with an extra large drain on my battery. Clarence needed even more of my time than usual. Once again he asked, “When am I going to start feeling better?” Clarence has late-stage prostate cancer and is now in his 80s. For 12 years, nearly everything we have used to fight his d... Read More
The Road to Greatness
As a minor speaker at a major happening, I was able to observe a great deal of church business going on. And some of it made me wonder what has happened to the Church. At one point, a well-known figure appeared with an entourage of four young men. Wherever he went, they followed in his wa... Read More
Superwoman Syndrome: A Woman's Work Is Never Done
Sandra rushed into her counseling session 10 minutes late. Apologizing profusely she moaned, “Sorry I’m late. There’s never enough time in the day to get everything I need to get done. I always feel like I’m rushing to get to the next thing. Is it ever going to stop?” Sandra’s complaint m... Read More
Book Review: Shattered Vows (By Debra Laaser)
No one likes to talk about sexual betrayal. Let me rephrase that. No one likes to talk about sexual betrayal when it happens to him or her. Not long ago, Debra Laaser experienced a wife’s worst nightmare. And today, she is ready to tell her story. And a well-told story it is, written with ... Read More
The Body/Mind/Spirit Connection: Is Spirituality Always a Good Thing?
This edition of Christian Counseling Today reaches deep into the “Body, Mind and Spirit” connection and helps us to understand the intricate connection between these three dimensions of our lives. Making sense of how these three are connected has never been more challenging on the one hand, and m... Read More
Healing the Hardware of the Soul: Nine Principals of the Amen Clinic
Like the hardware of a computer, the brain must function at an optimal level in order for us to run the software programs of life (learning how to function in child rearing, education, going through adolescence, training for a career, marriage, navigating mid-life crises, for instance). When the ... Read More
Journaling: A personal Pilgrimage into knowing yourself
Have you ever been hiking in the woods and come across a dark, murky pond? It’s back in the swampy area down the path a little ways, and it has that black oily liquid that just sits there. With the exception of some green seedlings that float on the surface of this quagmire, no signs of life. It ... Read More
9 Things You Simply Must Do (to succeed in love and life!)
I remember when it first happened, but I do remember the feeling. It was like being in an episode of The X Files—or more accurately, a strong sense of déjà vu. I would be talking with someone, either in therapy or a consulting role, or even in a business situation, and I would think, wait a minut... Read More
The Sword and the Trowel: A Biblical Model for Men's Accountability
In today’s fast paced world there are temptations for men everyday. The pressures of work, the allure of the Internet, and the sexual energy of our culture all make it hard to make healthy decisions. It was no different in Paul’s time. In Romans 7:15, he writes, “I do not un- derstand wha... Read More
The Crucible of Therapy: Looking Inward
Parenting contained some epiphanies for me. One of those occurred many years ago when our sons were very small. The three-year-old chose one evening to be relentlessly disobedient about something – I no longer remember what. The youngest was still nursing and I was a very tired young mother. I ke... Read More
The Spiritual Impact of Abuse on Children
Child abuse violates every aspect of a child ’s life – their world, their self, their future and their faith. We know this from both the research literature and clinical experience. A child is, by definition, in process. Children are vulnerable, dependent and easily influenced. They do not know v... Read More
Counseling the Incarcerated: A Different Release for Prisoners
There are over l,700,000 incarcerated men and women in jails and prisons across America. This presents a great opportunity for ministries and individuals who take the gospel to prisoners. It also presents a unique set of challenges and, in some cases, difficulties for Christian counselors who wor... Read More
Sexual Abuse and the Call to Ethical Character
We live in a society that has certain expectations for those in leadership or in the public forum. We expect leaders to be successful, magnetic, powerful, expert, articulate, strong, and on top of things. One of the results is that the pressure on those in positions of power or influence is to hi... Read More
Abusers and True Repentance
As a psychologist and seminary professor, I frequently entertain questions about the timeline for forgiveness and reconciliation in situations of domestic or familial sexual abuse. Most frequently, church leaders want to know when it is appropriate to encourage a victim of abuse to allow an offen... Read More
Emotional Abuse: The Abuse Beneath Abuse
Abuse in the context of an intimate relationship involves a persistent pattern of behaviors. It is not simply a mistake, an isolated incident or a sudden loss of control. The husband, who engages in this style of relating, misuses his wife for selfish ends and violates her dignity and self-determ... Read More
Body Image Blues: Understanding the psychological factors that fuel personal insecurities
Have you ever wondered why some people never seem happy with themselves, or are constantly comparing themselves to others to see if they measure up? I sure have and to be honest, I've been in situations where I did it too! Depending on the situation, we all can feel a little insecure at times, so... Read More
Book review: Leading with a Limp by Dr. Dan Allender (Copyright 2008).
It doesn’t take long to find seminars on leadership styles and formulas. Many seminars and books abound with various approaches to becoming an effective leader. Yet, leaders often find themselves exhausted and alone, putting in countless hours while struggling with their personal shortcoming... Read More