Stress and Anger Management

Work and/or School stress – therapy focuses on increasing the client’s ability to successfully manage their life at work. Treatment may include stress management, assertiveness training, organizational skills education and/or conflict resolution skills.

Domestic problems – Treatment for domestic violence and high-conflict relationships includes cognitive-behavioral strategies for anger management and conflict resolution.

Taming the “Me” Monster: Getting out of your Self.

A friend/colleague and I recently had a discussion about motivational speakers and televangelists who try to convince us that we deserve to be happy and are entitled to serenity.  While this is an attractive concept, it can actually rob us from living a full and whole life.  This sounds paradoxical, but really the more we focus on ourselves and our own happiness the more elusive it becomes.  Maybe people don’t know what they are looking for, in fact I’m sure this is often the case.  Henry David Thorough is quoted as follows about happiness: “Happiness is like a butterfly: the
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June 22, 2012 | by
Categories: Faith issues, Mental Health, Personal Growth, and Stress.

How to Avoid a Nervous Breakdown

We live in a technologically advanced society full of time and labor-saving devices.  So why is it that we often wish for more time and go through our days feeling worn out?  Most of us don’t utilize the time wisely.  We have to-do lists as long as our arms, with limited time and money to accomplish the tasks in front of us. That is actually the definition for chronic stress – the perception that demands or requirements exceed our resources and abilities.  The key word there is “Perception.” When we perceive the demands of life are exceeding what we’ve got
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January 18, 2012 | by
Categories: Mental Health, Personal Growth, and Stress.

Life’s Little Interruptions

 We live lives mostly in a routine.  We get up relatively close to the same time every day, eat meals at the same time every day, follow our weekly schedules year after year.  There is comfort and security to be found in routine.  There is also a danger lurking there in our routine – the danger of going on autopilot.  Its the danger of becoming closed off from others, even from ourselves and ultimately from God.  Our routines are pathways externally as well as internally – pathways of thought and emotion as well as behavior.  The usual reaction when our
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October 26, 2011 | by
Categories: Faith issues, Mental Health, Stress, and Transitions / Change.

Putting Some “Thanks” in Your Thanksgiving

There is a special field of research in psychology called “positive psychology” that studies the “science of gratitude.”   Positive psychology has been around for a while, but recently it has gained credibility under the scrutiny of science.  Scientists have made important discoveries about thankfulness.  Research has actually shown that practicing thankfulness decreases depression and anxiety!   Its all explained in a book by Robert Emmons called “Thanks!: How the new science of gratitude can make you happier.” The author defines gratitude as the recognition that one has received a gift or benefit of personal gain.  Gratitude really is an attitude, which
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October 21, 2011 | by
Categories: Family, Holidays, Mental Health, Stress, and Transitions / Change.

Tips for the Holidays

Think about the following questions, and take some time to come up with your answers.  What’s most meaningful to you about the holidays?  What would your Thanksgiving and Christmas be like if they were truly wonderful?  What makes it all worth it? Many say that what makes it wonderful is time to enjoy relationships with family and friends, a time to refocus on what’s really important, celebrating Jesus’ birth, doing good for others, and so on.  On the other hand, what often makes your holiday time take a turn for the worse?  Could it be too much time with family
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November 16, 2009 | by
Categories: Family, Holidays, Stress, and Transitions / Change.

How to $Succeed with Money in Marriage

Mike and Lori (fictional names) are headed towards divorce. Lori came home from work and found the electricity was out. She decided she'd had enough after she learned that the electric bill wasn't paid. In fact, it was one of many bills that haven't been paid for the last three months. When she confronted Mike about this, he lashed out that he couldn't pay the bills because she's been spending all her paycheck rather than putting her half into the account for paying bills. Knowing that Mike's salary alone could cover the monthly bills, she didn't give up solving the mystery. Lori found out that Mike bought an expensive motorcycle and has been keeping it in rented storage. Because of these secret expenses, there's been "too much month at the end of the money" for Mike and Lori. Lori is a forgiving person, but this is the third time Mike has put them through this mess with his secret spending. They've already declared bankruptcy three years earlier.
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May 4, 2009 | by
Categories: Finances, Marriage, and Stress.
Tags: money marriage.

Coping with Change

Stress often comes in the form of change to our lives.  Therefore, it is very important that we learn how to “get a handle” on change so that we can roll with it rather than be rolled over by it. Stress can literally run you over!  Did you know that researchers are finding out that emotional stress is associated with increases in heart disease as well as other stress-related illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and fibromyalgia? Life can and will change in unexpected ways.  About the time you are getting used to a routine and feel you are
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April 18, 2009 | by
Categories: Stress and Transitions / Change.
Tags: albert ellis, change, relationships, research, routine, Stress, and time.

Resolve to Be Positive

Happy New Year!  Have you made any resolutions for the New Year?  Making New Year’s resolutions is a very good idea.  They really do work! Research by John C. Norcross has shown that compared to people who don’t make resolutions,  people who make New Year’s resolutions are actually twice as likely to successfully change something in their lives.  Whether you have resolved to get physically fit, quit some bad habit, or chosen not to make a resolution, let me suggest a resolution that will change your life.  This year, resolve to develop a positive attitude. Having a positive attitude is
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May 3, 2007 | by
Categories: Mental Health and Stress.
Tags: attitude, depression, goals, happiness, positive, and resolutions.