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Coping with Psychological Trauma

Coping with Psychological Trauma

Sandra Stein2025-08-22T07:23:13+00:00August 22nd, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Psychological trauma refers to the emotional distress caused by a frightening event that shatters your sense of security, overwhelms your mind’s ability to cope, and can leave your nervous system stuck in fight or flight mode. Though it often involves a life-threatening incident, it’s not the actual circumstances that determine whether something is perceived as traumatic or not, but rather, it’s your subjective experience of it. The more shocked and helpless it makes you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized by it. Signs Of Psychological Trauma People respond to psychological trauma in different ways, but some of the most common signs include: Feeling helpless, isolated, and overwhelmed. Feeling unsafe, edgy, and easily startled. Trouble concentrating or staying focused. Persistent feelings of fear and anxiety. Trouble sleeping. Avoiding people, places, activities, and conversations that remind you of the trauma. Feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust people. Having flashbacks where you suddenly feel as though you are reliving the experience in the present. Common Causes of Psychological Trauma Some of the most common causes of psychological trauma include experiencing or witnessing (first hand or vicariously) a distressing event such as a car accident, plane crash, physical assault, terrorist attack, medical emergency, or natural disaster; being exposed to repeated, stress-producing incidents such as domestic violence, bullying, or neighborhood crime; or the shock of a loved one’s sudden demise, the unexpected breakup of a significant relationship, or receiving an unwanted diagnosis. Helpful Tips for Dealing with Psychological Trauma Acknowledge your feelings Acknowledge and accept your feelings without judging them, and allow yourself to feel what you feel when you feel it. Learn how to calm your nervous system Learn how to calm your nervous system by practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness exercises that ground you in [...]

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Divorce in the Bible: Where to Turn When Your Marriage Has Ended

Divorce in the Bible: Where to Turn When Your Marriage Has Ended

Caitlin Mallery2025-07-01T07:05:38+00:00July 1st, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Divorce is complicated. Divorce in the ancient world was not the same as in modern America. Pastors and Bible scholars have gone around and around trying to interpret and understand the passages about divorce in the Bible from Paul, Jesus, and Malachi. If your marriage is ending, Scripture passages about divorce in the Bible can give you comfort when you are struggling with loneliness, abandonment, and other heartbreak related to divorce. It can be hard to know where to turn after divorce, and you may struggle with knowing who to trust. Turn to your God after divorce A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing – Psalm 68:5-6, NIV Family is part of God’s plan for people. Being part of a family is not easy, and you may not always look the way you planned or hoped. Throughout history, families have been broken by war, disease, and many other things. Divorce is one of the breaking of families, but healing can still happen. After breaking, new families can be made, and God cares for all families and people. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. – Psalm 25:15-17, NIV Learning to turn to God when you are feeling sorrow will help you when you feel discouraged. He is always present, and He loves you no matter what you do or where you go. Regular prayer and other spiritual practices can be a balm to your soul through the season of divorce. Turn to [...]

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Should I Get Married? 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

Should I Get Married? 3 Questions to Ask Yourself

Joanna Kucherera2025-06-28T06:55:28+00:00June 28th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

There was a time in history when the common reasons for marriage were procreation, social status, food, and economic and physical security. At that point in history, marriages were mostly transactional and parties to such marriages already knew their place in the ensuing marriage. Fast forward to today, there is no denying that there has been a huge shift in the dating and courtship arenas. Most people have more freedom to decide if they want to date, who they want to date, and why. The marriage institution itself, has not been spared from this glaring shift which is probably why you have been asking yourself, “Should I get married?” The question of whether one should get married cannot be answered by a mere yes or no. Most Christian marriage vows include the phrase “till death do us part,” to indicate the commitment the couple has toward each other and their relationship. Because a Christian marriage is ideally intended to be for a lifetime, due consideration must be taken before an individual or a couple commits to a marriage. Ideally, one should ask the question should I get married at two stages of their lives; when they are still single because asking this question when you are already in a relationship will likely cloud your judgment. Secondly, this question should also be asked when one is in a serious relationship with someone to try and determine whether they are the right partner. It is a question that requires deep introspection, regular consultation with scripture, and constant prayer. While counselors, pastors, and the Bible may provide a solid roadmap, you ultimately need to decide whether to get married. It is a fact that most churches put more value on the marriage institution over singleness and this, in turn, puts pressure on [...]

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What You Need to Know About Emotional Eating

What You Need to Know About Emotional Eating

Melissa Plantz2025-05-08T05:51:21+00:00May 8th, 2025|Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling|

The emotional eating pattern is a familiar one. You start the day as usual, waking up and vowing that this will be the day you eat healthy and “stay on plan.” You eat a nutritious breakfast, then grab a quick lunch of coffee and a small wrap. But then the work stress piles on, and you get a call from the school that you need to pick up your child early. Your spouse must work late, and you must figure out dinner. Before you know it, you are standing in the pantry eating a bag of chips and nibbling a cookie from the new box. Emotional eating, that familiar struggle, has you in its grip again. But what exactly is emotional eating? Can you stop it? What is emotional eating? Emotional eating is an impulsive behavior. We feel uncomfortable, and a surge of strong emotions, and we are unsure how to handle these feelings. In turn, we choose food to soothe our souls. Unfortunately, an eating occasion is a temporary event, and the feel-good chemicals released by the brain are a fleeting quick fix. Often, emotional eating behaviors go back to childhood or early adult years. If you felt emotions and did not know how to manage them, you may have reached for food, or someone may have rewarded you with food to make you feel better. Eventually, our brains recognized this behavior as a reward system. Emotional eating can lead to physical and mental conditions: Rapid weight gain. Obesity. High blood pressure. Rapid heart rate. Shortness of breath. Feeling out of control. Feeling guilt and shame. Depression. Anxiety. Increased risk for a heart attack or stroke. Digestive issues. Low self-esteem and confidence. Body image issues. Emotional eating is a behavior you can stop. The behavior becomes impulsive, and [...]

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The Grieving Process: Did I Miss the Signs?

The Grieving Process: Did I Miss the Signs?

Stephanie Kramer2025-04-29T05:32:37+00:00April 29th, 2025|Featured, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling|

The grieving process can be cruel. One of its insidious tactics is to whisper lies and shove doubts down the throats of its victims. It whispers “what if” into the ears of grieving caregivers after the death of their loved one. It twists love and dedication into guilt and self-doubt, and worse, self-blame. It’s an unforgiving, shrill voice that makes the caregiver question every choice, every missed moment and every subtle sign they might have overlooked. This inner turmoil can feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve poured so much of yourself into caring for a loved one. But before you let these thoughts consume you, it’s important to recognize them for what they are – a natural but painful part of the grieving process, not a reflection of your worth or the value of the care that you provided. Feelings Often Attached to the Grieving Process A lot of caregivers get immediately absorbed in this sticky web of self-blame after their loved one passes away. In an effort to make sense of the trauma that they are going through, they try to orient themselves and contextualize the situation by replaying the events leading up to the death of their loved one. During this part of the grieving process, many wonder if they missed some obvious sign that their loved one was at the end of their life. If you were the caregiver to someone who passed away and these thoughts are running through your mind, let me assure you that it is a common question attached to a common reaction, guilt coupled with feelings of inadequacy and regret. The occurrence of these feelings is most common in caregivers whose patients dealt with complex or progressive illnesses, as these types of long-term illnesses may show more subtle changes than those with [...]

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Light Therapy Benefits for Winter Seasonal Depression

Light Therapy Benefits for Winter Seasonal Depression

Grace Mavindidze2025-03-11T04:51:33+00:00March 11th, 2025|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

During the colder months, many people struggle with winter seasonal depression, which affects their overall quality of life. When sunshine is scarce, many Americans experience difficulties associated with their mental health, mainly due to a decrease in daylight hours that can easily trigger feelings of sadness. Winter Seasonal Depression, which is a part of what is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a kind of depression occurring at a certain period of the year, usually during the fall and winter months when there is less natural sunlight. Sometimes it is called Winter Depression or Winter SAD because the symptoms are more apparent and severe during these months. For those who suffer from winter blues, a breakthrough therapy called light therapy offers a natural approach to such feelings, simulating sunlight exposure that reverses the symptoms of this common condition. The exact cause of SAD in Winter isn’t fully understood, but it is often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight, which may affect the body’s internal clock. It is also known that this lack of natural light upsets the body’s circadian rhythms and serotonin levels, leading to mood changes. As daylight dwindles during colder months, we all feel more exhausted, and irritable with a general sense of gloom. Suspected Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder The change in seasons can impact the balance of certain hormones in those vulnerable to Winter Seasonal Depression. These changes contribute to significant fatigue and mood swings that are quite common when winter arrives. Genetic predisposition has been seen to play a role in vulnerability to SAD. For example, women are much more affected than men. Nutritional deficiencies can worsen Winter Depression symptoms too. With fewer fresh fruits available during chilly months, vitamin D intake often decreases drastically since it naturally comes from sun exposure enjoyed [...]

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Challenging Irrational Thinking Using Socratic Questioning

Challenging Irrational Thinking Using Socratic Questioning

Cyndi Kay Green2025-09-26T13:04:54+00:00March 6th, 2025|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

A person who struggles with irrational thinking can become overwhelmed with thoughts that can interfere with everyday life. Cognitive therapy in Longview, Washington focuses on assisting individuals in changing their negative and irrational thought processes. Therapists at Longview Christian Counseling in Washington use cognitive restructuring techniques to help you remove unhealthy thoughts. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. – Philippians 4:8, NASB How does a therapist challenge irrational thinking? When a therapist guides you through a series of questions that challenge your thought it is termed cognitive restructuring. Cognitive therapy uses this to help you identify harmful and irrational thoughts. Restructuring your thoughts can help you develop coping strategies that create healthy reactions to situations. One popular technique is Socratic questioning. Socratic questioning stems from a process used by Socrates, a Greek philosopher. In this process, he questioned students in a way that encouraged them to evaluate the validity of the truth of their thoughts. Socratic questioning is used in cognitive therapy to help individuals reflect on their thoughts and whether those thoughts are valid. Using Socratic questioning, individuals can remove or change their thought process in an attempt to understand the truth of what they believe. It can help the person understand what they know versus what they believe. Some beliefs are based on irrational thoughts which can lead to anxiety and depression. The Process of Socratic Questions for Irrational Thinking Because thoughts are continually happening in our minds, we rarely understand each of them to their fullness. This means that we probably fail to address them as we should. When this happens, we can find ourselves [...]

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Practicing Active Listening in Communication

Practicing Active Listening in Communication

Cyndi Kay Green2025-02-27T08:54:21+00:00February 27th, 2025|Featured, Personal Development, Professional Development|

We know that a big part of interacting with others involves communication. Sometimes we forget that there are two aspects of communication. Speaking is the one that everyone seems to concentrate on when it comes to understanding better communication. But listening is also important in communication. If you are not actively listening to the conversation you may miss out on something important. Listening is a way to show respect to the other person in the conversation. My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. – James 1:19, NIV What Does Active Listening Mean? The term active listening refers to being present in the conversation in which you are engaged. To be actively listening means you are fully invested in the conversation and you are willing to give it your full attention. It shows the other person you are interested in having a mutual conversation. Listening is not the same as hearing. When you hear you are not fully focused on the content or the person. When you listen you understand what the conversation is about. Types of Listening Active listening can apply to all types of listening. There are five major types of listening that we use in our everyday lives. No matter what type of listening you are engaged in you must always have the right attitude, pay attention, and adjust to what is being said. Empathetic listening is when you listen to understand the emotions and reasoning of the story that the speaker is sharing. Comprehensive listening is listening to learn. Critical listening occurs when you are listening to form an opinion of what is being said. Appreciative listening is when you listen because you want to enjoy what is being said. [...]

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Emotional Baggage, Communication, and the First Year of Marriage

Emotional Baggage, Communication, and the First Year of Marriage

Stephanie Kramer2025-01-22T05:41:54+00:00January 22nd, 2025|Couples Counseling, Featured, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Bringing emotional baggage from past relationships into your marriage can significantly impact communication and intimacy. Past trauma or unresolved issues can color your perceptions and your reactions. It’s important to address your emotional issues individually and as a couple to ensure that they don’t interfere with your marriage. Understanding Emotional Baggage We often hear the term “emotional baggage” in everyday life, but until it is applied to and interfering with our own lives, we may not fully understand the impact it can have on a relationship. Sometimes the term gets used out of context or is misused to mean past experiences. We have all had negative or damaging experiences in our lives but that doesn’t mean that we are forever broken. We may be broken, but we can be put back together, mended, and healed through God’s grace and compassion. Just because we have an experience, doesn’t mean that we are allowing those things to damage our current or future relationships. True emotional baggage refers to the unresolved emotional issues from past experiences that individuals carry into new relationships. This baggage can manifest in various ways such as distrust, fear of vulnerability, or unresolved anger. In a marriage, this baggage can create barriers to open communication and emotional intimacy, as past traumas or unresolved issues may color perceptions and reactions, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts. Impact on Communication The presence of emotional baggage can significantly impact the way partners communicate. Here are some common ways it can affect communication: Distrust and Suspicion Past betrayals or infidelities can lead to distrust in a new relationship. This distrust can manifest as suspicion and constant questioning, which can strain communication, undermine intimacy, and create tension. Fear of Vulnerability Emotional wounds from past relationships can make individuals hesitate to open up and be [...]

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The Greatest Love of All: Jesus’ Blueprint for Relationships

The Greatest Love of All: Jesus’ Blueprint for Relationships

Kate Motaung2024-12-27T11:41:47+00:00December 27th, 2024|Featured, Personal Development, Relationship Issues, Spiritual Development|

Much emphasis is placed on Biblical teaching about loving God and people, and rightly so. It is the pinnacle of the Christian faith by which others will know the believers who make up the Body of Christ (John 13:35). Furthermore, the love that we demonstrate will cause others to know God Himself. It is love alone, not fear or shame, that draws people to Jesus. In being magnetized to His lovingkindness, we find that Love is the most radical force we could ever encounter. God Himself is Love. By Him, everything visible has materialized by His spoken Word from the realm of the unseen (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). The Love of God sparks and sustains relationships, underscoring our connection with others. Love is the foundation that builds community, as Jesus illustrated by engaging those who followed Him and believed. We who abide in Him learn to live sacrificially, sharpening one another, offering strength and support to live in vibrant interdependence as one diversified Body. Less than a half-century ago, an older song rebounded from obscurity, climbing its way into a hit popularized by a budding pop sensation.[1] In the remake, the songstress ascended the music charts, belting with boldness that, “learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.” Jesus was the first to highlight the connection between loving God, ourselves, and our neighbors (Matthew 22:36-40). Long before these lyrics were set to music, Jesus knew that we would need to have a sense of how loved we are by God. We need this encouragement to follow His divine example to love and serve, even to the point of sacrifice. This song intersects with Scripture, illustrating how the Father’s Love activated in us allows us to respond to God, to serve Him and others well. Greater love has [...]

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