Individual Counseling Archives | Longview Christian Counseling

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 Green2025-03-06T07:12:22+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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Goals and Benefits of Anger Management Counseling

Goals and Benefits of Anger Management Counseling

Kate Motaung2024-12-20T11:43:23+00:00November 9th, 2024|Anger Issues, Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling|

We’ve all had those moments when our emotions have gotten the better of us. Usually, it’s when we’re feeling tired, hungry, haven’t slept well, or are under enormous pressure from work, finances, or relationship issues. In that moment, we can yield to what we’re feeling, whether it’s anger, resentment, sadness, or glee. For better or worse, we find ourselves thinking, acting, or saying something we shouldn’t, with all its consequences. We could use better anger management counseling. One powerful emotion that is often associated with negative actions and consequences is anger. Anger comes in different guises, and it has varying levels of intensity. A person can be mildly annoyed or irritated, or they can find themselves in a boiling rage. Whatever level of anger one is feeling, it can manifest and get expressed in different ways, with some of these being problematic. For the person who wrestles with anger, the good news is that there is effective help available through self-help techniques as well as the deeper work that anger management counseling yields. Is anger the problem? There are some emotions we readily consider or categorize as negative or unhealthy. These include anger and sadness. The issue, however, isn’t the emotions, but the circumstances in which they arise. We get angry in certain moments because someone has thwarted us, or because we feel threatened in some way. Sadness often follows on the heels of loss, and so the emotions themselves can start to seem unwelcome. Our emotions are an important part of our makeup, and they perform the much-needed function of alerting us to what’s going on inside of us. Thinking of your emotions as unhealthy or negative (and thus to be avoided) is about as helpful as taping over your “check engine” light or the fuel gauge in your [...]

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Counseling for Men: Finding Help When You Need It

Counseling for Men: Finding Help When You Need It

Kate Motaung2024-11-07T13:03:32+00:00October 8th, 2024|Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues|

While the world that we live in is full of splendor and beauty, it’s also true that there is brokenness and a lot that isn’t right. We find that we aren’t at rest or peace. Through our work or accomplishments, we strive to feel accepted, worthy, secure, seen, and heard. When success comes, we find ourselves feeling a fleeting sense of rest, then we start all over again. In this context, counseling for men can be helpful. The apostle was right when he wrote that the creation is groaning, and even those who hope in Jesus are also groaning inwardly as they await the renewal of all things (Romans 8:22-25). There’s help available to us when we need it. Having others to walk with makes the journey easier, whether we are celebrating the joys of life or mourning the tragedies and hardships that mark our lives. Counseling is one of the forms of help that’s available. Counseling for men: Some challenges and opportunities Men struggle with a wide range of issues and concerns. Millions of men struggle with anxiety disorders, depression, relationship issues, anger management issues, fear of abandonment, and much more. These affect how a man thinks about himself and others, and how he acts in everyday life. These concerns can affect a man’s ability to flourish and have a healthy, well-balanced life. One of the challenges that men face is that they are socialized to be self-sufficient and to learn how to handle problems on their own. There’s often a stigma attached to a man not being able to handle things on his own. Many of the role models and heroes that the culture puts forward for men to emulate are the types who take care of their business by themselves. The hardened warrior, the cowboy, or [...]

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Building Self-esteem, God’s Way

Building Self-esteem, God’s Way

Jennifer Kooshian2024-10-25T08:19:39+00:00September 30th, 2024|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

Self-esteem has been defined as the evaluation that a person makes of themself in comparison to some standard, or the way they have come to think of themselves habitually. While this has always been a concern for humans throughout history, in our current Western culture, building self-esteem seems to be an obsession. The advertising industry is fueled by taglines selling products to “make you look and feel great about yourself”, and bookshops are lined with books offering self-help remedies and strategies to improve self-confidence. While some remedies are helpful, they are often short-lived, as they do not go to the root of the issue. The Bible, in giving us everything we need for life and godliness, is not silent on the issue of self-esteem, but instead points out some faulty thinking that we tend to naturally gravitate toward. What makes up one’s self-esteem? The areas where people evaluate themselves to derive their self-image tend to fall into four categories. These include: Performance – This relates to what you do; whether it’s in the classroom, on the athletic field, at work, or at home as a parent with children. This category relates to abilities and how good we are at performing the various roles in our lives. Background – People naturally tend to use “pedigree” as an evaluation category for building self-esteem. This could be where you were born and the wealth of your family, which school or college you studied at, or even which sports team you support. This element gives a source of belonging or pride (or the opposite, depending on one’s evaluation). Acceptability – This is how we feel about our relationships with family members and friends, and concerns how lovable we feel. This is an area where one’s upbringing and past can have a direct impact [...]

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6 Ways to Prepare for Seasonal Depression

6 Ways to Prepare for Seasonal Depression

Jennifer Kooshian2024-11-27T12:53:25+00:00July 30th, 2024|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

While many people extol the joys of autumn foliage and are excited about “sweater weather,” those who have struggled with seasonal depression may be less enthusiastic about the changing seasons. However, knowing that you have dealt with seasonal depression in the past, you can prepare yourself for the season. 6 Ways to Prepare for Seasonal Depression Here are six ways to prepare yourself to handle the winter blues. Supplements and medications Stock up on vitamin D and talk to your doctor about any prescription medications you may need. Anti-depressants can take some time to work up to their full strength. If you don’t take anti-depressants in the sunnier months, talk to your doctor about starting your prescription before winter’s darkness hits. Adding a vitamin D supplement is also helpful when the sunshine no longer pierces the clouds with its rays. Light therapy Speaking of sunshine, consider purchasing sunshine lamps. You can use one at home or work to boost your mood. Have fun Make some fun plans for the gloomy seasons. When you have something to look forward to, it makes the long nights more bearable. See a movie in the theater, make lunch dates with friends, plan a game night, buy some books you have wanted to read or plan an old-fashioned weekly watch party of a TV show rather than a straight binge. Create a space you love to be in Hygge up your personal space. The Scandinavian concept of hygge took the US by storm during COVID-19, and plenty of excellent tips can make your home or office more comfortable during the colder, darker time of year. Stock up on teas, coffee, or cocoa. Have blankets at the ready. Research recipes that make you excited to stay in and cook. Make a playlist of music that [...]

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Why Nighttime Anxiety Feels Worse Than Daylight Anxiety

Why Nighttime Anxiety Feels Worse Than Daylight Anxiety

Kate Motaung2024-11-27T12:54:41+00:00July 15th, 2024|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling|

If you have struggled with anxiety at all, you understand some of its symptoms. A racing heartbeat, thoughts that spiral or speed up, and fear of the unknown. All can feel weighty and overwhelming. But why does nighttime anxiety tend to feel worse than during the day? Definition According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), anxiety is worry or “apprehensive expectation” that occurs over six or more months and is more present than not. It can also occur in such a way that it interrupts a person’s ability to function well in daily life. We all worry from time to time. You may worry about whether your employer will give you a raise next year, or you might worry when your son starts driving on his own. Anxiety is pervasive and anxiety disorder has several tenets that can look different depending on what type of anxiety it is and on the person who is challenged by it. Nighttime anxiety Nighttime anxiety can feel worse because that is often when our surroundings quiet down, our thoughts seem louder, and the daytime distractions are at rest. Some people’s nighttime anxiety keeps them from sufficient sleep. This is known as sleep anxiety. Sleep anxiety can contribute to more nighttime anxiety if a person is apprehensive about not sleeping. Unfortunately, the thoughts can spiral and make sleeping even more difficult because of these fearful thoughts. However, nighttime anxiety does not have to have the final say. One of the major contributors to nighttime anxiety is an overworked adrenal system that’s been plagued by daytime stress. Particularly if you struggle to sleep at night because of your anxiety, it’s an indicator that your stress levels are too high. The natural rhythms of your sleep cycle get disrupted by anxious thoughts. The cycle repeats itself. [...]

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How to Communicate Better with Teens

How to Communicate Better with Teens

Kate Motaung2024-11-27T12:54:53+00:00June 12th, 2024|Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Teens can be tricky to communicate with at the best of times, especially when they are putting up walls and determining their boundaries. They need the space to find their identity and gain independence, but they also need support, love, and assurance from their parents, even if they can’t express that need. How do we communicate better and connect with our teens when it feels like so much space has come between us? Teenage needs Many teenagers focus on winning approval from peers and determining their values individually and independently from family expectations. This could mean that they start taking part in risky behaviors, which might include things like becoming sexually active and trying substances for the first time. Many parents fear losing control of their kids in this way and naturally worry about their teens’ future. To regain control, they might resort to lecturing, warning, grounding, and other disciplinary measures. Unfortunately, disciplinary measures like this tend to create more distance between teens and parents, leaving the teens in a more vulnerable state than before. Teens want to be seen as mature even when they don’t behave that way. They want their preferences paid attention to and their voices heard. They need someone who will try to understand them, from a place of curiosity and non-judgment. This can be a challenge for controlling parents who believe they are privileged to every bit of information regarding their kids. The truth is, as teens begin to age, things like privacy and space are healthy for their development. Communicate better by being curious, not critical Teenagers feel valued when you observe their world, but don’t try to fit yourself into it. Communicating with teens often means finding the balance between keeping a distance and holding them close. A productive approach will require [...]

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