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Focus Hacks for Adults with ADHD

Focus Hacks for Adults with ADHD

Caitlin MalleryJune 22nd, 2023|ADHD/ADD, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

The ability to organize tasks and accomplish goals requires skills in time management and self-discipline. All humans need to learn and develop these skills. For those adults with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), there is a longer learning curve. Having a larger bag of tricks to rely on may help you work with your natural tendencies rather than against them. Environmental hacks for adults with ADHD The environment you work in can be a primary culprit for distracting you from the work you want to get done. Ask yourself what the biggest distractions are. Is it other people? Do certain smells or sounds keep distracting you? Are other tasks in your line of sight that then distract you from focusing? If you have a project that requires you to stay on task, consider a few ideas: Work away from other people. Use noise-canceling headphones. Try listening to white or brown noise. Clear away other projects from your sight. Light a candle with a pleasant scent. Phone pros and cons for adult ADHD There is no denying that phones are a major source of distraction. From email to phone calls, to the siren call of social media, your phone can easily pull you away from the tasks to which you are supposed to be paying attention. Your phone does have some helpful tools as well. Setting timers or alarms for different tasks can help both stay on task or get things done that you would otherwise forget. You can set reminders for things that slip your mind. Inside settings you can set time limits on different apps, making going on social media more challenging. You can also put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” when you need to hyperfocus on a project. You can also use your phone’s camera as a [...]

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Help! My Husband is Depressed

Help! My Husband is Depressed

Kate MotaungJune 8th, 2023|Depression, Featured, Marriage Counseling, Men’s Issues, Relationship Issues|

It is common for men who are depressed to express frustration with understanding and expressing uncomfortable feelings. Men may be tempted to override depression’s signs, believing they need to seek a doctor to treat physical symptoms such as intestinal distress, headaches, or insomnia. They may experience the previous signs in addition to moods marked by irritability and anger. Practical Strategies to Support Your Depressed Husband Because of the historic stigma attached to mental health, men may experience guilt and shame compounded with the signs and symptoms of begin depressed. Treating and navigating depression requires more than cultural phrases to “man up” or “shake it off,” but we can embrace spiritual truth and practical strategies for help when our husbands may be depressed. Prayer. We can support our spouses with prayer. The principle of prayer appeals to God to act on our husband’s behalf. The practice of prayer submits to God, reaching where words alone don’t do enough. The power of prayer lies not in prayer, itself, but in the One to whom we pray, and inclines his heart to receive outside help in places where he might have rejected it. Overall, the powerful effects of praying to the God of the Bible can help our husbands when they are depressed. Provide a safe space. Provide a listening ear without judgment or defense. Avoid personalizing his experience, as it may have little to nothing to do with you. What he is enduring may indicate unresolved hurt from other people and seasons of life that are now resurfacing and interfering with his daily function. Allow him to broach difficult topics as they come up without cutting him off, criticizing, or emasculating him. Encourage him with appropriate verbal and nonverbal cues that convey your willingness to listen, befriend, and champion his well-being. [...]

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Understanding God’s Peace: Bible Verses about Peace

Understanding God’s Peace: Bible Verses about Peace

Caitlin MalleryMay 5th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

There is a myriad of Bible verses about peace, elegantly scripted onto home decor, or scrolling through social media. Surrounded by flower vines the peace of God seems to give the idea that peace is equal to beauty and elegance. Bible Verses about Peace Reading around the flowery verses and understanding the context is always crucial. It informs our thinking and understanding of the concept of peace. Today we will look at two oft-quoted verses about peace a little more deeply. Jeremiah 29:11 A favorite verse for graduations and other seasons of transition or hardship is, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ – declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV) The story behind the words: Jeremiah, an Old Testament prophet was writing a letter to the exiled Jews in Babylon. A letter that was meant to remind them of the ways they had forgotten God, and so must endure the exile from their homeland. Let’s look at a few more verses: This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” – Jeremiah 29:4-5,7, NIV Rather than pine for what they have lost, the Jews are encouraged to live a full life where they are. It is the ultimate encouragement to bloom where you are planted. This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and [...]

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Family Issues in a Blended Family

Family Issues in a Blended Family

Melissa PlantzMarch 23rd, 2023|Family Counseling, Featured, Relationship Issues|

The day is finally here! You are remarrying, and shortly, the love of your life will become your spouse for the rest of your life. The future looks bright. The two of you are perfect for each other, and you cannot imagine being with anyone else. It can only go up from here, right? But somewhere in your mind, you wonder if your new blended family will work. You both have children from previous relationships (which means both may have ex-spouses). It worked for the fictitious Brady Bunch, but will it work for you? Don’t wait until your wedding day to prepare for a blended family. Learn about the common family issues blended families face and work together as parents to make the transition smoother. This is your new family, and you can make it full of love and understanding. Blended family issues of concern Typically, it may take a blended family two years to become accustomed to the changes, the stepparent, and the family dynamic. In addition, it takes time to bond with stepchildren and to grow their trust. Even before you say, “I do,” you may already be experiencing family issues in how your significant other manage your children and their own, how your children respond to their future step-siblings, and how your exes are handling your relationship. Do any of these family issues sound familiar? When you don’t get along with the ex Things did not work out between you and your former spouse, which is why you are no longer married. Maybe you still cannot agree on topics regarding the children. Or, your ex is possessive and does not like your new spouse. It could be that your significant other’s ex is jealous and dislikes you from the get-go and seems to have made it their [...]

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How to Stop Worrying: Techniques to Calm Your Worried Mind

How to Stop Worrying: Techniques to Calm Your Worried Mind

Kate MotaungFebruary 24th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling|

Occasional worry is a normal part of life. It is a natural human response to uncertainty and can be beneficial when it pushes you to find a solution and spurs you to action. Chronic worry, on the other hand, can severely impact your mental and physical well-being. It is a mental habit that can be paralyzing and drain your emotional energy. You need to stop worrying. The good news is that chronic worry is a habit that can be broken. You can learn how to view your circumstances from a more balanced, less fearful perspective, and train your brain to stay calm. Worry pretends to be necessary, but serves no useful purpose. – Eckhart Tolle Common triggers that cause people to worry. There are a variety of things that can lead to worry. Understanding what they are in your life will help you address them. Common triggers include: Major life changes Financial challenges Conflict within relationships Stress at work Health issues Too many commitments or responsibilities Lack of time Techniques that can help you stop worrying. Discover the root of your fears . Before you can learn how to stop worrying, you need to reflect on what is causing you to do it. Dive into why you worry about the things that you do and what triggers it. Identifying what is at the core of your anxious thoughts can help you find more effective ways to manage them. Fact check your thoughts. Rather than fixating your thoughts on “what ifs” and worst-case scenarios, rethink your fears. Remind yourself that thoughts are not facts. Ask yourself how realistic your fears are. Is there evidence to back them up? How likely is it that what you are worrying about will occur? Do some deep breathing. Worry can cause your breathing to [...]

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How to Improve Your Self-Esteem and Love Yourself

How to Improve Your Self-Esteem and Love Yourself

Kate MotaungFebruary 8th, 2023|Christian Counseling For Teens, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

Some people believe it is impossible for you to improve your self-esteem. However, if you make positive, intentional choices, you can discover a newfound confidence in who you are. Characteristics of confidence A person has confidence when they believe that the course of action they have selected is the best one and that they can carry it out effectively. Confidence is sometimes referred to as self-confidence when describing it as a personality feature. People’s attitudes and views about their capacities and talents are described by this phrase. People with high degrees of self-assurance may believe they will succeed in their goals and continue to feel in charge of their lives. People who are confident in themselves typically have faith in their skills, authority, and discernment. They might feel more confident than persons with low self-confidence in their capacity to carry out a variety of life responsibilities well, feeling less anxious and self-conscious. One-time feelings of confidence are also possible. For instance, a woman preparing to speak might be sure that it would go well despite struggling at other times. However, people might also have confidence in most aspects of their lives as a broad personality feature. People with high levels of self-assurance will feel at ease thinking that other people are just like them, that they can perform well at work, and that they can handle the rigors of daily life. People with strong self-confidence tend to be happier than those with less self-confidence because high self-confidence is connected with high self-esteem. A person who has confidence in others believes that other people will do a good job at what they do, fulfill their obligations, or keep their word. While one’s interaction with another person can have an impact on one’s general opinion of others, self-confidence can also have [...]

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The Surprising Benefits of Volunteering

The Surprising Benefits of Volunteering

Kate MotaungJanuary 31st, 2023|Coaching, Featured, Personal Development, Professional Development|

Making new friends, learning new skills, advancing your job, and even feeling happier and healthier are all benefits of volunteering. Find out where to look for the ideal volunteer position for you. Why volunteer? It might be difficult to find time to volunteer when you lead a hectic life. However, there can be significant advantages to volunteering. Volunteering provides essential assistance to those in need, deserving causes, and the community, but the advantages can also extend to you, the volunteer. You may discover friends, become involved in the community, pick up new skills, and even improve in your profession with the perfect match. Giving can also help you maintain good physical and mental health. It can alleviate stress, treat depression, keep your mind active, and give you a sense of direction. Volunteering doesn’t have to include a long-term commitment or take a lot of time out of your busy day, although it is true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll enjoy. Even small acts of generosity can benefit those in need and enhance your health and happiness. Here are more advantages and benefits of volunteering: You can meet new people via volunteering. Volunteering is healthy for both your body and mind. Your career may benefit from volunteering. Your life will be more enjoyable and fulfilling if you volunteer. Benefit #1: Volunteering allows you to meet new people. The effect on the community is one of the volunteering’s more well-known advantages. By volunteering, you may improve your community and strengthen your sense of community. People, animals, and organizations in need can benefit greatly from even the smallest acts of assistance. The act of volunteering is reciprocal. It might be as advantageous to you and your loved ones as the cause you decide to support. You may increase [...]

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Will I Ever Get Married? Considerations for Navigating Purpose and Partnership

Will I Ever Get Married? Considerations for Navigating Purpose and Partnership

Kate MotaungJanuary 13th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Premarital Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Few questions burn a place in the human heart besides knowing the purpose and having meaning in our lives. Discovering our life’s call is one of the most pressing mysteries that our souls seek. Learning how to walk in that purpose unlocks answers as well as more questions. For single believers, connecting with the right partner serves to advance God’s plans for His kingdom and our lives whether they ever get married or not. As we walk with the Lord, the questions of purpose and partner may tug at our consciousness as family and friends’ weddings and dates may have come and gone with no spouse for us. Agitation pokes at our peace, bringing with it a longing for our own match among the millions. There may be legitimate circumstances that have deferred our hope of getting married such as extended schooling, focus on a career, or what seems like a wilderness when it comes to available, eligible partners. When marriage and the milestones we’d hoped for seem to be on a long delivery, it causes us to question if we will ever get married. It’s no surprise that the enemy tries to insert wedges into the cracks of our mental and emotional weariness. During waiting seasons, his suggestions accuse God of withholding good from us and persecuting us for not being further along in our relationship goals. It can be demoralizing when a fizzled or non-existent dating experience leaves us with fewer prospects and less inspiration than when we began. It erodes our esteem, making us feel undesirable. It frustrates us, leaving us anxious that the very thing we desire will continue to elude us. Like Adam and Eve, we may be tempted to take our heart matters into our own hands when we feel as if God [...]

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How Maternal Mental Health Impacts a Child

How Maternal Mental Health Impacts a Child

Kate MotaungJanuary 11th, 2023|Christian Counseling for Children, Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Women’s Issues|

Maternal mental health was not always on the minds of many of the people who provide behavioral health services in our country as an issue that needed to be addressed. The worldview has shifted by the year 2020, and the mental health of mothers (and parents in general, more generally) is becoming increasingly important to the community working in behavioral health. Women who are pregnant, new mothers, or experienced mothers are having their mental health disorders investigated by a growing number of healthcare providers, who are also investigating how the mothers’ mental health affects that of their children. According to the World Health Organization, approximately ten percent of women who are pregnant and thirteen percent of women who have recently given birth experience a mental disorder, the most common of which is depression. This results in an inability to properly function and affects the growth and development of their children. The following is a list of some of the most common types and causes of maternal mental health disorders, as well as how the management of one or more of those disorders can affect a child. Mental health disorders commonly observed in mothers. Depression /postpartum depression. Most mothers around the world struggle with depression, making it the most prevalent mental health problem related to motherhood. Although many mothers will suffer from depression at some point in their lives, postpartum depression is the form that affects new mothers more frequently than any other. After giving birth, up to eighty percent of women will experience postpartum depression in some form or another. Weepiness, impatience, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, insomnia, sadness, intrusive thoughts, or an inability to stay focused are some of the symptoms of this maternal mental health disorder. Anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are yet another typical problem with a parent’s mental [...]

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Helpful Stress Management Activities

Helpful Stress Management Activities

Melissa PlantzJanuary 5th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Spiritual Development|

Life is hectic: responsibilities, bills, debts, family, work. Most people do their best but find little time to let go. Their minds are constantly spinning with problems and worries. When this happens, we must take control by engaging in stress management activities. The Trouble with Chronic Stress Chronic stress can lead to many problems, such as inflammation, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, higher levels of cortisol, insomnia, changes in eating and sleeping patterns, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. Stress affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally. When the body stays in a constant state of distress, it can weaken the heart and blood vessels, leading to heart attack or stroke. As your eating patterns change, you are at risk for eating disorders, diabetes, and obesity. You may notice joint pain, body aches, and headaches. Your mental health also takes a hit with chronic stress. You can develop a mental health condition such as: Anxiety Depression Panic disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Binge-eating, anorexia, or bulimia Poor body image Social anxiety Night terrors Trouble with concentration Dementia or Alzheimer’s Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder This is why practicing stress management activities is crucial to your health. Do not think of these activities as selfish or things you do when you want to feel luxurious. These are not luxury tasks, but necessities. You need to stay healthy. God took a day off to rest and commanded us to rest at least once a week. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. – Genesis 2:2, NIV Stress Management Activities You Can Do Now It does not take a great deal of time or money to destress. You can incorporate little stress management activities into your day and week. Most [...]

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