People who’ve faced a significant trauma sometimes develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the name given when a person struggles greatly after a very difficult situation. It has been described as a “normal reaction to an abnormal situation.” Do you or someone you know struggle with PTSD? Do you wonder, “Will I ever be normal again?” PTSD affects many more people than … Read More
What Does God Say About Grief?
The morning began like any other many years ago. A shower, a bagel, a cup of tea. Death was near. I just didn’t know it . . . yet. “Time to get up, Sweetie,” I told Laura. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Do you want to wear your purple sweater to preschool? It’s very cold outside.” “OK, Mommy. Could … Read More
Father’s Day Special: BOOK!
Get our Father’s Day Special: FREE book! The book is Growing in Wisdom: A Bible Study in Proverbs for Fathers and Sons by our very own Dr. Ron Allchin, D.Min., founder of Biblical Counseling Center. It encourages dads and their sons (and daughters too) who have plenty of questions about living life wisely. During his 40 years as a pastor and … Read More
How to Stop Self Injury
What is self injury? Why would anyone do it? How do you stop? Editor’s Note: This article first appeared at Lucy Ann Moll’s blog. Lucy is a staff counselor at Biblical Counseling Center. You may go to the original article. If you or someone you know has purposely hurt herself, she has self-injured. Most people avoid pain, people who intentionally … Read More
How to Overcome an Addiction
Isn’t it true some addictions look harmless? Yet anything that enslaves you, harms you. Thank God that He empowers you to overcome an addiction. Hard work helps. Workaholism harms. Eating good food—satisfying. Binging for comfort—sad. Clothing your kids in cute outfits rocks. A shopping addiction hurts. Karrie’s Story Driving her minivan to the mall, Karrie* told herself she’d buy only … Read More
3 Ways to Fight Fatigue
Anxiety zaps your energy, messes with your mind and body, and leads to fatigue. Among the reasons for increasing anxiety today are tough economic times, terrorist threats, and cultural redefinition of the family. What are other energy drainers you see in the world? In your life? God knows what you face and is with you. He gives you energy boosting … Read More
Does Gospel-Centered Counseling Really Work?
Does gospel-centered counseling really work? Isn’t this a crucial question for biblical counselors and counselees? Listen to this story. Meet Ashley and Nate Ashley and her husband, Nate, met with Pastor Bob Kellemen at church the day after their twin sons’ eleventh birthday. With tears streaming down her face, Ashley shared that twenty-five years earlier, not long after her eleventh birthday, … Read More
How to Improve Your Emotions
Do you want better emotions? Who doesn’t?! Your difficult emotions like anger, fear, and sadness — and your happy-joy-love ones too — communicate important information to you. This is wonderful: As you grasp the meaning of your emotions and learn how to view them, you can begin to switch negative emotions for positive emotions, based on God’s word. Emotions Say Something Important Emotions result … Read More
How to Fix a Broken Friendship
A broken friendship hurts. You may feel torn apart. Lonely. Sad. In high school my two closest friends and I lunched together, shared inside jokes, and went to movies and parties on the weekends. We had each other’s backs and hearts … until our senior year. That summer they met boys. College boys. While the two couples had fun, I felt forgotten, … Read More