Part 1:“Women, Do We Matter?” —- What Is a Woman Worth? —— To the Women Who Love Jesus and Long to Serve Him Faithfully “If you ask me for the most common diagnosis among the people I treat, I wouldn’t say depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, although these conditions are all too common among those…

An Open Letter to the Southern Baptist Convention, SBC Pastors, Ministers, Leaders, and Church Members Dear Southern Baptist Convention, pastors, ministers, leaders, and church members, I write this letter today as someone who has been a member of and supporter of Southern Baptist churches for many years. In fact, at age fifteen, while living through…

“You Have to Feel It, To Heal It” One of the greatest misconceptions I see in counseling is the belief that healing comes from avoiding our feelings. Many of us learned early in life that feelings are inconvenient. They are uncomfortable. They make other people uncomfortable. They feel vulnerable, messy, and sometimes even dangerous. So…

Recently, I came across one of those “spiritual archetype” assessments online, and honestly, I expected to roll my eyes at it. But one part stopped me in my tracks. It described people who are deeply reflective. People who process life deeply instead of superficially. People who feel emotions intensely, analyze situations from every angle, search…

Traumatic Brain Injuries; In An Iceberg I came across this picture of an iceberg a few weeks ago, explaining what it’s like to have a traumatic brain injury. Throughout, my concussion, recovery, and mild TBI, I can completely relate. What people see on the surface is someone who “looks fine,” someone who may be smiling,…

I snapped this picture at the beach tonight because it immediately struck me as such a powerful depiction of human nature. The smaller boat is actually incredible. Most people could never afford something like that. To many, it would represent success, luxury, and blessing. Yet out in the water sits an even larger yacht, making…

—-Healing Occurs in Safe Connection—- One of the deepest truths I have learned, both personally and professionally, is this: “It is in safe connection that we are healed from unsafe connections of the past.” Trauma is not only about what happened to us. It is also about what happened inside of us when we were…

Sometimes, when my job feels boring, overwhelming, inconsistent, or too long…I have learned to pause and remember. I go back to the beginning.That first year—when I was so excited.When I was so excited to help people and was eager to learn all things “counseling” and “mental health”.When the joy, purpose, and deep sense of calling…

Psalm 1:1–3 (NIV)“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree…

Before we go deeper, let’s take a moment to remember where we started in Part 1. Anxiety begins with our thoughts.Those thoughts create feelings.Those feelings begin to impact our body and our behavior. *We think what we think, which causes us to do what we do. Which causes us to choose what we choose. Therefore,…