I'm always fascinated by the topic of forgiveness and how it works out in every day life. As a therapist, I can honestly say that it is perhaps the most troubling thing for many of my clients to face. Not their abuse, not their affairs, not their brokenness but the brokenness of others that has…
I admit the world is an interesting place to me. I’m not typically someone who laments life. I don’t always agree with stuff I hear and I’m often willing to engage it with the person. I joke with my friends about poking the bear. Interacting with others about how they feel and think is sometimes,…
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last twenty-four hours, you probably know that Robin Williams has died in what appears to be a suicide. Like many, I was shocked by the news. At first, I thought it was hoax. The idea that we live in a world where for many the first…
This poem hung in my parents house almost the entire time I was growing up. I memorized just by the fact that I saw it every day. I thought it a fitting post for my return to blogging here. Don't Quit by John Greenleaf Whittier When things go wrong as they sometimes will, When the…
Have you heard about the now clinic coming to Grand Rapids? Sometimes, you need to be heard today.
The sensible alternative to overparenting is not less parenting but better parenting. The alternative to permissiveness is not to be more controlling but more responsive. And the alternative to narcissism is not conformity but reflective rebelliousness. In short, if we want to raise psychologically healthy and spirited children, we’ll need to start by questioning the…
“Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude.” (10) Viktor Frankl
Two words can change your relationship? Admit it, you’re a touch skeptical. I admit that I was when the principle was first shared with me. But not now, because now I’ve seen it work. When I was in grad school studying to become a counselor, I would often have people engage me via social media…
“Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'.” (13) Viktor Frankl
This is part three of three in a short series dealing with parent guilt, commonly referred to as mommy guilt. Part one can be found here, and part two can be found here. For all of the parents feeling guilty about being away from their child, I want to offer these four simple steps to…
