A few years ago, a friend of mine shaved off his mustache, which he had been sporting for a number of years. One evening while he and his wife were out to dinner with some mutual friends, the other couple asked, “Hey, when did you shave your face?” Quickly turning her head in surprise, his…
DetailsThere is an event recorded in the Bible in John 5, where Jesus encounters a man who has been crippled for 38 years. The man is laying by a pool that is believed to have special healing qualities for the first person to get it in when the waters are miraculously stirred. However, because he…
DetailsI don’t know if you have heard one of those commercials where the mom is texting, the daughter is posting on facebook, the son is playing video games, and the dad is watching sports. As the commercial continues, it says something to the effect of “this weekend – unplug.” The commercial reinforces what research is…
DetailsI want to write this morning about a relationship issue that deviates a little from what I normally talk about. This is not about relating to your spouse or significant other but about relating to your children. And more specifically, relating to and helping your children after you have gone through a divorce. So, for…
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I sat with a couple yesterday when the wife asked this very question. Her husband had secretly shredded their finances, spending all of their money and running up debt. She never had a clue – until the overdraft notices began to arrive by phone and mail, from the bank. She was livid. She had been…
DetailsWe all get into routines. Sometimes they are good ones – like brushing your teeth. Other times, not so good, such as yelling when you are frustrated. As a result, there are certainly those routines that we want to hang on to while others we need to jettison as quickly as possible. For example, a…
DetailsValues are important. We talk about them in school, at home, in political circles, and even on a global human scale. But how important are values? Or maybe a better question is, when are values important? Perhaps even still, the best question is, what determines whether or not a value is significant and worthy of…
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I was touched a few months ago by a demonstration of empathy that was heart-warming but in an unexpected place. It was during an incredible NFL playoff game featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. It was a hard-fought back and forth game with two outstanding quarter backs – Josh Allen and Patrick…
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While most of us think about the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s) as days to look forward to, just as many often cringe when they think about what is in store for them. You see, not all family get-to-gathers always go well. You may even dread them. I have one client, who is an…
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While I have been in the counseling field for over 25 years, I don’t believe that I have ever seen so many of my clients experiencing feelings of anxiety and isolation. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 20% of Americans felt isolated and lonely. The report…
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