Posts Categorized: The Counselor Is In

With the tragedy of the school shooting in Connecticut, old wounds are opened, old losses resurface along with all the unanswered questions from our past.  And we are left wondering: is there no escaping the losses that keep coming and coming sending us spiraling into despair?  Losses create pain. And when we are in pain we will do almost…

All of us watched with horror as the story of the grade school shooting in Ct was played out over and over again in the media. We watched because we wanted to understand, give support and better prepare ourselves for the future. We wanted to believe that this horrendous act would not happen in our…

The holiday season can be very difficult especially when it triggers memories of happier times. As we go through unstable and uncertain days, we find ourselves wondering whether there will be rest from the constant struggle to survive. Over the years, I have found peace, strength, hope and wisdom within the pages of the Bible….

Holidays often trigger old losses and the memories of loved ones, time spent or regrets. Holidays can also come with unexpected losses. This holiday season held both. It was a remembrance of the death of my son three years ago and the wonderful memories we shared as a family about him. It also brought the loss of…

As a therapist, I help individuals confront their past, challenge irrational thinking patterns and replace negative beliefs with possibilities. In the process, they are able to let go of the pain, heal and take personal charge of their life. Therapy is a tiny microcosm of freedom. When we feel there are no options, we strike…

Curled up in my comfortable chair warm and cozy against the blowing wind and pounding rain outside, I finished another book about our country’s history and the early settlers that came to this country many years ago. They started with nothing but worked long hours in difficult and dangerous environments in order to be free….

A friend struggles with weariness and exhaustion, driving miles every day to be an advocate for a sick spouse. Another struggles with crisis after crisis that seems to wash over them like pounding waves. Yet another struggles to survive against the onslaught of rejection after rejection for potential jobs. Goals have been set aside. It is…

Life can teach us many important things if we learn to observe what goes on around us.    What is the outcome from bad choices?  What happens when greed or anger are played out on the stage of life?  In the past two years I have had the privilege to be involved with a local community theater. The theater encapsulates…

Every year we have the opportunity to stop for a moment and count our blessings. Unfortunately with Black Friday and now even Black Thursday, Thanksgiving has become more a symbol for early shopping than it is for giving thanks. Humility and gratefulness shows strength of character – not weakness.   It is disturbing to think we may have…

Finding the humor in any situation was one of my husband’s many abillities that often went overlooked and taken for granted because of his other talents and accomplishments. I had the best in the world to learn this skill and apply it to my own life.  Let me give you a personal example. Years ago our family was getting…