End of year activities are now past and resolutions of the New Year are being re-evaluated by many whose motivation is flagging when challenged by the stresses of daily life. With 2016 comes uncertainty
[More]
Concerns about Syrian refugees, illegal aliens from Mexico, ISIS, home grown terrorist cells and the economic and security issues correlated with any one of these concerns, and it becomes easier to understand how reactive comments proliferate across government, the media, and casual conversations. Assuredly these are complicated matters
[More]
The recent terror attacks in Paris have drawn attention to the changing face of world relationships. It is a reminder of the traumatic events that occurred in America on September 11th and its aftermath.
[More]
School is now in full swing and children, as well as then parents, are probably experiencing increased demands on their time and their coping abilities. School involves concerns beyond those experienced by parents when they were children. Not only do children today report anxiety about school performance and acceptance, they also deal with increased violence in their place of learning.
[More]
It’s an uncomfortable topic yet significant enough to talk about despite the uncomfortable feelings and awkwardness a frank discussion may elicit. Suicide. It’s in the news. People reading this blog may know personally someone who has attempted suicide or died by suicide. It’s such a significant issue throughout the world that public service campaigns have taken to multimedia formats to educate the public and to raise awareness that family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers can help prevent an untimely death due to suicide. September has been designated as the time of year to draw attention to the growing tragedy of death by suicide. Aside from the readily recognized tragic elements is perhaps the greatest tragedy correlated with suicide – many people do not realize suicidality is treatable and often preventable.
[More]
What might peace of mind be like? Veterans like Dennis Parker who have had to fight for PTSD treatment (Bjornstad, 2015) have waited many long years for an opportunity to find out. What would it be like for them to experience relief from trauma symptoms after 3-5 treatment sessions? It sounds too good to be true, yet that is what most clients receiving Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) are experiencing. So, what is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
[More]
Actor Christopher Lee recently died at the ripe old age of 97 leaving one to ponder what it is like to be an elderly person in America today? A myriad of thoughts pour out. As longevity increased due to access to healthcare, better nutrition, and improved hygiene, dilemmas for the elderly and their families have arisen on multiple fronts - ethical, moral, and social. Adult children are pulled between meeting their responsibilities to their own spouses, children, and employer as they struggle to meet the needs of their aging parents whose retirement finances are often woefully inadequate to cover their long-term care and medical needs.
[More]
Whether on US soils or abroad, military exercises have been taking place for years. For whatever reason or combination of reasons, Jade Helm 15, a massive multi-state military exercise, has attracted the attention of the public. For some people it has raised concern about the federal government’s motives and intentions as it relates to them and their family’s personal freedom and future well-being. Public reaction to these concerns is varied from outright rejection and mockery, to cautious consideration there might be something undisclosed that is worthy of concern, to rising hysteria about the federal government targeting specific groups of citizens.
[More]
Why designate a month to recognize military children? What makes them any more special than neighborhood civilian children? Improving awareness of military family life and its associated stresses and sacrifices broadens the knowledge base of those who interact with military children but who may be unfamiliar with the nature of the sacrifices made by military children
[More]
There is a war being waged in America today – a war spanning the course of American history pitting American against American, and human against human. Disrespect for others has escalated to the point of hatred and become pernicious in its capacity to destroy individuals, families, and social entities. While the judicial system can legislate guidelines governing behavior, it is incapable of controlling human thoughts. According to Judeo-Christian thought, a person’s unfiltered thoughts emanate from the heart and are indicative of personality and behavior. (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV)
[More]
