Depression

Articles

Deprivation and Anger

Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC

Feelings of anger often cover many different primary emotions: hurt, confusion, fear, and rejection. Deprivation, often based in fear, is a part of life. Placing our confidence in the Lord's availability may not reduce deprivation but can help increase our ability to be comforted.

The Hope of Christmas

Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC

Christmas is a season in which we are reminded of why Christ came. Two things were guaranteed when Christ came into the world.

Daring to Laugh: When Celebration and Sadness Join Hands

Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT

Pain and joy often occur together in life. Learn how God's faithfulness, sovereignty, and hope can be found in the midst of brokenness, failure, or other difficult circumstances.

Depression in the Soul: Five Steps to Freedom

Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT

Depression can distort and inhibit God's true plan for our lives. Article suggests five steps to bring restorative thinking and behaviors that battle sadness, low self-esteem, and hopelessness.

Finding Hope In the Dark Periods of Life

Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC

This article looks at springtime as a metaphor for hope in the midst of dark periods of life and presents scripture as encouragement.

Guidelines for Help When You Feel Vulnerable or Lost

Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC

Sometimes there is a straight-forward need for some written steps to take when feeling depressed, anxious, crummy, full of discouragement, or when listening to lies in thinking about God's ability to redeem a seemingly failed life. Here are those steps.

Depression At Christmas

A "Dear Rosa" question and answer regarding depression that is often triggered during the Christmas season.

How To Move Ahead After Personal Pain

Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC

The story you tell yourself and others of your difficult situation is important. It is important because the potential for going on in a capable manner after personal pain can be determined by how we frame the experience. Though it is important to tell the exact nature of the experience, including hope in one’s thoughts and expression after a trauma is a survival tool. This article explains how to be honest about difficult times yet cling to hope.

Helping the Discouraged

Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT

Discouragement can leave us frightened and unmotivated with feelings of loneliness and hopelessness. Drawing from the biblical story of Elijah and an actual family therapy case, this article discusses five steps to helping an individual recover from discouragement.

Making Your Way Through Transition

Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC

This article describes the challenges we face when going through difficult life changes. It also gives a way of navigating through that difficult time.

Things To Remember When Grieving

Compiled by Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC

Following guidelines originally written in "How To Grieve" by KAIROS, these steps help the grief stricken person what to remember. Each of these ten statements move the grieving individual towards the strength of God and moving forward into the future with renewed focus.

When A Father Dies - Preparing For The Holidays

Brenda Spina, M.S., LMFT, LPC

The death of a family member creates a kind of stress that one does not understand until they experience the loss themselves. Add the holidays to this and the multiple levels of grief increase. There are a few basic truths that become real in the face of such a loss around the holidays. This article, written to encourage as well as remind us of these truths, utilizes the author's own personal experience to bring the reality of what it means to celebrate living in the face of grief.

DRUNK WITH HOPE: God's Help for Addiction and Emotional Wounds

Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMFT

Emotional wounds can negatively influence relationships which can lead to addictive behaviors. Article explores how to put God’s truth into emotional pain, thus taking the first step in freedom from addiction.

Rebuilding After the Storm

August 18, 2005. A record breaking day in the history of Wisconsin with 27 confirmed tornadoes in one twenty-four hour period. In one moment, debris was strewn everywhere and the destruction left behind on that day was well into the millions of dollars. Addiction is destructive, like a tornado, and you are left to deal with the aftermath of a person struggling with addiction. Whether the addiction is food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, or pornography, a trail of wreckage is left behind and rebuilding needs to begin.

Working Hard To Be Liked

Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., CAPSW

People pleasers work very hard to be liked and crave love and acceptance from others at the cost of their own identity. The real person can become lost in the daze of perceived expectations. But there is good news.

Trails of Trouble - Children and School Performance

Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC

This article addresses the many feelings parents and children face as a result of school challenges.

Cadence 91: Prayer for Military Families

Sarah L. Pollock (daughter of Mary Lambrecht, M.S. LMF

Cadence 91 is a poetic prayer in honor of all military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Based on Psalm 91, this prayer poignantly depicts the physical, emotional and spiritual trials of war and how the great love and security of Jesus Christ will not fail.

Feeling Crazy - The Effects of Addiction on the Family

Suzan Myhre, M.S.S.W., LICSW, LPC

This article describes the serious and debilitating effects of addiction on the family. Hopes for rehabilitation are addressed.

Suicide Prevention: Making the Connection

Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., CAPSW

Suicide is a very complex subject and is usually not about death at all but rather about wanting to stop the pain. The vast majority of the time, those who are thinking about suicide do give verbal and/ or behavioral warning signs particularly in the last week before the attempt. By knowing the warning signs, loved ones can intervene and provide support. This article lists many verbal and behavioral warning signs of suicide and provides questions to ask if you suspect a loved one may be suicidal.

The Inner-Workings of People Problems

Lynda Savage, M.S., LMFT, LPC

As therapists at the Center for Family Healing, we sometimes give seminars about ‘people problems.’ Anxiety, stress, depression and various personality/relationship concerns are what we work with every day. This article points the reader to reading material that will help understand some of these matters. The article also discusses letting go of, when appropriate, impossibly tangled people problems.

Powerful Dads and Pretty Daughters

Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., CAPSW

Dads have a tremendous amount of influence in the lives of their daughters. This article outlines the ways in which Dads make a powerful impact both positively and negatively.

Moms' To Do List

Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., CAPSW

Moms are good at taking care of their loved ones but often do not take time for themselves. This article offers encouragement to moms to care for their needs and discusses ways moms can be proactive by nurturing their minds, bodies and spirits.