Thomas Wolfe wrote: “We are the sum of all our parts.” Every part of our experience is important to, and has a profound effect on, the other parts--including our health.
Although I am trained to “be a listener” as a licensed mental health therapist and work at this within my professional relationships, I have realized over the last couple of years that I have not been practicing this art with those closest to me— my family.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is an individual’s ability to perceive emotions in themselves and others, understand what those emotions mean, and manage their emotions accordingly (Robbins & Judge, 2017).
When we study human development, we realize that children’s first teachers are often informal ones—family members and friends who guide and direct them.
Recently, I overheard two parents expressing frustrations with their teenagers’ unannounced mood swings and emotional outbursts.
Criticism is destructive to relationships. Matthew 7:1-2 tells us that we should not judge unless we want to be judged in the same way and with the same harshness we judge others.
Watching the waves crash on the beach, the sunset and sunrise, the calmness of such a massive amount of water surely relaxes every fiber of our being and shows the power of God in creation. When I see Lake Superior, I cannot help to think that water is one of God’s blessings to humanity.
Mental health in young adults has been a prevalent issue, leading to increased utilization of services across the United States for the past 10 years. “An estimated one in three students meets criteria for a clinically significant mental health problem.”
Youth ministry has always been a pivotal component of church life, serving as a bridge between generations and fostering spiritual growth among young people.
I met Frank on a crowded business flight. As he lowered his breathless, oversized body into the narrow seat, wiping perspiration from his brow, he activated his smart phone with one hand while whisking his laptop out of its case with the other.
“I wish I had known the importance of educating my children about sexual abuse,” the young mom shared in tears. “I didn’t feel I could say anything as a child because I feared no one would believe me,” said a young adult male, due to the perpetrator being a church leader.
Soy has gotten a bad reputation lately. With so much information circulating, what’s the real deal on soy, and is it a friend or foe?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”
Studies have highlighted trauma's debilitating physical and psychological effects on individuals and proposed approaches for healing and thriving after traumatic experiences.
In the past decade people have become more aware of sprouting. The consumption of sprouts is gradually increasing, and people are becoming conscious of the relationship between diet and health.
Habits are our friends—when they’re good ones. Habits are routines that help us repeat safe and effective behaviors and build consistency and security into our lives.
A lot of my work is helping people deal with their emotions. Big feelings are hard. This may sound like I work mainly with children, but I don’t. I work primarily with adult men!
College students and family life aren’t terms that are usually used together.
In 1986, 27-year-old Robert McDonald stayed awake for 18 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes. As a professional stuntman, McDonald had jumped motorcycles and climbed mountains, but this was perhaps the most challenging and dangerous endeavor of his life.
I woke up drenched in sweat, like I had been swimming all night. What was this? I’m in my mid-40s and still with several years before menopause, or so I thought.
My college son was in the hospital. He had experienced a spontaneous pneumothorax, risk factors being male, young, tall and thin, all criteria that he fit completely. Due to complications surfacing from inserted chest tubes, his hospital stay was extended.
Late last fall a colleague and I were trained as practitioners through the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development on Trust-Based Relational Intervention, thanks to a grant from local community partners.
Many times the Bible says that Jesus was "moved with compassion." The Latin root of compassion has a different meaning than sympathy or pity. It means co-suffering.
Many of us have been taught that correct thinking and the ability to analyze Scripture is the most important aspect of the Christian life. If we know the 28 fundamental beliefs and can teach them to others, we are then considered good Seventh-day Adventist Christians.
Her husband had recently died unexpectedly. Her own health had been deteriorating for some time.
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10
Over the course of over three decades of medical practice, I’ve had many patients who told me they didn’t do as well as they knew when it came to healthy lifestyle practices.
And ye fathers . . . bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God. (Ephesians 6:4)
When you want to learn a new skill or become proficient at something you need to practice. An integral part of practice is spending time doing whatever it is you want to learn or perfect.
Yet another school shooting in America. When I heard about the Uvalde elementary school shooting, I was in the car with my husband and children – two ten-year-olds – two fourth graders, just like the children who had been murdered.
On most days I come to work at the Andreasen Center for Wellness with pep in my step. But on a recent morning, I was listless. Just four days earlier, my husband and I had said goodbye to our beloved dog, Moses. He was the dog we knew we’ll always compare the rest of our pets to.
Our youngest daughter, Jody, lives in Oregon. She is a stay-at-home mom with two young children—Tucker, 6, and Emma, 3. She and her husband are very intentional about reaching out to others and, as a result, are teaching their children to love serving as well.
As you start to read this, let me give you a disclaimer: If you are looking for a nicely wrapped piece of writing, skip this one and move on to the rest of this periodical. This piece of my journey is raw.
When we are in relationships with people, we have expectations. Inevitably, those people will let us down and not say or do the things we want and expect them to do. Many times, these expectations are “unwritten rules” in a relationship.
“It is estimated that 50 percent of cancers can be prevented” (Wolin KY, 2010). “Annually 18 million new cancer cases and over 9 million cancer deaths worldwide” (Bray F, 2018). “Number one cause of death in the United States for those under the age of 80 with 600,000 people dying from cancer each year.” (Siegel RL, 2020).
“He is such a jerk!” “She never appreciates anything I do for this family!” I’m sure you have said similar phrases in your head after an argument with your spouse. Conflict is inevitable in marriages while we live in a sinful world.
In the United States, leading causes of disability and death are related to chronic diseases; however, being physically active, eating a healthy diet and abstaining from tobacco use have been linked to chronic disease prevention (heart.org).
The family is society's most basic unit, and is meant to be a place of protection and health where people develop.
A, B, C, D… We learn our alphabet in school but often forget that our bodies need these letters too — in the form of vitamins.
For many years, I believed the myth of a “perfect” family — the one shown on television and all forms of media, consisting of two biological parents, 2.3 children, 1.5 pets, and a white picket fence.
We live in a topsy-turvy, fast-paced world. It’s easy in the rush of crammed, hectic schedules to neglect life’s most important priorities.
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1
Emotions cloud communication. This does not mean we should not feel our emotions, or that we should not talk about our emotions. What this means is we often lose track of the original thought when emotions come rushing in to the conversation. Let me give you an example of what I mean.
Belonging is a fundamental human need, according to God’s design. Humans are created to be social beings, and family is one of the first ways in which we experience belonging and learn to value it.
Lansing, Michigan native Dominique Kemp could be considered a trailblazer today.
From the time of creation, the human race has been given special attributes that set it apart from every other created entity. Men and women have been endowed with gifts that equip them to rule over all the earth. These gifts are intended not only to ensure that we are adequately equipped to rule, but also to sustain the image and likeness of God within us.
From the time of Creation, the human race has been given special attributes that set it apart from every other created entity. Men and women have been endowed with gifts that equip them to rule over all the earth.
The ongoing intrigue of the Blue Zones presents an opportunity for Adventists. Hotspots of health and longevity have a magnetic pull on the minds of many who yearn for a better life.
There are 219 known viruses that can infect humans. Some of the more common viruses include the common cold, influenza and coronavirus. These microorganisms are able to cause major outbreaks of illness and death.
Mental health challenges are increasing in society. This doesn’t just hurt individuals; it also impacts families. Starting in 2007, suicide rates have been steadily increasing for all ages.1 Some age groups are struggling more than others.
It seems the whole world is fighting the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2). Here are a few simple and practical ways we can gain victory over viruses, whether influenza or corona.
Lake Union Conference Health director Christina Wells reflects on the impact of socioeconomic status and its effect on health outcomes.
Although the research originated in the late '90s, the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study continues to be a source of discussion in various arenas - secular and within the church.
"Life in the open air is good for the body and mind. It is God's medicine for restoration of health. Pure air, good water, sunshine, the beautiful surroundings of nature..."
The age of 18 to 25 is considered a new developmental period called emerging adulthood. Here are 7 tips on how to relate to your young adult children.
It has been said that communication is the golden cord that bonds us together within our marriages, families and communities. Yet, there are three basic and...
As children, we were often reminded by our parents to say, “Thank you,” because it was the polite thing to do. But how many of us have given thought to the far-reaching impact of those two simple words?
God made seeds. Packed with His own life force, they’ve been part of His plan since the beginning (Gen. 1:11‒12). Our Creator, who knows our bodies best, told us to eat them (Gen. 1:29).
“You left me!” His eyes filled with fear, then betrayal. It was our weekly trip to the grocery store. I had placed my infant son in the child seat of the grocery cart; the oldest, who now looked at me with such distress, usually walked alongside me as we chose items and he placed them in the cart.
There are so many diet books available and new ones keep appearing. We have the Eat Fat, Get Thin Diet, The Plant Paradox, Master Cleanse Diet, the Flat Belly Diet, The 20/20 Diet, the Metabolism Reset Diet, the Setpoint Diet, and many others.
Topics on abuse and domestic violence have become increasingly popular in the news and social media, triggering discussions about appropriate and inappropriate behaviors in relationships. Sexual and physical abuse can be easily detected while emotional abuse leaves no visible scars to mark its impact, but its wounds destroy the core self and often take decades to surface.
The community of microbes that lives within our gut numbers in the trillions, and the health of that community determines our health. The gut microflora (microbiome) is vital for maintaining the integrity of the intestinal lining. The microbiome plays a vital role in energy metabolism, anti-inflammatory mechanisms and immunity. Intestinal bacteria serve as a central line of resistance to colonization by foreign microbes.
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee (Exodus 20:12 KJV).
It is fascinating how we internalize this notion that we are victims of stress, time and busyness. It is as if we are completely defenseless, running in a hamster wheel, out of breath, often stumbling, sometimes falling, taken for a constant nauseating spin.
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence (Gen 6:11 NIV). Violence destroys families, harming each member in different ways. Today, domestic violence (DV) occurs in families inside and outside of the church at similar rates. In a study of over 1,000 Adventists, Dr. Drumm found that 33 percent of members reported experiencing physical violence, 44 percent experienced emotional abuse and 23 percent experienced sexual abuse.
As a therapist and a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, I believe all the parts of an individual are interconnected and dependent on every other part. What I...
This Post Is About That One Time I Got A Chance To Chill With Kawhi and LeBron. Did I say chill with? Oh, my bad, I meant to say “chill like.” Yeah, chill like. That’s better. So, what had happened was, I made a decision to go on a sabbatical. Right? Because I was burned out. My mind and body were just — OFF.
The United Nations, an international organization that has the responsibility of ensuring international cooperation among the nations of the world, has...
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, just slightly behind heart disease. Sadly, most all of us have been impacted in some way by...
Marriage began in Eden where everything was perfect — complete and perfect unity between Adam and Eve and their Creator. Can you imagine what that perfect...
Interestingly, most people have not actually learned what physical fitness really means, what it entails and what components play an essential part of it....
Connection and love bloom easiest when there is sunshine in the home, warm smiles, courteous ways and loving words.
Working mother? The truth is, very few mothers are not working! Whether inside or outside the home, mothers are workers — hard workers who deserve a...
Every year, many of us look fearfully towards the holidays, experiencing anxiety just thinking about it because we know how challenging it will be to face the mountains of delicious seasonal food...
Isn’t this the best time of year, when we gather to give thanks as we focus on our blessings?
