Articles
Thoughts on Counseling and Therapy
Holiday Haze: Why do I Dread Going Back to Work?
This holiday might just actually be “the Hap Happiest Time, of the year” afterall. There is no telling. But, in many cases, with the holidays quickly approaching, it is easy to get caught up in a mountain of “have to’s” and anxiety. For most professionals, the time...
Snowflakes
We are not powerless specks of dust drifting around in the wind, blown by random destiny. We are, each of us, like beautiful snowflakes-unique, and born for a specific reason and purpose. - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Millions of snowflakes fall in a storm. If you have ever...
The Gift of Nothing is a Special Something
In the hustle and bustle of the holidays we are wrapped up in what they call, the “gift of giving”. Black Friday shopping, doorbuster sales, and the need to find the perfect gift leaves many of us feeling pressured and stressed. My clients and myself feel the...
A Holiday Tradition for Dads
Twenty years ago, or so, when I was in graduate school, I thought it would be a great idea to take my two young sons Christmas shopping for their mom. They were probably 5 and 3. I loaded the Graco Duo stroller into the car and we headed for the mall. I had managed to...
Bah, Humbug! Another Holiday Season is Here
Why is it so difficult for some of us? As the stores fill with shoppers during this season, so do the therapists’ offices. During a time when emotions are supposed to be “merry and bright,” people sometimes feel mad or bummed. Why are there often negative emotions...
Striking Back on Panic Attacks
The first time I had a panic attack I was 16 years old. I was house sitting for a friend and never really liked being home alone, especially in the middle of a desolate area. I soon found myself laying on the living room floor in a panic. I couldn’t breathe. I was...
A Closer Look at Problematic Sexual Behaviors
What is problematic sexual behavior? As humans, we are sexual beings by nature. And for many people, this is an enjoyable thing. But for some, this is a bigger issue that they struggle with daily. While some people can have healthy sexual relationships, others...
The Crisis of an Affair: Help for the Betrayer
“I said I’m sorry so many times. She knows everything but she keeps on bringing up the same stuff over and over. Why can’t we just move forward? What is the point in bringing up what I did over and over? Is she going to be like this forever?” In the immediate...
The Crisis of an Affair: Help for the Betrayed
You have just discovered your partner’s unfaithfulness. Your world as you have known it has come crashing down around you. The explosion of emotion is intense. Your reactions will range from frozen in shock, to crazed with anger or even jumping into action to regain...
Another Look at Craft Beer
The craft beer market has exploded. It has helped revitalize the Greater Grand Rapids area, and we are known as “Beer City”. In fact, there are 43 breweries in the Greater Grand Rapids area, five cideries, seven distilleries and two meaderies. But let’s just focus on...