Complicated People
As inconvenient as the condition suggested by our title may be, it describes all of us. Some attempt to “flatten” humanness by a mechanistic definition of man. Headmaster Thomas Gradgrind in Charles Dickens’ Hard Times was not the first nor the last to do so: “Thomas Gradgrind, Sir. A man of realities. A…
What Makes for Real Communication?
When couples come to my office for the first time and describe what is wrong in their relationship they often identify the problem as one of communication. I recognize this as an attempt to explain the distance, tension, and frustration they experience in their marriage. I can often assume their…
Merry Christmas
“…and laid him in the manger, because there was no place for him in the inn.” Luke 2:7 ESV Christmas Greetings, Few would script the coming of the world’s Savior in this way. It did not appear that the arrival of Christ exactly began with a bang. Isaiah tells us…
Understanding
“We will not achieve an accurate knowledge of ourselves, of what has gone wrong with us, and of what we are meant to be, unless we lift our eyes from ourselves to ponder God’s nature….” -Mark Talbot
Why Theology?
For many, the connection between counseling and theology is not clear. Our tendency is to look to the field of psychology for answers to personal problems and to look to the Bible for answers to spiritual questions. But in fact theology, properly understood, is intensely personal. It should not be…
Christ’s Hand of Hope
The whack of her head striking the edge of the table put an end to her innocent laughter and brought everyone in the orthodontist’s waiting room to attention. Instinctively, we turned toward the commotion. Silence followed. Everyone anticipated the release of her pain, and when she let loose our ears…
Living Well in the Middle of Things
In medias res is a Latin phrase that means in the middle of things or into the midst of things. As a literary term, it refers to a narrative that starts in the middle of the story—often at some critical moment—rather than at its beginning. Earlier parts of the narrative…
What to Look for in a Counselor
Every Christian counselor should have training and experience. Perhaps that is obvious. What is not so obvious is that those qualifications alone do not ensure a rich understanding of people. Oftentimes a narrow, clinical focus can limit a counselor’s ability to see people as people. That can cause them to…
When to Get Help
You may not have a choice as to whether problems come your way, but you can choose to handle them constructively. Acknowledging the problem is the first step. You may find yourself discouraged, confused, or persistently unhappy. You may be concerned about the health of a relationship, be it your…