When Your Emotions Begin to Take Over The word dysregulated is being used more frequently to describe what happens when someone becomes emotionally overwhelmed and temporarily struggles to think clearly or choose a measured response. One person may become angry, loud, defensive, or controlling. Another may panic, overexplain, withdraw, freeze, or completely shut down. When…
You’ve probably heard someone say, “He knows exactly how to push my buttons.” It’s become such a common phrase that we rarely stop to think about what it actually means. But understanding what triggers really are—understanding that button inside you—can transform how you see yourself, your relationships, and your path toward healing. What Triggers Actually…
When Faith Becomes About Performance There are a lot of people living in what could be called performance-based Christianity. It’s the belief—often unspoken—that your relationship with God rises and falls on how well you perform. Do the right things. Avoid the wrong things. Stay disciplined. Look the part. And over time, without even realizing it,…
If you’ve ever felt like you had to be perfect to please God, you’re not alone. Many of us grew up in religious environments that tied our worth to our performance. If you read your Bible enough, prayed the right way, went to church every week, and didn’t mess up too badly—then you were accepted….
The past week or so I’ve been re-listening to one of my favorite books. I initially read this a few years ago when I was in a men’s group, where we read and reported on one book per month for nearly a year. The title of the book is The Cure – What If God…
“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up,…
When I was a kid, my parents were not church-goers nor did they every speak of or teach us anything Biblical or spiritual at all. When I was seven years old, my dad made the decision to leave our family and divorce my mom. That turned into a single mom trying to raise me and…
In earlier articles in this series where I’ve been examining a Christian view of narcissism, I spoke of the connection between unmet childhood emotional needs and the propensity toward narcissism. Based on my deep understanding of the core elements of human temperament, I am confident that each characteristic that society calls “a narcissist” is entirely…
We live in a fast-paced world with more things pulling us all directions than ever before. Maybe you’re one of those people or couples who keep saying, “We have to make time to get some counseling.” Yet, that time never comes. “We’re just too busy.” As our online client base continues to grow, we’ve seen…
I’m going to focus my next three articles on unpacking the three important days from Black Friday to Easter Sunday. I have found that many Christians’ aren’t really aware of the spiritual meaning. But even the most simple-minded of Christians will have their faith strengthened to understand a little more than that. I’ve chosen to…