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Aging and Isolation: How to Prevent Loneliness

Aging and Isolation: How to Prevent Loneliness

Lori Askew, Kate Motaung2025-04-25T05:48:01+00:00March 20th, 2025|Aging and Geriatric Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling|

When you think about getting older, your first thoughts may be based on fear and dread. For example, you may have concerns regarding rising healthcare costs, physical ailments, slowing down, losing loved ones, or getting left behind from the metaphorical rivers of life. However, while those concerns are real and important, elderly people often develop full, meaningful, and fun lives. Richardson Christian Counseling offers support for those navigating the challenges of aging, helping individuals find purpose and peace in this season of life. One of the key strategies to creating an abundant and fulfilling life as we age is to navigate isolation and, therefore, loneliness. While we can’t skip the natural ebb and flow of life’s highs and lows, we can safeguard ourselves from loneliness by making intentional choices. Ways to Guard Against Loneliness as You Approach Aging First, the most important way to prevent loneliness involves surrounding yourself with meaningful relationships. This may mean looking at your current relationships to see if they are serving you well, or even considering moving closer to family and friends. It may also mean moving to a community where there are many others in your age range. To form friendships and relationships that are meaningful and that can stand the test of time, it’s important to make sure you know how to build new ones. So, before you make any sweeping changes in your geography, ask yourself these questions: Am I around enough people I enjoy and with whom I could begin new friendships? Do I like the people I’ve surrounded myself with? Are the people in my everyday life leading a lifestyle that allows for hobbies and time with friends or are they too busy? If my top two friends right now were to move away or, sadly, pass away, would [...]

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How Your God-Given Internal Cues Can Stop Emotional Eating

How Your God-Given Internal Cues Can Stop Emotional Eating

Lori Askew, Kate Motaung2025-04-25T05:55:42+00:00March 7th, 2025|Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling, Weight Loss, Women’s Issues|

Chronic stress, a silent predator, is a key instigator of a range of physical and mental ailments. Unfortunately, it also slyly fuels emotional eating. What happens is that we often turn to food beyond our physical hunger because we’re trying to fill a deep-seated void. God actually created that void in us to fill with Himself. Therefore, we know that food is not the answer. God has gifted us with a sophisticated system that signals when we need to nourish ourselves and when we should refrain from eating. This system helps us to effectively curb emotional eating by recognizing and responding to internal cues. Defining True Hunger The internal cues we possess to indicate hunger are natural and intuitive. Your body releases two hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin stimulates the appetite, making your stomach feel empty and often causing it to growl. The growl or empty sensation may subside but return in 10-30 minutes as your body requires fuel. Richardson Christian Counseling helps individuals explore and manage emotional eating patterns, offering guidance to develop healthier relationships with food and body awareness. The other hormone, leptin, controls satiety. You experience the sensation of being full when fat cells release leptin, which leads you to stop eating. This hormone is released when it receives the signal from the stomach approaching fullness. Unfortunately, many individuals continue to eat even when they are already full or not hungry, making it difficult to gauge their satiety or control their eating. This can lead to physical discomfort, obesity, digestive problems, and even illness if it becomes a consistent habit. Understanding these potential health risks can be a powerful motivator to change our eating habits. Why We Eat Our Emotions If the empty feeling or stomach growl indicates hunger, why do we eat when not physically [...]

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How to Identify Codependent Behavior in a Relationship

How to Identify Codependent Behavior in a Relationship

Kate Motaung2025-04-25T05:57:51+00:00March 6th, 2025|Codependency, Couples Counseling, Featured, Infidelity and Affairs, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

When it comes to relationships, there are many different ways and reasons it can be unhealthy and struggling to flourish. One of those ways is through codependent behavior. Codependency Briefly Explained The term codependency describes a relationship in which the people involved are over-reliant on one another. This over-reliance may be mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical, and it often leads to a person entering and remaining in destructive, one-sided, or abusive relationships. Codependent relationships can be found in all kinds of relationships, such as the parent-child relationship, between siblings, coworkers, or lovers. Often, codependent behavior is learned as a person watches and then goes on to imitate the behavior they see displayed in unhealthy relationships. That’s one reason there can be patterns of codependent behavior in families. A codependent person will often feel, for one reason or another, that it is their role to ‘save’ another person and to meet their needs, even if it is at the expense of their own needs and well-being. Richardson Christian Counseling offers support for individuals struggling with codependency, helping them break unhealthy patterns and develop balanced, healthy relationships. In a codependent relationship dynamic, there is a severe imbalance in meeting one another’s needs. The person who gives of themselves to meet the needs of another can lose their sense of who they are by defining themselves by the needs of the other person. Codependency often results from taking on too much responsibility for another person’s needs, and it goes beyond a healthy mutual dependence. Some Signs of Codependent Behavior in Relationships A codependent relationship is unhealthy at the root because it wraps one’s sense of self in meeting someone else’s needs. It also enables the other person to not resolve issues for themselves. It’s natural to want to move toward your loved [...]

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7 Pieces of Relationship Advice for Women

7 Pieces of Relationship Advice for Women

Melissa Plantz2025-04-25T06:40:30+00:00February 28th, 2025|Featured, Relationship Issues, Women’s Issues|

Entering a relationship is exciting and a little scary. Are you moving too fast? Is it too early to share with him certain private matters? Is he treating you right? We can rush in if we feel lonely or have recently divorced. A list of relationship advice for women exists to assist us in making the right choices while keeping our priorities and values front and center. Think of it as a checklist detailing what you want in a healthy relationship and from a man who will add to your life. Relationship Advice for Women You can take these suggestions as standard relationship advice for women who want a partner who will make them better without losing their sense of self. Often, we connect with a man on a surface level, worrying about what he thinks about us or if we are rushing the relationship’s growth. If you have past failed relationships, this may scare you even more. Am I pushing him away if I am myself? Should I pretend to be the person he would want to date and marry? Being anyone other than yourself is futile – no one can hide who they are for long. And why would you? God created you with the personality and appearance unique to you. This does not mean that you should not try to be a better version of yourself by learning new skills and taking care of your health and body. Instead, it means being vulnerable and allowing your true self to shine. If someone cannot accept you for the person God created you to be, that man is probably not the one for you. Move on, Richardson Christian Counseling helps individuals embrace their authentic selves, offering support in building self-acceptance and navigating healthy relationships. Know Your Worth As [...]

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Take This Job! Dealing with Job Burnout

Take This Job! Dealing with Job Burnout

Sarah Gibson, Kate Motaung2025-04-25T06:44:19+00:00February 28th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Professional Development|

Although job burnout is not an official disorder recognized by the medical community, it is a condition that causes exhaustion and mood changes. According to a survey from Indeed, more than half of the participants (52%) experienced job burnout in 2021. How do you deal with job burnout without shutting down physically and emotionally? Why You Might Have Job Burnout If you work in a demanding career, you may be exhausted in every way possible: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Demand and supply can create job burnout as excellent workers try to manage a shortage of employees and meet a higher demand for their services. Even if you love your job and have always considered it a dream job, you may still reach serious job burnout. There are other causes of job burnout: Working long hours or overtime. Feeling unappreciated, unacknowledged, or used. Working a demanding job with no evident reward. Not achieving family and work balance. Stress from other areas of your life. Symptoms from a mental health condition. Feeling as if your life is out of your control. Do any of these sound familiar? You might be dealing with job burnout. How Job Burnout Affects Mental Health Job burnout takes a toll on your mental health. You can feel emotionally exhausted, depressed, angry, and irritable. You might struggle with insomnia and fatigue. Some people choose damaging coping mechanisms, like alcohol and substance use. Others turn to food for comfort and binge eat. as they spend every evening escaping into the television. Richardson Christian Counseling provides a safe space to process burnout and develop healthier coping strategies rooted in faith, balance, and emotional well-being. You may not realize what is behind your recent mood swings or negative behaviors. Could it be that your job is causing more stress than [...]

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Knowing the Difference Between a Big Appetite and Binge Eating in Teens

Knowing the Difference Between a Big Appetite and Binge Eating in Teens

Kate Motaung2025-02-26T05:46:53+00:00February 26th, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Jackson has been feeling lost since he recently realized his teenage son Jack Junior’s famous appetite may have evolved into a binge eating disorder. As a single dad, born and raised on a ranch in Texas, surrounded mostly by cowboys who don’t talk much about emotion, Jackson is not quite sure how to even broach this topic with his son. All sorts of questions keep floating around in his head. “How did I not notice that my kid might have an eating disorder sooner?”. “How can I know for sure if my son is binge eating?”. “How and why did this develop into a disorder?”. “How much of a problem is this condition?”. With this article, we hope to answer most of Jackson’s questions and help any other parent who might find themselves in the same boat with their child. How did I not notice that my child might have an eating disorder sooner? The boy, Jack Jr., has always had a huge appetite and loves his steaks, drumsticks, potatoes, and gravy. You see, his mother, who recently passed away of cancer, was the ranch’s resident cook, so he has grown up surrounded by her rich cooking, literally eating it all up. What Jackson doesn’t know is that in recent months, Junior has endured relentless teasing at school for the way he looks with hurtful body-shaming nicknames that are thrown at him every day. Slowly he’s been finding ways to cope with the pain by seeking solace in food. It’s become his routine that when life throws too much at him, he just retreats to his room, locks the door, and starts binge eating whatever snacks he could find in the pantry or leftovers stashed in the fridge. Jack Junior can eat several bags of chips, cookies, a full chicken, [...]

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Teens, Social Media, and Body Image

Teens, Social Media, and Body Image

Sarah Gibson, Kate Motaung2025-02-04T05:04:46+00:00February 3rd, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Last night, I opened Instagram and began scrolling. I had recently searched for new recipes and workouts, so my feed was filled with these types of videos. However, amid the dog and baking recipe videos, I started seeing videos about calorie counts, daily gym routines to make my waist smaller, and ways to lose weight. I hadn’t searched for that content, but it was now automatically showing up in my feed. I realized I probably wasn’t the only one who was seeing these types of videos centered on body image. I couldn’t help but wonder how exposure to this content might impact a person’s self-esteem and body image, especially for a teenager. What is body image? Body image refers to the beliefs and perceptions we have about our own bodies – how we view our appearance, like our size, shape, height, and weight. A positive body image involves feeling confident in your appearance and accepting the natural changes your body goes through as you age (e.g., menopause, fluctuating weight). Negative body image is the belief that there is something wrong with your appearance. The National Eating Disorders Association defines negative body image as “a distorted perception of one’s shape and physical appearance. Negative body image (or body dissatisfaction) involves feelings of shame, anxiety, and self-consciousness.” Those who struggle with negative body image often find themselves frequently doing body checking (monitoring their physical appearance via scales, mirrors, or other methods), constantly comparing their appearance to others, or going to extreme lengths to change their appearance. Those who experience high levels of body dissatisfaction are more likely to suffer from feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem, and developing eating disorders. Negative Body Image and Social Media For individuals who struggle with their body image, social media can make these negative beliefs [...]

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Teenage Depression is Real: 3 Subtle Signs to Watch for in Your Teen

Teenage Depression is Real: 3 Subtle Signs to Watch for in Your Teen

Sarah Gibson, Kate Motaung2025-01-29T10:00:45+00:00January 29th, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

As the number of instances of teenage- depression continues to grow in the United States, the importance of addressing this issue has become increasingly clear. In a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers found that 17% of teens (ages 12-17) experienced symptoms of depression. The Importance of Recognizing Teenage Depression Supporting teens on their mental health journey has emerged as a key focus for parents, educators, and society, prompting us to explore the most effective ways to help and empower the next generation. For parents, a crucial first step is recognizing the key signs of teenage depression. Depression is more than just feeling sad. It is a serious mental health condition that affects your teen’s mood, behavior, and ability to function at school, at home, or with their friends. It can be difficult to tell if your teen is depressed because many depression symptoms are also common adolescent behaviors, like appetite changes or lack of energy. However, with depression, these symptoms are usually more severe, and they last for a longer period (weeks or months at a time). How to Spot Teenage Depression For a teen struggling with depression, they might feel sad for weeks or even months at a time. Their mood does not seem to improve, or they do not “brighten up” when good things happen. To them, it might be hard for them to remember a time when they weren’t sad. They might have trouble concentrating in class, may not be interested in their hobbies, have difficulty sleeping, or sleep too much. Parents need to notice if their teen is acting differently. Did your teen previously hang out with their friends, but now they spend all their free time in their room alone? Or does your teen who was [...]

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Premarital Counseling: Practical Support Before Getting Married

Premarital Counseling: Practical Support Before Getting Married

Jennifer Kooshian2025-01-25T05:35:22+00:00January 22nd, 2025|Couples Counseling, Featured, Premarital Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Our culture has undergone massive shifts in how we conduct our relationships and the mindset that informs our plays at love. Though many are choosing to cohabit or have other non-traditional couplings, others are still taking steps to celebrate their relationship through marriage. Getting married is an exciting journey that only begins when you say your vows and hopefully lasts a lifetime, making premarital counseling an important step. One of the ways you can strengthen your marriage by gaining tools to prepare you for marital bliss is through premarital counseling. The last thing on your mind during cake tastings or looking through color swatches and table settings is probably wondering who will take the trash out once you’re married. Premarital counseling may seem like it goes against the flow of the wedding rush, but it’s exactly what you need to set yourselves up for life. How Premarital Counseling Works Premarital counseling is a form of talk therapy for couples who have decided to get married. The couple speaks to a couples counselor who helps them to think about different aspects of what married life is like. The couple can meet with their counselor, or they can participate in group counseling with other couples on a similar journey toward marriage. The counseling sessions are typically held in person, but an online option is often available. Premarital counseling can be conducted from a Christian standpoint, highlighting, for instance, how Christian marriage works, questions about divorce and infidelity, as well as how the couple can nurture their faith, serve and support each other. Where premarital counseling is informed by Christian faith, that doesn’t mean that only Christians can benefit from it. Serving one another is a key aspect of any marriage, Christian or not. Premarital counseling sessions will typically be about [...]

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Setting Professional Boundaries at Work

Setting Professional Boundaries at Work

Cyndi Kay Green2025-01-17T09:09:08+00:00January 17th, 2025|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Professional Development|

Setting healthy boundaries at work can be challenging due to technology and ever-changing workplaces. Setting a limit that defines a work relationship is more complex than doing the same thing in personal relationships. People are quick to take offense when they feel as though they are being disrespected. Professional boundaries are important in creating a healthy and balanced work setting. …and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. – 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, NIV Professional boundaries can be for physical as well as emotional reasons. People do not want to be asked to do more than they feel capable of, nor do they want to be left out of office decisions. Mental boundaries can protect values and ethics. They protect us in our responsibilities as well as protecting our values. Identifying and setting boundaries empowers us to share our abilities to do a good job with the assigned tasks. This will also help us learn to manage our time and complete projects on time. When professional boundaries are clear the chance of them being overstepped is reduced. Expecting the workplace to be void of engagement can lead to work burnout. Proper boundaries can encourage minimal engagement while expecting productivity. How to Set Professional Boundaries at Work Many strategies can help set professional boundaries at work. The main goal of boundaries is to keep the work relationships healthy and productive. Chose information wisely Knowing your coworkers can be beneficial. However, there is a limit on how much personal information needs to be shared outside of the home. Some things like hobbies and [...]

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