Last week I shared my story of loss through miscarriage. My experience (both the physical and emotional part) of losing a baby gave me the passion to reach out to other women, so they are not suffering alone. Some things I personally learned through this loss: Grieving is complex We all have heard of the stages…
The sadness of a mother with a broken heart cannot be compared to anything. It’s a kind of sorrow that cannot be explained unless you have experienced it. I remember waking the morning after we had found out our baby had unexpectedly died in my womb, and I wailed. It came from somewhere deep inside…
Everyone is waiting for something. Regardless of where you are in life—at home tending to young children, or climbing the ladder of success in your career—we’re all wondering when that next something is going to come about. What is it you’re anticipating the chance to see or hear at this very moment, and the delay…
This is Part 3 of a series related to my personal experience with depression twenty-five years ago. Today’s post focuses on resources that were helpful to me. My hope is that they’ll provide help to others struggling with depression. Although many pieces of my depressive experience are either cloudy or somehow “blocked” from my memory,…
Has your emotional state gone from having a gloomy day or two, to living with on-going feelings of hopelessness or other debilitating thoughts? If you read Part 1 of this series “Hope Beyond Depression: My Story,” or you’ve been dealing with some dark emotions for a while—consider this list from the Mayo Clinic. Common Symptoms…
Have you ever wondered if your body might melt through the flooring of your living room, as you lie on it watching TV? Have you ever sat frozen in one spot—for three to four hours—wondering what to eat for dinner? Or if you should eat at all? Have you ever driven to the other side…
Normally, we look forward to Christmastime. Isn’t it fun to catch up with loved ones you haven’t seen in a while? We expect things to be unchanged from how they’ve always been—same childhood home, same favorite foods, same neighborhood sites, same parents. But sometimes those familiar places and people from the past aren’t the same. Sometimes they’re not there at all. And…
Walking from the back yard toward the garage, I heard a chorus of children voicing a simple request: Will you jump on the trampoline with us? My mind instantly flashed through every undone task, and after a momentary hesitation I responded simply with “Yes.” Ashamedly, I didn’t deserve the squeals of delight that instantly drifted across the bright green grass surrounding us. The…
Watching the above video may feel very familiar to you. Most of us assume that listening should be a skill that we’re naturally gifted with; after all, we use the senses of sight, taste, smell and touch rather effortlessly. Listening, though, is much different than hearing. Hearing just happens while listening is a conscious effort to be present and fully absorb and…
Kay Arnold, LPC, NCC shares practical encouragement about armoring your heart, when you can trust, and who is best to let see the inside.