Want to know one of my biggest pet peeves? When someone talks about suicide, but those who hear it think “eh, they’re just seeking attention.” Want to know something that really bothers me? When someone self harms or attempts suicide, and those who find out think, “eh, they’re just seeking attention.” It shocks and horrifies … Continue reading Recognizing suicide risk
Perhaps it’s a friend. Perhaps it’s someone at your school, your church, your workplace. Perhaps it’s a family member. Many people deal with suicidal thoughts, and if we are worried about someone, we need to try to help. And you can help. No training needed. No special counseling degree required. You can help someone who … Continue reading How to help someone who is thinking about suicide
September is Suicide Prevention Month. On the iHope blog, we’ll be tackling three important issues related to suicide. We’ll start from the reverse, looking today at the question of how we deal with the aftermath of suicide. What if I have lost a loved one to suicide? If this is true for you, know that … Continue reading Dealing with the aftermath of suicide
Last week, we looked at why we forgive others. It is not because they deserve it, they apologized, or because the issue no longer matters. We forgive because God first forgave us. Colossians 3:13 states it clearly: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” This statement also helps us to begin to understand how we are … Continue reading How can I forgive someone who has hurt me?
We all deal with some sort of issue, some problem, some recurrent sin in our lives. Perhaps it is anxiety. Or addiction. Perhaps family conflict, depression, or a chronic medical issue. No matter the problem, there are many helpful strategies for dealing with it, including individual strategies (perhaps meditating on Scripture) and behavioral strategies (using … Continue reading The Value of Accountability
Life feels different. Virtually every aspect of community life has shut down in an effort to prevent the rapid spreading of a novel coronavirus. We're stuck indoors, in small groups, for an unknown amount of time. The primary concern, of course, is people’s physical health from COVID-19. Yet, with the government and community measures attempting … Continue reading 19 Mental Health Tips for Dealing with COVID-19
I am one of those people who dislikes conflict. Not to the point of avoiding it to all extremes, but it's not fun. It makes my stomach churn. Yes, conflict can enhance creativity and problem solving, and strengthen relationships as we work through disagreement. But that requires resolution to the conflict - in fact, … Continue reading My top 5 steps in resolving conflict
Apologies for the quasi-rhyme. But this is a real question that we often take for granted. Whether it’s a middle-school soccer team, a work group that is required to act like a team, or right here at iHope with our “counseling team” – what does this even mean? Here at iHope, we often refer to ourselves as a … Continue reading What does it mean to be part of a team?
How often do you genuinely and repentantly confess your sins? Confession is a huge part of the Christian life, and it is critically important to a healthy life. It impacts our emotions, our mental health, our relationships, our pride, our accurate understanding of ourselves, and our spiritual life with Christ. But confession is hard. I … Continue reading The Need for Confession in our Lives
The two most obvious, frequent, and fun elements of the Halloween holiday also tend to capture most of our attention: costumes and candy. Even teenagers (and let’s be honest, adults too) will pull out a mask or don some sort of a costume in order to enjoy a bag full of sweets at the end … Continue reading Parenting through the Sugar Rush of Halloween (or any other holiday)