Living in isolation increases the risk for premature mortality by nearly a third, while strong, close social relationships are one of the most reliable long-term predictors of mental and physical health. But today, when there are more resources available than ever before—friends, family, partners, and even AI chatbots—why would someone bother seeking out counseling at all? 

Amy Karatka, LAC shares a little about her life and her counseling journey in this month’s Counselor Spotlight.

Anger is a normal emotion that everyone experiences. However, when anger becomes intense or difficult to manage, it can affect a person's thoughts, behaviors, relationships, and overall well-being. Because anger involves both psychological and physical reactions, learning relaxation techniques is an important part of managing it effectively.

Many people experience self-doubt, even if they seem capable, accomplished, or confident to others. Though it can seem hidden, self-doubt can have a subtle effect on how people regard themselves, how they tackle obstacles, and how they seize opportunities.

I’ve often heard, explicitly or implicitly, that we might be able to understand and know we are forgiven by God for certain things but still feel like the memory stains how we see ourselves and—we worry—how others see us. That worry then makes us come to doubt all we’ve ever learned about God’s love for us. 

What are the biggest obstacles that you think this next generation of counselors will face and why?

A few months ago I revisited one of my favorite short stories, The Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien. This story reminds us that it’s worth taking time to reflect on the objects of our hope and the value we ascribed to our endeavors.

Some people are incredibly generous with grace, just not toward themselves. They offer understanding when others make mistakes. They are patient when friends fall short. They remind loved ones that everyone is human and nobody is perfect. They are quick to encourage others and slow to judge. Yet when they themselves make a mistake, the rules suddenly change.

As our children enter young adulthood, we must recognize that they are building a different house than the one we may have imagined.

Grief has a way of finding you when you least expect it. It doesn’t always arrive loudly. Sometimes it shows up in the middle of an ordinary moment sitting still, thinking. And then, without warning, it hits.

Nathan Callahan, LPC shares a little about his life and his counseling journey in this month’s Counselor Spotlight.

What if healing does not necessitate toughness? What if it begs for tenderness instead? Scripture invites us to bring our pain honestly to God rather than burying it. In Philippians 4:4-9, the Apostle Paul gives us three movements that help us invite God into our pain: praise, prayer, and practicing truth.

Whether you find yourself fearful of AI, excited to automate everything, or somewhere in the middle, AI is pervasive, and it is likely to stay. How then should it be implemented in society, and more personally, into our individual lives?

It is normal to feel regret at some point, but if it lasts too long, it can make us feel guilty, anxious, and unsure of ourselves. Oddly enough, though, regret can also be helpful from a therapy point of view. If we are kind and curious about it, regret can become a chance to think, grow, and learn.

Brandon Bressler, LPC, ACS shares a little about his life and his counseling journey in this month’s Counselor Spotlight.

Anger is a natural human emotion, but it rarely appears randomly. In many cases, anger begins with what psychologists call “triggers.”

“It is finished,” Jesus declared as He breathed His last breath on the cross, as recorded in John 19:30. With these words, His sacrifice was complete. All sin was atoned for and the relationship between God and humanity restored. There is a weight to these words and this moment, though, that we struggle to fully live into on this side of heaven.

Whatever form it takes, suffering has a way of making us feel isolated and can cause us to question where God is in the middle of it. But just as suffering is not an indication of faith, asking these questions does not indicate a lack of faith.

Michel Snyder, LAC shares a little about her life and her counseling journey in this month’s Counselor Spotlight.

For parents who are navigating the world of ADHD, Autism, or other neurodivergent paths, you are facing a reality that often feels like "parenting on steroids." If you feel exhausted, there is a biological reason for it.