Are you constantly stressed, lashing out at your loved ones in anger for trivial things and finding yourself living in a constant state of frustration? Is your family beginning to pull away from you, are they avoiding you. Do they have to walk around on eggshells, wondering whether any little thing they say or do will trigger an angry episode? Maybe it’s time to look at how you are managing your stress. There are some simple things you can do to avoid saying and doing things that you’ll regret. In my article, Is Stress Affecting Your Marriage and Family – Discover 3 Ways to Quickly Relieve Stress and Anger I present some simple effective tools for reducing the effects of stress on your relationships.
Stress and Anger Taking a Toll on your Marriage and Family?
January 25th, 2011Christian Counselling Perspectives
January 10th, 2011I’ve seen numerous clients who have come to me specifically because of my Christian background. Clients come all the way from Pentiction, Kelowna, Vernon and Armstrong because they prefer a Christian Counsellor over someone with another faith background or no faith background at all. A practicing Christian feels it is important to weigh all advice and counsel with Biblical values and teaching and to be able to include prayer into the mix for seeking direction and wisdom. The Christian gets a sense of security and safety when seeing a counsellor who shares the same values as they do. At Lake Country Counselling I offer this approach to counselling only to those who request it, respecting the diversity of beliefs and understanding that some choose not to include their religious background in their counselling process. Including faith values in the counselling process can be very beneficial for clients who take their faith walks seriously. Counsellors who acknowledge and work with clients from different faith backgrounds will help the client draw from their own resources and strengths as they seek to make changes in their lives, overcoming obstacles and solving problems. Christians find strength and support from their belief in God and reliance on the Word of God for counsel. Familiarity with the Scriptures and an understanding of the values associated with the Christian faith makes a Christian Counsellor a valuable support for the Christian client looking for help whether an individual, couple or family.
Fresh start to a New Year
December 28th, 2010Athletes, politians, world leaders, corporate executives, religious leaders, millionaires; what do these successful people often have in common? They employ coaches, mentors, advisors and confidents to help them navigate decision-making, self-improvement, problem-solving, growth and change. As a Kelowna counsellor I am still surprised at the stigma attached to the idea of going to a counsellor for help with an issue. There seems to be a great amount of embarassment and shame attached to the idea of counselling and it is often viewed as a sign of weakness or low self-esteem.
I would like to dispell this myth and point out that even the most successful and the strongest are aware that there is room for self-improvement, new insight and the help of an outside perspective to reach dreams and goals in life.
As you enter another New Year, do you have dreams and desires for a fresh start in any area of your life? Perhaps you are wishing for better health, a better job or career change, a better relationship, new habits, financial success or a change in lifestyle. Are you stuck? Have years of unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions left you with a feeling of failure and lack of motivation to even try again?
Don’t let another year go by. You can make the changes you desire, but you may just need the encouragement and help of someone who can come along side, help you set realistic goals, plan and implement steps to achieve your goals and encourage you along the way.
Are you ready for a fresh start to the New Year. Counselling can help. We’d love to journey with you and help you see your dreams fulfilled!
The Effects of Addiction on the Family – Roles of Family Members
December 13th, 2010The Effects of Addiction on the Family should not be overlooked or minimized. When an addict exists in the family, the entire household finds ways to adapt in order to cope and keep balance in the system. Each family member adapts by playing a role that helps to maintain this balance and keep the family functioning around the addict’s behaviour. Another name for these roles is “co-dependency” a term that we hear often these days. The co-dependent person will do everything possible to keep peace in the family, to cover up the addict’s behaviour, to minimize the affects of the addiction on other family members. Often this person is seen as addicted to the addict. This behaviour of course enables the addict to continue his or her behaviour and the family adapts accordingly. Read more in my article entitled The Effects of Addiction on the Family: Roles and Co-Dependency