Posts by GrowthSkills

Grief is how we honor what we have lost. The most common example of grief is mourning the death of someone we loved, but we also grieve the loss of other things such as a marriage or significant relationship, a job or opportunity, a pet, our health, or a dream. We are all familiar with…

A village in central Italy has become a global phenomenon. CNN reported in a 2018 study that the townspeople living in this village live without normal depression and the male residents are 10 times more likely to live to be 100 years. Researchers discovered that the common factor was the strength of their social relationships…

Recently, my family and I moved from the only city and home we’ve known to a new place. We did so believing this change promised many positive outcomes, especially for our children. If you’re moving in the UK, take a look at Peak Removals. We also knew there would be some challenges. As expected, uprooting…

The box arrived in my driveway exactly when it was supposed to, except I wasn’t expecting a box, I was expecting a chair. I was alarmed to discover my chair, the chair I ordered, had been put in a box; a box considerably smaller than the chair I was expecting. I was annoyed. I shoved…

If you listen to the media, you could believe that this is the most self-absorbed generation of people ever to walk this planet. Sometimes it does feel that way. And while tracking sociological trends is outside my field, after decades working as a psychotherapist and coach, I’ve come to trust my own perspective on humanity.…

Is there a problem with guilt? Is it good or bad? Is it necessary, and if so, what purpose does it serve? Many psychological theorists have held guilt to be pathological. However, other theorists believe it to be an aspect of morality. Freud believed that guilt was necessary, without it, he believed there could be…

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” One evening my 7-year-old son, Elisha, and I were talking and he started asking questions, as a 7-year-old does. He asked about money and how…

I consider myself a recovered perfectionist. In my youth, my perfectionism helped me succeed and achieve great things – valedictorian, top female scholar-athlete in both high school and college, president of clubs – too many to list, active in church ministry positions and on and on. However, what festered underneath my achievements was a depression…

We can learn great lessons for our own life from the Bible. Do you recall God telling Moses about the Promised Land, and more importantly, the life he wanted His people, to have? (Deuteronomy 1: 6- 8) He gave them a vision of a new life in this Promised Land; a new place for them…

The Christmas season can be such a beautiful time of the year; twinkling lights, festive decorations, nostalgic music, fun parties and too much tasty food. It can also be a painful time because it often highlights losses. The loss of a loved one or the absence of those who have moved on, through divorce or…