orangecc

About Plano Christian Counseling

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Plano Christian Counseling has created 40 blog entries.

After the Affair: Can Trust Be Restored?

By |2023-10-28T10:01:29+00:00May 26th, 2023|Couples Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Infidelity is not an easy thing to heal from. Finding out that that your spouse has cheated on you can be devastating. It’s like receiving a sucker punch to your gut that leaves you reeling in shock and disbelief. Overcoming a breach of trust is one of the most difficult issues for a relationship to survive, but God is a healer of broken hearts, and with His help, it is possible to rebuild trust even after the affair. Nobody can go back and start a new beginning but anyone can start today and make a new ending. – Maria Robinson What not to do after the affair The initial shock of discovering that a partner has been unfaithful and the flooding emotions are normal. Reactions sparked by this may seem reasonable and justifiable at the moment but will hinder healing and likely lead to regrets later on. Avoid telling everyone about it. Before you impulsively tell everyone what your spouse has done, allow yourself and your partner time to discuss and determine how you want to proceed going forward, what you are going to share, and with whom. Avoid blasting your cheating spouse on social media. Once you put something out on social media it lives forever even if you later decide to delete it. Avoid making life-altering decisions. Acting impulsively while your thinking is clouded, such as filing for divorce or retaliating by having an affair of your own, can make any possibility of healing your relationship more difficult. Take time to think things through before doing anything rash. Avoid obsessing over the person your partner had an affair with. Hyper fixating on the other person, stalking him or her on social media, or allowing obsessive thoughts of him or her to consume your mind can only make [...]

Comments Off on After the Affair: Can Trust Be Restored?

Loved and Found: The Healing Power that Overcomes Trauma and Shame

By |2024-04-04T11:10:35+00:00May 2nd, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Humans are curious creatures. We are breathing miracles that embody the creative brilliance of the King of the Universe. He isn’t an aloof God, externalized from our infirmities and issues, but rather the one Lord and Father of all, who isn’t far from any of us (Acts 17:27) even in our trauma and shame. That Truth comes alive in and for those who accept the olive branch of The Father’s Offering, in Jesus. As God’s Son and our Savior, Jesus poured His entire life to reconcile us with the Father, receive us into the family, making us righteous–all by faith in Christ. God’s abundant affection toward us characterizes the miracle of salvation, but our own diminished self-worth causes us to wrestle with giving and receiving a Love this relentless, raw, and real. Our relationship with God, ourselves, and others would ideally be characterized by all the Father initiates and imparts, but the same complications that entered Eden, afflict us, too. When we search outside of God and His expansive provision, we stumble and injure ourselves in search of identity and validation. We scout for attention, affirmation, and affection in the wrong places, though we were already created in and for love by our God who is Love. In response to the Father, we love and learn how to receive and rest in it for ourselves, return it to Him, and release it to others. The pathology of trauma and shame A soul that injures itself operates similarly to an auto-immune deficiency. Many times, when we have been infected by trauma, our hearts and minds behave with the same pattern where dis-ease deconstructs the body from the inside out. When infirmity causes the body to become confused, it wars against itself. It mistakes the agents that promote health and help, [...]

Comments Off on Loved and Found: The Healing Power that Overcomes Trauma and Shame

Slow Burn: Releasing Unresolved Anger and the Right to Revenge

By |2024-04-04T11:13:03+00:00April 29th, 2023|Anger Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Relationship Issues, Spiritual Development|

Anger is a normal emotion. We don’t have to fear it; but like fire, we are to handle it responsibly, with caution, maturity, and a sober mind submitted to the Holy Spirit’s wisdom. We bring it to the Lord. As Helper, He filters what is unnecessary and gives insight and understanding of what to do with what’s left. We may have been legitimately wronged, but allowing unresolved anger in our lives has dire consequences we don’t always see. Cain didn’t know that his brother’s blood would cry out from the earth when he killed Abel. God heard it, though (Genesis 4:10-11). Perhaps, no human witnesses were present to observe the traumatic incidents that sparked our anger and the thirst for revenge. God knows all the details. Always present, our Advocate was fully aware and completely committed to righting the wrongs on our behalf. The Father repurposes evil, turning it for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). We have to yield God’s sovereign position to Him alone. We don’t have the right or the capacity to occupy His throne and administer short-sighted human justice, restricted by the finite realm of what we know, see, and feel. While our feelings are legitimate, our wounded hearts demonstrate true love when responding to God with trust versus unforgiveness and revenge. He does what we cannot. Love breaks the stronghold that hate seeks to establish in our hearts. We may look vulnerable, perhaps even foolish. Some would say that Jesus appeared the same way. Without retribution, He was tortured mercilessly for all of humanity, including those who reject Him as Savior and Lord. His suffering preceded the souls. Glory came later. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8, ESV Scripture is [...]

Comments Off on Slow Burn: Releasing Unresolved Anger and the Right to Revenge

How to Get Closer to God: Nurturing Your Spiritual Growth

By |2024-07-31T10:00:24+00:00April 19th, 2023|Featured, Individual Counseling, Spiritual Development|

Listen to this article Summary Our lives are defined by our relationships, and out of the bounty of one’s relationship with God flows flourishing throughout our lives. He is always close to us, but we can choose whether we want to be closer to God. Through Jesus Christ, we can know God and walk in humble obedience with Him as we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. Even when we encounter tough times, we can continue to walk closely with God and grow to become the kind of people He wants us to be. Table of Contents Introduction What does it mean to get closer to God? Why being closer to God matters. How to begin getting closer to God. Am I walking closely with God? What do you do if you’re struggling to connect with God? Frequently Asked Questions. 1. Introduction Getting to know someone doesn’t happen overnight. It takes loads of time and shared experiences to get to know and trust them. This goes for platonic and romantic relationships, and it also applies to how we relate to God. Whether you’re simply curious about how intimacy with God works, or you’re serious about discovering how to grow closer to God, this article will help you on your journey. You may even have been journeying with God for a while, and need to remind yourself of the basics that get lost in the shuffle of daily life. 2. What does it mean to get closer to God? God already knows you. God knows you better than you know yourself, and nothing that you say, do, think, or feel is surprising to Him. Psalm 139 begins this way: You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you [...]

Comments Off on How to Get Closer to God: Nurturing Your Spiritual Growth

What Does The Bible Say About Divorce? A Deep Dive On A Complex Topic

By |2024-04-04T11:15:15+00:00March 23rd, 2023|Marriage Counseling|

Summary Divorce is a painful reality whose full implications can only be rightly understood once placed alongside a Biblical understanding of marriage. Biblical marriage is the lifelong union of a man and a woman that reflects, albeit imperfectly, God’s commitment to His people. The deeper resonance of human marriage with God’s love for His people is one reason why divorce is a last resort, and why even if exceptions exist in Scripture that make divorce permissible, divorce isn’t encouraged or mandated. Table of Contents First Things: Understanding Biblical Marriage. Old Testament Perspective On Divorce. Circumstances under which one can get divorced. New Testament Perspective On Divorce. Circumstances under which one can get divorced. Circumstances for divorce not directly addressed in the Bible. Conclusions. References. Frequently Asked Questions. 1. First Things: Understanding Biblical Marriage Talking about divorce can be a little like navigating a field strewn with landmines. There are myriad perspectives out there on divorce, not to mention personal experiences with it. For some, they’ve gone through divorce themselves, while others have witnessed divorce with various degrees of separation from it – as children born of the relationship, or as siblings, friends and other loved ones of the couple getting divorced. In some cases, the divorce was drawn out and messy, while in others it was amicable. The marriage preceding the divorce may have had glimpses of goodness and light, or it may have been an excruciating ordeal from start to finish. To speak into this broad range of experiences seems hazardous and foolhardy, but it is important to do so. As divorce is a reality that touches many lives, understanding what the Bible says on the matter is important for Christians and non-Christians alike. When applying what the Bible says, it’s important to do so with pastoral compassion [...]

Comments Off on What Does The Bible Say About Divorce? A Deep Dive On A Complex Topic

What is Christian Family Counseling and How Do We Know if We Need It?

By |2023-10-28T10:30:26+00:00February 7th, 2023|Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Building a strong family can seem like an insurmountable task. Family is the center of our most intense and significant relationships. Yet these relationships can be fraught with conflict, or they can suffer from a lack of closeness or stress from internal and external pressures – all good reasons to take part in family counseling. We cannot underestimate the importance of building a strong family and strengthening the relationships among spouses, parents and children, siblings, and extended family, yet often we struggle to know how to set healthy boundaries, strengthen bonds, build interdependence, and overcome conflict. In today’s world, we have more outside influence in our families than ever before. Sometimes, it might feel like we’re living separately under one roof, with everyone distracted by their screens. Maybe we’ve just drifted apart over the years and have lost the rhythms that used to draw us together. Christian family counseling can provide family support for numerous challenges facing families today, and help build a Christ-centered foundation for your family. What is Christian family counseling? Christian family counseling is an approach to counseling that looks at patterns and dynamics within a family rather than primarily focusing on an individual. While individual counseling provides a setting for one person to focus on primarily themselves and their perspective on relationships, family counseling addresses the group dynamic first. The counselors at Plano Christian Counseling use an integrated approach, combining proven therapeutic techniques with a biblical worldview to help you build a Christ-centered foundation for your family. The goal of Christian family counseling is to help you find holistic solutions for the problems you’re facing. If you are struggling in any way or simply want to take a proactive approach to strengthen your family, Christian family counseling can be the perfect way to address concerns, [...]

Comments Off on What is Christian Family Counseling and How Do We Know if We Need It?

7 Ways to Increase Your Motivation

By |2024-04-04T11:17:43+00:00January 31st, 2023|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Professional Development|

We all have goals that we’d like to realize in our lives. Despite this, many of us face challenges along the way as we work toward our objectives. We either do not have the motivation to get started, we do not have the energy to get started, or we do not know where to start. We put things off or come up with excuses. Then, we are harsh on ourselves, labeling ourselves as “lazy” or “slackers.” When we are feeling stuck or have been idling for an excessive amount of time, sometimes all we need is a jump-start or one or two strategies to boost our motivation. 7 Ways to Increase Your Motivation Here are some suggestions that have stood the test of time: 1. Prepare a timer for 15 minutes to boost motivation. You’re probably familiar with the pile of laundry that just emerged from the dryer and has to be folded. Or what about the dishes that suddenly materialized in the sink? Make it a personal challenge instead of wishing in the back of your mind that those things would go away, and turn it into a game. Put a fifteen-minute timer on yourself and see how much you can get done in that little amount of time. When you’re up against the clock, you might be amazed at how many tasks you can finish in a short amount of time. This is especially true when you’re trying to beat the clock. Knowing that there is a finish line to the work is also helpful. It won’t take more than a quarter of an hour to finish. Or, by that time, you will have deceived yourself into continuing the task, telling yourself that you are making good progress and that you would prefer to finish everything rather [...]

Comments Off on 7 Ways to Increase Your Motivation

The Root of Procrastination and How to Stop Procrastinating

By |2023-10-28T10:32:24+00:00January 31st, 2023|Coaching, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development, Professional Development|

Wondering how to stop procrastinating? Many of us obsess over the things we wish we could accomplish more effectively, frequently, or at all. We occasionally experience feelings of being stuck and unable to advance or move, or else we engage in procrastination. Paradoxically, it feels that looking into what maintains us in this state will simply add fuel to the fire. When this happens, we could feel scared, tense, apprehensive, or bewildered. In this situation, there is typically a feeling of overwhelm. As a result of the overpowering emotions, we experience more paralysis and become increasingly convinced that we are powerless to make the changes we want to see in our life. This procedure prompts the query: How do we stop postponing things? Each of us may have occasionally felt uncomfortable due to sporadic procrastination, but some people constantly struggle with the cycle of overload and procrastination when it comes to the majority of their goals and deadlines. When repeated, it may also start to feel exhausting to pursue our goals and embark on tasks, even if they are necessary. Remember that procrastination is a symptom of a more significant underlying issue. It is crucial to examine the root cause of procrastination to address it. Being overburdened frequently manifests as procrastination. In other words, it could feel impossible to move forward with those responsibilities if we are feeling overwhelmed by what might be expected of us. We need methods for preventing overwhelm to facilitate avoiding procrastination. Fear can drive procrastination. One reason we can feel scared by our responsibilities or what they might entail is that we are overburdened with our ambitions and objectives. Sometimes we may feel that the task is too difficult or that the stakes are too high. This may cause us to become numb or hide [...]

Comments Off on The Root of Procrastination and How to Stop Procrastinating

When Your Teenager is Giving You the Silent Treatment

By |2023-10-28T10:37:21+00:00November 26th, 2022|Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Is your teenager giving you the silent treatment? The degree to which your child has stopped talking is really the most important factor in determining whether or not you should be concerned that they might be giving you the silent treatment. Three Examples of the Silent Treatment in Teenagers Let’s look at three possible scenarios: #1 In the past, you and your daughter were considered “best friends.” She once opened up to you about everything, but now all of a sudden, she is avoiding you and only confiding in her other friends about her innermost thoughts. In this scenario, there is not a whole lot that you need to be concerned about. As difficult as it may be, you have to make an effort not to let her decision affect how you feel about yourself. She may simply be going through the natural and healthy process of separating from you and becoming an adult. Here are the steps you can take in this situation: Do not lecture her or express to her how her silence has hurt you. Try to have constructive exchanges with her. Engage her in activities that both of you have found to be enjoyable in the past. Take a seat at the table with her. Don’t try to pry information out of her. Instead, be vulnerable and talk about something funny or interesting that happened to you in your own life. If you let your guard down, she may feel more comfortable doing the same. Talk to her like an adult and with respect, and make it clear that you value her opinions and expect respect in return. Show that you value her opinions and expect respect in return. #2 Your child, who used to be sweet and affectionate toward you, now gives you one-word [...]

Comments Off on When Your Teenager is Giving You the Silent Treatment

How to Forgive: Tips for True Forgiveness

By |2023-10-28T10:40:05+00:00November 22nd, 2022|Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues, Spiritual Development|

Who hasn’t been harmed by someone else’s deeds or words? Perhaps you experienced repeated criticism from a parent when you were a child, a coworker sabotaged a project, or your partner had an affair. Or perhaps you’ve gonethrough a terrible event, such as being physically or psychologically assaulted by a family member and have had a difficult time with forgiveness. You may experience lingering sentiments of rage, bitterness, and even vengeance as a result of these traumas. But if you don’t learn to forgive, you can end up paying the price. You can embrace joy, happiness, peace, hope, and thankfulness by practicing forgiveness. Think about how moving toward forgiveness might benefit your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Describing forgiveness. To each person, forgiveness means something different. However, in most cases, it involves deciding to let go of resentment and thoughts of vengeance. Although the act that injured or offended you might always be with you, forgiving the offender might assist loosen its hold on you and help you break free from its grasp. Even feelings of comprehension, empathy, and compassion for the person who injured you might arise after you have forgiven them. Forgiveness does not entail forgetting or dismissing the hurt that was done to you or reconciling with the offender. You can go on with life more easily when you can forgive. What advantages come from forgiveness? It is possible to experience better health and mental tranquility by letting go of past wrongs and bitterness. What may forgiveness lead to? healthier connections elevated mental state less stress, anxiety, and hostility blood pressure reduction fewer depression symptoms enhanced immunological response better heart health higher self-esteem Why is it so easy to harbor resentment? Anger, anguish, and confusion can result when someone you love, and trust hurts you. Grudges fueled [...]

Comments Off on How to Forgive: Tips for True Forgiveness
Go to Top