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How to Make Friends If You Have Social Anxiety

How to Make Friends If You Have Social Anxiety

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-09-24T06:45:23+00:00September 24th, 2025|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Most people crave friendships. Even the most introverted among us has a certain degree of God given desire for social connection. God made us social creatures for a reason. He created Eve when He recognized Adam’s social need. God brought us back into fellowship with Him when He saw the sin-induced divide. So, having people in your life is important and necessary for fellowship, mission work, and overall life satisfaction. If you’re craving relationships, there are a lot of ways to find those social connections, even if you’re socially awkward or suffer from social anxiety. Even if you have a shy personality or have been criticized publicly. Even if toxic friendships have made you afraid to trust others again. And even if you’re at a stage in your life where you are physically unable to socialize in the ways you always have. Tips for Overcoming Social Anxiety Whatever the reason for your isolation, it can be difficult to reach out to others when your insides are a jumbled-up mess of nerves, doubt, fear, hurt, and self-doubt. But there is hope. You can overcome those obstacles that prevent authentic connections and live a whole, fulfilling social life. You can be a part of a dynamic duo or be a main character in a friend group. You can find people who will support you in your endeavors and cry with you in your defeats. But first, you might have to put in a little work to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of those authentic and meaningful connections. Get therapy Therapy can help you not only understand but also untangle the things that are standing in the way of quality relationships in your life. Sometimes what you need is someone trained to walk with you through the fear, trauma, and [...]

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Finding Support to Help Troubled Teens in Texas

Finding Support to Help Troubled Teens in Texas

Hannah Parks, Kate Motaung2025-09-24T05:56:28+00:00September 24th, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

If you’re raising or taking care of a teen, one of the fears that you may have is that your teen will become a statistic. Usually, that’s meant negatively, whether it’s numbering among teens who drop out of school, teens who get involved with sex or drugs, or teens who turn to crime. The specter of these possible futures frightens parents and caregivers, and it can lead to dysfunctional parenting. The reality is that some teens do find themselves in trouble. A parent or caregiver’s responsibility is to steward this young life, this precious gift from the Lord, and to try to nurture them and set them on the path they should pursue. Part of discharging this responsibility is setting healthy patterns in place, as well as being able to identify when a child is in trouble and needs support. It’s important to know how to deal with your teen, and that includes knowing how to meaningfully support them when they are a troubled teen. What is a troubled teen? The term “troubled teen” is not a clinical term by any means, and it can conjure a variety of images that may be inspired by popular culture. A troubled teen can come in different guises, which means a parent or caregiver needs to be alert and discerning. It can be easy to miss the signs of trouble if you’re looking in the wrong places. The adolescent years mark a deeply transformative and impactful stage of life, characterized by significant emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual growth. They are becoming the people they will likely be for the rest of their lives. That’s huge, and as you can imagine, for some teens, these vast changes can be overwhelming. These changes, or other life experiences, may lead to them becoming what’s known [...]

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Social Media and Body Image: Back to School Edition

Social Media and Body Image: Back to School Edition

Melissa Plantz2025-09-08T06:24:27+00:00September 8th, 2025|Christian Counseling for Children, Christian Counseling For Teens, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

Back to school is a time when many families are ready for a fresh start. There is so much hope for the future, excitement, and maybe a little bit of anxiety. But for some children, their body image impacts how they will interact with others and pursue their goals. How we perceive our bodies affects how we behave and the beliefs that we hold onto. Social media and body image play critical roles in how a child views themselves. The Effects of Social Media and Body Image on Kids The effects of social media and body image on children can last a lifetime. Children, as young as grade school, begin to notice society’s ideal image of what someone should look like to be pretty, handsome, cool, or successful. They start their quest to fulfill what they believe everyone wants. Comparison Children who spend time on social media may begin to compare their own bodies to those of their peers and celebrities, not understanding how unrealistic many of these images are after being airbrushed and filtered. Body Dysmorphia Body dysmorphia is an excessive worry about how one looks. It is an obsession with perceived flaws. This obsession can interfere with a child’s daily activities and socialization. Eating Disorders Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, are fatal if left untreated. They cause severe physical illness. Binge eating is another eating disorder that can develop in some children, especially if they use food as a coping mechanism. Increased Risk for Depression and Anxiety Too much time scrolling social media and worrying about body image can increase depression and anxiety in both adults and children. Parents and educators should stay informed about social media and body image, and be willing to celebrate each child’s uniqueness until that child embraces a positive [...]

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Raising Kids: Parenting Tips for When You Feel Overwhelmed

Raising Kids: Parenting Tips for When You Feel Overwhelmed

Sarah Harris, Kate Motaung2025-09-05T07:08:33+00:00September 5th, 2025|Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

When you encounter verses such as Psalm 127:3, you might feel a mixture of emotions. The verse reads, “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3, NIV). One thing a parent might feel is a deep sense of responsibility for their children, perhaps accompanied by gratitude to the Lord for the gift of a child. These emotions can be empowering, but they can also make parents feel overwhelmed due to their gravity. If you take your parenting seriously and your faith and walk with the Lord seriously, it leads to the conclusion that one’s children are a gift over which to exercise wise stewardship. They belong to the Lord, and like all His gifts, we are to handle them carefully. Parenting in the 21st century can be a complex and overwhelming experience. We all need help with handling this vital role. Reasons Parents Feel Overwhelmed Raising a child is a task and responsibility that takes every ounce of energy, and it requires perseverance and ingenuity to accomplish. There are many reasons why a parent or caregiver might feel overwhelmed. Depending on the reason, there are different approaches to take to relieve the sense of pressure and to walk with a greater sense of freedom and joy in your parenting. You may feel overwhelmed because you have too much to do. Many parents can attest to this. Whether you’re a single parent, co-parenting, or in a relationship, you might be stretched thin because there’s just too much to do and you can’t get to it all. You have work, daily chores, school runs, you need to stay fit and socialize, and a thousand little fires that need putting out in a given day. A parent may feel overwhelmed because their child has needs that [...]

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What You Should Know About the Grieving Process: Christian Grief Counseling in Plano, Texas

What You Should Know About the Grieving Process: Christian Grief Counseling in Plano, Texas

Melissa Plantz2025-09-02T10:02:28+00:00September 2nd, 2025|Featured, Grief Counseling, Individual Counseling|

Grieving is a natural part of life. We live in a fallen world of loss and failure until Jesus Christ returns. Understanding the grieving process can make the transition through the stages more bearable. When you understand that what you feel is expected, you can work through it. If you’re looking for Christian grief counseling in Plano, Texas, we can help. The Five Stages of the Grieving Process The grieving process consists of five stages. People vary, however, in how they process grief. For example, you may go through the grieving process in order as listed, while others may never experience specific stages or become stuck in one particular stage longer. The grieving process is normal, but if grief interferes with your daily life and your ability to move forward, then you may need a helping hand. Christian counseling can help you process your emotions, thoughts, and grief to accept the loss, but still move forward with a healthier mental state. Denial/Shock The denial or shock stage can leave you with a numb feeling. You may refuse to believe that the loss occurred, or you may go into “shock,” moving on with your day and trying to manage details while not processing your emotions. As with the other stages, denial can last days or weeks. Anger You may be angry at a person, business, situation, or yourself. You may be angry at God. Anger is a common emotion after loss, whether the death of a loved one, a business failure, or the loss of a relationship. To be angry is not always sinful; the emotion is natural. It is how we react to this anger that can cause problems. Bargaining Making bargains and vows to keep something from happening again or dwelling on the “why” behind a loss can [...]

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After the Divorce: Finding Yourself After a Toxic Marriage

After the Divorce: Finding Yourself After a Toxic Marriage

Melissa Plantz2025-08-26T09:10:50+00:00August 26th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Personal Development|

A toxic marriage is emotionally and, often, physically draining. The period after the divorce is a time for finding yourself, grieving the lost relationship dream, and healing from the loss and trauma. Tips to Rediscovering Yourself after a Toxic Marriage It is important to your mental health to take it slowly after a toxic marriage. Don’t jump into another relationship right away. Give yourself time to heal, seeking professional help if needed. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to seek a new place to live, find work, go back to school, and rebuild your self-esteem. The following is a list of tips for rediscovering yourself after a toxic marriage. Grieve for the relationship dream We don’t plan for a marriage to end during our wedding. We come into it full of dreams and promises. Toxic behaviors can interfere with and ruin those visions of the future. We may feel that we are starting over, sometimes with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Allow yourself to move through the grieving process. Grief has five stages: denial/shock, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. You may cycle through these stages repeatedly until you reach acceptance. Ask for help from a counselor if you are having trouble processing your emotions. Set new boundaries Now is the time to establish new boundaries. You may not have had clear boundaries or may not have known how to enforce them in the past. Decide what you will tolerate and what you will not. Learn to say no to everything that disturbs your peace or is not what you feel God has for you. You do not need to be accessible to everyone all day, every day. Let the people you love know your boundaries. This might mean turning off your phone at 8 p.m. or [...]

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I’ve Been Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. Now What Do I Do?

I’ve Been Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. Now What Do I Do?

Hannah Parks, Kate Motaung2025-08-22T08:45:41+00:00August 22nd, 2025|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

You are sitting and waiting for the professional to speak. Then words come from the professional’s mouth, “ Based on the symptoms you are experiencing and for the time you have been experiencing them, I am going to diagnose you with Major Depression.” In that moment, you experience a multitude of possible thoughts and feelings.Thoughts of “This can’t be real”, or “Thank goodness I finally know what I have been experiencing,” or maybe even “I am a Christian. Christians can’t be depressed. I must be sinning.” Many feelings follow these thoughts; however, each one of these thoughts leads to one question. “I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. Now what do I do ?”An Overview of Major Depressive DisorderMajor Depressive Disorder, MDD, or Clinical Depression is more than just feeling sad. It is a prolonged group of symptoms lasting more than two weeks that greatly impacts daily life.Simple activities such as getting out of bed, texting a loved one, eating, or keeping up with daily hygiene begin to feel like insurmountable mountains of tasks to complete daily. Many describe MDD as feeling like carrying around a massive weight or a dark cloud that seems to follow them around.Those who have been diagnosed with MDD can experience any or all of the following symptoms.Loss of interest or pleasure The clinical name of the loss of interest or pleasure in life is called anhedonia. Hobbies, being social, going on trips, working toward goals, dreams, and ambition no longer seem appealing or even possible when a person is experiencing anhedonia.Sad and hopeless mood Emotional experiences for those diagnosed with MDD tend to fall on the two extremes of the spectrum. Emotions like sadness, hopelessness, and anger become intense. Or the opposite is also true, where one becomes disconnected and numb to their [...]

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Signs of Social Anxiety to Look Out for in a Loved One

Signs of Social Anxiety to Look Out for in a Loved One

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-08-14T06:54:37+00:00August 14th, 2025|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling|

More than anything, we want our loved ones to be happy. As well-placed as this intention can be, one challenge that can come up is that our definition of “happiness” and our loved one’s definition of happiness might not always align perfectly. This can be a source of conflict as two people who love each other try to navigate life together. Knowing your loved one’s struggles can put you in a position where you can stand in the gap for them, supporting them as they need it. With social anxiety, it’s important to know the signs of it, as well as how best to support your loved one if they are socially anxious. Just as there are helpful ways to be present and supportive, there are also unhelpful ones, and knowing the difference matters. The Signs of Social Anxiety People have feelings of anxiety in a variety of circumstances. Some people thrive in a setting with lots of people, engaging in conversation with strangers, or talking through ideas in a public forum like a meeting or classroom. For other people, these things are dreadful, in the literal sense. It takes enormous amounts of energy to be in those kinds of spaces, and once there, it’s a matter of hanging on until it’s all over. A person’s anxiety in social settings can become so severe that it begins to interfere with their daily functioning. At that point, it could be diagnosed as a social anxiety disorder by a mental health professional. Social anxiety disorder can make life – whether that’s hanging out with loved ones, going to work, doing your grocery shopping, or going to the doctor – hard. Anxiety has tell-tale signs, as it affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally. If your loved one has social anxiety, you may [...]

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More Than Schoolwork: Dealing with Today’s Teen Issues

More Than Schoolwork: Dealing with Today’s Teen Issues

Sarah Harris, Kate Motaung2025-08-13T07:04:14+00:00August 13th, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Featured, Individual Counseling|

As adults, most people can agree that the teen years were tumultuous. This is when teens seek independence, yet they still rely on their parents (and desperately need them). Part child, part adult, these older children are planning their future, looking for part-time after-school jobs, and have few bills to pay, if any. Although they may not have a mortgage or a car payment, teens face challenges. Some of these teen issues are the same ones young people have experienced since the beginning of time. Other difficulties stem from today’s technology. Being aware of what teen issues your teenager will face can help prepare them for an easier transition into adulthood. Dealing with Teen Issues Faced by Teenagers Today Substance Abuse The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics states that the percentage of drug use by eighth graders grew by 61% from 2016 to 2020. About half of teenagers have misused drugs, according to the same organization. It seems unbelievable that children are introduced to drugs at such a young age, but there are cases where children are even younger, misusing drugs in early middle school. Not all of these involve illicit drug use. Teens usually have easy access to parents’ and grandparents’ medications, as they are no longer little children, and you may not feel the need to hide these prescriptions. Sometimes, out of curiosity or stress, the teen will take the pills. Unfortunately, no medication is entirely safe without side effects. Drugs taken by someone who does not need the meds or takes too much can easily overdose. Some prescription medications are also controlled substances and are highly addictive. If you suspect your teen is abusing medications or other drugs, reach out for help right away. Peer Pressure Peer pressure seems to be as old as time (Adam [...]

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Trauma Counseling in Plano, Texas: Finding Your Identity After Emotional Abuse

Trauma Counseling in Plano, Texas: Finding Your Identity After Emotional Abuse

Melissa Plantz2025-10-02T13:36:44+00:00August 13th, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Emotional abuse is scarring. It can rip away what sense you had of yourself. Once the abuse has ended and you have placed distance between yourself and your abuser, you may be left wondering who you are or trying to remember the person you were before the abuse. You can find your identity after emotional abuse with time, healing, and patience. Here at Plano Christian Counseling, we offer trauma counseling in Plano, Texas, to help you overcome the effects of emotional abuse.Tips for Finding Yourself After Emotional AbuseBe willing to work on your mental and emotional health after emotional abuse. It takes time for healing and for the discovery of what was hidden. The abuse slowly chipped away at you, but your identity is still there. You just need to rediscover it. Trauma counseling in Plano, Texas,T can help.Journal your emotionsYour emotions may feel like they are all over the place after experiencing abuse. It may be difficult to decipher exactly what you are feeling. Anger? Bitterness? Pain? Probably all three. Journaling is an excellent tool for identifying and working through emotions.Although you can use a digital version, many people find that using a paper journal gives them a sense of catharsis. Releasing strong emotions frees you from the bondage of emotional abuse. You can also use your journal as a reference if you decide to try counseling, providing insight into your thoughts and feelings.Be kind to yourselfIf the emotional abuse was severe, you may hear your abuser’s voice in your ear, whispering terrible things about you. Those words can become a false belief. Learning how to identify and challenge those thoughts will help you to be kinder to yourself.Abuse is not your fault. The fault lies with a person who is broken and hurts others. Show yourself kindness and [...]

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