Individual Counseling Archives | Page 2 of 11

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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What to Do When You Feel Depressed: 15 Tips to Help You Cope

What to Do When You Feel Depressed: 15 Tips to Help You Cope

Hannah Parks, Kate Motaung2025-07-30T09:26:00+00:00July 30th, 2025|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Depression is more than just feeling down. It can affect every area of your life, making it seem overwhelmingly dismal and hopeless. It drains your energy, makes it difficult to muster up the strength or desire to do anything, and creates a vicious cycle that keeps you feeling low. The worse you feel, the less you do, and the less you do, the worse you feel. Many people say that depression feels like a weight or heaviness that seems to hold them back from the things and people that they love. If you have struggled with depression before, you might be able to think of a time when depression impacted you, and there was a desire to know ways to get away from the heaviness. Many think that they might be able to just will away depression. However, that is simply not how it works. There is good news, though, because there are small and simple practices and coping strategies that can help you lessen the heaviness of depression and allow for the opportunity for you to breathe in life again. 15 Tips to Help You When You Feel Depressed Reach out and stay connected Reach out and stay in touch with friends and loved ones even when you don’t feel like it. Make an effort to spend time with people who lift you up. Don’t let your mood cause you to withdraw from life. Reaching out could look as simple as sending a text expressing the desire for a simple, low-pressure meet-up and maybe even including a sentence about recent difficulties with wanting to isolate. Be mindful not to isolate yourself by convincing yourself that you are too exhausted or that you would just be a burden. Face-to-face time is important. Having a supportive, nonjudgmental, trusted friend or [...]

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Signs of Clinical Depression: Christian Counseling for Depression in Plano, Texas

Signs of Clinical Depression: Christian Counseling for Depression in Plano, Texas

Sandra Stein2025-10-02T13:37:25+00:00July 28th, 2025|Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling|

Clinical depression is more than just feeling unhappy or down in response to the upsetting circumstances or setbacks of everyday life. Also known as major depressive disorder, it is a mental health condition that affects the way you think, feel, act, and perceive the world, and is not something you can simply force yourself to snap out of. At Plano Christian Counseling, we offer faith-based therapy for signs of clinical depression in Plano, Texas. The most distinguishing signs of clinical depression are a persistent, pervasive low mood without clear cause and a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed. Common Signs of Clinical Depression Signs of clinical depression can vary widely between people and may last for weeks or months. The following are some of the most common ones. Psychological signs constant sadness apathy feeling down low self-esteem feelings of guilt low self-worth tearfulness irritability anger low tolerance level frustration over small matters difficulty focusing or making decisions forgetfulness lack of motivation loss of interest in things you normally enjoy feeling helpless and hopeless anxiety feelings of impending doom recurring thoughts of death, suicide, or harming yourself Physical signs moving or speaking slower than normal loss of appetite binge eating significant weight loss or weight gain unexplained aches and pains lack of energy fatigue trouble sleeping or sleeping too much loss of sexual desire engaging in escapist behavior such as substance abuse or binge-watching TV Behavioral signs Behavioral signs of clinical depression may include isolating yourself, avoiding contact with friends, withdrawing from social activities, and/or neglecting hobbies, pastimes, and other interests such as sports that you used to pursue. To receive a diagnosis of clinical depression, you must have experienced five or more of the symptoms listed above for most of the day, every day, for at least [...]

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Common Childhood Experiences that Can Cause Emotional Trauma

Common Childhood Experiences that Can Cause Emotional Trauma

Tammy Varghese, Kate Motaung2025-07-23T06:22:46+00:00July 23rd, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Trauma|

Everyone starts life with a limited frame of reference for how the world works. It is a handful of adults and peers who shape us, teach us, help us grow. Sometimes, they damage us. It is only as we navigate adult relationships, intimacy, and careers that we begin to realize how we are damaged. We begin to wonder what went wrong. Though we start life with a small frame of reference for what is “normal,” we later learn that some of the common childhood experiences we had at home and school were damaging. They resulted in deep emotional trauma that we now have to confront and heal. A Bent Sapling Children can be resilient, but they will only thrive when they experience healthy conditions. Essentially, children are like delicate saplings of trees growing, taking shape, and bearing fruit. How well they grow, what heights they will reach, and what shape they will take is determined by their experiences in early childhood. All forms of violent abuse are like axes directed at the sapling. It is little wonder that they won’t grow if they had to endure those experiences at so tender an age. On the other hand, some children endure subtle forms of emotional trauma and are deeply affected by it, though they won’t immediately show it. Common Childhood Experiences That Cause Emotional Trauma The Silent Treatment Many adults are not equipped to handle their emotions. They go one of two ways when they are upset: either they blow up and externalize their emotions on their kids, or they internalize their emotions and use the silent treatment. This is damaging for many reasons, but mainly because children do not understand what their parents are doing when they suddenly become distant and silent. They are left to fill in the [...]

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When ADHD Interferes With Your Relationships

When ADHD Interferes With Your Relationships

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-07-23T06:19:41+00:00July 23rd, 2025|ADHD/ADD, Featured, Individual Counseling, Relationship Issues|

Relationships are important. They are part of God’s plan. He made us social creatures. In Genesis, we find that God didn’t want Adam to be alone, so He created Eve. The Bible is full of stories of how God has provided people to do his work and to love His followers. So, when you long for relationships, it’s not unusual – it’s part of God’s plan. But if you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (also known as ADHD), you may be struggling in your relationships. It’s one thing to desire deep, meaningful, and mutually beneficial relationships, and it’s a whole other thing to make and preserve them. ADHD Relationship Obstacles If you have ADHD, you’re probably already familiar with some of the obstacles that this disorder presents when it comes to interpersonal relationships. You’re probably acutely aware of the fact that you interrupt people when they’re talking or that you have a hard time focusing on a conversation. You probably cringe when you think about the time that you were pacing the floor acting disinterested in a conversation. But your mind and your body often follow the directions of ADHD rather than social norms. A romantic relationship adds a whole other layer of confusion and misunderstanding. You might be in a fully committed, loving relationship, ready to make a life together, but if your partner doesn’t understand your ADHD, you might not be perceiving the relationship in the same way. When you forget something they just said or lose track of the task that you promised to handle, it can feel to them like you’re careless or indifferent or even worse, that you simply don’t prioritize them or their needs. If they don’t understand that your brain works just a little differently, they may interpret your actions as lazy, [...]

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Social Media and Teens: Helping Your Teen Thrive Online

Social Media and Teens: Helping Your Teen Thrive Online

Sarah Harris, Kate Motaung2025-09-27T13:02:44+00:00July 22nd, 2025|Christian Counseling For Teens, Coaching, Family Counseling, Featured, Individual Counseling|

People are highly adaptable creatures, but in other ways, we can become tied to our habits and find it hard to do anything different. There was a time, not that long ago, when getting to meet other people and exchange ideas was something you did largely in person. The world has changed quite rapidly, and now a person’s online presence can be more impactful than what they do in real life, away from their keyboards and social media handles. For teens who don’t know life apart from social media, a person’s online presence carries a lot more significance than what it does for people who are casual or non-users. If you’re the parent or caregiver of a teen, you must teach yourself about social media so you can help your teen navigate the joys and perils of social media. Social Media and Teens: It’s a Thing It should be said from the outset that teens are by no means monolithic. They don’t all enjoy the same things, so they can’t be easily pigeonholed. Broadly speaking, for teens, because of how tech-savvy they tend to be, and because they’re at the stage of life where they are experimenting, learning, being creative, pushing boundaries, and testing the edges of what’s acceptable, social media is a place where these things can be given full vent. Love it or hate it, social media has become an important part of our lives. Social media has become the new town square where people meet to share and debate ideas. Those debates aren’t always civil or informative, but there you have it. Social media is a place for connecting with others, building community, and a sense of belonging. Additionally, social media provides people with space to express themselves, creatively and otherwise. Now, at the push of [...]

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