Men’s Issues Archives | Plano Christian Counseling

Getting to the Root of Anger Problems

Getting to the Root of Anger Problems

Bryan Ferguson, Kate Motaung2026-07-23T05:44:06+00:00July 23rd, 2026|Anger Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues|

If you have ever lost your temper to the point of getting physical, raising your voice, or saying things that you later regret, you are in the majority. Everyone gets angry on occasion, and often an angry response is warranted, logical, or at least understandable. However, if your default response is anger, there might be something else going on. If it doesn’t take much for you to fly off the handle and say or do things you regret, anger could be a problem area. If you look back on your behavior with embarrassment and shame, you might have anger problems. This might be a sensitive topic for you, but it can be resolved in time. The Anger Iceberg While anger is often destructive and harmful, sometimes it can be helpful. As Jesus once told His disciples, “‘…For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’” (Luke 6:45, NIV) In other words, the way we act, the things we say, and our emotional responses show what is going on inside of us in the deep, hidden parts of us. We show how we are feeling with words or actions, even when it is unintentional. Sometimes our emotions are so close to the surface that others see them long before we say or do anything. Anger is an incredibly complex emotion, and it’s not always easy to see what it is connected to. For example, it’s understandable to get annoyed when someone cuts you off in traffic. It’s a selfish thing to do, it’s potentially dangerous, and it blocks your progress. You might curse quietly or demonstrate your frustration to the other driver with gestures and facial expressions. However, if you have anger problems, something as simple and common as being cut off in traffic might spark an inferno of [...]

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Stress Eating: What It Is and How to Combat It

Stress Eating: What It Is and How to Combat It

Ashlynn Barnette, Kate Motaung2026-06-17T07:21:33+00:00June 17th, 2026|Eating Disorders, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

Stress eating, also known as emotional eating, is using food to help you cope with difficult emotions, manage stress, or fill a void within you that you don’t know how to fill. It is eating to fill your emotional needs rather than satisfy physical hunger and nourish your body. Stress eating can lead you to overeat and/or binge on high-calorie, sweet, and fatty foods that are detrimental to your health and sabotage weight-loss efforts if you are trying to lose. Key Difference Between Physical and Emotional Hunger Biological need versus emotional discomfort Physical hunger is a natural, biological response to the body’s need for nutrients and fuel to enable it to keep going. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, is triggered by how you feel rather than by your body’s physical needs and is an attempt to use food to cope with emotional issues, manage stress, soothe, comfort, relax, or numb. Physical sensations versus emotional triggers Physical hunger is an involuntary sensation triggered by a low energy state and the secretion of hunger hormones. Your brain uses physical signs such as a growling stomach, headache, difficulty concentrating, shakiness, lightheadedness, and/or weakness to communicate your body’s need for food. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, is triggered by emotional cues such as stress, sadness, boredom, loneliness, frustration, or even happiness. Gradual versus sudden Physical hunger tends to come on gradually and increase as your body continues to go without food. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, presents as an intense desire to eat something immediately, even if you have already eaten and are no longer physically hungry. Can wait, if necessary, versus immediate gratification With physical hunger, you can ignore the initial signs if you are busy with other things. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, demands instant gratification. Open [...]

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What to Do When You Have an Anxiety Attack at Night

What to Do When You Have an Anxiety Attack at Night

John Edmonson, Kate Motaung2026-03-27T06:53:05+00:00March 27th, 2026|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues|

Having an anxiety attack, especially at night when you’re trying to sleep, can be frustrating, scary, and hard to manage. But there’s always hope, ways to work through it, and get the help you need. Keep reading below to learn a few. The Paradox of Acceptance This might sound strange, but the first step when having an anxiety attack is to accept that you’re having an anxiety attack. I know it’s easy and tempting to want to resist the experience or try to convince yourself you’re feeling “fine” when you’re not. Doing so can lead to prolonging the experience and/or even making it worse. Many try to force themselves to go back to sleep, which usually leads to tossing and turning and even more frustration. This can prolong the negative experience by spending so much time and energy trying not to feel what we’re already feeling, forcing our eyes to stay shut while the minutes and hours pass by, feeling the same or even worse. Also, many who are suffering from anxiety will use external sources such as media, food, or even addictive and destructive processes, attempting to numb or get rid of the feelings. It might initially feel like it’s working, yet sooner or later, those feelings will return with greater force. Also, it can produce guilt or even shame over how we responded to those uncomfortable emotions. This is why when you accept how you feel, you’ll be more able to take action, making things better as opposed to worse. Writing It out As a Way of Working It Out Anxiety can feel overwhelming with increased heart rate, shortness of breath, tension in the body, and a mind racing so fast we can’t even keep up. When we can give all that excitement a task, it can [...]

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What Animals Can Teach Us About Our Coping Skills for Anger

What Animals Can Teach Us About Our Coping Skills for Anger

Bryan Ferguson, Kate Motaung2026-03-03T04:35:19+00:00March 3rd, 2026|Anger Issues, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Relationship Issues|

Anger is one of those feelings that can just sneak up on you. It might start with something small: a tightening of your jaw, a flash of irritation, a sigh you can’t quite catch. Then suddenly, it’s more than that, and you snap. You find yourself raising your voice or saying something you would never have said to another. There’s no shortage of advice out there on how to manage anger. There are plenty of books, podcasts, and tips out there about managing anger. But one of the most powerful lessons we can learn comes from those who don’t speak with words: animals. There is evidence that animals feel fear, stress, frustration, and danger. Yet they don’t tend to carry that energy around with them the way people often do. A dog might growl at something, then wag its tail a minute later. A bird might squawk and fly away, then go pecking about soon after. Animals don’t replay the moment in their minds or harbor resentment. They feel, they release, they move on. That pattern isn’t just instinct. It’s a natural kind of wisdom, and one we can borrow when building our own coping skills for anger. Why Animals Let Go Faster Than People When an animal senses danger or fear, naturally, it reacts immediately. A cat might hiss, a horse might stomp, a rabbit might dash away. But once the threat has passed, the animal returns to its usual state, calm, curious, restful. They don’t carry that incident in their mind all day. Unlike humans, animals don’t ruminate. They don’t nurse grudges or rehearse arguments in their heads. Their emotional responses are immediate, instinctive, and often followed by a reset. On a basic level, we might say it’s because our minds are more complex, with memory, language, [...]

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How Shame Can Make Chemical Dependency Worse

How Shame Can Make Chemical Dependency Worse

Ashlynn Barnette, Kate Motaung2026-02-23T05:24:33+00:00February 23rd, 2026|Chemical Dependency, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

If you are dealing with chemical dependency, or know someone who is, you will know just how life-altering the struggle can be. There will be moments when it feels as if things could not get any worse, but sobriety often hinges on your mental attitude toward the struggle. Chemical dependency is a complex and often deeply rooted issue. The hook keeping most people from making progress on their journey to getting clean is shame. Shame blocks progress both for those dealing with chemical dependency and those supporting loved ones through it. Many aspects of life are affected and made worse when we feel ashamed of ourselves and our choices, but this feeling is almost always present for addicts and those trying to get clean. As you try to combat feelings of shame and failure, it can feel a lot like you are swimming against the tide. However, because shame is so often a component of addiction, it is possible to conquer both. In fact, it is difficult to get free from chemical dependency without also getting free from the shame you carry. The Chemical Dependency Iceberg Most people only begin to understand chemical dependency when they have personally struggled with substance addiction or know someone who has. It is easy to judge the surface of the issue, where it seems as if people continually make unwise choices until an undesirable lifestyle ensnares them. The same people who judge and shame addicts and alcoholics often have hidden dependencies of their own. Their personal dependencies and addictions might be more socially acceptable or even praiseworthy, such as being a workaholic or fitness addict. Meanwhile, they have developed these habits as ways of coping with deeper issues. There are a variety of reasons that people develop a chemical dependency, and none of these [...]

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6 Symptoms of ADHD in Adults

6 Symptoms of ADHD in Adults

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2026-01-14T07:23:13+00:00January 14th, 2026|ADHD/ADD, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

Finding online research about the symptoms of ADHD in adults can be difficult. While there are plenty of articles about symptoms of ADHD in children, the research for adults is limited. However, based on qualitative findings and some quantitative research, here are six behaviors that can signify ADHD in an adult. Possible Symptoms of ADHD in Adults You struggle with restlessness For children, this may look like hyperactivity. In adults, it often feels like an inability to stop fidgeting or perhaps thoughts that run through your mind at a rapid pace. If you find yourself unable to focus on a task because your task makes you think of something else, and then another thought, and then a different thought, this could be a signal of restlessness. Still, other symptoms also need to be present (and comorbidities ruled out) before an ADHD diagnosis can be confirmed. Other symptoms of restlessness might include a fixation on stressful occurrences in your life or others’ lives, getting easily agitated by everyday concerns, or going from frustrated to extreme anger in a short period of time. Restlessness in adults can be a symptom of other issues, so it’s always best to reach out to a counselor at one of our offices to start the diagnostic process. You misplace items frequently Because focus and attention are typically a struggle, one of the symptoms of ADHD in adults that can change from childhood to adulthood is organization. If you were diagnosed as a child, this may mean you did not turn in projects on time, you frequently lost important homework or books, or you had a hard time keeping your room clean. For adults, the struggle with organization can be masked. However, it may be easier for you to recognize if the following “I” statements sound [...]

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Is Counseling a Safe Space to Bare All My Secrets?

Is Counseling a Safe Space to Bare All My Secrets?

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-10-22T06:29:59+00:00October 22nd, 2025|Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Personal Development|

In this day and age, with so many innovations, like virtual counseling, on the rise, many question if the joy of opening up in counseling is still safe and intact. We are all justified in wondering whether new methods like online therapy still provide that trusted sanctuary of face-to-face talk, where vulnerabilities are met with empathy and expertise. Now, let’s get into what makes today’s counseling climate challenging and reassuring at the same time for many people who share these questions. Why Traditional Counseling Was Always a Safe Space Traditional counseling has always been loved and respected because of its unique promise of an environment of trust and confidentiality. Counselors proudly adhered to strict ethical guidelines to keep your privacy intact while creating a therapeutic environment. It created a neutral zone, which allowed you to explore your feelings without fear of exposure. With increased knowledge related to the physiology of mental health over the years, this insight has helped clients gain immensely by making counseling an emotionally secure experience for all parties involved. Attachment dynamics and the traditional counselors’ grasp of how the mind and body connect and interlink helped this field grow and gain a reputation for being essential to overall well-being. If you speak to people who have received counseling throughout their lives, they will be quick to share the great joy and relief counseling has brought them. They loved that sense of solace in a space where active listening, empathy, and reflection thrived. They often laud the capacity they gained to lift burdens off their shoulders and make life’s challenges manageable. With this in mind, it is quite natural for some to wonder why, then the mental health fraternity has reinvented the wheel and incorporated new technologies into counseling. How Counseling Has Changed in the Digital [...]

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Signs That You Need Help for Alcohol Dependence

Signs That You Need Help for Alcohol Dependence

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2026-03-31T08:07:19+00:00June 20th, 2025|Chemical Dependency, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

🎧 Listen to this article https://planochristiancounseling.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Plano-Christian-Counseling-Signs-That-You-Need-Help-for-Alcohol-Dependence-1.mp3 Many people have a complicated relationship with alcohol. In one person’s experience, it may be related to happy and enjoyable memories, while for another, it’s associated with dark and painful ones. Each person must navigate how they will deal with alcohol, and it helps to be informed about some of the ways it can negatively affect someone. Various substances, such as prescription and recreational drugs, affect the brain. Likewise, alcohol can produce pleasurable feelings and also blunt negative ones. It has a powerful effect on the brain, which can make it appealing. This temporary relief can motivate someone to turn to alcohol again and again, even when it poses possible significant risks to their health and overall well-being. You can become dependent on alcohol even without recognizing it. What is alcohol dependence? When you depend on something, it means that it plays a significant role in your life. When a person is dependent on alcohol, they may feel as though they cannot function without consuming alcohol. Alcohol assumes an important role in their life, and often, they have to drink more and more of it in order to obtain the same effect as before. Alcohol becomes a priority, superseding other activities or obligations. When a person is dependent on alcohol, they may not only prioritize alcohol over other things like family or work, but they may continue to consume alcohol even when it becomes destructive. Even if they’ve begun experiencing the harmful consequences of drinking, such as getting a DUI, losing their job, being diagnosed with liver disease, or other mental health challenges, they will continue to drink. Alcohol dependence is marked by the impaired ability to stop or control one’s intake and use of alcohol. Alcohol dependence is one of a [...]

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Natural Anxiety Relief in Plano, Texas

Natural Anxiety Relief in Plano, Texas

Caitlin Mallery2025-03-22T06:57:04+00:00February 10th, 2025|Anxiety, Featured, Individual Counseling, Men’s Issues, Women’s Issues|

If you’re looking for natural anxiety relief in Plano, Texas, we are here to help. A tried-and-true method of coping with anxiety is to pay attention to your five senses. When you are in the midst of a panic attack some people do a simple countdown: five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things you can feel, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This is effective because anxiety tends to spin you into a future-oriented state, so paying attention to the present is a helpful tool. Plano Christian Counseling offers faith-based support to help individuals manage anxiety and find peace in the present moment. This tool of focusing your senses can also help you cope with underlying anxiety. If you know that you are walking into an anxiety-inducing situation, maybe at work or with your family, use your senses to prepare. Some ideas: Hearing - listen to music that soothes or inspires you. Seeing - take moments to gaze into the distance and then up close. Feeling - wear a piece of jewelry or clothing that you love. Taste - have a food or beverage you enjoy (before, after, or during as appropriate). Smell - consider having a perfume/cologne that you love. There are a variety of ways that being outside can help with your anxiety. You can take short walks around your neighborhood or go on longer hike in nature, such as at the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano. For some people, the sound of water is soothing. If that’s you, you might enjoy the sound of the fountain at White Rock Trail Park in Plano. Others may prefer to get their hands dirty with plants. Consider getting involved with the Plano Community Garden or visiting another local [...]

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How to Walk Alongside Your Depressed Husband

How to Walk Alongside Your Depressed Husband

McCartney Paul, Kate Motaung2025-03-25T15:21:21+00:00January 6th, 2025|Couples Counseling, Depression, Featured, Individual Counseling, Marriage Counseling, Men’s Issues, Relationship Issues|

Seeing a person we love going through a hard time is heart-wrenching. We want to do all we can to love them, to make them feel loved, supported, and understood. It is possible in many situations – especially that of a depressed husband – to begin to feel powerless, especially when our presence does not seem to be making a difference. In this and other situations, remember that your empathetic presence by itself can make a difference, and you must hold onto that when it seems otherwise. If your husband is struggling with depression, you may not know how to be that empathetic presence for him. On the other hand, you may wonder if what you are doing is making a difference. Hopefully, the words below will encourage you in your journey with your depressed husband. Supporting a Loved One with Depression Depression is a common mental health problem that afflicts people from all walks of life, all genders, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. It can afflict those whom we may perceive as strong. It is often shocking for many wives to see their husbands bowed down by depression. As with any other condition or situation, one of the first ways you can function as a meaningful support is to understand what it is your husband is dealing with. Plano Christian Counseling is here to help, offering guidance and faith-based support as you navigate this journey together. Depression is a mood disorder that affects how a person feels, thinks, and functions in daily life. Something is going on not only in the person’s body but also in their mind and brain chemistry as well. Often, depression is signaled by feelings of intense sadness which last for weeks and months. It can be tempting to think that your depressed husband just [...]

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