Kate Motaung

“Stop! Stop that now, I’m serious, Levi!!” an exasperated young mom yelled to her hyperactive child the other day in the store. To her dismay and frustration, the little boy’s behavior only worsened each time she tried to calm him down. We may feel Deja vu when we watch a scene like this if we have ever experienced the trials of raising a difficult child. Visions of screaming matches, the toy crashing, the glass smashing, and that feeling of utter

Can you find anxiety relief through art? Megan’s anxiety used to feel trapped within her own body. Anxiety would close in on her causing a racing heartbeat and brain that wouldn’t stop thinking of worst-case scenarios for all the important parts of her life. She had tried all the usual advice for anxiety relief. Ocean sounds playing in her earbuds only reminded her that she couldn’t afford a vacation, and those lavender essential oils made her sneeze. And that

The dawn of a New Year brings hope, hope for the future, and fresh starts. But unfortunately, it can also bring stress. The same problems you had on New Year’s Eve are probably still there on New Year’s Day. If only you could discover a way to find more time in your day to enjoy yourself with your family or to work on personal pursuits. Maybe you would not be as stressed as you are if you could spend

In a world of sin and greed, we often find ourselves frustrated. The Christian recognizes that no matter how righteous, anger is never pure and innocent since it is always mingled with sin. In addition, what someone does with that anger can lead them to a dark place. This is why recognizing signs of anger issues is so crucial. If you were asked to list some bad signs of anger issues, you could probably rattle off a long

Depression is a complex mood disorder that few people truly understand, even when they are experiencing it firsthand. Sometimes, it is linked to other disorders such as bipolar, ADHD, or OCD, but depression can also be a standalone medical issue or simply a result of life experiences like grief or overwork. The first step to effectively managing this condition is to identify the signs of depression, which often proves to be a difficult task. Running On Empty Most people

One of the advantages of living in the time we do is that we are constantly learning more about ourselves, and we’re figuring out new ways to tackle old problems. This is happening in almost every arena of human knowledge, no less in resolving emotional and mental health challenges. As we find out more and more about how our bodies and brains work, we can develop therapeutic techniques that are more effective than past treatments, or that can produce

Many hopeful young parents dream of the bright future they can build for their child through homeschooling. It’s easy to picture the idyllic scene of your children learning math facts around the kitchen table. You may dream of reading books together in a cozy chair and the joy of watching your child discover new things. But sometimes that dream gets derailed when you throw ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) into the mix. While it might feel like a wild ride

Emotional abandonment can be a difficult issue to resolve. Emotional abandonment comes from many different sources. People who feel abandoned due to childhood trauma or a lack of emotional availability from parents or loved ones can experience trauma from a specific event in their life. Whatever the case may be, the person experiencing this needs to resolve it so they can participate in healthy relationships in the future. This is especially true for spouses. It can be difficult to live

Life presents us with many situations in which future outcomes matter but are unknown, or where it’s likely that things won’t go your way. Where uncertainty reigns, or in situations where you or your loved ones might be at risk in one way or another, it can make us worried and anxious. Anxiety isn’t a bad thing; in fact, anxiety can be a good thing. However, anxiety can become an obstacle to your well-being and sense of flourishing. Anxiety

Most of us deal with anxiety on some level during our lives. In the past, anxiety helped with the fight-or-flight response to keep our ancestors safe during perilous times. It is ingrained in us. Fast forward to today, and we face anxious thoughts and situations instead of dangerous life-and-death circumstances. Still, our minds work the same way, flooding our bloodstream with cortisol and adrenaline and revving up anxiety. The symptoms of anxiety can be scary and interfere with daily

In the modern world, processing and understanding trauma can be daunting. Anxiety and trauma are often linked inextricably, and healing both can take time and support. What is trauma? What is anxiety? Trauma is, at its most basic level, a psychological response to distressing events. Trauma is linked to emotional disturbances, physical symptoms, and psychological manifestations. Trauma is an individualistic response and can play out differently for each of us. Anxiety is a persistent feeling of worry, fear, or unease

In this article, we’ll consider the different categories of trauma. After all, not all “hurt” is created equal. Most of the hurt of living in this world is temporary, passing without any lasting impact. We don’t remember every stubbed toe, every harsh word spoken to us, and the like. We do tend to remember those times of hurt that rise to the level when some actual damage occurs, an injury from which it takes a bit longer to recover and