Kate Motaung

Have you ever caught yourself eating a bag of your favorite sweet or salty snack only to realize you ate way more than you intended to? I think many of us can relate to this unfortunate experience. Consequently, this is often quickly followed by a rush of self-directed negative emotions: frustration, guilt, regret, and even disgust. Then the next day, next week, or next month we find ourselves repeating the cycle. What is going on here and how can

Codependency refers to pain caused by the sufferings we encounter during childhood but becomes expressed in adulthood, leading to a higher chance of compulsive/addictive behavior and relationship problems. Codependency can be attributed to specific feelings and behaviors, resulting in an aversive relationship full of self-loathing and self-sacrificial behaviors. Codependency is a pattern of sacrificing your needs, well-being, and self-care and putting much of your energy into enabling or supporting the people in your life. If you have been unable

When we think of relationship problems for couples, we often wrack our brains and try to figure out where we are going wrong or are falling short. Finances, extra hours at work, and raising children can all cause tension in a relationship. However, sometimes the thing we overlook most is taking the small opportunities to invest in our relationship. Vincent Van Gogh said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Small changes can make

Is the conversation in your relationship feeling stale? Here are reasons why good conversation is important, and practical ways you can improve it in your relationship. Why good conversation matters for couples. Good conversation is important for relationships because it helps to build and maintain a strong connection between two people. It allows you to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with your partner, and to get to know them better. It also promotes trust, understanding, and intimacy, which

Dementia refers to a decline in mental functions such as memory, language, and other thought processes that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is the result of damage to your brain cells that impedes their ability to communicate with each other. There are many forms of dementia, each one determined by its association with a particular type of brain cell damage in a particular region of the brain. Alzheimer’s, a brain disease, is the most common

Abandonment trauma refers to the behaviors and emotional distress that come about as a result of experiences that made you feel unsafe, insecure, isolated, and/or alone as a child. It is an unhealthy fear of loss or rejection, rooted in anxiety, and may include deep emotional and psychological pain associated with memories of being left behind, physically or emotionally neglected, and/or abandoned. While abandonment trauma most commonly begins in early childhood, it can happen at any time of life.

The term “Highly Sensitive Person” (HSP for short) refers to someone whose nervous system is wired differently from others. They are deeply affected by sensory information, like excessive noise, bright lights, or violent movies. The highly sensitive person also tends to observe and “ingest” the emotions of those around them, embodying others’ feelings for long periods. This trait affects people of all ages and backgrounds and can prove to be burdensome and draining. Nowhere is it more of a

What kind of loss are you suffering from today? Bible verses about loss can help you seek hope and healing from the losses that you are facing. Losses can take different forms, and you may be facing more than one at a time. When losses affect you, you can find comfort in the Bible. Scriptures on loss will lift you up no matter how severe and a loss you might be handling. Your loss may be connected to a

Most of us could not escape the commercialism throughout the holiday season without hearing how to get physically fit or healthy living or joining a gym will improve our life! So what makes our lives better? Spiritual fitness! How does that happen – and what does it look like in real life? The answer is given through Proverbs 3:1 “Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands.” God insists that we trust Him fully

Parenting, caregiving, or teaching are difficult tasks. It doesn’t matter how healthy or well-mannered or obedient your child is; it is never easy to train up a child in the way he or she should go. Though some behaviors can appear similar to ADHD symptoms that result from lack of proper structure, sleep, and healthy discipline, a clinical ADHD diagnosis can create challenges in child-rearing. Consequently, when concerns arise about your child’s development, mental health, or behavior, it is

When you have money problems, you can experience significant stress. We wonder whether we can take care of hospital bills, whether we’ll have a roof over our heads, what we and our children will eat, and so much more. God is sympathetic to all this and the needs and concerns you have: “and your heavenly Father knows that you need them” (Matthew 6:32 HCSB). God wants us to have peace, even when we’re going through a tumultuous time. In

When people hear the word neurodivergent initially they think of autism spectrum disorder, a neurological condition characterized by differences in social communication, as well as, sensory-motor behaviors that may be restricted or repetitive. While ASD is one of the primary diagnoses of neurodivergent persons, it is not the only one. ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia, and other developmental conditions also fall under the neurological conditions that an individual is born with. The term “neurodivergent” is used to describe normal and