Kate Motaung

As we continue to navigate this world during a pandemic and adjust to changing rules and mandates, children and adolescents may be the hardest hit group of all. Data is already emerging that shows the detrimental impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health. The pandemic, and its ensuing consequences, will likely have long-term negative effects, possibly altering an entire generation’s mental health and way of life permanently. Children and adolescents have experienced increased stress every day during the

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) – formerly known as multiple personality disorder – is a mental health issue that’s often misunderstood. Blockbuster movies like Split have created a lot of misinformation about DID, leading to people with DID being feared and considered dangerous. The stigma surrounding DID means that people with the condition are often fearful of how others will react to them. It’s common for DID sufferers to avoid becoming part of a church community simply because they don’t

Almost 40% of marriages end in divorce in America today. Another interesting area of research is the divorce rate for couples who did not date long before marriage. “A host of studies have found that a longer romance before marriage is linked to higher marital satisfaction and lower risk of divorce. One 2015 study in the journal Economic Inquiry, for example, found that couples who dated for one to two years were 20 percent less likely to later get

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a potentially debilitating disorder that causes repetitive and intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive time-consuming rituals (compulsions) that are often distressing, debilitating, and life-altering. OCD is lifelong and occurs on a continuum with symptoms of OCD possibly increasing or decreasing throughout a person’s life. As a parent of a child or teen with symptoms of OCD, it can sometimes be frightening to watch your child suffer from this debilitating disorder. A natural reaction to such symptoms is

Depression in children is more common than most people think, and it was once believed that children were too developmentally and emotionally immature to suffer from depression. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020), approximately 3.2%, or 1.9 million, of children and teens aged 3-17 years in the U.S. have been diagnosed with depression. Comorbidity, or having a simultaneous coexisting condition in addition to depression, is common among this age group. Common coexisting conditions include but

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” - Proverbs  4:23, NIV ". . . It determines the course of your life.” - Proverbs 4:23, NLT In an article published by The Harvard Business Review entitled, "The Daily Routines of Geniuses," the author compared the schedules and lifestyles of 161 artists, scientists, philosophers, and other exceptional thinkers and found several commonalities among them, such as: Creating a workspace that is fresh and calming with

No matter if you’ve been married one year, ten years, or twenty years and beyond, marriage can be trying at times. It’s normal to get in relationship ruts, and that’s why it’s good to look for ways for improving your marriage. 10 Tips for Improving Your Marriage Improving your marriage is possible by being intentional with several small changes. These ten tips for improving your marriage can get you back on the right path and move toward closeness. 1.

To understand what causes codependency in relationships, it is first necessary to understand what codependency is and what it is not. One dictionary definition of codependency says it is based on a psychological state of mutual dependence between two people, especially when one partner relies emotionally on support and care for the other partner. This can sound a lot like normal care in a loving relationship, but in actual practice, it is something quite different. Perhaps the most important

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? The holiday season doesn’t feel wonderful for everyone. Some people deal with grief every time the holidays roll around. Others have new changes to navigate and may feel overwhelmed instead of joyful. If you are feeling depressed during the holidays, here are practical steps you can take for dealing with depression and to get the help you need. Are You Depressed? If you have felt overwhelmed by feelings of isolation,

Do you have a tough time figuring out how to control your anger? Are you sick of feeling like anger controls you? You can learn to overcome anger with God’s help and the help of a Christian counselor. The Roots of Anger Most people have grown up in homes where anger was not handled well. Perhaps you grew up in a home where anger was explosive and damaging. Or maybe your parents swept everything under the rug, stuffing situations

Many Christians struggle to understand how to relate to their anger. It often feels taboo – an emotion that we shouldn’t be experiencing. After all, regarding anger in the Bible we learn that “Love is patient, it is kind,” and so we often tend to shy away from anger as a result. What Do We Read about Anger in the Bible? The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We learn

Premarital or (pre-marriage) counseling is a short-term form of counseling for couples that plan to get married. Often required by pastors or priests, premarital counseling is typically done by clergy. However, it is also done by Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs), and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) who have been trained in the work. Christian premarital or couples counseling (whether done by clergy or not) is something that could benefit all Christian couples pre-marriage.