Kate Motaung

Certain depression symptoms in women are commonly experienced. Can you relate… Do you have nagging, negative, critical, or complaining thoughts? Do you find that things you once enjoyed now strike terror in your heart? Do you struggle with shame? Do you experience low self-worth? Do you feel like you have committed a sin that is beyond the scope of God’s forgiveness? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing of symptoms of depression.

That sounds like an important question, and one that many of us have asked, often at our moments of deepest anguish. In order to answer this question, however, it is necessary to first ensure we have definitions for the two key words involved: prayer and forgiveness. Prayer is conversation with God. It is the exchange of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to Him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or

In my previous article, I discussed the emotions that often accompany the discovery that your partner is struggling with sexual addiction, as well as defining the trauma that this discovery has likely brought upon you. As a reminder, the word "trauma" originates from a Greek word that means “to wound or to pierce.” Please bear in the mind that someone who is sexually addicted has to meet certain criteria to be diagnosed as such; while someone who has committed

Have you ever felt as if life is too unpredictable? That people can’t be trusted? That little things that use to be mundane and ordinary are now your greatest fear? Does your mind play horrific movie clips of events that have happened in your past? If so, you might be experiencing some of the effects of trauma. Trauma is far too intertwined in the design of our world. With natural disasters, wars, violence, and sin in our domain, trauma

"Do anger disorders really exist?" To answer the titular question posed by this article, we should, in all fairness, acknowledge that the classification of the various forms of mental illness is a human construct – a means to describe a nuanced condition that may or may not actually fit the description perfectly, and may or may not have a treatment solution. So, the short answer is “Yes.” As described in the DSM-5, anger-related disorders most certainly do exist, though

Finding mental health treatment that works for you can feel like a daunting process. So before I go any further, let me say thank you for looking into this and taking steps towards taking care of yourself! There may be stresses going on right now that feel daunting and unmanageable, or perhaps you can’t seem to pull yourself out of this funk that you have been stuck in. Maybe someone in your life has left, be it through death,

Have you ever asked yourself, "Why am I so angry all the time?" If so, this article is for you. A tightened jaw, clinched fist, flushed skin, and feelings of rage can be signs of anger that is out of control. The minor annoyance that leaves you feeling frustrated and wanting a different outcome for a situation can also be a form of anger. Anger can also be a stage of grief. Most of us have felt our blood

A common theme with new parents is to stimulate and help our children to meet their developmental milestones. We are constantly looking for our children to coo, to grab for things, to roll over, to crawl, and eventually to begin talking and walking. However, our children’s cognitive development is just as important as those physical milestones as well. Parents should be aware of how their children’s cognitive development is evolving. This is not just for new parents, but also

Depression. A word that is commonly used, but often misunderstood. Is it a state of mind? A sickness? Is it permanent? Is there a cure? As a counselor, I have encountered individuals with many of these questions. I think one of the biggest hindrances in receiving help with depression is knowing how to identify it. Many times I have heard the words, "I'm depressed" as an answer or expression after asking how someone is doing, but what does that

A few years ago, a good friend of mine wanted my take on a relationship that she would only describe as “kinda weird.” Shortly after her family was reassigned to a new duty station, her husband’s unit was sent on a six-month mission to yet another country. Although she was used to being separated from him for months at time, this deployment was particularly hard for her emotionally. To distract herself, she decided to start hanging out more with

We have all had “that friend” at some point in our lives – the friend who never quite fits in with your other friends because of their behavior. Maybe it’s the long, awkward pauses, the inappropriate or out of place comments, the unexpected responses that baffle and confuse others. You may have found that you were hesitant to include that friend in your get-togethers for fear of the question, “Who invited that person?” But what if you have come

Sexual addiction is a heavy topic. Unfortunately, it is a prevalent and painful reality for many people, and it is a struggle with sin that keeps on giving (not in a good way). For this article, I am specifically speaking to the partner of the addicted person. This is such a vast topic, that I need to break it into several parts, so please forgive me for not giving you all of the information at once, but it requires