Category Depression

Rest is Not a Reward for Productivity

By Monday, January 9, 2023 Anxiety, Counseling, Depression, Family, Feelings, Humility, Identity, Idolatry, Life in general, Maternal Soul Care, Ministry, Pastors, Soul Care, Spiritual Grit, Spiritual Growth Permalink

It’s a new year and now is the time we hear a lot about “A new year, a new you!” The holiday season in the West is focused on activities, concerts, parties and getting as much done as one can to prepare for guests or to be out of the office. All this preparation is important to us for various reasons. For some, it can be a desire to celebrate the season with others. For others, there can be a desire to impress others or be perceived a certain way by hosting these activities, leading them, or landing that final ...

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3 Ways the Pandemic and the Transition Back to “Normal” May Affect Your Teen

By Wednesday, May 19, 2021 Anxiety, Counseling, Depression, Family, Family Counseling, Grief, Kids, Parenting, Pastoral Counseling, Self harm, Soul Care, Suffering, Suicide, Teens Permalink

Michelle has been on staff with Heart Song Counseling for over 8 years. Prior to moving to the Tampa Bay area, she served as a counselor for Heart Song in Washington, D.C. She received her B.A. in Speech and Communication Studies at Clemson University and her M. Div in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In her spare time, she enjoys running, spending long days at the beach and Clemson football. It’s no secret that the pandemic has impacted our teens in a myriad of ways over the last year. Some teens found themselves back in school full throttle, others ...

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Suffering, Part III: Deliverance from Suffering is Not One-Size-Fits-All

By Sunday, February 28, 2021 Counseling, Depression, Grief, Pastors, Perseverance, Soul Care, Spiritual Grit, Spiritual Growth, Suffering Permalink

Dave Shive lives in Catonsville, MD, and has been married to Kathy for 52 years. They have 3 married children and 11 grandchildren. Dave writes, not as a clinician or therapist, but as a pastor. His thoughts on suffering emerge from his study of the Bible, reading widely, pastoral counseling, and personal experience. This is Part III of a multi-part series on suffering. Have you ever felt like you aren't "getting over" your suffering as fast as someone else? Have you ever felt pressured to move on in your grief by those around you and you just weren't ready yet or ...

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3 Ways Pastors Can Help Women and Families Experiencing Postpartum Depression

By Tuesday, April 10, 2018 Anxiety, Baby blues, Christian Women, Counseling, Depression, Family, Maternal Mental Health, Maternal Soul Care, Ministry, Mommy Stuff, Pastoral Counseling, Pastors, Paternal Soul Care, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Panic Disorder, Postpartum Support, PTSD, Reproductive Psychiatry, Soul Care, Women Permalink
Postpartum Depression

This post originally appeared on Careleader.org March 2018. As a pastor of a congregation with young families you may have small groups, a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) ministry, Awana, and more. Your church may also be blessed to have a meals ministry to help individuals and families after a surgery or birth of a child. Your church is probably well equipped with support ministries for families to help disciple their children and to provide encouragement and teaching for parents. But how equipped are you to minister to families experiencing postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety? Did you know that 1 in 5 women will experience maternal ...

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Does My Teenager Have An Eating Disorder? Part 2

By Tuesday, July 11, 2017 Addictions, Anorexia, Anxiety, Binge-eating, Bulimia, Control, Counseling, Depression, Eating Disorders, Identity, Idolatry, Kids, Orthorexia nervosa, Parenting, Self harm, Self Image, Teens Permalink

You are reading the second post in a two-part series about teens and eating disorders. In the previous post we looked at the four main types of disorders with accompanying warning signs. In today’s post we will look at the next steps to take in helping your teen if an eating disorder is suspected. Counselor Michelle Horton, continues our examination into this topic.   So what do I do once I’ve identified an eating disorder in my teenager? First things first, get your child to their pediatrician or general practitioner. Your teen’s health could possibly be in serious danger. You will want to ...

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Does My Teenager Have An Eating Disorder?

By Tuesday, June 27, 2017 Addictions, Anorexia, Anxiety, Binge-eating, Bulimia, Control, Depression, Eating Disorders, Orthorexia nervosa, Parenting, Self harm, Self Image, Teens Permalink

Today’s guest post is a two-part series on teens and Eating Disorders written by Michelle Horton, MA. Michelle is a biblical counselor with Heart Song Counseling in Tampa, FL. Michelle counsels on a variety of issues including PTSD, survivors of sexual abuse, eating disorders, addictions and emotional issues. In her spare time she enjoys running, spending long days at the beach and Clemson football. Does my teenager have an eating disorder? Maybe you started asking this question when you noticed your teen’s eating habits changing. Or maybe it was seeing their normally healthy, vibrant body deteriorating. Maybe you heard the sounds of ...

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After Abortion Care: Why Churches Need to Care for the Post-Abortive Woman

By Sunday, April 23, 2017 Abortion, Addictions, Anorexia, Anxiety, Baby blues, Christian Women, Control, Counseling, Depression, Eating Disorders, Identity, Kids, Maternal Mental Health, Maternal Soul Care, Mommy Stuff, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Panic Disorder, Postpartum Support, PTSD, Reproductive Psychiatry, Self harm, Self Image, Sex, Sex Education, Sexuality, Soul Care, Suicide, Teens, Uncategorized, Women Permalink

1 in 4 pregnancies end in an abortion decision, a statistic that is no different whether you look inside or outside the church. Whatever the reason a woman has for having an abortion, the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional strains of the decision can result in repercussions for years to come. Whether it be triggers that remind her of the event or physical and emotional struggles that eventually come to light, the local church can (and should) be a place of safety where women receive grace and loving care to help them work through their struggle. In this fifth and final post ...

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When Your Wife Has Postpartum Anxiety and Depression: One Husband’s Story

By Monday, April 3, 2017 Anxiety, Baby blues, Christian Women, Communication, Control, Counseling, Depression, Identity, Kids, Marriage, Maternal Mental Health, Maternal Soul Care, Mommy Stuff, Parenting, Paternal Soul Care, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Panic Disorder, Postpartum Support, Reproductive Psychiatry, Soul Care, Suicide, Teens, Women Permalink

As this series on maternal mental health continues, today we hear the testimony of one husband as he journeyed with his wife through her postpartum depression and anxiety after their first child. It is our hope that you will find strength and encouragement in Christ through the telling of Sarah and Kurt’s story. Read Part 1 of this post here. All names have been changed to respect the family’s privacy. What symptoms did you observe in Sarah? The symptoms Sarah demonstrated included: irritability, tiredness, anxiety, panic and anger. For me, it was important to learn to see past these negative emotions. In other ...

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Hope in the Valley: One Mother’s Story of Postpartum Depression and Anxiety

By Wednesday, March 22, 2017 Anxiety, Baby blues, Christian Women, Counseling, Depression, Identity, Kids, Marriage, Maternal Mental Health, Maternal Soul Care, Mommy Stuff, Parenting, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Panic Disorder, Postpartum Support, Reproductive Psychiatry, Self Image, Soul Care, Suicide, Women Permalink

A “Warrior Mom” is a woman who has survived a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder who is working hard to take care of her baby while also fighting her own struggle. As part of my blog series on maternal mental health I thought I would ask one amazing warrior mom to share what her experience was like with Postpartum Depression and Anxiety. As each person’s struggle and road to recovery with a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder is different, it is both our hope that you will find strength and encouragement in Christ through the telling of Sarah’s story. All ...

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Yes, Christian Women Struggle with Postpartum Disorders Too

By Monday, March 6, 2017 Anxiety, Baby blues, Christian Women, Control, Counseling, Depression, Identity, Kids, Maternal Mental Health, Maternal Soul Care, Mommy Stuff, Parenting, Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Panic Disorder, Postpartum Support, Reproductive Psychiatry, Self harm, Self Image, Soul Care, Suicide, Teens, Women Permalink

You are reading the second post in a series on Maternal Mental Health. Read part 1 here. Why am I feeling so angry? How come everything my husband and children do make me so irritated? It’s not like me to scream at my loved ones. Why am I not totally in love with my new baby? I feel so overwhelmed with taking care of my baby, trying to stay on top of laundry and struggling with insomnia. What’s wrong with me? I feel so alone. What am I supposed to do? A Christian woman shouldn’t have these thoughts, right? Have you ever ...

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