Tough Love in Adult Relationships Part 2
Last month we outlined what tough love is not and what it is. In short, tough love is not a one-size-fits-all solution. And it’s never done out of punishment, revenge, manipulation, or control. Instead, tough love shows compassion for someone’s brokenness while remembering that enabling is not helping. And it safeguards your own well-being. So, […]
How Religion and Spirituality Improve Mental Health
While completing my clinical research project for my doctorate in psychology, I was surprised to discover the vast amount of research reporting the mental health benefits that people of faith who practice positive forms of religion and spirituality (R/S) experience as compared to those who don’t. I thought I would share some of my findings […]
How to Help Your Teen With Social Anxiety
It’s been almost 3 years since the COVID-19 pandemic, and in some ways, we are still learning how to reintegrate back into life. For many adolescents with social anxiety, the pandemic gave them a reprieve from experiencing their anxiety but the lack of social interaction with others also served to maintain it. Teens who live […]
Tough Love in Adult Relationships Part 1
The concept of tough love has been around a long time — and it’s been misunderstood and misused for just as long. The problems usually revolve around a person’s reason for using tough love and how they carry it out. Here’s the truth: Tough love isn’t a formula or quick fix to the heartache you face. But it’s the right […]
Generational Healing Through Our Catalyst Program
We recently had the pleasure of hearing from a pair of former Catalyst patients. An interesting fact about this pair is that it is a mother and son who both attended our program, 16 years apart. Please continue reading to see just how life-altering our Catalyst Program was for them. “It’s hard to believe that the […]
When You’re Not Sure Whether Family Members Are Just Annoying or Truly Unsafe
Here come the holidays — and perhaps pointed expectations to gather with family. But what if you’re feeling pressure to be with relatives who you’re not sure you can trust? First, never assume that family members are safe and supportive just because “they’re family.” A safe person is someone who takes responsibility for their actions […]
The Power of Gratitude
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Pastor Craig Barnes wrote “Gratitude may be the best measure of our spirituality.” According to Barnes, when we practice and express gratitude, we demonstrate that we are paying attention […]
Celebrating 46 Years of Providing Faith-based, Christian, Mental Health Services
It is hard to believe that it was 46 years ago— in 1976—that we first opened up the Clinics (then known as “Minirth-Meier Clinics”) to help serve the Dallas area with Christian counseling services while psychiatrists Dr. Frank Minirth and Dr. Paul Meier taught full time at Dallas Theological Seminary. Their goal was to help […]
When an Unemployed Adult Son or Daughter Lives at Home
As your child grows, the template needs to shift from parent-child to adult-adult. They’re not your adult child; they are your adult son or adult daughter. They’ve become your peer. But breaking the once-a-parent-always-a-parent mindset is difficult and can strain the relationship between a husband and wife. A common reason for this tension? When capable […]
Enabling the Addict: What An Addict Really Needs From You
Addiction is a common disease that is ravaging families across America. Data shows that roughly 23.5 million Americans have a problem with substance abuse but only 2.5 million receive treatment. Additionally, about 19.5 million substance abusers saw no need for treatment or that their substance abuse was problematic. Addiction is a disease that affects the […]
