Christian Psychology News

OC Christian Counseling

CPR Staff — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:06:29 +0000

PREPARE/ENRICH Facilitator Certification

CPR Staff — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:52:05 +0000

Stronger marriages build stronger communities. The PREPARE/ENRICH Program enables facilitators to identify a couple’s specific strength and growth areas, teach them communication and conflict resolution skills, and help them resolve key relationship issues.

After completing the training, the seminar participant will be able to:

Describe the value of PREPARE/ENRICH and online assessment to couples.
Use the online system for administering, reviewing, and printing relevant materials.
Fully understand and accurately interpret the Facilitator’s Report.
Discuss the results of the assessment and provide feedback to couples.
Use the couple exercises to teach relationship building skills.
Recognize serious couple distress more effectively and know when to refer a couple for professional help.

Date: January 23, 2010
Day: Saturday
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Seminar Director: Dr. Debi Smith
Location: Biola University
Who May Attend: pastoral counselors/clergy/chaplains, marriage educators, relationship coaches, marriage mentors, lay counselors, deacons/elders, adoption/foster care workers, professional counselors, and counselors in training
Cost: $175
Registration Deadline: January 7, 2010

Register Online Now!

Becoming a Marriage Mentor

CPR Staff — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:51:25 +0000

New beginnings are challenging, exhilarating, and often times hard. Engaged couples and newlyweds experience great joy and excitement, as well as surprises and pressures. Have you ever thought about how your experience as a married couple could help an engaged or newlywed couple?

In a caring effort to encourage and support these couples, OC Christian Counseling is beginning a marriage mentoring program. You might wonder, “What is marriage mentoring?” It is where a seasoned, healthy couple who has a strong marriage volunteers to walk alongside a new couple and to nurture and encourage them to build a thriving strong marriage. Click here for more information now!

Good News!

CPR Staff — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:27:39 +0000

When times are tough (as they are for many families this summer) and the news is grim (on TV, in the paper, and online), we would all do well to remember the Good News!

The findings of scientific research (e.g., in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT) have shown that what you think about and what you believe have a tremendous impact not on only your mood, but also on your ability to accomplish what you set out to do in life. Here’s a great example to help get you started:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ~ Philippians 4:4-8

Forgive and Forget?

CPR Staff — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:29:18 +0000

Forgiveness is often misunderstood in conservative circles. During the past decade or so, Christian psychologists have studied forgiveness from both theological and psychological perspectives. Most would agree that forgiveness is not only a theological decision, but also a psychological process with a number of distinct stages that have been compared to stages of the grieving process.

We tend to layer our feelings as a means of self-protection from additional harm, and forgiveness is frequently a process of “working through” these layers. For some, forgiveness is accomplished through the spiritual disciplines (prayer, meditation, solitude, etc.). For others, it may require work with a professional Christian counselor who not only understands how difficult forgiveness can be, but who also knows how to get them “unstuck” and moving forward in the process. Both require the intimate guidance of the Holy Spirit.

God has also given us the ability to remember as a means of self-protection (e.g., when we touch a hot stove and get burned, we remember not to touch it again). However, remembering has a “flip side” as well, in that we often need to work through the forgiveness process multiple times. Be encouraged: It does get easier and less painful, especially as you grow in understanding the process. Dr. Louis Smedes (1996; Fuller Theological Seminary) wrote a very readable book (available in paperback) on this topic: Forgive and Forget: Healing the Hurts We Don’t Deserve.

Anyone struggling with unforgiveness needs (and deserves) someone to help them work through this very painful process. If you’re feeling stuck and would like to talk to a professional Christian counselor, please visit our Directory.

The Power of Your Mind Over Anxiety

CPR Staff — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:33:37 +0000

by Dr. Jennifer Fee

Thoughts are a powerful trigger for anxiety. Our cognitions can maintain, elevate, or lower our level of anxiety. Today I would like to give you a few tips to help you identify thoughts that might be contributing to your anxiety, as well as show you how a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (CBT) might help you to start to address those thoughts.

First, let me tell you about two clients, Jim* and Alice. Like virtually all of my clients who suffer from panic attacks or high levels of anxiety, Jim was sharing with me how scary and terrible it is to experience his physical symptoms. “It’s like nothing else,” he stated, “my heart starts pounding, I’m out of breath, I’m lightheaded, I can’t stand the feelings!” I looked at Jim. He was an active 21-year-old college student. At this point in our therapy I did not know much about what he liked to do for fun, but on a hunch I asked, “Jim, do you like to ride roller coasters?“

He paused, and said, “Well, yes, actually I love roller coasters.” “What do you like about them?” I queried. Jim replied, “I like anticipation of going up a big hill. I love the speed and the quick turns.” “What are you feeling in your body as you’re going up the hill?” Jim grinned. He had already caught on to where I was going with the questions. “Well, my heart is pounding, I feel butterflies in my stomach.” “And how do you feel when you get off the roller coaster?” I continued. “Light-headed. It’s hard to walk. A little out of breath.“

“Basically you feel the same symptoms in your body while riding a roller coaster as when you are experiencing a panic attack while sitting on your sofa.” “But, it’s not the same!” Jim protested at first, “riding roller coasters is fun. Having a panic attack is not!“

Jim’s argument essentially made my point for me. His cognitive interpretation of riding roller coasters is that it is fun. His cognitive interpretation of a panic attack is that it is terrible.

For those of you who cannot fathom anyone believing that riding a roller coaster could be fun, I will tell you about Alice. Alice was an avid exerciser. Alice was also afraid of when she experienced anxiety that she would have a heart attack because her heart was beating fast. “Alice,” I asked, “Why do you run on the treadmill every morning?” Alice looked at me as if I had just asked a very dumb question. “Cardiovascular exercise is good for my heart,” she replied. “So you make your heart beat fast on purpose?” “Well, yes, of course.” “And that doesn’t scare you?”, I continued. “Of course not!” She replied, a little annoyed.

Again, same symptom but a different interpretation. One interpretation leads to panic, the other no panic.

Interpretation of thoughts is key for controlling anxiety.

Identifying Thoughts

In order to change your interpretation about anxiety, you must first have a lot of knowledge of what your thoughts are. Countless times I’ve asked people “What were you thinking when you started feeling anxious?” Countless times I’ve gotten the answer, “I don’t know.” It may sound amazing, but it is possible to have thoughts without being aware that we’re having thoughts. [read more]

A New Commandment

CPR Staff — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:20:47 +0000

“This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you.” ~ John 15:12

It sounds good. Jesus said it, so we know it’s right. But sometimes loving others in our daily interactions can be quite a challenge. If we love one another as Christ loves us, what do we do differently than everyone else does?

Indeed, love is one of God’s most important gifts to anyone, yet there are many misunderstandings about how to make love work in our families, friendships, marriages and dating relationships. In Loving People: How to Love and Be Loved, best-selling author Dr. John Townsend shows you that love can actually be learned, and gives you the steps and tools to become skilled in love.

Using his trademark stories and illustrations to flesh out the important principles, Dr. Townsend covers:

receiving love
connecting love
healing love
confronting love
romantic love
surrendering love

Through his teaching, readers will discover – and start enjoying – the words, actions, and experiences of authentic love.

What others are saying about this book:

So often we find ourselves in the middle of stress and anxiety and wanting to run away from it all. There are two sides to being in that situation. We are either the ones trying to heal from wounds or we are the ones trying to help another heal from their wounds. Either side can bring on feelings that block the love and peace that is so important for us to feel and experience daily. Dr. John Townsend really shows in this book, Loving People, the need of healthy and deep connections with others in order to heal from pain in our own lives. If you’ve ever wanted to become emotionally healthy or to treat people better in your life, this book can help you get there. Townsend shows the importance of dealing with your own issues and gives great advice on how to do that. He then shows how to pass the love on. I believe so many people think they know how to love one another but fall short because of not truly connecting with others and taking time to understand someone else. This often is because they are still in a circle of pain themselves. Dr. John Townsend lays out the foundation you need in order to stop running from issues in your life, deal with pain in a very healthy manner, and then experience the gratification of passing that love on. This book is an excellent resource in learning ‘How to Love & Be Loved’ so you can start ‘Loving People’. This is a great book!