Biblical Counseling
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The Shepherd Who Never Abandons
In this final post of the summer trauma series, I want to address the abandonment, isolation, and exclusion many have endured in childhood, experiences that far outlast our youth and often shape how we relate to others, ourselves, and even God. The Pain of Abandonment Feelings of abandonment in childhood can come from one parent,…
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The God Who Sees and Hears the Outcast
Today our summer series on trauma continues with a topic that I know a lot about, both personally and professionally. It is one of the deepest wounds that trauma can leave behind, the feeling of isolation. The feeling of being an outsider. Of never quite belonging. Of believing that everyone else is “normal,” accepted, loved,…
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Trauma, Healing and the God Who Restores
Trauma, Healing, and the God Who Restores Trauma is a word we hear often in today’s culture. As we look around our world, it is easy to see why. Anger, aggression, withdrawal, fear, sadness, and hopelessness frequently shape how people respond to life and relationships. These emotional reactions often have roots deeper than we realize.…
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Boundaries or Responsibilities? A Biblical Perspective on Relationships
Boundaries or Responsibilities? A Biblical Perspective on Relationships This month, I’ve been thinking a lot about something we hear all the time, boundaries. And I’d really love to just talk through it with you, like we’re sitting together and working it out side by side. In psychology, the American Psychological Association defines a boundary as…
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Codependency Through the Lens of Idolatry
Before we begin, I want to say this gently and clearly: if you recognize yourself in these words, this is not written to shame you. Many who struggle with codependent patterns have endured deep pain, confusion, and fear. The desire to hold tightly to others often grows out of a longing to feel safe, valued,…
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Attachment, Holiness, and the Direction of Healing
I recently attended a lecture given by a secularly trained, licensed, and practicing counselor. By every observable measure, she was highly skilled, deeply dedicated, intellectually gifted, and impressively capable of translating theory into practical application. She moved swiftly through attachment theory as it relates to trauma and even incorporated biological components. I was genuinely impressed…