A Different Kind of Prayer

By Chief Lekhiket of The Waynedale News Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and was rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children. Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t make change … [Read more...]

Mental Health Myths and the Military

By CPT Jennifer K. Paweleck, Chief of Community Mental Health Service, and Selina A. Jeanise, Health Promotion and Public Affairs, Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center, Fort Huachuca, Arizona Note: This article was published in the early 2000s, while I was still on active duty. To my knowledge, all information is still current and relevant. People often have significant concerns regarding … [Read more...]

On The Death of George Floyd

In the past couple of weeks since the tragic and unnecessary death of George Floyd on 25 May, I’ve been both talking race in my therapy practice and researching race more often than usual. I’m trying to be informed, trying not to be naive. I have greatly enjoyed the respectful interchanges and the willingness of people of color to answer my questions. I can’t speak to what it’s like to be anything … [Read more...]

COVID-19 and Anxiety

Check out this live I did with Pastor Mark Grochocki, another therapist, about psychological coping during the coronavirus outbreak. You'll hear specific coping skills for anxiety and answers to real-time questions submitted by viewers. You'll also hear the story of the silliness my 11 y.o. son is engaging in to keep things light during quarantine. (Note: No toilet paper was wasted in the making … [Read more...]

PVC Podcast: Trauma, Part 2

So, Pastor Mark Grochocki of Palm Valley Church and I kept talking after Trauma, Part 1. He's a marriage and family therapist, so we ended up with a lot to talk about! Turns out, it was being recorded, so the team decided to post it. Hope you find it informative and helpful. Listen to "Episode 103 pt. 2: Mend the Mind" on Spreaker. … [Read more...]

PVC Podcast: Trauma

Check out this podcast I did with PVC's Pastor Mark Grochocki on trauma and its physical and psychological effects. The actual podcast has more than what's below. Listen to "Episode 103: Mend the Mind" on Spreaker. What’s your background and area of study?  I went to the University of Texas at Austin for my undergraduate education and then Baylor University in Waco for my … [Read more...]

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: There are so many religions in the world. Who’s to say Christianity is the right path? Do millions of people who aren’t Christians have it all wrong?

Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: This is a discussion that can go down so many paths. One can view all types of evidence: archeological, historical, textural or Biblical. If you took any of these approaches and did a side by side comparison with Christianity and any other world religion, the evidence would side fully with Christianity being correct. There are several authors I would recommend if … [Read more...]

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: Why are some children born into suffering with terminal illnesses and/or taken away from their parents before they even see their first birthday?

Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: There are some questions that can never be fully answered. This is one of them. There is no reason or logic that we, as humans, can discern for sick children. There is not an answer of which we are aware, as humans, that will make us feel better about sick children. There is not a simple Bible verse for us to quote, as humans, that explains the suffering of sick … [Read more...]

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: HOW GOOD IS GOOD ENOUGH?

"I'm a good person. I'm kind, helpful, generous and loving. Isn't that what God wants? Won't being a good person get me into Heaven?" Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: If being a good person was what it took to get to Heaven, I would have a hard time making a case for a good God. That might sound a bit shocking, but follow me here for a bit… If “being good” was the requirement for getting … [Read more...]

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: DO I HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED TO GO TO HEAVEN?

Pastor Ryan of Palm Valley Church: No. Next question. Well, perhaps we can spend a little more time on this. Although the answer is simple, the question itself brings up some deeper questions. Why doesn’t baptism get me to Heaven? If baptism isn’t what gets me to Heaven, what does? And if baptism doesn’t get me to Heaven, is it important? Let’s start with the question about what gets us into … [Read more...]