What does the phrase “permissive parent” make you think of? I often think of Regina George’s mother from the film Mean Girls. Mrs. George provided her high school-aged daughter (and her friends) with adult beverages and made it her prerogative to be her daughter’s “bestie.” I’m also reminded ...
Trauma, Development, and Spirituality: Protective Factors for Family of Origin Wounds
Childhood is a critical stage in human development. It is during these years that our view of the world, ourselves, and even God is often shaped. Unfortunately, many children grow up navigating painful experiences such as divorce, abuse, alcoholism, poverty, or even natural disasters. These events ...
Easter: Let It Be Today!
SureHope Counseling and Training Center wants to wish you and your family a very happy Easter! As we approach the Easter holiday, while thinking about “healing family of origin wounds” that we have been focusing on this year, I cannot help to think about where ultimate healing of families take ...
Wounds of a Mostly Happy Childhood
Healing from family-of-origin wounds may seem irrelevant if you remember mostly a happy childhood. Maybe even more so if you were “raised in the church.” Consider these words from a wise pastor and author of “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” who asserts that spiritual maturity and emotional health ...
Healing from Toxic Family Patterns
In the beginning “God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). The term "very good" signifies the perfection and harmony of creation before the fall of man. This divine evaluation and approval indicates that everything was functioning according to God's perfect ...
