Suicide, sexual abuse, drive by shootings, car accidents, date rape. These events and many other traumatic events occur on a seemingly regular basis and can impact the surviving student(s), families, or youth workers more deeply than imagined. If you work with kids long enough then you will experience a traumatic event and it will serve you well [...]
Archive for the ‘Mental Health’ Category
PTSD and the Youth Worker
Posted: September 9, 2010 in Depression, Grief, Mental Health, Suicide, Teen Dating Violence, Youth MinistryTags: Child abuse, Human sexual activity, Rape, Sexual abuse, Sexual assault, Stress (biology), Support group, Traffic collision
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Stress Management (youth pastor life skills series pt. 2)
Posted: August 30, 2010 in Mental Health, Spirituality, Youth MinistryWhat Happens To Our Bodies Under Stress? You are driving down the interstate highway on a rainy evening. Visibility is very poor and you are being more cautions than usual. You are a few minutes late for youth group and are a bit preoccupied with getting there on time. Suddenly the car in front of you [...]
Basic Brain Function and Emotional Hijacking
Posted: August 26, 2010 in Adolescent Development, Mental Health, TeensTags: Brain, Cerebral Cortex, Conditions and Diseases, Emotion, Health, Limbic System, Neurological Disorders, Trauma and Injuries
Understanding a few basics of what is happening in the brain of an adolescent prior to an impulsive and destructive behavior (i.e., self-injury, fighting, etc.) will help you walk through the lies, negative thoughts, and emotions that often drive these behaviors. The goal is to teach them when they are being hooked by lies from the [...]
Examining False Core Beliefs
Posted: August 18, 2010 in Adolescent Development, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Mental Health, Parenting, TeensTags: Albert Ellis, Belief, depression, Happiness, Health, Mental health, Self-esteem, Self-Help
Research has found that a number of core beliefs identified by the psychologist Albert Ellis are consistently linked to self-dislike and depression. I see these in many young people today and they go largely unchallenged by adults because many of the adults in their lives are handicapped by the same irrational beliefs. Below is a [...]
How Thin Is Thin Enough?
Posted: August 17, 2010 in Eating Disorders, Mental Health, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: Ann Taylor, BodyImage, Disorders, Eating, Eating Disorder, Health, Jonny Diaz, Mental health, model
Our friends over at Fuller Youth Institute published a great post today about the messages we are sending our young girls. They referred to an article in the Huffington Post about photos of models that have been touched up to make the model look thinner. As a father of three young girls I’m concerned that [...]
Compassion Fatigue in Youth Ministry
Posted: August 10, 2010 in Mental Health, Misc., Uncategorized, Youth MinistryTags: Compassion Fatigue
Compassion Fatigue affects a broad range of health care professionals as well as others who provide a myriad of listening and support services. This condition occurs when professionals, family, friends, or caregivers are continually exposed to extreme emotional circumstances wither directly or indirectly, in an attempt to treat or support those they serve. Because the effects [...]
Common Conflict Resolution Mistakes
Posted: August 2, 2010 in Mental Health, Misc., Parenting, Teens, Uncategorized, Youth MinistryTags: Dealing with Conflict
Conventional wisdom (and research) says that good communication can improve relationships, increasing intimacy, trust and support. The converse is also true: poor communication can weaken bonds, creating mistrust and even contempt! The Scriptures also tell us that it is wise to be slow to speak and quick to listen. Here are some examples of negative and even [...]
Ten Strategies for Working with Boys
Posted: July 29, 2010 in Adolescent Development, Mental Health, Parenting, Teens, Youth MinistryTags: Boys
Research from Nancy Bayley’s at UCLA showed that for boys more than girls there is indeed a direct link to learning difficulties when early childhood touch and attachment doesn’t occur or occurs inconsistently. In her study, boys who experienced insecure attachment as infants tested out lower in adolescent intellectual skills than girls who did not receive secure attachment. Although [...]
Sleep Hygiene (youth pastor life skills series pt. 1)
Posted: July 27, 2010 in Mental Health, Youth MinistryTags: sleep
Poor sleep habits (referred to as hygiene) are among the most common problems encountered in our society. We stay up too late and get up too early. We interrupt our sleep with drugs, chemicals and work, and we overstimulate ourselves with late-night activities such as television. Good sleep habits is a must for anyone trying to avoid burnout [...]
“I’m a lesbian.” she said. She chose to self-disclose right in the middle of a youth group gathering. She just dropped a big elephant right in the center of the group. We were rocked. Moments before we were discussing the importance of being transparent with each other. God has a funny sense of humor. The [...]
