Mental Health
Posted on December 11, 2023
by Mark Vande Braak, Ph.D, FT, MT-BC
You have permission to grieve. Do not let anyone tell you something different. However, it is essential to be gentle with yourself. The anxiety and build-up to the holiday is very stressful and real. It is alright to spend time remembering your loved one and the gifts that they gave you in life.
Mental Health
Posted on December 1, 2023
by Virginia Strubbe, CSW-PIP, OSW-C
The classic hymn O Holy Night speaks to both the heaviness in this world and the joy we have with our Savior’s birth. The holiday season can easily turn into a prescribed hustle and bustle. It’s easy to feel a bit weary. How can we experience joy amidst weariness this holiday season?
Mental Health
Posted on November 1, 2023
by Rev. Jonathan Conner
Identity statements aren’t always true. So, get them out into the open and then speak God’s Word out loud into the situation. But, what if the foundational thoughts are true? What if these are the things we’re thinking about: I have been abused; I have suffered real injustice; I have experienced real loss. What do we do then? Grieve. Mourn. Lament.
Lutheran Family Service News
Posted on August 14, 2023
by Mark Vande Braak, Ph.D, FT, MT-BC
Dr. Mark Vande Braak comes to Lutheran Family Service with decades of experience walking alongside those experiencing trauma, loss, and grief. Read on to learn more about his professional roles, the personal connection that brought him to LFS, and even how he takes his coffee.
Godly Living
Posted on July 17, 2023
by Rev. Jonathan Conner
This post is the first in a two part series: A Way to Think and a Work to Do; Processing and Responding to Bad News. School shootings. A war in Ukraine. Rumors of war between China and Taiwan. A drug overdose crisis in America. The news hasn’t been good lately. On the one hand, the […]
Mental Health
Posted on March 15, 2022
by Jamie McWade, LMHC
Under the best of circumstances, losing a loved leads to a rollercoaster of emotion creating natural and normal responses such as feeling down and depressed, anger, denial, bargaining, and acceptance. While these are normal in any circumstance of grief, the pandemic has influenced our grieving process significantly.
COVID-19
Posted on May 7, 2020
by Toni Larson, LISW
High school students, especially seniors, are likely going to experience feelings of loss as they miss out on having a “normal” senior year. Things like homecoming, prom, graduation, year-end parties, award ceremonies, senior plays, sports competitions, state meets and even classes will all be different than what they had envisioned as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mental Health
Posted on September 23, 2019
Long expected or sudden, the death of a loved one begins a season of grief for survivors. You want to help, but don’t know what to say or do.
Marriage & Relationships
Posted on August 29, 2016
“Would my husband have stayed if I had made better meals for him?” “Should I have paid more attention to my wife?” “Could I have lost that last 20 pounds of baby weight? Would he have found me more attractive?” “Could I have made her fall back in love with me if I had gotten […]
Parenting
Posted on July 26, 2016
by Wanda Pritzel,
Her favorite kitten died in her arms. The little boy who sat next to him in school was killed in a car accident. Her grandpa who was her “best buddy” had a heart attack and died in the ambulance before they got to the hospital. If you have already raised your children, you have your […]
