I’ve heard it said repeatedly in the last week: “This is not who we are.” But clearly, it is who we are. Denying the reality of it doesn’t make it go away. The opposite is true: the only way to get past the division is to recognize it, face it,… Read More »Healing the Nation: A Call to a Change of Heart and Mind
It was a very divided time for the nation. The economy was crippled. Buildings were burned out. There were shortages of food and other necessities. Surveys of the nation show that the country was deeply divided by political ideologies. Some remained heavily invested in Nazi Era politics. Some wanted a… Read More »Ending Racism in the United States
The Woman at the Well Many churches will not have services this week. In the case of churches continuing to hold services, many people will opt not to attend for health concerns. As a way to support the spiritual journey of Christians during this Lenten Season, for the remaining Sundays… Read More »The Woman at the Well
About a dozen of us sat in the classroom. Chairs had been moved around, not as a neat circle but turned so we could see each other. As psychologists-in-training, we were talking about clients — well, not about specific clients but types of clients and their problems. Who did we… Read More »The Soul Wound of Childhood Sexual Abuse
There are times I think about growing up and how wonderful it was. When I was very young, I’d play for hours in my sandbox. As I got older, I’d go walking in the woods and play beside the creek. In time, I learned to drive and like most of… Read More »Healing Inner Pain
I listened carefully as she spoke. There was a sense of deliberateness to her words. She conveyed her story with authenticity, yet the story was one I’ve heard from others. Now middle-aged, she recounted how she grew up in a family and church that practiced a conservative, evangelical form of… Read More »Inner Darkness: Finding the Light
Some may call it a guilty pleasure. However, I don’t experience guilt about this and as for pleasure, well, it’s something that I enjoy because it’s kind of a mindless activity. Each week, I record a few different police dramas on TV. I watch the shows when I get to… Read More »Blue Bloods: Victims and Retraumatization
Spiritual Direction. It’s an odd term. It refers to a practice in which one person tends to another as a companion for the spiritual journey. The “direction” aspect of “spiritual direction” is what makes the term awkward. A wise spiritual director doesn’t direct anything. At best, an experienced spiritual director… Read More »Spiritual Direction and Healing the Soul