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Depersonalization: Living Apart from Ourselves
Depersonalization and derealization according to the definition that pops up in my Google feed: …involves a persistent or recurring feeling of being detached from one’s body or mental processes, like an outside observer of one’s life (depersonalization), and/or a feeling of being detached from one’s surroundings (derealization). Most people have episodes of depersonalization that occur sporadically throughout their lives. It is only when these are prolonged and begin to interfere with every day functioning that the professionals get involved. My observations on this topic are personal and not professional, though I have helped quite a few people identify and move through this phenomenon in ministry. The experts tell us that…
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Emotional and Spiritual Wellness: Learning to Heal
Wellness is not a new concept, though, to be honest, it is for me. The dictionary defines it as the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal. I dislike that definition because it seems incomplete. The National Wellness Association (who knew there was such a thing!) defines wellness as an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence. Find them here That is better, I suppose. I am not fond of the term successful existence because it is simply so subjective. For me, wellness is about well-being. I think of that old hymn by Horatio Spafford, It Is…
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How to Tell if You Have Self-Destructive Tendencies
I imagine most everyone feels self-destructive at one point or another. Sometimes the teen years can prove too much or during times of great stress, we can all separate from our selves emotionally. But one of a successful and healthy person’s duties is to care for themselves, making sure that they don’t turn their lives into a train wreck that can claim lives other than just their own. Being self-destructive, like most things is a matter of degree. While perhaps some are just a bit careless with their lives, others are bent on ending a relationship with themselves once and for all. Rare is the person who never struggles with…