Feed | New Life

Apr 14
5 min

Looking Back with a Lion's Heart

"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." - Rafiki If you’re a Disney fan...

Apr 5
2 min

Be with Yourself Before Being with Others

One of the unique things about Bowen family systems theory is how it conceptualizes self. Murray Bowen, who developed the theory, termed...

Mar 8
2 min

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

In the middle of the night my wife is shaking me awake in the hopes to pull me out of another nightmare. Hello, my name is Tommy and I am...

Mar 8
2 min

Misconceptions about Men and Therapy: from a male's perspective

“Asking for help makes me weak.” I get it. I lived under this idea for years. As matter of fact, when I was in Basic Training, I remember...

Feb 16
4 min

To the Well-Meaning Counselor and Minister: Beware.

To the well-meaning counselor and minister: Beware the anxious bid that doth pull at your savior-complex heart strings. Today is...

Feb 3
2 min

Grief: A Natural Process

To grieve is to pay ransom to love. Edwin Shneidman Grief and grieving are no easy tasks. I understand firsthand, as one acquainted with...

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

How Special Needs Affects the Family

Living with any sort of disability, whether it’s developmental, intellectual, or physical, comes with it’s own complex challenges and...

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

The Work of Your Hands

As the summer winds down and the vacation season draws to a close, for a sizable number of us, September ushers in the routine of school...

Apr 26, 2020
2 min

Failing Well

I am familiar with behavior plans, as I was a teacher before I became a counselor. Behavior plans help children learn. But what are your...

Apr 26, 2020
2 min

Organic Families

We live in Austin. At least in the greater Austin area. It seems like the word “organic” is everywhere these days! So what on earth do I...

Apr 26, 2020
4 min

The Battle of the Moms in Stepfamily Life

One of my specialties and passions is helping stepfamilies. As both a stepmom and biological mom myself, I am able to understand blended...

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

Ready, Set, Holidays!

Cooler weather, falling leaves, shorter days, a change in the atmosphere. Fall has arrived, and with it, anticipation of the holiday...

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

Standing on Your Own Two Feet, Side by Side

I think it’s fair to say there’s some free-floating anxiety running through the veins of society right now. Though it seems to somewhat...

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

Self as an Original Image of God

I think the process of working towards a solid self is really a mystery. (See last’s months post for the first part of this...

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

Marriage: The Preflight Checklist

What is the state of your marriage? Are you bringing the healthiest version of yourself to your marriage?

Apr 26, 2020
3 min

Your New Life, After Divorce

You never imagined it could happen to you. Your husband or wife would never [fill in the blank]. And yet, here you are discovering your...

Apr 26, 2020
2 min

Relationships in the New Year: A Tapestry of Tangles and Grace (Part 1)

One month into the new year, with memories from the holidays still fresh (and another relationship-related holiday coming up), the topic...

Apr 26, 2020
2 min

Relationships in the New Year: A Tapestry of Tangles and Grace (Part 2)

Last month I introduced the metaphor of viewing family systems as a tapestry, full of tangles and needing grace. Now I would like to...

Apr 26, 2020
4 min

"Mom, Dad - We Need To Talk."

Unlike parenting our own children, none of us look forward to the day that we have to begin to make decisions for our parents. It can be...

Apr 26, 2020
4 min

Back to the Routine

Twas the night before school starts, and all through the house, every creature was stirring, like a rabid mouse. The backpacks were...