On Being Present
It is a humid, hot, sticky day and I am in the middle of rural Uganda living with a host family for five days. Can you say culture shock? The hut, and yes, I do mean an actual hut made of cow pies, has three...
Blog
Beyond Outbursts: Healing Relationships Through Anger Management Counseling Available in Grand Rapids, MI
Unmanaged anger can create a wedge in relationships, leading to misunderstandings, emotional distance, and lasting pain. However, anger itself isn’t inherently negative; it’s a natural emotion that, when understood, can serve a positive purpose. The challenge lies in managing anger effectively. At Second Story Counseling,...
Your Pain is Your Prophet
Several years ago I attended a talk given by an important theologian and voice in my life, Peter Rollins. Midway through his talk he said, “Your symptom is your prophet.” Those words disrupted me. How often have I tried to escape, ignore, numb, dismiss, or...
Uncomfortable Seasons
“You don’t always have to be doing something. You can just be and that’s plenty,” Alice Walker. Over the summer, while looking over the cheese selection at a local farmers market, a woman came around with a basket filled with little pieces of paper and...
Relationships
A few years back I heard one of my favorite speakers and teachers, Peter Rollins, talking on a podcast about relationships. Rollins is a philosopher who studies psychoanalysis and rarely talks about relationships so I immediately leaned in. He suggested that relationships exist on a...
Empowering Adults with ADD/ADHD: Building Resilience and Success Through Therapy in Hudsonville, MI
Living with ADD/ADHD as an adult can present unique challenges, from difficulty maintaining focus to struggling with organization or managing emotions. These challenges can affect various areas of life, including work, relationships, and daily routines. In Hudsonville, Michigan, Second Story Counseling supports adults with ADD/ADHD...
Eye Movement Therapy
What is Eye Movement Therapy? Eye Movement Therapy is based on the idea that our eye movements are connected to how our brain processes memories and emotions. Our brains tend to hang on to difficult emotions and memories. This is thought to allow our brains...
Grief and Growth
I will often see clients navigating a complex experience when processing grief and disappointment. Whether it’s a break-up or leaving a job or faith context; there can often be an existential grief taking place where we ask ourselves important questions about our experiences. If a...