For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again. Proverbs 24:16

We make mistakes in our daily lives. When we pursue our aspirations, we often make mistakes and we often fail. We have set backs after set backs and we have disappointments.

 We fail at relationships. We fail at being a parent at times. If we try and we put our necks out in the world to take a chance at something, we could fail multiple times.

Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor company.  However, his early businesses failed and left him completely broke five times before he launched the assembly line for the Ford.

Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken tried and was rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant accepted his recipe for chicken.

We get out hearts broke in relationships and we are reluctant to love again. However, we can grow and learn from our relationship mistakes and move forward a little wiser just like we can move forward from other mistakes.

Don’t stop pursuing the desires of your heart because of rejections. Use any rejection as an opportunity to learn, grow, and perhaps to try even harder with your newly enhanced wisdom and vision. 

     

The next try could be the one that gets you to where you want to be in life! 

Many broken relationships CAN mend! Forgive and get professional help.

The love of your life...... 
or the new friend that you have prayed for..........
or the job that you have been trying so hard to get..........
could all be just around the corner! 

Don't give up. Don't quit trying.

BELIEVE AND STRIVE!   

Implement an effort, allow time, and repeat!

Turn adversity into opportunity! 

Success consists of going from failure to failure
without loss of enthusiasm.
- Winston Churchill

Success is a state of mind.
If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.
- Dr. Joyce Brothers

In order to succeed, you must first be willing to fail.
- Anonymous

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12

 an oldie but goodie

There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

Do you try to find joy in circumstances and then someone or something comes along and zaps the joy right out of you?

People can try to bring you down, but you are still in control of how you respond to their negativity.

You can chose to draw a boundary line with a person who is negative and not be around them.

If you are not able to distant yourself from them physically, you can chose to mentally rise above their negativity.

You are in charge of your responses to negative people and negative situations.

Take the HIGH road! Chose JOY in your heart and do not allow negativity to ruin your day.

Another way to stop a joy robber is to discipline yourself to avoid whatever is robbing you from your joy.

I saw a woman on television that was on a talk show who stated that getting on face book stole her joy because so many people made it look like they had perfect lives. This bothered her immensely because she felt jealous. She had a loving family and a great life but when she saw what others posted about their lives, it stole her joy that she had. She had to learn to reduce her time on face book so that she could stop her joy robber.

I had a friend who once told me that watching certain movies facilitated her to lose her joy. She said that it was because she believed that most of the movies were inappropriate and she felt that they were robbing her joy in that she was compromising her morals and values by watching them. So, she stopped watching any movies that she felt were not what God wanted her to be exposed to. This helped her to reclaim her joy in life as she felt like she was being obedient to the Lord and thus, being true to her beliefs. 

Think about what could be your joy robbers and stop them.

Claim your joy and hold on tight! Guard your heart and mind from potential joy robbers.

Psalm 118:24 - "This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Share in the comments how you stop joy robbers.

 an oldie but goodie

There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

 

Have you ever justified a way that you reacted to something or someone based on your feelings and then wished that you had responded differently? 

Our feelings are how we feel, simply put. We feel sad. We feel happy. Our thoughts are what we think about and thinking is a mental process. We can feel one way but chose to use our mind set to respond a different way. 

Feelings are important to be recognized. It is okay to feel upset. It is not okay to react inappropriately from being upset for example, by destroying property or by tearing down people emotionally.

I want to encourage you to allow yourself to feel the way that you do over a given situation. Then, try to ask yourself why you think that you feel this way. Try and understand to make sense of it. Allow yourself to react with how you are feeling - to yourself. Then, try to respond to the situation or person in a way that reflects how you want to demonstrate your character.

Next, I want to encourage you to allow others in your life to feel as they do as well. A kind response to someone who is hurting is to say to them that you understand how that must be hurtful and difficult for them. We all want to be affirmed, especially with how we are feeling. However, we are in control and have choices in how we respond to situations and people. 

We can feel angry but we can also chose to think and take our time to cool down and then to respond to others with respect. 

 an oldie but goodie

There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

 

Visualizations & Affirmations can be very helpful in our lives!

These practices are like positive thinking and meditation and they offer similar benefits. 

Positive thinking is best practiced in daily life, visualization requires us to pause and dedicate specific time toward imagining a positive outcome. 

Affirmations usually take some directed energy as well. It is helpful to write positive statements or to say them out loud. 

Both techniques work to improve our outlooks in life and to rewire our brains into "solutions mode". 

Reference- Food Matters

 an oldie but goodie

There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

 

It is difficult to forgive others. It can be even more difficult to forgive yourself for something. 

It is necessary however to be able to free yourself from any guilt and shame that you are experiencing. 

Guilt and shame will just keep eating at you and continue to feed negativity into your mind and spirit. This will affect your mental and physical health. If you feel bad about something that you did – or didn’t do and it is bothering you, it may be time to forgive yourself. 

Past failures and poor decisions are just that….. they are in the past. 

The way that you see yourself is not an accurate picture of what God has done for you and how He sees you. God loves you deeply and completely. When you don’t forgive yourself and let go and take the gift of God’s redemption, you are denying yourself of the gift God gave you. 

You are worthy!!    You are worthy!! 

God has already forgiven you and so he doesn’t want you to feel bad. God wants you to live and peace and to feel his everlasting Love. 

Set yourself free. Don’t choose to focus on feeling bad to try and punish yourself. That is not productive. Make the decision to forgive yourself for anything that you need to forgive yourself for. 

The best thing that you can do is let it go and move forward with what you have learned from the situation.  
  

Fill in the blank……. Today, I forgive myself for………………………………………………………………

Then, let it go. Fill your spirit with positive thoughts of how you are going to move forward with what you have learned and in loving with perfect peace, the peace that God has placed for you when he died on the cross.

it is a blessing to give and to receive a gift. 

You can honor God by accepting His gift with great joy and begin to see yourself as a new creation in Christ.

Your past failures are forgiven. Forgive yourself. You did the best that you could with where you were, with what you had, and with what you knew- or were capable of----------- let it go. 

Demonstrate self-care and self-love and learn from your past and apply what you learned for a brighter tomorrow!

Isaiah 43:25, "I, even I, am he that blotteth 

out thy transgressions for mine own sake, 

and will not remember thy sins."

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

 an oldie but goodie

There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

 

Anger is a necessary stage of the healing process. 

Allow yourself to feel your anger even though it may seem endless and be very painful. 

The more you allow yourself to feel anger, the more that it will begin to dissipate-- and then it will facilitate healing.

There will be other emotions that you will feel as well. However, anger is the emotion we are most used to managing.

You may feel anger toward your friends, doctors, your family, yourself, and to God. 

Underneath anger is extreme pain. This is a natural response to grief as well as feeling abandoned. 

Anger can actually be a strength and an anchor, giving temporary structure to the nothingness of loss. 

At first grief feels like being lost at sea -such as having no connection to anything. 

Then you get angry and all of a sudden, you have a structure…….. your anger. 

This anger can be a bridge over the open sea….and be something to hold on to.

Your anger is an indication of the intensity of your love.

Allow yourself to feel anger. Just try not to take it out on others inappropriately. 

Implementing self-care, coping skills, and seeking counseling can help your healing process. 

  Reference
    Grief.com 
 an oldie but goodie
There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

Sometimes it is not what is in front of you that is a road block to what you are pursing in your life but it is something in your rear view mirror. 

Although we can try, it is can very difficult to leave the past in the past. Our mind goes back and revisits the past and then we relive our mistakes, traumas, anger, and regrets over and over again.
While it is important to bring these up to the surface to work through them, once we do that, we have to let them go and leave them in the past.

The best way to do this is to train your mind to let the past stay in the past.

While you may not have control over thinking of something, you do have the choice not to dwell on it and let it take over your emotions.

Focus on your life now and look to your future!

Sometimes it may be troublesome to move on from your past because there is still something that you need to do to make amends before you can move on. Perhaps it is forgiving someone. It may be that you have not been able to let go of someone.

Whatever it is, ask yourself what might be holding you back. Acknowledge it. Confront want you truly believe that you need to do to move past it and do it.

Allow yourself to reflect at your life and circumstances of what you are going through. Try looking at it as a third party. What would you tell a close friend or family member to do if they asked you?

It is helpful to be aware and then to understand why you are having a difficult time letting go and moving on.  

Accept what was and is and tell yourself that - YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOU!

Leave what you need to let go of in the past.

When it creeps back up, tell yourself, “I am past this. I have let this go! I am healed! I DO NOT AND WILL NOT dwell on it nor will I let it consume my emotions any longer.”

Then, concentrate on the here and now and what lies before you.

Journal your values and aspirations and drive forward without looking in your review mirror any more except to say, "I am moving forward and I do not need to dwell in my past any longer."

We all have a past. They are all different. Mine was painful due to multiple traumas. Then, I made some decisions in my life that I wish I had not made due to my pain. However, my pain, traumas, and my mistakes do not define me! 

Right now, visualize carrying around heavy stones with you as you do everything in your life (representing things that you need to let go of). That would be difficult to carry those and keep moving forward, right? Now visualize placing them in a row and using them as stepping stones to move forward in your life. 

LEARN from your past! Turn your mess into a message!

Then when your past calls again- tell yourself, "I don't need to answer that call as it has nothing new to say! "

Seek help and talk to someone if need be. There is a whole new life out there waiting for you!

an oldie but goodie

There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 



        
 By Diane Davidson Gammon MS
Clinical mental Health Counselor

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

Loneliness is a feeling. You can feel very lonely even while being with other people. On the flip side, you can feel great and not feel lonely even when you are alone. Thus, feeling lonely is a state of mind.

When you feel lonely, ask yourself why you are feeling this way. A lot of the time when a person feels lonely, it is because they have negative feelings about themselves or they are upset about something.

Further, it is easy to have feelings such as loneliness when we compare ourselves to other people and the lives that we believe they may have.  

Try not to compare your life to someone else’s life. Everyone has challenges in life. Some are just not as visible as others. 

When you feel lonely, it can often lead to feeling sad and depressed. When this happens, people often react by withdrawing even more from others and then they feel sorry for themselves.

So, it is important to ascertain why you feel lonely first of all. This can hep you to understand your feelings better. 

A good way to do this is to journal. 

Once you acknowledge why and what triggered your feelings of loneliness, tell yourself that you can change this feeling! 

First of all, change your thought process. Tell yourself that you will be okay and that there are ways to feel better.

Here are some suggestions to combat feeling lonely:

Positive self-talk
Staying active 

Volunteering

Join a class – (church, educational, hobbies, mental health, dance)

Join a group of some type (meet ups, support groups, self-help)

Get a pet

Build existing relationships in your life

List your passions and interests and start pursuing them

Talk to someone when you are feeling sad and lonely

Count your blessings

Being socially isolated is not healthy emotionally or physically. Be creative and put yourself out in the world. Even if you are not a friendly person and no matter your age, you can still find different ways to meet new people and to be more sociable!

GET UP, DRESS UP, SHOW UP, and smile at someone!! 

Work on improving your self-esteem and self-worth. Start with working on self-care. When you feel better about yourself then you will feel friendlier which will draw others to you. 

Also, remember that emotional pain is only temporary. Take a deep breath, get some sunshine, and make the decision to make a change. If you need help, please talk to someone!

Engage in activities that will promote your positive self-image and tell yourself that you can and will conquer these sad feelings! 

It all starts with you and your mind set. Change your attitude and then your actions.

If you know the Lord, you can also go to Him. Give Him your pain. He will give you peace and comfort. If you do not know the Lord, I want to encourage you to talk to someone who can help you to invite Him into your heart and life. 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

An oldie but goodie



There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 


 By Diane Davidson
                                             Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor 

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

 

A victim of emotional abuse quite often doesn’t see the mistreatment as being abusive. 

Victims of abuse often demonstrate coping mechanisms of denial and they also minimize their abuse.

Emotional abuse can cause severe emotional trauma in victims such as depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Here is a list of some behaviors that  constitutes emotional abuse:

1. When someone humiliates you, puts you down, or makes fun of you in front of other people.

2. When someone disregard your opinions, ideas, suggestions, or needs.


3. When someone accuses you of being “too sensitive” in order to deflect their abusive remarks.

5. When someone is controlling.

6.When you have to ask permission from this person.

7.When someone cuts down your dreams and goals.

8.When someone repeatedly points out your flaws. 

9. When someone accuses you of things that are not true.


10. When someone make excuses for their behavior, tries to blame others, and has difficulty apologizing.


11. They blame you for their problems, life difficulties, or for their unhappiness.

12. They call you names or curse at you.

13. They are emotionally distant or emotionally unavailable most of the time.

14. When someone resorts to pouting or withdrawal to get attention or to attain what they want.

15. They lack empathy or compassion.

16. They play the victim role and try to deflect blame to you rather than taking personal responsibility.

17. They disengage or use neglect or abandonment to punish or frighten you.

18. They do not notice or care about your feelings.

19. They withhold sex as a way to manipulate and control.

20. They invalidate or deny their emotionally abusive behavior when confronted.

21. They make threats to frighten or control you.

The first step for those being emotionally abused is recognizing it’s happening. 

If you recognize any of these signs of emotional abuse in a relationship that you are in, you need to be honest with yourself so you can regain power over your own life, stop the abuse, and begin to heal. 
 
The stress of emotional abuse will eventually catch up with you in the forms of illness, emotional trauma, depression, and/or anxiety. You simply can’t allow it to continue, even if it means ending the relationship. 

A counselor can help you navigate the pain and fears of leaving an abusive relationship and work with you to rebuild your self-esteem.

Reference: Live Bold and Bloom

Reach out for help and attend a free support group. 

Due to the 4th of July Holiday, we will be having our next support group on Tuesday, July 10th instead of the first Tuesday of the month.

Pre-registration and pre-screening is required. 

Text Diane at 615-556-8406 or email her at Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com to register or for more information.

There is ALWAYS HOPE!



There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 


 By Diane Davidson
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor 

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........

 
  

 

Are you having a difficult time coping with life right now?

I know that it can be difficult and that sometimes it feels like there is no hope in sight.

Hold on to the idea of having hope and of things getting better.

Try and do what you can with what you have control over and then let go of the rest.

Reach out to someone who you trust. Talk to someone. It helps to talk and share your feelings. 

Take that first step of getting out of the darkness by telling someone how you are having a difficult time. Do not keep it bottled up inside.

There is hope. There is help.

Free Depression/ Anxiety Support Group for adults of all ages

Due to the 4th of July Holiday, we will be having our next support group on Tuesday, July 10th instead of the first Tuesday of the month.

Pre-registration and pre-screening is required. 

Text Diane at 615-556-8406 or email her at Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com to register or for more information.



There is always hope! 

CLICK HERE For Living With Hope Counseling Facebook Page AND "LIKE" IT!
 


 By Diane Davidson
                               Gammon M.S.
         Clinical Mental Health Counselor 

Disclaimer- I am not a doctor and I am not giving out medical advice. My blogs are for information and inspirational purposes. Please consult your doctor before starting a new health regimen.

Diane Davidson Gammon Arnold MS is clinically supervised by Michael Loftis LCSW as she pursues  LPC-MHSP licensure

 Open Full-Time Days - Monday through Saturday
With Evening Appointments
615-556-8406
Email- Diane@LivingWithHopeCounseling.com

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups for: Depression, Anxiety, Panic, Hopelessness, Trauma, PTSD, Abuse, and Grief and Loss (Including Miscarriage/ Stillbirth/ Infant loss)

 Have Hope! Renew Health! and...........