Many couples do not spend quality time together on a daily basis even when they live together. 

They are busy doing their own thing in a part of their homes  or they are on different schedules and do not try to even carve out time to sit down and talk. 

Have you had your couch time today asks the question if you sit down with with mate on a daily basis to give each other even 10 - 20 minutes of quality time talking. 

Many couples do not do this.

Not only should couples carve out 20 minutes a day to do this, they should do this even if they have small children. 

It shows the children that you being a couple is a priority in the home. Parents should tell their children that they are having their 'couch time'. Now if the children need to be watched every second, watch them. You can still explain to a child at an early age that you are going to talk to your mate while you still watch your child play in front of you. 

It teaches your children to respect you as a couple. Too many children grow up thinking that they are everything and that what they demand they get. It also shows your mate that you are committed to them and in growing and strengthening your relationship. 

You need to be sitting down and giving each other 100% of your attention and time DAILY. Doing something together like cleaning the kitchen does not count!

I went to parenting classes that taught me this concept. I am a single parent and I took the classes with several loving, Christian couples. There was a 'modified class book' for me being single. But each week, the couples were asked to carve out their couch time and each week --the couples did not do it at all. 

It was shocking how many couples live too busy of lives that they did not even sit down to talk to each other daily! 

Do not be too busy to sit and talk to your mate!

Have you had YOUR couch time today?

                     By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

Living With Hope Counseling   

Maybe you went through a difficult time in which at the time you did not think you were going to make it through! 


Maybe you are going through a difficult time right now in which you do not know how you are going to make it through.

I have been there. I can relate. I am sorry for your pain and for your difficulty.

I have been a single mother for the past 15 years. There were many days in which I did not think I would make it through the day- make it through the trial- make it through the emotional pain and difficulties that I faced. 

I homeschooled my children for 18 years- 10 years in which I was a working single mother. I homeschooled them until high school. This month my youngest daughter graduated from high school. I can now say- "I did it!"- or should I say-- "God did it!" We survived. My children and I made it through the many difficult years struggling as a single parent family and we are all stronger because of it. It is true that hard times build character!

If you are at a time right now in which you feel hopeless--------- HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!!

Whether you are a believer or not, in difficult times- it is difficult to have faith that things will turn out okay...this I know. But this is when you need to have faith--- to believe that you WILL be okay.

What you can do to help:

Sort out in your mind (on paper will help) what you do and do not have control over.

Under the section in which you do not have control over--------- LET IT GO. An example is that you have no control over how people treat you.

Under the section that you do have control over-------- write down ways that you can be in control of your situation. An example would be that you have the control on how you respond to your negative situation and then write something that you can do such as to do your best with the resources that you have at the time. 

You can also - talk to a friend, talk to yourself positive (DAILY) that you will get through it, seek public assistance if applicable, seek counseling, pray, attend church, join a Sunday School class and/or a small life group at a church, get a support system for yourself, join a support group, read scripture, do not worry (because it makes it worse), and demonstrate self-care strategies to name a few. 

The main thing is to release your stress in an appropriate way (such as talk about it to a friend or counselor) and then to remember that all you can do is what is within your power to do at the time and -then let the rest go. Give it over to God and then it makes it HIS battle- not yours. 

Many counseling centers and counselors including myself-- use a sliding scale fee in which makes counseling affordable. 

What did Jesus Say About Worry?

Matthew 6:25-27  “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Matthew 6:34  “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 11:28-30  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.“

Luke 12:25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his  span of life?

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you;my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

                                   By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

 

On the other side of fear is your new life! 

Fear keeps us from so much. 


Fear keeps us from mending and pursuing relationships.

Fear keeps us from pursuing our passions.

Fear keeps us from pursuing our purpose in life.

Fear keeps us from pursuing our goals in life.

Fear keeps us from exploring life!

What are you afraid of? 

I want to encourage you to write down your fears and concerns in life and then ask yourself first of all- where do they stem from? Then ask yourself .... are they irrational? 

Your fears can be worked through. Counseling can help.

Choose today to stop living in fear!

 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
 
  “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3

  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

  "Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” John 14:27

                             By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Free Support Groups  

Living With Hope Counseling   

I didn't used to be a tea drinker. 

When I moved to Tennessee years ago, it was the first time that I ever heard of 'sweet tea'. 

I do not drink it but I have discovered green tea in my researching and I drink it often.

I buy packets at the health food store and make each cup fresh. 

Green tea has a multitude of health benefits.

Some of them are:
 

Helps with depression

Weight loss

Diabetes

Prevents blood clots

Prevents heart disease

Prevents cancer

Prevents Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Prevents tooth decay

Regulates blood pressure

Prevents flu

Helps your skin

Reference- lifehack.org

 http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html

                             By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

Society influences us to eat fast food and processed foods.

 These foods are causing most illnesses. 

Eating unhealthy affects your mental health and your physical health. 

They are intertwined. 

Most people that I talk to do not eat any raw vegetables. 

Raw vegetables should be most of your diet along with other real food. 

Real food is food that is not genetically modified and/or processed. 

Examples of real food is raw vegetables, fresh fruit, organic eggs, organic meats, and organic seeds and nuts.

Try and make one small change at a time toward making better food choices- for your health! 

                       By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

When you hold in your emotions and do not talk about them, it can cause a multitude of problems for your body, mind, and health. 

You need to be like a tree and let the dead leaves of your life fall off of you. To do so- you need to get out your emotions and talk about them------ work through them and get to the root of your pain.

1. It can first of all cause physical illness.

  Like stress, keeping in pint up emotions can cause physical illness of many kinds such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and more.

2. Holding in your emotions can also cause mental fatigue. 

Until you talk about and work through emotional disturbances, your brain is carrying them with you all day and night which makes it difficult to concentrate, to remember things, or to move forward in life in many ways.

3. It can also cause sleep disturbances when you hold in your emotions.

 Your brain is carrying around what you will not filter out and process. This can keep up awake all night for many nights and cause months of sleep disturbances. 
                            
             Journal- talk to a friend- seek counseling
             Get out pint up emotions for you health!

                            By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

You can rewrite your life story right where you are in life-- right now!

Here are some prompts for you to start rewriting your life:

I have been through a lot in my life. Some of the lessons that I have learned in my life that I can apply to my life are..............

Something wonderful that happened in my life was............. it impacted me............... 

  Many of my life experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today. An experience that has really shaped me into the person that I am today was..............

I am ready to make some changes in my life. The first thing that I can do to make a change is.................. 
                        By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

You have strengths. 

Everyone does.

The problem is that when you feel down emotionally or physically that often you do not feel that you have strengths. 

However- you still do. 

Grab a pen and paper and write down what you know are your strengths. 

Then write down how these strengths have helped you to get through difficult times in the past.

Then write down how you believe that your strengths can help you with a difficult time that you are facing right now.

Do not let a difficult time, negative or irrational thoughts, or others keep you from tapping into your strengths! 

  You are stronger than you know! 

Get writing!

Some ideas and examples are the following: 

I am patient.

I am understanding.

I am caring.

I do not give up when things are tough.

I am optimistic.

I am able to be true to myself and my values.

I have Christ in me.

YOUR TURN!

Add to your list often and read them out loud to yourself daily to help develop your strengths!

                       By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

Are You Losing Yourself? 

Look For These Signs

   1.   You feel unhappy most of the time.

If you do not embody your true self, negative emotions will surface up. Feeling unhappy the majority of the time indicates something deep is going on within you, so pay attention to your emotions. If you don’t feel content with yourself and your life then you need to make some changes. 

It may be time to declare a new beginning for yourself!

  2. You don’t feel comfortable around most people.

 This is another way to tell that you are not being your most true self. If you do not feel comfortable or you do not want to be around other people, then this might signal that you need to reevaluate yourself.

   

 3. You don’t value yourself.

When you are your most authentic self, this means that you value your true being. If you don’t value yourself, you likely haven’t gone inside your soul to reveal the truth that lies within. 

If you do not value yourself, then others will not value you either. You will also have difficultly seeing value in others as well.

  4. You seek acceptance from others.

When you lose who you are, you often look to others for acceptance in life. 

This may include trying to get approval in ways that are inappropriate or from people that it should not matter.

   5. You second-guess your intuition.

If you are not confident in yourself, then you will not value yourself or your inner self. It will be difficult then to follow your intuition.

How do you be yourself and live according to YOUR values? You simply get help in learning how to do this. 

The first step is to begin to start living your life with being true to yourself. BE YOU!

Counseling can help you. 

Do not live your live being afraid to be yourself.   
              
Embrace YOU and who you are!

Again, it may be time to declare a new beginning for yourself!

Reference- Power Of Positivity 

                       By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling   

Listed are 6 things that you can do to get and stay healthy! 










If you demonstrate these 6 things in your life on a daily basis- then it can heal and prevent most diseases.

They are-

Get 30 minutes of sunshine a day

Exercise at least 20 minutes a day- preferably outside

Get fresh air every day

Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day

Eat healthy- eat raw organic veggies, fruit, and seeds and nuts daily, eliminate white sugar and white flour, eliminate processed foods, cut back on dairy, wheat, and meat.

I tell my clients to write these things down in a small journal and either put check marks or a sticker next to them daily to show them what they are and are not doing toward better health.

                      By Diane Gammon MS

Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Now Open Full-Time: Days, Evenings, and Saturdays.

Sliding Scale Fee for Individual Counseling Sessions 

Living With Hope Counseling