• Home
  • Treatment Areas
    • Treatment Areas
    • OCD Resources
    • ERP for OCD Group
    • Addiction Resources
  • About
    • About
    • Hours & Rates
    • Professional Training
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Make Appointment
Justin K. Hughes, Licensed Professional Counselor: Dallas CBT and Exposure Therapy for OCD, Anxiety, Addictions & More
  • Home
  • Treatment Areas
    • Treatment Areas
    • OCD Resources
    • ERP for OCD Group
    • Addiction Resources
  • About
    • About
    • Hours & Rates
    • Professional Training
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Make Appointment

Justin's Blog

Stuff Your Pockets

11/20/2020

1 Comment

 
This post is intended for Christians looking to deepen their faith and mental health and may not apply to my entire reader base.
Picture
Photo by Henley Design Studio on Unsplash
My daughter Hattie went into hoarding mode this Halloween.  Within 5 minutes, she was in MEGA-CUMULATION mode.  Emily and I got some good parenting moments; “Hattie, you can choose 2 items from that basket.”  (We had to say that about 30 times.)  

I laugh often when she’s around food, toys, or playground equipment- like an old prospector she stakes her claim.  She is offended that others dare lay claim to something she thinks should be hers!  How dare they!

Now I’ll point the laughter at myself; I am not really that different.  I’ve just become more savvy at being socially adept at my control attempts.

Hoarding of items to feel secure is a fairly natural response of our human nature, ranging in extremes.  A scarcity mindset, i.e., “feast or famine” or to obsessively “protect what’s mine,” though, is selfish and self-focused.  It does not “love your neighbor as yourself.”  I recommend for myself today- and for you- to look in the mirror every once in a while and ask this tough question:


What drives you?  Fear-based scarcity?  GOD- as your provider?  Something else?



A story may help illuminate the question.  The Hebrew, ‘man hu’ means “It is manna,” and in English, “What is it?”  This manna was an incredible food God provided refugee Israelites fleeing from a brutal autocracy that had enslaved them.  It's all part of the incredible history of the Jewish people.  God accomplished this over many years and utilized several key players, the most famous being Moses.  In delivering Israel from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, God led them out through the leadership of a very imperfect man who likely had Social Anxiety Disorder, fulfilling incredible promises, miracles, and almost unbelievable wonders. It's one of the best deliverance stories, maybe in the history of history. If you haven't read it, please do so in the Book of Exodus.

So imagine being born into slavery, and you gain total freedom from an overbearing despot. But in order to get away, you must go through the desert. I feel tired and thirsty already.

In their refugee state, God promised the Jewish people refuge. But it wasn’t a magical transportation to heaven.  Just days after they were freed, they felt the heat of the desert.  They had to walk miles and miles.  They complained. Only one of the seemingly unbelievable ways God provided for them was through fast, convenient, and sustaining food. It was manna (Exodus 16), which was given in the morning and quail at night. They were already complaing so much they said they wanted to go back to slavery because they had it better in Egypt (*face palm*).  In addition to complaining, there was hoarding (Numbers 11) in desperation, lacking reliance on God.  I can only guess fear would have been involved. 

These details, with thousands of years of perspective can make it seem ridiculous to some when we read on paper or pixels.  Why wouldn’t you just trust God when he frees you from slavery and performs many miracles before your eyes?  I’m afraid my heart isn’t different.  I am the same when I lack trust in God by faith.

  • Do I believe God is my provider?
  • Do I trust I can take a day off work and I will be taken care of?
  • Am I generous with others because God is generous with me?
  • Do I love my neighbor as myself?
  • Am I patient with others and put others ahead of myself?
  • Do I know sacrifice and share in the sufferings of Christ?

What if you have an Anxiety or other Disorder that gives you an extra kick in the teeth?  Something that makes these things extra difficult?  First of all, God is patient (2 Corinthians 12:7-10; 1 Peter 3:9).  Secondly, God asks us to seek Him by faith in all things, just like everyone else (Hebrews 11:6; 2 Timothy 2:4). 

I have an anxiety disorder myself.  And God has been incredibly faithful and gentle with me, while also lovingly disciplining me (see Hebrews 12), so that I keep seeking him.  If you fall into a scarcity mindset [check out my post “Developing A Growth Mindset”], welcome to the club of being human, but if you also have a disorder that makes it even more difficult to walk by faith over fear, welcome to another club that is very large, indeed; close to half of all people qualify for one mental disorder at some point in their lives.  Remember, God is patient.  God also still asks us to seek Him by faith, just like everyone else. Sometimes walking by faith means praying, sometimes resting, sometimes therapy, sometimes talking, sometimes serving...you get the gist. 

As with the Israelites during the Exodus, God accomplished many things over many, many years- and He still is.  The Israelites feared, complained, got overwhelmed, and tried to stuff their pockets- directly lacking faith in what God was telling them and showing them.  God was patient nonetheless, while he disciplined them.  He’s asking us to faith.  Faith that God is your provider. Not therapy. Not a nation. Not your employer. Not yourself. Not a president.  Not a parent.  Not your 401k. 

Days out from the "great candy grab of 2020," my child's brain experienced the indelible impact of poignant pleasure: she asked daily after this if she could go to neighbor’s front porches!! As I raise her I am prayerful that she will learn well to take her fears and turn to God (and to never be ashamed to get help through CBT or medications).  I pray she becomes aware of her God-given feelings and desires, and can ultimately be led back to the rock that is Christ- who is the realization of her greatest hopes and dreams.

Also, Candy is nice, too.  I’ll take both, please.  :)

Picture
Photo by Juli Kosolapova on Unsplash
1 Comment

Mindfulness Exercise (Exposure-Friendly)

12/13/2019

0 Comments

 
This video and guide below were specially formulated to help you be mindful in an "Exposure-Friendly" way.

This one's a bit different from the average mindfulness practice you might be familiar with.  The reason it's called "Exposure-Friendly" is that it is specially designed to help a person be mindful of whatever they are experiencing, not just attempting to feel better.  This is a hallmark of exposure therapy: being able to tolerate distress without engaging in pathological responses (rituals, safety behaviors) that negatively reinforce fear.  Distractions and relaxation when facing our fears can backfire (see the research at the end of the Guide).  So if we need a different set of tools to face fear, here's one of them.  I hope it helps.

Blessings,

~Justin
Download the FULL exercise and Guide
Picture
Music: As Leaves Fall
Musician: @iksonofficial
0 Comments

Fear Not

7/30/2019

 
This post is intended for Christians looking to deepen their faith and mental health.
Picture
The Bible has a lot to say about fear and anxiety.  In fact, some variation of “do not be afraid” is the most common directive in Scripture, occurring in some fashion more than ‘do not steal,’ ‘do not kill,’ and even ‘love your neighbor.’

How do anxiety and fear work? When we study these constructs in research, we are understanding mechanisms through which the body/brain is informed to face a threat or danger.  We can argue these responses are inherently good, with their purpose being survival, protection, and preparedness. Its activation results in the sympathetic nervous system being primed: adrenalin and noradrenalin are produced, cortisol increases, heart rate increases, blood flow moves to muscles and away from extremities, speed and depth of breathing increases, and many other physiological changes occur.[1]  I’m grateful to have these responses- when they are in context.  Out of context, they suck, to put it bluntly.  Problems like panic attacks, worry, phobias, obsessiveness, skin/hair picking/pulling, preoccupation, social fears, avoidance, and more can be quite terrible.

One of the things I love most in my walk with Christ is context.  Direction.  

“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:5b-6, ESV).  

What is being said here?  Partly, “Do not be anxious about anything.”  Since anxiety is a feeling of imminent threat- or in other words, it’s at hand- it’s very interesting that immediately before this phrase in Scripture we have another observation revealing a different type of imminence: “The Lord is at hand.”

In the context of the Lord being near we are told, “Do not be anxious.”  This Greek word for ‘be anxious,’ μεριμνᾶτε (transliterated as “merimnate”), means to be divided and distracted, fearful, and caring for things that are out of context.[2]

Sounds a lot like anxiety disorders, right?  Yep. Or even just day to day worry/anxiety? Yep.  When a person feels anxiety and fear and misinterprets this as significant, a person’s entire life and values can shift to focus on whatever is the subject of their fear, whether classified medically as a disorder or not.  This can lead to a preoccupation with avoiding something or someone (spiders, relationships, sex, social situations) to obsessively checking to make sure everything is okay (car, stove, locks, bodily sensations, health, perfectionistic behavior), or pursuing something (money, security, approval of others)- and MUCH more.[3]

To help work through these things and avoid pathological responses, I believe we need supports like therapy, help from friends, breathing techniques, mindfulness, exposure techniques, etc.  This only underscores our complexity (we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”[4] yet simultaneously all messed up[5]) and highlights what we are told in Scripture about our limits.[6]  We can rightly use these tools to help us, just as we do nutrition, medicine, community, and so forth.  But there is one thing these tools can’t do on their own: attach us to the very God of the universe and give us a lasting hope and focus- with meaning and purpose at the highest level.
​
So God gives us a jewel of a passage in Philippians 4 where we are kindly reminded what our attention is to be on (context), and a little bit of how we can live it out (practice).[7]  It is well known within the anxiety treatment world that even the most effective therapies (here’s looking at you, classic CBT, which I love and specialize in) often need supports to connect to larger beliefs, values, and commitments (ACT, DBT, and MI are some of the most common modalities).  If we don’t connect a person to larger motivations and goals than “I just want to feel better,” it is often near impossible for a person to grow with sustainable change for the long term because they don’t have a sufficient reason and value to keep them invested. God gives us this.
  • He is near (so we pray, cry out, talk to God, and work on gratitude- v. 6).
  • He gives peace (that defies understanding and supersedes suffering- v. 7).
  • He guards and protects us through Christ (v. 7).

Want more?  Well, there’s two tips in the next two verses, Philippians 4:8-9
  • Learn to focus your thoughts in ways that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.
  • Follow someone who has practiced these things.

“Anxious for nothing” will take a lifetime to put into practice.  I’m grateful to have the opportunity.

~Justin
[1] Continued misinterpretation and repetitive experience of these symptoms worsens disorder, like in Panic Disorder, GAD, Phobias, OCD, PTSD, and more.
[2] Bible Hub. (n.d.). 3309. merimnaó. Retrieved July 13, 2019, from https://biblehub.com/greek/3309.htm
[3] I think it’s very important to note that we have to be very careful with saying anxiety/fear is sin- and what we mean by this.  A lot of Christians get tripped up on this, and many, ironically, become more anxious. The extent of this point would likely require an entire book, so I will not take the space here to elaborate.
[4] Psalm 139:14; Genesis 1:26-27
[5] Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23
[6] Psalm 73:26; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
[7] Oh yes, there’s a whole lot more in Scripture on this topic. Let's not reduce a couple sentences into a "how-to-manual."

Grateful

11/20/2018

0 Comments

 
Want a surefire way to experience more gratitude?  Be grateful.  

I'm not trying to sound trite; those who practice gratitude are more grateful.  I struggle to apply this discipline myself.  But when I do, I see the world differently.  Enjoy the following video (thanks to my brother for passing along).  

Happy Thanksgiving.  
0 Comments

    The Jog:

    A Psychotherapists' thoughts on healthy living.  

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    December 2017
    June 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2015
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    ACT
    Addiction
    Advocacy
    Anxiety Disorders
    Assertiveness/Boundaries
    Bible / Scripture
    Busyness
    Christian
    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    Cognitive Distortions
    Cognitive Restructuring
    Communication
    Counseling
    Couples
    Emotional Health
    ERP (Exposure And Response Prevention)
    Exercise
    Exposure Therapy
    Fear
    Finances
    Food & Nutrition
    Friendship
    Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
    Gratitude
    Health
    Holidays
    Hope
    Imaginal Exposure
    Interoceptive Exposure
    Intolerance Of Uncertainty
    Intrusive Thoughts
    In Vivo Exposure
    Marriage
    Medication
    Mental Health
    Mindfulness
    Money
    Motivational Interviewing (MI)
    OCD
    Personality
    Phobias
    Psychology
    PTSD
    Reason
    Relationships
    Rest
    Social Anxiety Disorder
    Spirituality/Faith
    Stress Resilience
    Substance Abuse
    Supplements
    Support
    Technology
    The OCD Stories
    Virtual Reality Exposure

    Disclaimer:

    All Content on this Site, justinkhughes.com, was created for informational purposes only. Content is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, treatment, or diagnosis.  Always seek the advice of your own personal health provider who is qualified to treat you, along with asking them any questions you may have regarding medical or other conditions. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have viewed on justinkhughes.com. Also, due to the sensitive nature of topics and material covered through this Site, which contains very descriptive and/or advanced content, you may not want to use justinkhughes.com. The Site and its Content are provided on an "as is" basis.  Some posts are written for specific populations (OCD, Christians, Professionals)- with the intent to remain respectful to all- some content may not fit or go counter to your beliefs, perspectives, and what is explored for you in a professional counseling session with Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC.  The posts are intended solely for the population they are written to and can be designated by their titles and tags.
    Links to external educational content are taken at your own risk. Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC is not responsible for external content.  

    Affiliate Disclosure:

    Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC of Dallas Counseling, PLLC participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  This means that some links on this site will produce a small commission from Amazon.com and affiliated sites.  I NEVER link products I don't use or clinically find benefit in.  Many of them have been recommended for years inside and outside therapy sessions.  You are under no obligation to purchase any book, product or service recommended on this site.  However, they are provided on this site only educationally and are not meant to be interpreted as treatment or therapy in any way.  I am not responsible for the quality or experience of any items purchased through affiliate links, as they are entities completely separate of myself.  

Subscribe

* indicates required
Fresh Counseling Insights

View previous campaigns.

​Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC
Owner, Dallas Counseling, PLLC 

justin@dallascounseling.com
P: 469-490-2002

17330 Preston Road, Suite 102D
Dallas, TX 75252
 
Picture
©2019 Dallas Counseling, PLLC
View our Privacy Policy here.
  • Home
  • Treatment Areas
    • Treatment Areas
    • OCD Resources
    • ERP for OCD Group
    • Addiction Resources
  • About
    • About
    • Hours & Rates
    • Professional Training
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Make Appointment