The Counseling Center of South Louisiana

2005-07-20T14:33:00.000-05:00

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned. --Buddha

2005-05-09T11:47:00.000-05:00

Being a teenager today can mean serious struggles in school, home, and social environments. Outside of the typical teen pressures, teenagers are also having to deal with a staggering divorce rate among parents, absence of parental guidance, and a lack of balance in their lives. This balance can be broken up into several areas: spiritual, emotional, physical. Without attention in all of these areas, a child can and does experience feelings of depression, neglect, or even anger and these feelings usually manifest in the following ways: overweight, laziness/lethargy, outbursts, acting out, unmotivated, drop in grades, low self-worth and the list goes on. Parents or legal guardians have a responsibility in getting their child the help that they may need during these times of struggle. Our children rely heavily on the guidance of the adults in their lives, even though at times they seem to resist it. The first step in helping our children is by setting an example for them to follow. Sometimes, that means getting help for ourselves first, and allowing our children to reap the benefits of us having a solid foundation for balance in our lives. Everyone benefits from balance. Any change, however, is an incredible act of courage... whether it's the child or the parent. Courage is what is needed here... the Courage to change the things we can. So, we have an important decision to consider. Do I have the Courage to change and bring balance into my life and the lives of my children?

2005-04-07T15:37:00.000-05:00

The mind is only capable of responding with whatever has been programmed into it. We can dismantle the realities that do not serve us by learning to Forgive.

Dr. Michael Ryce
"Why Is This Happening To Me...Again?!"

2005-02-28T15:28:00.000-06:00

Where is it written what it is I'm meant to be? It all began the day I found that from my window I could only see a piece of sky. I stepped outside and looked around. I never dreamed it was so wide or even half as high. The time had come to try my wings; even though it seemed at any moment I could fall. I felt the most amazing thing... the things you can't imagine if you've never flown at all, though it's safer to stay on the ground. Sometimes where danger lies, there the sweetest of pleasures are found. No matter where I go, they'll be memories that tug at my sleeve, but there will also be more to question yet more to believe. The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize the less I know. Each step I take, each page I turn, each mile I travel only means the more I have to go. What's wrong with wanting more?! If you can fly then soar. With all there is, why settle for just a piece of sky?
Barbara Streisand

2005-02-02T11:10:00.000-06:00

If you do not go within.......you go without.

2005-01-13T11:36:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading a wonderful book - Tuesdays with Morrie. There are lots of wonderful thoughts and insights on living, dying, family, and love. I highly recommend it.

2005-01-11T15:07:00.000-06:00

When you choose to be aware of behavior patterns that don't serve you, you are in a position to change them. That's empowerment!

2004-12-16T15:25:00.000-06:00

It's the holidays once again, and everyone is busy, busy, busy. Take some time during this season to be peaceful, quiet, and serene. Share with others your own gifts. This is the perfect time to plug into your "childish" demeanor... have some fun and be silly. Enjoy the magic of giving and receiving with friends, family, and strangers. Let this holiday time represent your own beliefs about being kind, generous, and loving. Wrap yourself in the warmth of the lights all aglow and the songs of good cheer. Renew your spirit with the new year... begin again... discover, grow, create, learn, teach. Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!

2004-12-09T15:31:00.000-06:00

There is no failure except in no longer trying!

2004-11-29T13:55:00.000-06:00

To Thine Own Self Be True

“To thine own self be true.” “Live the life you were meant to live.” “Be the person you were meant to be.” These statements convey a wonderful truth—that when we go inside & trust our intuition, life opens before us. When we ignore our inner leanings, however, trouble arises.
Joe had a love of the outdoors; but like his father, he became addicted to his work. Though he built up a successful law practice, Joe felt creatively stifled & inwardly desolate. One day Joe was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Realizing he had nothing to lose, he decided to pursue his passion & hike the Pacific Crest trail. Six months later, the tumor had disappeared.
Trying to live out somebody else’s life script is like putting a size 10 foot into a size 7 shoe. The size simply does not fit. No matter how hard you force yourself to adjust to your situation, the discomfort continues.
Why not start off with the right fit? Acknowledge your unique gifts & talents, as well as your wants & needs. Then seek out situations & circumstances that will allow them their full expression. This route may take time, but the results are worth it: a life of peace & fulfillment that comes from being true to yourself.

2004-11-23T15:54:00.000-06:00

I admire humor & wit. I think we develop those qualities we admire.
JOANN REED

Having a well-developed sense of humor can make it possible for us to survive the most difficult of times. If we shift our perception a bit, choosing to see the lighter side of a situation, or if we are willing to laugh at our own foibles, “disasters” affect us far differently. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take life seriously, nor does it mean there aren’t real tragedies. But most tough experiences are exaggerated in our minds. We have the capacity to perceive them differently. Let’s consider our willingness.
Medical research has recently established that laughter is a healthy exercise, that it can actually change the outcome of an illness. Watching funny movies, as therapy, was tried successfully by one well-known journalist who then wrote about his experiences. He cured his disease & lived many more years. It’s not known exactly how this works or why, but the proof is in the evidence. If laughter can completely alleviate, or at least reduce serious conditions, surely it can change the many tiny troubles that hinder us. It’s worth a try. Right?
As JoAnn suggests, admiring someone else’s sense of humor is the first step to improving our own. Might this be a worthy pursuit today?
Having a good laugh at myself or with someone else will change how I see everything today.

2004-11-05T13:45:00.000-06:00

It's not what happens to us, but our response to what happens that hurts us. And we get to choose that response. We don't have to let unpleasant events hurt our character, identity, or sense of worth. We can use those events to forge our character and develop our internal powers.

Adapted from 7 Habits of Highly Efffective People - Stephen Covey

2004-10-19T12:05:00.000-05:00

Who Are We?

2004-10-14T09:40:00.000-05:00

In How To Live 365 Days a Year, John Schindler proposed 11 principles to make one's life richer.

1. Keep life simple
2. Avoid watching for a knock in yoour motor (Quit worring about potential problems)
3. Learn to like work
4. Have a good hobby
5. Learn to be satisfied
6. Like people and join the human expereince
7. Get in the habit of saying the pleasan, cheerful thing
8. Meet adversity by turning defeat into victory
9. Meet your problems with decision (Get out of the problem and into the solution)
10. Make the present moment an emotional success. (Invest in now - it's all you've really got)
11. Say "Nuts" to irritations. (Don't sweat the small stuff)

2004-09-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

Forgiveness is the only way to release resentments - and find inner peace.
"I can forgive, but I cannot forget," is only another way of saying, "I will not forgive." A forgiveness ought to be like a cancelled note, torn in two and burned up, so that it can never be shown against the man. - Henry Ward Beecher

2004-09-19T14:01:00.000-05:00