I have experienced mild, chronic pain in my feet for years. I have avoided walking barefoot or wearing any shoes that are not super-supportive, given the swift and intense pain that hit without them. 

That all changed recently when my friend, Michelle, passed along a piece of advice from her physical therapist: avoid Dansko clogs (my go-to “safe” shoes!), because they create pain in your feet by preventing your muscles from the movement they need to be strengthened while walking. 

Holy Saturday and the entirety of Holy Week is a time when Christians come face-to-face with the reality of human condition and the full participation of Christ in our suffering. Things get really dark, and we’re left with the weight and the silence of death. When we allow it, we get truly in touch with our own suffering as we realize how in touch Christ already is.

What is that thing that keeps you from feeling like you belong? Most people have something. In fact, half of Americans feel socially excluded.

Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan, as recounted in Matthew 4:1-11. I too am tempted in the desert by Satan. When the passage says Jesus was hungry, I think “me too.” I’m hungry for belonging, love, and reassurance that everything is going to be okay. 

Being a therapist is about helping people center the things that support thriving. We often don’t notice when we’ve started placing our trust in fickle hopes. As much as we all love a life of ease - political stability, physical safety, well-behaved relatives, and financial security - it’s the reality of life that we cannot always count on these things. “In this world you will have trouble,” said Jesus. 

Christians sometimes think that self-care is selfish and should be avoided as we follow Jesus' instructions to "take up your cross and follow me." In fact, self-care is crucial as we humbly accept our limits and seek to be equipped by God for the difficult work of following Christ.

I’ve been blogging since 2014 at www.TheMindfulChristian.com, but here we are on a new website for my expanding private practice, Dwell Psychological Services (woohoo!). As a bridge between the two sites, here’s the post I wrote a year ago to announce my practice opening. If you’re wondering “why the name Dwell?,” here’s where you get to find out.