Mental health Archives

Step 11 Is A Step You May Either Love Or Hate

Step 11 in the 12 Step Recovery tradition brings some challenges. For many people who try to follow the 12 Steps, Step 11 is a step they either love or hate: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand God, praying only for knowledge of […]

Mental health

What Opens The Door To Joy?

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It was so delightful that you could smell the perfume of joy sweep the room. She was in her 30’s and had been diagnosed with a psychotic illness. Voices in her head were her constant companion. She was into some New Age stuff mixed with Catholic teachings and a liberal dose […]

Mental health

On Being A Weathervane

I loved to watch planes as a child. On the farm in which I grew up on we would often get fertilizer spread by aeroplane. It was exciting to see that noisy plane swoop low over the fields and hills and see trails of white powder spreading over the landscape. […]

Mental health

Do you care for your ‘I’?

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I need space. I could put this another way in that my ‘I’ needs space. I need space away from all the pressures of life. As I begin to write this, I am sitting in my truck on the way to work. It is dark outside, but I am alone and enjoying […]

Mental health Relationships

Boundaries of the Heart are Lines of Love and Respect

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They had crossed a line with me. Boundaries walked over. A line of the heart had been crossed. I felt so hurt and offended that they would be so disrespectful to me. It felt like there was no love or respect in their hearts for me by what they had […]

Mental health Relationships Spiritual Formation

Let’s Rethink the Word ‘Boundary’

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I struggle with the word ‘Boundary.’ Not because I don’t believe in the concept of boundaries or because I don’t think they are important. It’s just that the word ‘Boundary’ doesn’t convey any sense of relationship value. The word ‘boundary’ feels like it’s all about the one making the boundary […]

Getting Well Staying Well Mental health

Sheep, Habits and Walking Down The Right Path

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I always thought sheep were pretty dumb. But with the habits they I now realise that actually they aren’t totally woolly in their thinking. (sorry had to say it) As I child, on a New Zealand sheep farm, I remember asking my father a very simple question. What is this line […]

Helping Others Mental health

How to Help Others Solve Problems in 8 Steps

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Problems! We all have them, and they can so often create incredible amounts of pressure and stress. A small problem for one person can seem like a mountain of stress for another. The problem can feel too big, and that there is no way of solving it. People also come to you with […]

Mental health

I am only a … when it is only ‘I’ that is involved

It is only a hammer, but for me it is very significant because it reminds me of a time when I was entrusted with a huge responsibility. My Father had become very unwell and was unable to run our farm for a few months. It was a busy time […]

Mental health

Three ‘P’s’ to Help You When a Mental Health Storm Hits

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When a winter storm of life hits, are you prepared or prone? Your mental health can take a pounding if you not prepared for the inevitability of crisis. A few months ago, I was driving over the Auckland harbour bridge when just to the left of me was the mast of […]