• Helicopter Mode: Who's It For... Really?

    Helicopter Mode: Who’s It For… Really?

    When we love and are committed to our family members, we want to ensure their success and happiness. It’s natural at times, however, that we may feel responsible, or be made to feel responsible, for the failures or unhappiness of those we love. This can include both our children and our spouse. Feelings of responsibility for another person’s emotions and behaviors can drive us into guilt, which may challenge our own personal boundaries. Before you know it, we might be climbing into the rescue helicopter and dialing the automatic pilot to the “No Boundaries Mode” so that we are always emotionally available to the other person. Now don’t get me wrong. Being emotionally available is a…

  • 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting With Love

    1st Corinthians 13: Parenting with Love

    by Carolyn Knarr, MSW, LCSW, Director of Children’s Therapeutic Services Sometimes it is hardest to apply God’s Word to relationships within our family. Let’s face it, our family and children can push us to our limits. We are often quick to react to the flaws of our family members even though we can easily show grace to strangers; and we easily show love and patience and bite our tongues when co-workers do things that bother us. Below is the well-known chapter on love from 1st Corinthians, applied to parenting. It is not meant to make you feel guilty or a “mess up,” but to encourage. It is a goal given…

  • June 2015 Newsletter Square

    Bridge to Wholeness | Volume 2 Issue 6 June 2015

    Welcome to the June 2015 Issue of the Agape newsletter, Bridge to Wholeness! Our monthly newsletter is the best way for you to keep up with what is going on around Agape, with events and updates, and articles written by our counselors. We hope it will help bring you a little bit closer to emotional, mental, and spiritual wholeness! In this issue (click to read individual articles): When A Loved One’s Desperation Turns to Thoughts of Suicide by Kristy Cobillas, MEd, PLPC Conflict Avoidance: Always Speak the Truth Even If Your Voice Shakes by Kathyrn Manley, MS, LPC, CST Technology & Your Kids: How to Set Appropriate Boundaries by Carolyn Knarr, MSW, LCSW…

  • Technology and Your Kids Appropriate Boundaries

    Technology & Your Kids: How to Set Appropriate Boundaries

    by Carolyn Knarr, MSW, LCSW, Director of Children’s Therapeutic Services Technology is a reality which is not going to go away. It’s imperative to teach children to make good decisions about technology, limit the frequency of its usage, and keep access to appropriate and safe content. If parents see technology as the enemy, they will set themselves up for years of frustration and struggle with their children. Rather than viewing it as the devil incarnate, parents need to team up with their children and allow them to enjoy the benefits of technology without allowing it to take over their child’s life. Often the fear of technology comes from a parent’s…