by Joshua Hook | Sep 30, 2018 | Helping
The other day, I was spending a lot of time on my iPhone—checking email, posting on social media, and reading articles on ESPN. There’s nothing wrong with those activities per se, but they are all self-focused. When I’m on my iPhone, I’m not engaged with others or...
by Joshua Hook | Jun 24, 2018 | Depression
Depression can be one of the most painful experiences we can have as human beings. I have sat across from clients who couldn’t muster up the energy to get out of bed in the morning, thought they were worthless, and considered ending their lives. I haven’t personally...
by Joshua Hook | Jun 19, 2018 | Death
My grandmother died last week. It wasn’t tragic or surprising. She was quite old, and her health had been declining for several years. Still, though, I felt sad about her death. There’s a finality about death that can be overwhelming. No more eating Chinese food,...
by Joshua Hook | May 2, 2018 | Sleep
The other night, I was struggling to fall asleep. I don’t know about you, but I get really frustrated when I can’t fall asleep. I know I’m tired, and I know I need my sleep. But for some reason, I’m tossing and turning in bed, restless. I look at the alarm clock and...
by Joshua Hook | Apr 18, 2018 | Helping
A common dilemma in life is how to help without enabling. Here’s what I mean: It’s natural to want to help others who are in need. We all need help sometimes, and it’s important to use our time, money, and resources to help people who are struggling. Also, if you...
by Joshua Hook | Apr 1, 2018 | Vulnerability
None of us gets through life unscathed. We all experience pain, struggle, and difficulty. Some of us go through more, and some go through less. But pain and struggle are universal to the human experience. There are parts of us that are broken, dinged, and scratched...
by Joshua Hook | Mar 18, 2018 | Comfort
As a counselor, one of my favorite Bible verses is 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. Here’s what it says: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort...
by Joshua Hook | Mar 7, 2018 | Health, Humility
This post is Part 7 in a 12-part blog series on humility and growth. (If you missed the first post, you can find it here.) In the next few posts, I will explore how the model of humility and growth can be applied in a few key areas of life. In this first post, I will...
by Joshua Hook | Feb 23, 2018 | Counseling
I remember talking to a colleague who was consulting with me about a difficult client. The client was a married couple, and the relationship had gotten to the point where it was pretty bad. My colleague had doubts the relationship could be saved. He said something...
by Joshua Hook | Feb 8, 2018 | Change
The basic idea of this common phrase is that we often have the tendency to prefer familiar pain over uncertainty. Maybe you have noticed this tendency in your own life. You might be in a terrible relationship or work situation, but for some reason, you stick with it....
