Author: Dominick Flarey

The Beatitudes and Christian Counseling

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Counseling and The Call of Christ to Seek Perfection

Christian Counseling sesssions should direct the spiritual child to a more perfect way of existence.  This Christian attempt for perfection can be found in the Eight Beatitudes of Christ.  Christ taught these Eight states of being during one of his many sermons.
These states of being did not attempt to escape an imperfect temporal world, but identified the suffering of the fallen world, and contrasted these imperfections with the perfections of the next life.  In doing so, Christ also illustrated states of perfection that all Christians should strive despite society’s erroneous opinions that these states were inferior or signs of weakness.  The blurred vision of the material world and its fallen state seeks illusion of power, greed and might and dismisses the meek and merciful, but Christ clearly illustrates that what is an illusion of weakness is truly power in this world and the next.   He exalts the weak and admonishes the powerful.  We will now review these Christian ideals of excellence.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their is the Kingdom of Heaven.  This beatitude refers to the soul who seeks not materialism or looks for temporal fame or approval but meekly seeks only perfection before the sight of God.  This soul would much rather cultivate virtue and spiritual treasure than physical values.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. We have in previous articles spoke in detail about those who mourn in this fallen world.  This is the one of the main purposes of counseling, to comfort the mourning.  However this also refers to those who mourn as Christ taught us to mourn.  We are all called to offer up our crosses and accept them.  In our Christian mourning, we can be an example to the world and in the next life find happiness and comfort in the beatific vision.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.  This beatitude shows the upside down nature of the world.  Where Caesars, Kings, and Emperors forced their rule on the multitudes, it will inevitably be the meek who subjugate the proud in the next life.  Christ himself revealed this as he hid his divinity in the flesh of humanity.  He meekly allowed his own creation to mock him and crucify him, but in the end, it will the meek Christ that returns triumphantly to judge the universe-not the leaders who called for his crucifixion.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.  Here encompasses the ideal of turning the other cheek and allowing God to deal with the evil people perpetrate against one.  God understands the injustices of this world.  When evil men go unpunished for horrible deeds.  From the smallest slight to the greatest crimes, these people will not escape the hand of God.  Whether justice is fulfilled in this world or the next, God will punish the wicked and satisfy the thirst of justice for his people.  In counseling, one must remind those filled with vengeance and anger to try to let go their hate and allow the hand of God to carry out justice.
Blessed are the merciful for they obtain mercy. If any idea was foreign to the ancient world, it was truly this phrase.  Rome was far from merciful and the idea of slaying one’s enemy and ruling with an iron fist was a universal trend.  Christ, however, demands that one show mercy to the fallen or those who have offended us.  If we do not, we ourselves shall not obtain mercy.  Christ as the perfect paradigm of Christian excellence, showed us that only mercy to others will save us in the end.  Even in the most turbulent moment in the Garden, he healed the man’s ear and admonished Peter that those who live by the sword shall die by it.

Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God. This is perhaps one of the most lacking elements of modern society.  Corrupted by various lustful attractions, modern society has fallen away from purity.  But beyond the mere literal ideal, this also refers to innocence.  The innocence of faith and hope and love of a child.  Jesus pointed out that one must be as a child to see and enter into heaven.  Child life faith and child life purity pleases God in contrast to skepticism and lust.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they are children of God. This beatitude reinforces much of Christ’s  ideas that hoped to complete the old law of Moses.  The transformation from an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth to turning one’s cheek is emphasized in this beatitude.  Peacemakers avoid anger, revenge, gossip and fully understand how to love one’s neighbor as themselves.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This final beatitude again emphasizes the imperfections of this temporal reality and the true value of heaven.  For the purpose of Christ and his truth, we must forfeit all other things.  Whether this is through martyrdom or merely public ridicule.  We must become disciples of Christ and represent the truth and become light in the darkness of sin.  Do we stand up for what is right when it is difficult to do so?  One does not have to die for Christ to fulfill this beatitude but merely awaken and interact with the secular and sinful modern world.
I feel these beatitudes are important in counseling and when one is counseling someone with a particular problem to apply one of these beatitudes to their spiritual child’s need and situation.

If you are interested in the courses for Christian Counseling Certification or interested in Christian Education, please review the program.  Those interested in taking Christian Counseling courses can review the program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Health Coaching News: Brown Fat

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Health coaching has taught us that proper diet and exercise is key to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.    What if, however, there was a way to have your body work with you to burn more calories?   That would be great!   Truth is health care coaching and nutritional professionals already know of a way.    Brown fat is the body’s natural way of generating heat.    When brown fat generates heat is burn calories.   Health coaches and biologists alike are now trying to find ways to active brown fat.    An article has more:
From Joslin Diabetes Center. “Brown Fat Activated By Cold, Not Ephedrine.” Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 7 Jun. 2012. Web.

Health Coaching and Brown Fat: How to Active It?

Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have shown that while a type of “good” fat found in the body can be activated by cold temperatures, it is not able to be activated by the drug ephedrine.
The finding, published in PNAS USA Early Edition, may lead to drugs or other methods aimed at activating the good fat, known as brown fat. When activated, brown fat burns calories and can help in the battle against obesity.
For the full article please go here.

The more health coaching experts learn about the human body, the better their advice becomes.   However until health care coaches learn how to active brown fat, we will just have to stick with good old fashion dieting and exercise.

A lady sitting in a lab working on something
Health coaching professional working hard in the lab.

If you are interested in receiving your online health coaching certification or just taking some health care coaching courses then you might want to visit our webpage.

Stress and Anxiety Lessens with Practice of Yoga

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Yoga Reduces Stress?

Various forms of stress management hope to reduce anxiety.  One way to lower one’s anxiety according to Carol Krucoff of Yoga Journal is to practice yoga.
Yoga students who learn the yamas and the niyamas or observances of attitudes such as nonviolence, surrender and contentment showed significant reductions in anxiety and the stress hormone, cortisol.  Due to the spirituality, one’s life principles have more meaning when practicing yoga and the overall picture presents itself to those who do it.  Spirituality as noted in many studies has an effect on one’s world view and how one copes with grief or stress.
In the meantime, yoga as both a spiritual and physical exercise has proven numerous times that it can reduce stress and anxiety and help people relax.  With this in mind, stress management should include frequent yoga sessions to help someone find peace.
If you are interested in Stress Management Consulting, please review the program.
AIHCP

St. Francis of Assisi, Patron of Animals and Pets

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

St. Francis and Pet Loss

While many people grieve the loss of their pets, they find little solace or peace.  They toss and turn without any relief from the sudden loss of their friend.  One should in such turmoil attempt to find some inner peace via spirituality.  One heavenly friend to turn to is St. Francis of Assissi, the patron of animlas and pets.
St. Francis is a Christian saint that has gained renown throughout the Western world for his love of animals.  Many stories relate his interaction and love for animals.  He referred to his animal friends as “brother” or “sister”.  Far from a Taoist, Francis’ love for animals was merely because they were fellow creations and manifestations of God’s love for everything.  Still even those of non-Christian background and find awe and inspiration in the love Francis showed for the other species of this planet.
When in sorrow over the loss of a pet, one should find peace that St. Francis understands this loss and will gladly hear our cries and care for our pets until the day comes when we meet them in the afterlife as well.
If you are interested in pet loss grief, please review the program.  Also if you are interested in Christian related grief topics, review our Christian Grief Program as well.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Griefs Greatest Pains: The Loss of a Spouse

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Losing a Spouse

The loss of a spouse is one of life’s greatest pains along with the loss of parents or the loss of a child.  One’s husband or wife is a life long friend and mate who went through ‘better or worst” and grew old with you in all the hills and valleys of life.  The loss and sudden loss of this friend can be crippling to some.  While many are not totally crippled by the loss, the severe sting and pain is intense.
In analyzing this loss, one must look at various components that will reflect the level of grief due to loss and whether or not the grief could become pathological.  First, as in call cases of human relations, the attachment between the two individuals plays a key role in the reactionary grief to the loss.  Obviously, spousal love is an intense attachment so in most cases, grief is intense and longer than a casual relationship.
Yet the intensity of the attachment differs from different couples.  Grief Counselors need to identify the dependency factor in a client’s relationship with their deceased spouse.  Some spouses are completely emotionally dependent upon the other.  The loss of a spouse leaves them alone and terrified of the outside world.  Another dependency is financial.  Some spouses completely depend on their other for financial support or even physical support with house or yard work.  When dependencies are greater, then the grief can become greater and adaptation becomes harder for the grieving spouse.
Another thing to consider is external support.  Family is key for a grieving spouse. A spouse who has no children or grandchildren to support them in their grief will likely feel more alone and isolated.  If a person has no support, a grief counselor should take special measures to keep in close contact with their client.  In these cases, it is important to help these spouses become more self sufficient.  It is also important that the grieving find support in support groups or church groups that can help them readapt to life.  The sharing of the grief with others who have lost a spouse can help the grieving and also give them a reason to help others as well.
If proper measures are not taken, the grieving can become depressed or loss in grief.  They will slowly dwindle from sight and some may even lose the will to live.  This is especially the case with elderly spouses who have no family or person to love.  These old souls become tormented by past memories and find no purpose or life mission, but see life as a remaining count down to their eventual demise.  The reality is, these people still have a chapter to write in their lives and such depression is depriving them of their final years.
If you are interested in grief counseling certifications, please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA, GC-C, SCC-C

Life Coaching Tips for Permanent Weight Loss

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Life coaching is all about positive changes in your life style.   It is not about quick gimmicks or miracle weight loss cures.    Health coaching teaches you to adapt yourself to healthier diets, exercises routines that work for you and a positive mental image.   These three things lead to permanent changes in who you are.   For several health care coaching tips please review below:

A man sitting on a couch with a TV remote and a cigarette
Life coaching suggests you make lifestyle changes and not crash dieting.

By Dr. Melina Jampolis
From Huffington Post
Life Coaching Leads to Permanent Weight Loss

As an actual diet doctor, I’ve spent the past decade helping people lose weight, and I’ve learned a lot in the process. Many of my patients were successful, many regained weight, and some didn’t lose much weight at all. In the process, I learned a lot about successful long-term weight loss in the real world — not TV weight loss; not celebrity weight loss, which usually includes private chefs, trainers and nannies, but rather weight loss for real (often stressed out and overworked) people trying to lose weight while living their lives. This kind of weight loss includes monthly challenges like holidays, vacations, loss of motivation, and even changes in the weather that affect exercise. In addition, working as a part-time writer, diet and nutrition media expert, and TV host that evaluates almost every diet out there, I’ve also realized that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to dieting — most diets will work for some people some of the time. So rather than tell you what to eat, I thought I would share what I believe are seven of the best tips for losing weight, and keeping the weight off, no matter what diet you choose to follow.
For the full article please go here.

Life coaching helps to make permanent lifestyle changes.   You have to be willing work for them.   In the end life coaches can only advice you!
If you are interested in earning your online health care coaching certificate or taking individual life coach courses then you should visit our webpage.

Meditation Techniques to Get You Started!

Posted on by Dominick Flarey
A arm raised to ask a question
When learning to meditate do not be afraid to ask questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many people out there have misconceptions regarding Meditation.   That is why there are Meditation Techniques from meditation experts that can teach you how to meditate.  Simply put meditating is about awareness.    Once you learn to be aware, you can use this to focus or empty your mind.   Sister Jenna describes meditation very well here:

Easy Meditation Techniques for Beginners

The article, “Meditation Tips for the Day 1”, by Sister Jenna states

“I have heard many people say, ” I can’t meditate,” ” I can’t clear my mind,” or ” I don’t know what to focus on!” This is a misconception that often inhibits people from even trying meditation.”

For the full article please go here.

Learning meditation techniques and can only take you so far.   At one point you are going to have to stop listening to meditation advice and how to start meditating tips and listen to yourself.   To start your journey all you have to do is become aware.
If you want to learn more then you might be interested in taking our online meditation certificate. 

Blogging and Internet Marketing One’s Health Care Professionals Webpage

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

How Counselors and Health Care Professionals Can Build There Practice Online Via Blogs

Blogs are an excellent way to reach out to a wide audience of readers. If you need an effective tool to persuade others to a certain viewpoint, a blog may be just the thing for you. Read this article to gain knowledge about blogging successfully.  Spiritual Counselors should also use blogs regarding spiritual topics.
Make sure your blog stands apart from the competition. Readership will be higher for a blog with unique content. The same effect can be caused by hard to find information. Write about a unique hobby or experience. Provide minute details about the way a widget is created. You should focus on giving readers incentive to open your blog when looking for a specific kind of information.  For example, if writing for a spiritual counseling blog, one would look for specific spiritual topics such as Hindu Spirituality or Buddhist Meditation or Christian Prayer.
Starting a blog is relatively easy. However, regardless of whether you are creating a blog for business or personal reasons, you need to be interested in the blog’s subject matter. When you do not have a subject you enjoy, chances are greater that your blog will begin to drop in quality.
Post consistently and have a schedule. Your readers will learn your schedule and be waiting for new content. Readers will both appreciate this and enjoy your fresh content. Write about many different topics in order to prevent your content from appearing to repeat itself.
Make a plan for your blog before you ever begin writing it. If you were beginning a business, you would have a plan in place before starting out. So think of your blog as a business, try to emulate that approach. This will help you stay on track, and meet the goals you have set up for yourself.
Make sure that you always try to interlink your blogs within your contents. Your readers will be pleased if they can find information with ease. You will reduce visitor frustration if your content is well designed.
Social network sites can help increase your blog’s traffic. Make a Facebook page and then post links that direct people to your blog. You can also try sharing the most intriguing posts on your blog on Twitter. Just be sure to limit the frequency of your posts to avoid alienating true friends. However, used tastefully, this is a great method to increase visits to your site and help build a following of readers.
If your blog covers politics, health care or religion, make sure you treat the subject in a fair, unbiased manner. As an example, if you are very conservative don’t allow your own opinions to block the opinions of a very liberal poster. Censorship never lends itself to a credible blog.
Don’t forget to use search engine optimization when creating your blog. To attract your target audience, you want your blog to show up in search results for the topics you focus on. Using keywords strategically placed in your article and title will draw in more readers.
Try adding more interest to your blog’s homepage. Many blogs stick with their standard template format that only shows your recent post listing, but you can add many other things to create more reader interaction. Branding your site will ensure you stand out in the list of results on a search engine.
Write new blog posts as often as possible. New content is essential for finding new viewers and keeping the ones you have. By not posting new content, readers will have no reason to come back to your blog. Post at least daily to keep your readers coming back for more. Spiritual blogs, counseling blogs, health care blogs should all be original and specific to the topic the blog represents.
 Blogging can be used for marketing purposes as well as an online diary. This article provided you with some of the best advice that there is. Use the tips which fit your needs, and keep in mind that everything you publish online will be there for eternity, so watch what you say.

Overall, blogs are a fun way to be creative and at the same time increase your rankings in the search engines.

Health Care Coaching Exercise Tips

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

 Health Coaching Tips to Help You Get Into Shape

A group of friends at the gym
Always try to workout with friends.

People who do not set weight loss goals and layout a plan tend to give up after a few weeks. Health coaching can help you setup realistic goals.    With your health coach you will learn proper diet and exercise.   Not only with help can you stick to your exercise but you will adapt it to part of your lifestyle as well.   Read on to learn about ways you can make exercise and fitness more enjoyable so you will stick with it and see the results you want to see.
Music is helpful to listen to while working out. When you have music on, your body instinctively moves to the beat. This is a natural response that everyone shares. Turn your workout into something fun and exciting with music. You don’t even realize how tired you are from the workout because you are getting so much enjoyment out of “dancing.” When you need to push yourself just a little bit more while exercising, using music can help you keep going while having fun.
When you exercise, try to have a friend accompany you. This is a great way to help each other stay motivated. Exercising can be more exciting and less boring when done with a friend. Exercising can be a blast when you are with a friend.
Using fitness video games is a great way to have fun while working out. Use the many video games that are available as weight loss tools for fitness. The best aspect of having fun while you work-out is that your mind will be busy having fun, and will not notice the work you are putting in.
Buy workout clothes you love, so you’ll look forward to hitting the gym. Purchase exercise clothing that will help you feel good about your appearance. There are workout clothes in every color and for every body style. Your clothes should be fun and make you feel good about yourself. Express your inner creativity! Take a risk! Choose workout clothes that will make you motivated to exercise or go to the gym.
Health care coaches say to stay away from repetition in your exercise routine. Make sure you spice it up! If you get bored, you will exercise less. You may lose faith entirely and stop your work out if you don’t have the right determination. Always remember that variety is the spice of life, so change up your exercise routine every now and then. This is essential if you want to stay motivated. If you stop working out, you will risk losing all of the progress that you have already made.  Consult with a health care coach for ideas on how to keep your workouts fresh.

A young family jogging together
Exercise with your family to encourage them to live healthier.

When you reach fitness goals, give yourself rewards. Doing so provides the motivation you need to sustain your commitment. You can give yourself a treat you’ve been longing for, or even a minor reward, such as a new book or other small gift. Make sure your rewards are attainable and realistic.  Also never reward with an unhealthy snack but an activity or an item you really want suggests health coaching specialists.
Exercising does not have to be a chore. It’s not impossible to enjoy working out. With these health care life coaching tips hopefully you can make exercising a fun and healthy part of your lifestyle.
If you want to take an online health care coaching certificate or complete a few online health care coaching courses then you might enjoy our website.

Health Care Coaching Advice to Stop Smoking

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

 Having Trouble Quitting Smoking? Use This Helpful Health Care Coaching Advice Here!

A woman using a spray bottle to put out a cigarette
Don’t be this person. Stop smoking on your own!

There are a lot of benefits that result from a decision to quit smoking. Keep these benefits in your mind, and collect techniques that are helpful, such as the ones from the below article, to assist you. Keep the advice you learn here handy, so you are able to use them as needed when you need that extra helping hand in your path to becoming a non-smoker.

You will want to tell your friends, family and coworkers you are planning to quit smoking. If the people you care about know you are trying to quit, they will also help hold you to it. You will be less likely to want to disappoint them or fail to meet their expectations. The fear of failure or disappointment can serve as a positive motivator throughout the process.
In the beginning, treat yourself to something nice on the days you don’t smoke. Try a new food, buy a nice shirt or go see a movie. When you find things other than smoking to reward yourself with, you are making a healthy choice and helping your body not crave the cigarettes anymore. You might want to consult with a health care coach for advice on what healthy foods you should use for your snacks.

A skeleton with a cigar in its mouth
Smoking can be deadly.

Make sure you get enough sleep if you’re quitting smoking. When you feel tired and lethargic, feel free to take a nap. Some quitters have found that sleeping helps them to pass the time they need to get some distance between themselves and the date of the quit. Also, if you sleep it can help you heal your body.
When you are quitting smoking, you may experience many different emotional changes along your journey. While you can overcome them, cravings are a very real phenomena. If you keep a log detailing your craving episodes, you may be able to pinpoint situations that bring up the urge to smoke. By keeping careful records, you may be able to avoid triggering situations altogether.
Stop smoking now, not only for yourself, but for any loved ones that you have. Secondhand smoke can cause cancer and other major health complications. When you’re stopping smoking you will also be stopping how much you expose your loved ones to the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke. Quitting smoking will not only reduce the risk to your own health, but also the risk to those around you.
Talking to a counselor or a health care coaching professional may help you quit. There are often emotional reasons that contribute to a person’s smoking habit. And, when these reasons are addressed, your urge to smoke could leave, too. Ask your doctor for help getting started with this program if you think it might work for you.
The very best way to quit smoking is to just stop right now. Stopping will start you on your new path. Quit and don’t allow yourself to ever smoke again. This is the best method as, if you can adhere to it, it never fails. However, some studies show that quitting cold turkey can be easiest way to quit.
Annoy the people who bother you constantly about quitting smoking. Do not kick your habit for someone else; do it for yourself. If you quit smoking and find yourself frustrated by gloating comments, express these emotions in a gentle, yet assertive way. If you find something to replace smoking with, you might forget you’re quitting altogether.
If you suffer from an addiction to cigarettes and you’re a good writer, try writing yourself a song or a poem about what it means for you to quit smoking. Read it several times each day. Many people have found this to be a highly effective strategy for maintaining their motivation.

A woman ripping a cigarette in half
Literally breaking the habit!

Make your home a smoke-free zone for the benefit of your quitting. When you stop smoking, it is easier to avoid cigarettes if it becomes difficult to have them. Having to go outside where it is cold, and there is no television or computer to keep you busy, may help you kick the habit sooner.
By now, you are well aware of the myriad benefits of quitting smoking. However, these benefits might not be quite enough for giving you enough motivation to quit. Thankfully, the tips you’ve just read should give you assistance. Help disarm your cravings and strengthen your resolve with this advice. You will soon experience for yourself the benefits of not smoking.
If you are interested in earning an online health care coach certificate or taking individual online health care coaching courses then you should visit our webpage.