Child-Centered Play Therapy

One of the first questions I generally get asked when parents bring their children in for therapy is, “So, what do you actually do with them?” or “What is the point of just playing with my child?” In any type of therapeutic relationship, one of the first steps is to connect on the client’s level. In the case of children, this often results in some sort of “playing”, whether it be a game, Legos, puzzles, coloring, imaginative play or any of the other thousands of ways children like to interact. Play Therapy often has much less to do with the …

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Video Testimonial: Dr. Graves

We are thankful to have the testimony of Dr. Thomas Graves. Dr. Graves is Board certified in Family Medicine. He earned his medical degree at Wayne State University, School of Medicine and completed his residency at Bon Secours Hospital, Grosse Pointe. Dr. Graves is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. Graves loves time with his family, playing sports (especially tennis), traveling, and sharing his faith.

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Hebrews 12 – Misty Edwards

Misty Edwards is a worship leader and speaker from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (ihop.org). Hebrews 12 is a great teaching about the need for endurance in our lives. Please enjoy this teaching and our hope is that it stirs up your insides like it has ours.

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Thanks Men of Life in Christ!

I had a great time with the men at Life in Christ Church on Wadhams Road in St. Clair last week.  We had lots of great food and fellowship, and as I shared my own personal testimony I was honored to challenge these men – as I do all men – to learn the meaning of vulnerability and to operate with each other, friends and family at a deeper level then our usual conversations about the weather, sports and politics. Vulnerability first requires insight into what is happening in ourselves emotionally and spiritually and then choosing to verbalize this to …

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Remodeling vs. New Construction

My friends who are in the construction business tell me that they would much rather build a new house than remodel an old. Counseling itself is a lot more like remodeling a house than new construction because by the time a person reports to the counseling office, they have built layer upon layer of old thought patterns, beliefs and defense mechanisms! What a job it is to tear down the old, haul away the rubble, and prepare to add the new materials! The problem with many traditional counseling programs is that they focus so entirely on removing the old behaviors, …

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Client Testimonials

We want to highlight a testimony from a 78-year-old dear friend and client of Renewal Center as well as a mother of three.  Your testimony is your story, and your story is powerful in the process of growing and changing.  We invite you to read these two that we have chosen to share, and let them increase your hope and faith in a better tomorrow. First Testimony: My testimony is that God changed my life! I didn’t. A counselor didn’t. My husband didn’t. God changed me from a very driven perfectionist to a patient, calm person. I am a CPA …

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What if hitting my pillow doesn’t work?

Anger is an emotion common to all, but understood by few. Anger itself is a swear word to some making us prone to denial and minimization when it is experienced. Refer to the next page to take an inventory of your anger symptoms – you may be surprised at what you find! Our goal at Renewal Christian Counseling is not to fix anger problems as much as it is to understand them. When you go to a mechanic, you do not want just the quick fix, you want to know what the root of the problem is. If you try …

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Medicine & Faith by Thomas Graves, MD

When students first enter medical school they are filled with wonder and awe. The human body is so complex. The task of mapping out our entire anatomy from muscles and bones to microscopic cells is daunting. And yet, over the course of four years students master a working knowledge of the body and they begin to grasp how injury and disease affects our health. After 20 years of practicing medicine, I have witnessed many medicines, surgical techniques, and other remedies. Each of these can play a crucial role in healing patients. However, most doctors have missed the most important healing …

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Relationship Reminders

The need to form meaningful relationships with others is built into each of us. The fulfillment of this need is important for the healthy development of the human spirit. We were created as social beings. We enter in to marriage agreements, seek friendships, attend social events, join churches, become club members, play on teams, and have families. It is our natural inclination to connect with others. Some of our most enjoyable and meaningful experiences in life come from relationships with others. So too, some of our greatest disappointments and pain are the result of relationships with others. Humanity finds itself …

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