Melissa C. Clark

Your confidence coach and mental health expert.

Melissa Clark

COVID, Depression, and Our Kids: Drs. David and Donna Lane :: [Episode 48]

I’m so excited about the show today.

Drs. David and Donna Lane are a husband-wife counseling duo who specialize in trauma, grief, and loss as well as family relationships. While qualified by education, their life experience shapes much of their current-day work, as they have experienced first-hand the horrific death of their own son, who had a neurological disorder throughout his 17 years on earth.

The Lanes are professors, counselors, consultants and award-winning authors; their research and writing on trauma and grief has been used extensively throughout the world in the aftermath of tragedies including the Sandy Hook shootings, Haiti earthquakes, Rwandan genocide and others. The Lanes live in the Atlanta area and have been married to each other for more than 40 years.

Things we discussed:

  • Current stats about kids and mental health
  • How depression and anxiety differ in kids, and when do they need professional help
  • Kids brains and how they need exploration, connection, and stability
  • Practical tips for encouraging, redirecting, and pivoting in parenting while raising children during COVID

Quotes I loved:

  • Whatever we’re doing as parents is what we’re teaching
  • Your kids need an environment of safety and your presence, not perfection
  • Talk to your kids, even the small conversation matter

Links to great things we discussed:

Psychology Today

Open Path Initiative

Feelings chart for kids

Strength and Adversity

Trauma Treatment Narrative

Beware of the Booger Bear

My Dog Can’t Jump

Hope you loved this episode as much as I did! Be sure to subscribe on  Apple Podcast  and while you’re there, add 5 stars on a review! Also, don’t forget to share this episode with a friend.

Have a great week!

Melissa

Check out this episode!

Counselor On Call :: Self-Care :: [Episode 45]

Today on this episode of Counselor on Call, we are discussing self-care.

Self-care is so important. Doing so will lead toward a better balance among the different wellness types and guide you toward improved overall good health. You are worthy and valued. Let’s take care of ourselves well. 

We are called to practice self-care as well as to practice stewardship.

“Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Don’t you know that you have the Holy Spirit from God, and you don’t belong to yourselves? You have been bought and paid for, so honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

God has entrusted His creation to us. In the end, both stewardship and self-care are essential to your pursuit of caring about what God created: You.

Types of self-care:

  1. Social
  2. Spiritual
  3. Emotional
  4. Mental
  5. Physical

Roadblocks to self-care:

  1. It can feel selfish.
  2. It may make us feel weak.
  3. It may make us feel like we don’t deserve to be cared for.

Simple ways to practice self-care:

  1. Drink more water.
  2. Journal a few days a week.
  3. Practice core breathing.
  4. Get out in nature.
  5. Reconnect with a friend.

Things to remember:

  1. We protect and care for what we value.
  2. You are worthy of being taken care of.
  3. Self-care isn’t selfish, it is stewardship

Thank you for joining me this week on the Thrive: Mental Health and the Art of Living Free. 

Make sure to visit my website where you can subscribe to the show on Apple or Stitcher so you never miss a show. Hey, while you’re at it, help me out by adding some stars to the rating and tell a friend about the show.

Have a great week!

Check out this episode!

Breath Again with Stacy Henagan :: [Episode 42]

Hi, I’m Melissa Clark. I’m a professional counselor in the Dallas area with a passion for helping you overcome challenges, process painful emotions, and understand your God-given identity.

Thank you so much for being here! I believe listening to this podcast will leave you feeling excited, educated, and empowered.

Today, we are talking with Stacy Henegan. Stacy is a passionate pastor, speaker, author, and annual women’s conference host. With more than twenty-six years of people-building experience, Stacy’s weekly teachings offer inspiring biblical truth as well as practical application.

In this episode, we discuss the loss of Stacy’s daughter, Haven as well as Stacy’s new book, “Breathe Again: Choosing to Believe There’s More When Life Has Left You Broken.” Rather than choosing to remain in overwhelming pain and doubt, Stacy emerged with a much greater belief that God is good and trustworthy, even when we don’t think His plans make sense.

In this episode, we also discussed:

  1. Be honest with the people in your life about the level of support that you need.
  2. Even in the midst of our grief journey, we have to keep swimming and moving forward.
  3. Practical tips to move forward in the middle of our grief.

Quotes I loved:

  • “It is when our pain and our theology collide that we most need real answers and solid truth.”
  • “Disappointment is birthed from unmet expectations.”
  • “In every crisis, every deferred dream, every disappointment, is an invitation to meet with God. Pain or possibility – that’s our choice.”

Resources: 

StacyHenagan.com

Order Stacy’s book: Breathe Again: Choosing to Believe There’s More When Life Has Left You Broken

Make sure to visit my website where you can subscribe to the show on Apple or Stitcher so you never miss a show. Hey, while you’re at it, I’d be honored if you could add some stars to the rating and tell a friend about the show.

Have a great week!

Melissa

Check out this episode!

Wintering: The power of rest and retreat with Katherine May :: [Episode 41]

Is it possible to actually enjoy Winter? For many, we seem to think that slowing down and even resting is counterproductive. However, it couldn’t be further from the truth. We’ll talk about that and much more! 

I’m so excited about the show today. My special guest on the show today is Katherine May, bestselling author, whose titles include Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times and The Electricity of Every Living Thing, which is her memoir of being autistic. Her journalism and essays have appeared in various publications, including The New York Times, The Observer, and Aeon.

She lives in Whitstable, UK, with her husband, son, three cats, and a dog.

In Today’s conversation, we also talked about:

  1. Practical ways to take better care of ourselves during our “winter” cycles.
  2. Katherine shares her personal experiences with wintering.
  3. How to use the idea of active rest and retreat to cope with life’s darkest moments

Links to great things we discussed:

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times

The Electricity of Every Living Thing: One Woman’s Walk with Asperger’s

Biphasic Sleep 

Hope you loved this episode as much as I did! Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and add 5 stars on a review! This helps others to find out about the show!

Have a great week!

Melissa

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Pursuing Purpose: An Interview with Rachel Swanson :: [Episode 38]

Today on the show, I am talking with Rachel Swanson. 

Rachel C. Swanson is a best-selling author, national speaker, podcaster, and accredited life coach. She’s passionate about refining away the barriers that are holding others back and restoring their hearts and minds back to God’s truth. Married for thirteen years to her husband Jeff, they recently relocated their tribe of “Wannabe Triplets” from the bustling sprawl of Southern California to the rural hills of Southern Idaho.

We are talking about:

Listen now:

Hope you loved this episode! Be sure to subscribe on iTunes and slap some 5 stars on a review! 🙂

Have a great week!
Melissa

Check out this episode!