tov Blog
Advice For New Students From aifc Students & Graduates
Before starting a course, advice and recommendations from current and former students is usually something most of us want to learn. So we recently asked on Facebook, “As a graduate or current student of aifc, what piece of advice would you give a new student?” Here are their responses. Shivon Barresi Persevere – you won’t…
Expressing Disappointment Constructively Within A Marriage
A friend recently asked me, ‘What’s the point of being married when all we do is fight?’ When arguing and disagreeing on just about everything, couples can be temporarily blinded by the tension causing them to lose sight of the very reason they were married in the first place. We go through Five different stages…
Reasons Why Mental Health Matters To Christians
Having a disorder can be debilitating, affecting the way a person functions, the way they feel and think. Sadly, relationships and a person’s walk with God can be affected due to the state of their mental health. Thus, we can't afford to neglect our mental health.
Is Your Emotional Support Person A Narcissist?
We all want someone trustworthy to confide in. However, narcissists are not the kind of people we want to open up to. Here's how to tell if your emotional support person has NPD.
In Loving Memory of Dr Bruce Litchfield
Dear aifc family and friends, If you have not heard the news it is with sadness I advise that husband, father and aifc founder Dr Bruce Litchfield (Bruce) died on July 2nd 2018 after battling a number of medical conditions in recent years. Because of the ups and downs of his health and multiple extended…
Our Graduates – Where Are They Now?
aifc posted this informal question to graduates on our Facebook page: “If you have graduated from aifc’s Christian counselling courses, let us know how you are using your counselling skills to make a difference?” Here’s what our aifc graduates had to say… AN Daugherty I was offered a full time job as a school counsellor…
Marriage in Crisis
Men and Women are very different as if from two different planets. Unresolved issues can lead to major conflict and crisis within the marriage. Below is some sound advice on what we can do to get our marriage back on track. Common Roots In order to resolve any crisis in your marriage, you must examine…
7 Different Types of Depression
All the various types of depression mostly share symptoms in common like; sadness, low mood & lack of interest in usual activities. However, the symptoms of depression can vary from one person to the next.
Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment Of Bipolar Disorder
When we think about Bipolar Disorder we tend to think of it as one type of mental illness when in fact there are a few variations. Bipolar disorders (manic-depressive disorders) are classified as a ‘chronic mental health condition’ characterised by periods of low mood such as depression as well as periods of mania, or extreme…
Give God Thanks in Everything
As a mother, Annette Spurr's heart was breaking for her son Jack who had just been in a serious accident. The toddler was just under two years of age when he fell fracturing his eye socket. How could a mother possibly be thankful in this situation?
When To Stop Talking To The Dog & Get Counselling
Taking care of pets can be therapeutic, but in no way should that replace the need to open up to someone about our problems. As a child I felt a great sense of relief after talking to my dog about my woes. He was a great listener. He didn’t answer back, he didn’t judge me,…
You Know You’re a Christian Mother When…
… even before conception you begin to pray for your unborn child knowing they are your gift from God. … when you’re nursing your newborn baby and you’re in awe of the creator with growing love for your child. …you go without sleep during those two hourly nappy changes and middle of the night baby…
The Benefits & Joys Of Spending Time Outdoors
There’s something unique about being outdoors absorbing the sunshine and seeing the beauty of nature that brings our focus back to the more important things in life. While spending too much time indoors can have the opposite effect. Why is spending time outdoors so uplifting? In a blog by Michael Hyatt titled, “Why Going Outdoors…
Assertive, Aggressive & Passive Communication Styles
As individuals we often dress, look, communicate and express ourselves in a variety of different ways. When communicating with one another we might come across to others as assertive but nice, way too nice and trying too hard or just plain aggressive. In what ways are these communication styles different from each other? ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION – Allows…
Fearful Hesitant Responses In Decision Making
Making decisions can be difficult at the best of times, particularly where emotions or fear is involved. Making a decision can result in hesitant responses by answering questions with, “Maybe”, “I’ll look at my calendar” or “I’ll get back to you on that?” Quite often these verbal stop signs are used evasively for avoiding situations…
How To Find Contentment & Happiness As A Wife
Many women struggle to find happiness and contentment in their marriage or in their role as a wife. Some find themselves waiting for a man to change or they wait for circumstances in their lives to change. The truth is that there isn’t perfection to be found in another human being. However, when we shift…
Common Symptoms Of Anxiety & The Bizarre
There are classic psychological and physical symptoms of anxiety that are well known to most of us. However, there are also those rare and bizarre symptoms we don’t often hear about. Below you’ll find those common or classic symptoms affecting others physically and psychologically. Also we take a look at the lesser known manifestations of…
Self-Harm – Why Do They Hurt Themselves?
Self-harm can begin as a means to control feelings of extreme psychological distress or deep emotional pain, and it refers to people who deliberately hurt their bodies by cutting, pinching, burning, biting, picking skin or sores, stabbing, bruising or punching oneself for an immediate sense of relief. These actions are not usually carried out for…
How I Found God To Be A Mother To The Motherless
In ‘ ‘How I Found God To Be A Mother To The Motherless‘ Amy Simpson describes how she lost her mother to schizophrenia when she was only 14 years old and how in the journey to follow, she discovered that God is also a mother to the motherless. When I was 14, I lost my mother.…
The Journey Towards Self Awareness
Self-awareness plays a key role in building good relationships by allowing us to know our strengths, our weaknesses, what we like, what we dislike and where our boundaries are. Self-awareness also enables us to relate to others. In the ‘The Journey Towards Self Awareness‘ author Ben Dainton carefully maps out a time where he experienced…
Do you Know Someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) as with other personality disorders, has long term effects on people’s thoughts, emotions and behaviours affecting all areas of life. NPD is associated with socially destructive behaviours that have a negative impact on relationships and work life. NPD is part of the range of personality disorders with intense and unstable symptoms…
Change Negative Thinking Patterns That Ruin Your Life
Change negative thinking patterns and self talk that can ruin your life. Learn how to change those inner slogans that you repeat to yourself.
4 Keys To Lasting Inner Joy That Comes From God
Most people believe that happiness comes from owning things like a car, a bike and a having the job they’ve always wanted. In which case happiness can also be considered a fleeting moment. Lasting inner Joy on the other hand comes from within. According to the bible real joy is something that nobody can steal…
Developing Resilience For Facing Our Depression Giants
Resilience training can help those with depression by strengthening their ability to deal with adversity. Today we have a holistic understanding of mental health and depression. There’s a combination of medication, psychological therapy, social support, nutrition, exercise and spiritual care to help treat depression. One such treatment is resilience training through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)…
