Serving greater St. Louis, MO
Appointments: 314.994.9344
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In Christianity, the term agape refers to
the unconditional and voluntary love of God, God's love for humanity, and our
call to love one another.
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In talking about warning signs
of emotional or mental distress, it is important to
distinguish between distress and something sometimes
referred to as “eustress”. Distress is
a type of stress that appears to have a negative
effect on an individual. Distress can be the
result of loss, ongoing conflict in an important
area, or unresolved feelings from a problematic
event. Eustress, on the other hand, is
the positive stress we experience when we are
studying for and taking a test, getting married,
starting a new job. Eustress is the kind of stress
we invite into our lives to ensure a life of growing
and learning. It provides opportunities to exercise
new habits in trust and strength.
Over time, distress can not
only have damaging effects on us physiologically,
but also impact our relational, occupational, and
spiritual lives if gone unaddressed. Most people,
when considering the warning signs of distress,
think of the physiological and behavioral symptoms
that we experience:
-
Muscle
tension
-
Fatigue
-
Poor
hygiene
-
Hypersomnia
-
Withdrawal
from others
-
Weight
gain or loss
However, studies show that even
before we experience fatigue or body aches, even
earlier warning signs exist.
The Bible says to “hold captive
every thought” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Our
perceptions, thoughts, and feelings are the first
line of defense for distress. Warning signs
that we may be experiencing distress are when
stressful events are interpreted as something we
- Have no control over
- Will cause us unending
harm
- Think about over and
over again with a sense of helplessness
- See through a
black-and-white or all-or-nothing lens
How we interpret events
can be the ingredients that lead to some of the
physiological and behavioral symptoms seen over
time. Ways to challenge ongoing negative thoughts
include:
- Believing the truths and
promises of God found in Scripture
- Checking the evidence
for your perceptions (e.g., "Could there be
another reason for what I am perceiving?")
- Practicing more positive
coping thoughts (e.g., “This is hard, but I have
gotten through it before.” )
- Finding the “meaning”
behind your struggle (e.g., “Am I going to learn
something from this situation?”; “Does something
like this need to happen to equip me in a way
that leads to me becoming stronger in a place I
have needed to grow?”)
Distress is a real and
significant response when we experience things that
are traumatic and difficult. How we address our
distress will be instrumental in determining
whether or not we experience the long-term effects
related to that event.
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| Biography: Kristin received her
Master's in Social Work from the University
of Tennessee in 1994. She is a
Licensed Clinical Social
Worker and an active member of the National
Association of Social Workers. Kristin
is also a member of the Society for Social
Work Leadership in Healthcare.
Kristin's experience includes a focus on
children and families. She has worked
with adolescents primarily, but includes
couples and individuals in her scope of
practice. Before coming to Agape,
Kristin worked at Family and Children's
Services in Nashville, Tennessee, counseling
families in divorce adjustments, grief and
loss, single parenting, and life
transitions.
Kristin's approach to counseling
includes the individual's acceptance of
struggle as a naturally occurring constant
in life. Life involves conflict,
disappointment, and loss. Growth
surfaces as a result of one's ability to be
accepted by the unconditional love of
Christ, experience the inordinate grace that
is sufficient through faith, and the
capacity to fearlessly change in response.
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