March 2026
Social Media, Screen Time, and the Mental Health Crisis: What Adults in Relationships Need to Know
Most conversations about screen time and mental health focus on teenagers, but adults aren’t immune to the emotional toll of constant digital connection. In fact, for people in committed relationships, the impact can be even more complex. Social media shapes how we communicate, how we compare ourselves to others, and how present we are with the people we love. The mental‑health crisis linked to digital overload isn’t just a youth issue. It’s a relationship issue, a self‑worth issue, and a quality‑of‑life issue for adults navigating work, family, and partnership in a hyperconnected world. The Hidden Cost of Constant Connection Adults
Is AI Replacing Therapy? A West Texas Perspective
Over the past couple of years, artificial intelligence has become part of everyday life. People are using it to draft emails, plan trips, study for exams, and, increasingly, to ask personal questions about their relationships and mental health. If you’ve ever typed something like: “Is this emotional abuse?” “How do I rebuild trust after an affair?” “Is my drinking becoming a problem?” “Why do I shut down during conflict?” You’re not alone. AI can be helpful. It’s fast, anonymous, and available at 2:00 a.m. when you can’t sleep. For many people in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico, especially in
February 2026
When the Laundry Kills the Mood
Sexual desire, ADHD, and the weirdly intimate battlefield of household chores There’s a special kind of heartbreak in modern adulthood: you finally have a sliver of time, you’re actually feeling a little spark… and then you walk past the overflowing sink, the laundry mountain, or the sticky counter, and your body quietly closes the tabs. For many couples, chores don’t just create conflict—they shape desire. And when ADHD is in the mix, that intersection gets even more intense: not because anyone is lazy or uncaring, but because ADHD changes how attention, time, overwhelm, motivation, and follow-through work in the
How to Choose a Therapist When Sex Is Part of What You’re Working On
When sex is one of the issues in therapy: low desire, mismatched libido, porn use, infidelity, erectile or orgasm difficulties, painful sex, shame, trauma, orientation/identity questions, or just feeling stuck, it can be hard to know where to start. The stakes feel higher. You may be concerned about being judged, misunderstood, or pressured into someone else’s values. The good news: there are therapists who are trained, ethical, and genuinely helpful in this area. The trick is knowing how to vet them. Below is a practical guide to finding a therapist who is competent with sexual concerns and a good fit
January 2025
Accountability Relationships for Compulsive Sexual Behavior
In my therapy practice, I often hear about personal experiences of accountability. Usually, though, it’s a description of failed accountability, especially when the accountability issue is compulsive sexual behavior. Let’s explore accountability from the perspective of being set up for success. Accountability can be defined as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions” (Webster), and as “acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, . . . (Wikipedia). Further, accountability for husbands in a marriage is set up for success by considering the following elements: Intentional/voluntary – Husbands, enter an accountability relationship by your own
March 2020
Accountability in Intimate Relationships: What Does It Really Mean?
In my therapy practice I often hear about personal experiences of accountability. Usually though, it’s a description of failed accountability. Today, I want to explore accountability from a perspective of being set up for success. Accountability can be defined as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions” (Webster), and as “acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, . . . (Wikipedia). Further, accountability for husbands in a marriage are set up for success when they consider the following elements: Intentional/voluntary – Husbands, enter an accountability relationship by your own personal intention, not just at
Transformed by Renewing the Mind
So many life principles from the Bible apply to mental health. In Romans 12:2, Paul gives us just such a great life principle; becoming transformed by renewing the mind. In context, Paul had just addressed some ineffective patterns of worldly living. Then he states to not conform any longer to the old patterns, but instead to become transformed by renewing our minds. From a mental health perspective, I want to put some practical action on how to accomplish this. If I have an old, ineffective pattern of thinking due to my experience of life, but the truth of God’s design
Equipped for Success!
I heard a great message at church last Sunday, proclaiming the finished work of God in our lives. One of the points made was that we are equipped for success, more specifically, that we have been given everything we need for life and godliness. This is a past tense, finished work of God in each of us. By design, we are fully equipped for life. As a mental health professional, I talk to many people who say they don’t feel equipped on an emotional level. What is it that hinders us from feeling equipped for success? What hinders some of
