May has been designated as National Mental Health Month. It is a time
to consider both the struggles many face in their lives as well as
those who have sought and found help. For the Christian counselor,
this month is a reminder of our calling and of the opportunities we
have been given to minister in Christ’s name.
I hope you will be informed, encouraged, and blessed by this issue.
If you are, please forward it to a friend or loved one.
Dr. Joe Verga
Executive Director, ACC
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| Why
I Serve
Bob Mills has been a member of the Board of Directors
of Associates in Christian Counseling since 1996. Read
more as Bob eloquently describes his Kingdom perspective on
the ministry of ACC.
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 Christian
Counseling, A Kingdom Perspective
For Dr. Joe Verga, questions pertaining to human
nature combined with his own salvation experience, led him to
consider how people change and are restored. That pursuit led
to a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Seminary’s School
of Psychology nearly 30 years ago. Read
More
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A disease that gets no chicken pie - Bob Mills
This article originally appeared as a guest
column in the October 6, 2003 issue of the Winston-Salem (NC) Journal
and is reprinted here with their permission.
Last spring I was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer of the blood.
Fortunately the type (CLL) is one of the 'best cancers to have'
- slow-growing and treatable. Currently it's incurable, though,
and its impact on life expectancy gets one's attention. I've been
struck by the similarity of this disease and another with which
I was diagnosed six years ago. Bipolar disorder (also called manic
depression) is a brain disease that can cause wild mood swings.
Both diseases are treatable, but both are incurable and deadly if
left untreated (of people who attempt suicide, those who have bipolar
disorder are most likely to take their own lives). That's where
the similarities end though, primarily because of stigma. Read
More
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Oh, the places we've been
ACC’s recent outreach and networking has
included:
Churches:
-First Presbyterian Church, Winston-Salem,
Senior Adult Class
-Grace Community Church, Colfax
-Rev. Scott Wilkinson, New Hope Presbyterian,
Clemmons
Health Care Providers:
-Dr. David Agwu, Clinical Nutritionist
-Barb Anderson, Nutrition Educator
-Dr. Perry Bartelt, Family Practice, Prime Care,
Kernersville
-Heritage Woods
Others:
-Discovery Learning (NILD) Open House,
Salem Baptist Christian School, Winston-Salem
-Intervarsity Chapter, Wake Forest University
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BOOK REVIEWS
Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients
and Families.
Francis Mark Mondimore.
Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999.
Changes That Heal: How to Understand Your Past to Ensure
a Healthier Future.
Dr. Henry Cloud.
Zondervan, 1997
Unmasking Male Depression
Dr. Archibald D. Hart.
W. Publishing Group, 2001
Unveiling Depression in Women: A Practical Guide to Understanding
and Overcoming Depression
Dr. Archibald D. Hart and Dr. Catherine Hart Weber
Baker Publishing Group, 2001
Please visit the Resource Room of our website, www.christiancounseling.org,
for other book suggestions.
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Chronic stress can double a person’s
risk of having a heart attack.
(BCBS MA, 2004)
In a typical workplace with 20
employees, four will likely develop a mental illness this year.
(NIMH, 2004)
An estimated 2.5 million Americans
have bipolar disorder. The actual number may be 2-3 times higher
because as many as 80% go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
(NMHA, 2003)
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| Groups
Starting |
| Boundaries
Ms. Dodie Caudill, 896-0065, ext. 210
Men’s Psychotherapy Group
Dr. Heath Greene, 896-0065, ext.209
Men’s Sexual Addiction Group
Mr. Kim Whitehurst, 896-0065, ext.204
Women’s Group, Spouses of Sex Addicts
Mr. Kim Whitehurst, 896-0065, ext. 204
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| EXTRA!
EXTRA! |
Look for ACC’s ads in the Winston-Salem
Journal.
We appear in a new section each day.
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| Fast
Facts |
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Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among
people under age 24 after accidents and homicide. (CDC, 2002)
Nearly 15% of college students have been diagnosed with depression.
(ACHA, 2004)
About 11% of adults over age 55 have an anxiety disorder.
(USSG, 1999)
Chronic stress can cause premature aging.
(NAS, 2004)
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| Wish
List |
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At this time, ACC is in need of:
1 laptop computer,
Pentium 2 or newer
or
1 desktop computer, Pentium 2 or newer
If you’re in a position to
help, we’d love to hear from you!
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