We have probably all heard this statement: There are two kinds of people in this world . . . . There are those who like winter and those who do not. There are folks who like lutefisk and those who do not. There are people who like cats and those who do not. There are those who like Beethoven and those who do not. Typically the statement sets apart two different groups of people, and we all fall into one group or the other. We can quickly identify the group we are in, the group in which we feel most comfortable and most compatible.

The two groups I want to consider in this article are people who are available for change and people who are not. I am referring to positive change, the kind of change that people seek when they come for ...

Although counseling individuals and couples is our bread and butter, Hopewell also partners with likeminded churches and organizations to sponsor events that are in our “wheelhouse.”

Friday Night Fight-Friday, February 5, 2016

This coming Friday, February 5, 2016, Irv will be speaking at an event called “Friday Night Fights” at Grace Evangelical Free Church in Fridley, MN. Friday Night Fights are an outreach of the men’s ministry at GEFC. As the name implies, they are held monthly every Friday night and center on a specific topic for which men must fight. This coming Friday Night Fight focuses on fighting for your sexual purity. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and includes dinner. The cost is $7.00 but don&...

It’s February and February is the month of love. We celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14^th and give cards, flowers, candy, or gifts of some kind to our loved ones. We want them to know they are loved but what exactly is love? Is it a feeling? Is it a decision? Webster’s online dictionary defines it this way, “(1) strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (maternal love for a child) (2) attraction based on sexual desire :  affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests (love for his old schoolmates).” So the prevailing sentiment is that love is a feeling based on an attraction.

That certainly is one definition but ......

When people come for counseling, there is typically a Presenting Problem. I usually ask something like, “What brings you to counseling at this time?” or “How can I help?” Often, though, when I meet with a person for the first time, they just start talking and tell me what their problem is even before I ask. Sometimes the presenting problem is not the real problem but rather a symptom of the real problem. Even so, the presenting problem gets the counseling process started. Just as there is a reason that brings a person to counseling, there is also an expectation or hope that counseling will solve their problem or at least make them feel better. Often they are looking for a listening ear and someone who will be on ...