Our Blog
Chemical Dependency & The Power To Change
A powerful quote from Dr. Caroline Leaf, "The brain does not change itself. Our mind changes the brain!" shows that old patterns of thinking have to be put away and new ways have to be learned. People who believe that it’s impossible to change are adding a stumbling...
Drugs And The Addict: A Destructive Relationship
“There's a phrase, "the elephant in the living room", which purports to describe what it's like to live with a drug addict, an alcoholic, an abuser. People outside such relationships will sometimes ask, "How could you let such a business go on for so many years?...
Depression – Am I depressed or do I just have the blues?
We all have times when we feel down. It’s normal to feel sad when a relationship ends, a good friend moves away or someone we care about dies. The stress of a heavy study load, financial difficulties or unemployment also affects our mood. However, the gloomy feelings...
Active Listening – 5 Basic Steps To Unlock The Hidden Power
Have you ever had a conversation like this? “Hi! How are you?” “I’m ok, just got back from the doctor, had some blood tests done…”, “Oh yes, I need to go see my doctor again, you know he is so good – he was so quick to pick up that I have an iron deficiency, so I need...
Do people listen when you speak?
Pastor Rick Warren explains that there are certain principals that we can learn to master in order to hold people’s attention when we speak. “Develop These 7 Skills When You Want People To Listen Most church conflict results from poor communication. Even your best...
Mental health is a community issue. What can we do about it?
A big part of mental health issues are compounded by isolation (physical and emotional), leaving those around them unsure about what they can actually do to help. There are a number of different community projects that different places have put into place that have...
Equipping The Church With Bible Based Counselling Skills
Doctors, social workers and support group leaders will have had to study some sort of professional mental health program as part of their professional training. This mental health training is essential for their professional development to equip them to deal with...
A Place For Mindfulness In Christianity
Mindfulness is different from other forms of meditation. Mindfulness is about being aware of your surroundings and knowing what is going on around you, within you, and outside of you moment by moment. Mindfulness also helps you to observe your own thoughts and...
What If I’m Diagnosed With A Mental Illness?
With all the promotion and education going around, a lot of us have a basic understanding of what mental illness is, though unless we have experienced it; it is generally on a factual basis. This is good, we need to know facts, and facts are powerful. Though what does...
Anxiety – Are You Thriving Or Just Surviving?
When people ask me how I am, I normally respond with “good thanks, and you?” which I believe is a natural response that a lot of us have. The thing is, it removes the focus from us, straight onto the other person. Some days the answer is true and I am actually having...
aifc Student Testimonial –Tara Watkins
Tara Watkins tells us why she initially chose to study with aifc, describing how the course has helped to strengthen her marriage and build up her faith. Tara says that she understands herself better now and that the course has had a positive effect on all of her...
Fathers – Experience and Reflection (A Message To Fathers)
What has the past 12 months been like for you since last Fathers day? I was reflecting on this question myself over the past week as a Son and as a Father. - What has taken place in these 12 months? - How have I Fathered my children - My relationship with my Dad - My...