A WORD FROM Dr Veronica…
They say the opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety, it’s connection. I’ve thought about this a lot over the years and I really do believe it’s true. When we reach for a drink, or the phone, or a Boston cream donut, I wonder if we’re reaching for something that would be far more satisfying coming through another human. The drink/phone/donut provide a quick reliable solution, but they also come with a crash (which we choose not to think about so much). The drink leads to anxious depression which requires another drink to cover. Scrolling brings up insecurities and discontent. And surely the donut is never as good as it looks (all shiny and pure in the donut case). There’s a crash because it wasn’t meant to fill the hole we’re trying to fill.
Connection with someone, on the other hand, is much less reliable than a substance. The other person could be hangry or misunderstand me. Connection is also a much longer-term solution. The benefit we get from relationships comes from a lifetime of building relationships with so many people. Connection isn’t quick. So why bother?
Because connection is the real deal. It’s what we’re looking for.
Recently, a friend of mine recalled a difficult time I went through 6 years ago. She recounted many specifics of the season. She was moved as she talked about the burdens I carried at the time. She shook her head in disbelief that I had made it through. This. This moment. This is the real thing. My friend had seen me and knew me. A connection that was forged so many years prior and was mundane in so many ways – that connection led to an explosion of life in my heart.
I know it is not easy to reach out and build relationships, but I am telling you, choosing connection over escape is worth it. When presented with a drink, click bait, or a tantalizing pastry filled with delicious gluten – choose to look someone in the eye and ask them how they are. It’s better.
MEET THE THERAPISTS | Courtney McHale, LPCC
This is a spotlight feature of our very own Courtney McHale! Courtney was born in the horse country of New Jersey and made her way to Colorado to complete grad school. She and her best friend headed West. Courtney has been involved with youth ministry since graduating college with a degree in Theology. Working at an all girls school as the Theology teacher and as a campus minister. She continues to feed her passion for youth here in Colorado and has followed God’s call to take it to the next level! Courtney’s personal journey in therapy and youth ministry led her to develop the next step and became a therapist. Her grandma was also a therapist – so it runs in the family!
Courtney is a lover and learner of humanity. Her favorite part of being a therapist is cultivating the treasure of relationships and getting to love on people the way Jesus unconditionally loves on people. Courtney would say she sees her role as a therapist as a journey companion. Being that her last name means companion in the Irish heritage, she seems very well-suited for just that. She loves to watch new found clarity leading to freedom for her clients. She sees that lives can be measured in the hills and valleys, not just in lack and what needs to be fixed. A funny moment in session you ask? As she was listening to a client, her pen went rogue and lept up to the ceiling and over her head. We all need moments to just be interrupted with laughter. What would Courtney do if she could do anything else? Interior design is a favorite hobby and thankfully her housemates let her take the reins on it….on all of it. Courtney gets out of bed for the adventure of the day and for community. One of the things she considers a great achievement is the personal community she has cultivated through the years. Her outlook on life can be seen through the lens of a quote from Albert Einstein: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
It’s time for the deets. Courtney is a climber. She has gone camping with friends or family all over the US as a member of the Highpointers Club! Courtney is definitely an outdoors enthusiast. Hiking? Yes. Paddleboarding? Yes. Skiing? Yes.Camping? Yes. Horseback riding? Yes. The only thing better than doing something outside? Gelato or Ice Cream. I couldn’t nail down a favorite gelato flavor…but definitely Breyer’s Mint Chocolate Chip for the ice cream win. Courtney loves to cook with and for family and friends. She studied abroad and loved traveling through Europe discovering all the different foods and cultures. She also loves being an Auntie – bragging rights seen below! I would say the most interesting personal detail Courtney shared is that she plays the Celtic harp. What a talent!
And of course….her favorite movie quote:
“When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.”
– The Sound of Music, Maria
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