Articles from the Week of July 11, 2025
Explanation: Although I scan the Internet primarily for counseling articles, in the process I run across quotes and interesting facts that I sometimes include in these first two sections. If you’re just interested in the counseling articles, you can skip these first two sections and go directly to the section called Counseling Articles. HV
Interesting Quotes
"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
Benjamin Franklin, on the Declaration of Independence's implications
"Do the best you can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem at the time."
Sandra Day O'Connor
“In a world that can often feel unstable and uncertain, our relationships — romantic, platonic, communal — become the anchors that ground us.”
ESTHER PEREL
Let's face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me."
Audrey Hepburn
"Change, by its very nature, is threatening but it is also often productive."
Betty Ford
"The scientific man does not aim at an immediate result ... His duty is to lay the foundation for those who are to come and point the way."
Nikola Tesla
Fascinating Facts
Who were the Anabaptists?
Having been raised in a small denomination in upstate New York, this article was interesting, because I found my denomination was part of the Anabaptist movement. Your church probably retains some elements of the Anabaptist movement, even though it probably differs in at least some ways. If you’d be interested in learning more read this article.
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Barbie launches first doll with Type 1 diabetes, glucose monitor
If you have a young daughter with diabetes, this might be a good doll to get.
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New Parents Are Naming Their Kids After Serial Killers
This was such a bizarre story that I thought someone must be joking. But apparently some parents are giving their babies names such as Ted Bundy, Anna Delvey and Rose West. (I just ran into someone today in Jupiter named Robin Hood, but at least he was a semi good guy.)
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Can ChatGPT interpret speaking in tongues?
Since this has been a rather slow week on counseling-related articles, here was another article that seemed to strain credulity. Since ChatGPT can only feed back information that has been put into it, it would seem that it could not interpret speaking in tongues unless those languages had already been input into it. While some would claim that this phenomenon is demonic, I think a more likely explanation is that if AI does not know something, it sometimes makes up things. The recent episodes when Microsoft had to pull its AI program off-line and when Elon Musk had to disconnect Grok when it started spouting Hitler nonsense are but two examples.
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Counseling Articles
“5 Ways to Infuse Positivity Into Your Child’s Day”
Although this article was about 5 ways parents of children with ADHD could infuse positivity into their interactions, I think these five suggestions could benefit many parents, whether or not their children have ADHD.
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College Packing List for ADHD Undergrads
Another article written for parents of children who are packing for college, but I think many of the ideas would be helpful reminders for any parents who are helping their teens pack for college for the first time.
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AI Is Not the Problem, We Are
If you read some of the articles about AI, you may be concerned that it will usher in the Apocalypse. It is true that students are cheating on tests and class assignments with AI, even in college, and some clients who have used Interactive AI have sometimes received incorrect or even life-threatening feedback. But this article from Breakpoint makes the point that people using AI inappropriately, not AI itself, is the problem. So let’s recognize that AI has a lot of potential benefits, and that we need to use it, and train our children, to use it correctly.
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When We Make Intelligence in Our Image
This article from the latest issue of Christianity Today may be more technical than many of you want to plow through. To give a brief (and I hope accurate) summary the common versions of AI do not “think” like we do but simply spit back the information that have been fed to them, but some of them can digest and do this in impressive ways. The article points to the fact that the Creator gave us minds that are still remarkable, and capable of some things that AI cannot do at this time.
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These next two articles are not directly counseling-related but could be helpful in your counseling practices.
The US Immunization Program: Our Crucial Role in Preventing Avoidable Deaths
The statements of RFK Jr. have made some parents leery of vaccines. Meanwhile measles is a highly contagious disease and is spreading throughout the U.S. While counselors are not to give medical advice, this summary about vaccines by a medical doctor might be helpful to share with them.
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Encouraging Courage in Children
Although this is written to doctors about how parents can encourage courage in their children, I think there are some ideas counselors could use to do the same. The suggestions are grouped for very young children all the way to teens.
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6 state university systems form first-of-its-kind accreditation agency to counter 'woke' 'monopoly'
Governor DeSantis has initiated a movement among colleges and universities that would focus on academic achievement and shift the focus away from secular trends and instead emphasize master material in one’s subject area. This idea would probably not have had any chance of passing during previous administrations. But think back to the article from last week where a marriage and family counseling student lost her internship and was denied her degree when she refused to watch a pornographic movie or go to a bdsm dungeon as part of her counseling training.
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Our mental health has been damaged by social justice therapists
Related to the topic of the above article, see an example of how some of our counseling programs have been infected by woke ideology and the harmful effects it can have on undergraduate and graduate education. From what I have heard about some secular counseling programs, his experience is not unique.
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‘Speedballing’ drug trend is becoming ‘increasingly lethal
Speedballing is becoming a new trend among drug users. In speedballing users combine a stimulant with fentanyl. The combination is attractive to users because they experience the euphoric ‘rush’ from the stimulant and the calming effects of the opioid. This is not a minor problem: Since 2010, overdoses involving both stimulants and fentanyl have increased 50-fold, now accounting for approximately 35,000 deaths annually. So if you work with this population who may be tempted to try speedballing you may want to discuss the dangers with your clients.
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Candace Cameron Bure opens up about marital struggles, the 45-minute sermon that saved it
Probably many of you who read this newsletter are fond of the Christian actress, Candace Cameron Bure. Here she tells the story of how her son, when he was a child, talked to her and husband in a way that had an important part in helping them save their marriage.
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DOJ Subpoenas Transgender Clinics And Doctors For Transitioning Children
I know that some counselors take varying views on supporting transgender procedures in children and teens, but if you are in favor of such procedures you should probably you should be aware of this new development. Thus far I’ve not heard of any subpoenas of counselors who support such procedures. At this time the subpoenas have been directed at doctors and transgender clinics.
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Virginia Court Blocks ‘Conversion Therapy’ Ban in Blow to Transgender Industry
Several states have blocked what they call “conversion therapy” which they define as any counseling that discusses a child or teen’s sexual orientation or gender identity. A Christian therapist and legal group sued the state of Virginia for its ban on conversion therapy and won. Many Christian therapists will be heartened by this win, believing that counselors should have the freedom to discuss these issues with clients and help them work through such issues.
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Transgender Prison Policies in Washington State: A Case Study in Controversy
Some western states have allowed inmates to be placed in men’s or women’s prisons based on their stated gender identity. Now this policy is being revisited. This policy revisit only affects one person but hopefully it may be a precedent for others.
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AI-Generated Child Pornography Is Exploding in Popularity
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), watchdog group centered in London, is warning that AI-generated child sexual abuse material (abbreviated CSAM) is exploding in popularity on the Internet. Apparently pedophiles are quite active on the dark web sharing information on how to use AI-created images to produce such pornography. In the U.S. 38 states have laws against child pornography. In another article from the New York Times I learned that sometimes criminals are contacting children and threatening them that they will release images that look like them if they do not pay ransoms. And also from that New York Times article, sometimes children are taking pictures of other people, use AI to disrobe them, and creating what are called “deepfake nudes.”
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Psychosis Risk Is 2-3 Times Greater in Those With Major Childhood Adversities, Study Finds
In a very large meta-analysis (183 previous research studies) it was found that when children go through trauma, as adults the likelihood of them developing a psychotic disorder or having psychotic experiences is 2 to 3 times higher than for those who did not have traumatic childhoods. Those who had traumatic childhoods had their first psychotic experiences an average of 8 to 10 months earlier than those who did not have traumatic childhoods but later developed psychoses.
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From Girl Boss to No Boss
This is from the New York Times, and I think it summarizes an interesting trend, so I’ll summarize its major point. It’s about the growing trend of middle-aged women, who worked full-time for many years, attempting to work their way up the corporate ladder, who are leaving their jobs and creating a new life for themselves. For some it involves spending more time raising their children, and for many it involves working part-time consulting in some area. But the common theme is taking more control of their lives and deciding what their personal priorities are and investing in those things.
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FTC to Investigate Trans Industry’s Threats of Child Suicide
Parents of children struggling with gender dysphoria have often been told by professionals, “You need to choose between a dead son or a living daughter” with the implication that the child would die by suicide if denied “gender-affirming care.” The FTC, which is given the authority to investigate deceptive advertising. If it finds that this threat is untrue, it can go to court to enter a command that institutions and individuals discontinue these practices.
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Just How Harmful Is Vaping? More Evidence Is Emerging.
Since this article is from the New York Times, I’ll summarize some of its major points, since this information is so important for some people to know. When vaping was first introduced it was promoted as less harmful than smoking, since it did not contain some of the dangerous chemicals caused by smoking. And its use, especially by high school students, continues to increase. Consider the comment by Dr. James H. Stein, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine who said: “common sense tells you — your mom would tell you — that a superheated chemical inhaling right into your lungs isn’t going to be good.” A few more quotations from this article: “When you vape “all day long, over and over and over again — you’re basically walking around with high blood pressure,” Dr. Stein said. These effects could raise the risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm, stroke and even a heart attack.
“When vapes heat liquids to higher temperatures, they can release larger amounts of harmful chemicals that can seep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream and flow to the heart, said Irfan Rahman, a researcher at the University of Rochester Medicine who studies nicotine products. The liquids in e-cigarettes can release known carcinogens, like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, when heated. These and other chemicals can damage blood vessels, drive inflammation and contribute to cardiovascular disease risk.”
Vaping causes inflammation in the airways and lungs that can become chronic, Dr. Stein said. It can also exacerbate asthma and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and can lead to a persistent cough and shortness of breath.
“While we don’t know yet whether vapes cause cancer, which can take decades to develop, we know they can expose users to substances associated with increased cancer risk. Brett Poulin, an assistant professor of environmental toxicology at the University of California, Davis, tested three popular disposable vape brands and found that they released high levels of nickel and antimony, heavy metals linked to lung cancer. (Dr. Poulin’s team also found that vapes release large amounts of lead, a neurotoxin.)
Chemicals used in flavored vapes, especially disposable ones, can also damage cell membranes, which increases the risk of lung damage and cancer, as well as heart disease, Dr. Stein said.
In rare cases, patients have developed lung scarring and breathing issues known as “popcorn lung” after inhaling diacetyl, a compound in some flavored vapes. (Major vape brands currently say they do not use diacetyl.) In 2019, an outbreak of serious lung injuries, including 68 deaths, was linked to vapes that contained vitamin E acetate. “
These are not all the dangers, but I’ve quoted as much of this article as I believe I should. So please let vape users know that they are not safer than smoking, and carry many other dangers.
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Note: Even though I included several articles from the New York Times in this compilation and recognize that they carry a wide range of articles because of their large staff, I still do not encourage subscribing to their newspaper because of its strong bias.
There have been several developments this week that hopefully have been encouraging to Christian believers and counselors. I hope you have enjoyed reading them.
Sincerely,
Henry Virkler