Counseling News from the Week of October 31,2025

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

"The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity."

Jackie Robinson

“I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.”

Johannes Kepler

“Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor.”

Hesiod, "Works and Days"

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."

President Theodore Roosevelt

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”

Epictetus, "Discourses"

"Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors."

Jonas Salk

“Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions.”

G.K. Chesterton

“Science does not know its debt to imagination.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever."

John Keats

Fascinating Facts

The Courage of Engineers in the Titanic’s Final Moments

At its time the luxury ocean liner the Titanic was considered unsinkable. Unfortunately it encountered a gigantic iceberg, and within only 30 seconds it was unable to stop in time. The crew quickly realized that it was going to sink and decided to save as many passengers as possible. Twenty-five engineers and ten electricians kept systems running so as many passengers could get to lifeboats as possible. All 25 engineers and the 20 electricians lost their lives along with 1500 others, but 706 people were saved through their self-sacrifice.

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7 Animal Instincts That Seem Supernatural (But Aren’t)

Animals seem to have some abilities that seem almost supernatural. This article identifies several of them and the scientific explanation for them, e.g., some dogs’ ability to predict earthquakes in the hours before they occur, some birds’ abilities to navigate long distances accurately, elephants’ ability to communicate over long distances, etc.

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Counseling Articles

Growing Share of Americans Say Religion Is Gaining Influence, Pew Study Finds

There is some reason for optimism among believers in America. Even though a majority of Americans still believe religious influence is declining, a growing number believe that religious influence is increasing.

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It’s Time to Push Back Against the Glamorization of Polyamory

In certain places polyamory is being touted as preferable to monogamy as a lifestyle. But a careful examination of the data and lives of couples shows that the happiest and most fulfilled couples are those who are committed to faithfulness and to each other.

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It Takes a Family: A Bioethicist Explores How to Live and Die Well

In our increasingly broken family relationships, one of the articles in last week’s Friday News was the fear that many older people have that they would die alone, with no one to care for them or care about them in their final years and days. This article makes the point that to live well and die well, family relationships are crucial.

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Are Men or Women More Likely to Be Married? It Depends

As this article explains, the likelihood of men and women being married changes over time (and as articles in previous weeks showed, is likely to continue to change in the future). At the present time, women are more likely to get married earlier than men, so there are more single men than women. However, over their lifetimes, men and women are equally likely to have been married. See article for more complete details.

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For a More Family-Friendly Society, Give Up Your Seat

This writer reflects on the fact that our society presently is unwilling to extend a hand of kindness to the young mother attempting to care for young children or to the elderly or disabled. She illustrates through anecdotes how such acts of consideration could help our society and culture to become more family friendly and benefit us all.

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Grass Sick: The Mysterious Marijuana Syndrome Filling Emergency Rooms

A new syndrome is coming to our emergency rooms. Called “cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (or CHS) it is caused by heavy marijuana use. It causes vomiting, nausea and intense cramps and pain that can last for days. An increasing number of states are allowing recreational marijuana, and many doctors are unfamiliar with this syndrome. As heavy marijuana use becomes more common, expect the frequency of this extremely painful and debilitating syndrome to increase.

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Florida High School Promotes Witchcraft

Probably not many people who read this live in Orange County, Florida, but if you do, one of your public schools is now promoting witchcraft.

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What to Do When a Person Won’t. Stop. Talking.

We’ve all been in an occasional conversation when someone won’t stop talking, and we’d like a polite way to end their monologue. This is from the New York Times so you can’t read it without a subscription, so I’ll summarize its major points.

• 1.     Use the person’s first name.
• 2.     Say that you’re interrupting.
• 3.     Use the phrase “I need” as in “I need to clarify that” or “I need to respond to that before this thought disappears from my brain.”
• 4.     In a group setting, summarize what the person has said and pass the conversation to someone else, e.g., “Laura, I’d like to hear your thoughts on that” or “John, I’d like to hear what’s going on in your life.”

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Starting estrogen early helps prevent health problems during menopause

This study found that if women started taking estrogen 10 years before beginning menopause it not only reduced menopause symptoms such as heat flashes and sleep disturbances, but also reduced their likelihood of developing breast cancer, heart attacks, or stroke later in life.

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Religious OCD and Me

People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) will often find that the OCD will attach itself to whatever is most important in their lives, which for many Christians will be their faith. So their obsessions may revolve around their sins and feeling terribly guilty. This author talks about her religious obsessions and what has helped her deal with them.

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11 Evidence-Based Facts About ADHD

If you have a client who has just learned that they or their child has ADHD and has picked up a combination of information and misinformation about ADHD, here is a good article to introduce them to well-accepted correct information about the disorder.

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No, That AI Chatbot Is Not Your Friend

The writer of this article is a clinical professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical University. The beginning of his article sounds a bit strong, but I encourage you to read the full article. I believe he makes some points worth considering.

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The Problems With an Expanding Autism Diagnosis

This title may be misleading. It does raise the concern that calling Asperger’s Disorder part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder category may have blurred the distinction between normality and autism. However, it does helpfully review autism diagnoses throughout the various versions of the DSM, and it includes the recommendation that “Profound Autism” be given to those who are significantly impacted by the disorder and require 24-hour care for their safety, so it does seem to recommend expanding the autism diagnosis to include profound autism rather than be focused on problems with expanding autism diagnoses.

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'Lassie' and 'Lost in Space' actress June Lockhart dies at 100. See her career.

Some of you old-timers may remember June Lockhart from the Lassie series many years ago, and younger people may remember her from the “Lost in Space” movie. She passed away this past week at the age of 100.

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The elimination of motherhood

This article isn’t counseling-related (at this time, but it could be in the future). It is now possible to create a baby who has no mother. It tells the story of a woman who was raised by two loving men but definitely felt the deficit of never having a mother and spent much of her young life trying desperately to find a loving woman who would serve emotionally as a mother to her.

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Which Is Better, One Long Walk or Many Short Ones?

This is from the New York Times, so I’ll summarize its major point. This study found that a longer walk produced better health outcomes on several metabolic dimensions than several shorter walks each day. What qualifies as a longer walk? One that is at least 15 minutes in duration.

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Running can fix what junk food breaks in your brain

This title might be a bit of an overstatement. This British research study looked at two types of diets, one that included typical junk food and another that had a healthier diet and then compared the metabolism of rats who had access to exercise wheels versus those who were sedentary. The metabolism profiles of the rats who had access to exercise were significantly better than those who did not on several factors. Why I say this might be an overstatement is that this study was done on rats, who are mammals and therefore may respond similarly to humans, but there are several inferences in this study which may or may not be warranted. But probably it makes sense to eat as healthily as possible and get a reasonable amount of exercise.

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Why kratom addiction is the next public health crisis

Kratom is a botanical herb grown in Southeast Asia and is sold at wellness and other stores. Although it has some beneficial results, it can also lead to severe addiction, psychosis and even death. To understand more about it and its dangers, see the article.

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Our Brains Evolved to Socialize—but Max Out at About 150 Friends

This title summarizes the major points. We need relationships to be our healthiest, but there is a limit to how many relationships our brains can handle. Research found that most of us have five people whom we feel closest to, then 15 more people who we have somewhat regular contact with, and then the remaining 120 to 130 are folks we may have rarer contacts with.

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Are There Errors in the Bible?

Amongst Christians there are differences of opinion about this question. Wherever you are on this question, I encourage you to read this article. I think the author makes some thoughtful points.

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Dictionary.com’s word of the year is ‘6-7.’ But is it even a word and what does it mean?

If you’ve been awake the last few months, you’ve undoubtedly heard the phase 6-7. And even though Dictionary.com proclaimed it as the word of the year, even Dictionary.com admits it’s not sure what the word means. So the mystery continues, but you’ll undoubtedly hear the word again.

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Harvard Students Sob, Skip Class, Plan Protests Over Grade Inflation Report  

In a story that has captured media attention, Harvard University has decided to tackle the issue of grade inflation at the school, and students are not happy about it. Some report crying all day and skipping classes. One quote from a student was particularly revealing: “What makes a Harvard student a Harvard student is their engagement in extracurriculars, “now we have to throw that all away and pursue just academics.“ Hm, I thought the purpose of getting a college education was to learn. Apparently the student body at Harvard has gotten away from that mindset.

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I hope you enjoyed these articles. Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Henry Virkler