Easter and the Power of Hope

Today’s post was shared previously but serves as a reminder of how important hope is for all children, especially children and families who struggle with behavioral or emotional issues.

The Vital Nature of Hope

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all”. – Emily Dickinson.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of hope. The more hope, the stronger the drive, and it doesn’t dare to ever stop, nor even feel the need to. Hope drives everything from completing daily tasks to reaching our goals, dreams, and ambitions. It is the fuel that carries us over the ridge and up the mountain. Hope is the light that carries us through the darkest of impasses. Laina Taylor described that “hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”

Hope and Resilience

It’s well-established in the research that hope is the foundation of a person’s resilience and ability to experience struggle and strife without giving in. Often, the best predictor of whether a person will commit self-harm is not a troubling situation or sadness, not even if they feel depressed. No, the best predictor is a lack of hope. If we instill hope, we instill life; the more hope – the more zeal for life. As it has been said, “Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers” – Robert Ingersoll.

Hope and Managing Challenges

“Hope is a verb with its shirtsleeves rolled up” – David Orr.

We all face tough times, challenges, and situations that seem daunting. We may be facing a major obstacle, but it’s far more manageable if we have hope for a positive outcome. Or we hope that slowly but surely and step-by-step, we can make a positive impact and move the ball forward. Hope makes all the difference! We see its power during such difficult times. “Hope is like a star – not seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity”. – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Easter and Hope

Christians celebrate this time of the year – Easter (also known as Resurrection Day) as the holiest of our holy days. Clearly, if not for Easter and the resurrection, there would be no Christianity. Easter represents the essence of hope, especially hope in the time of darkness. Through Christ and the overcoming power of Easter, we have hope for the forgiveness of our sins, power over the carnal, and faith that we can overcome and be triumphant, just as Christ.

As Christians, this hope is a gift. As Jeremiah tells us “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Yes, it’s a gift, but this hope is also instilled within us, as Paul writes in Romans: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirt”. Easter reflects that hope, with faith, is the most important of the Christian virtues.

Tap Into This Hope

We gain hope through our celebration of Easter; moreover, God gives us resources that too can instill hope. It’s always my goal, and the goal of everyone at Community Psychiatric Centers, to instill hope by educating and providing guidance on how to manage emotions, calm thoughts, and effectively redirect challenging behaviors.

I invite you to tap into these resources. They can make your life, and that of your child, far more meaningful, hopeful, and successful. If you need any guidance in that respect, feel free to email me at DrCarosso@aol.com.

May God deeply bless you and your family this Easter. May you be instilled with a full measure of hope during this most sacred of Christian holidays.

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Author: Dr. John Carosso

Dr. John Carosso

Licensed Child Clinical Psychologist and Certified School Psychologist at Community Psychiatric Centers

Dr. Carosso has more than 30 years of experience as a licensed Child Clinical Psychologist and Certified School Psychologist working through his own practice, and in residential, inpatient, outpatient, school, and home settings. He is a partner and Clinical Director of Community Psychiatric Centers (cpcwecare.com), a licensed Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic, and operates both the Autism Center of Pittsburgh (autismcenterofpittsburgh.com) and the Dyslexia Diagnostic and Treatment Center (dyslexiatreaters.com).

Dr. Carosso, who holds a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis in Special Education, has conducted more than 20,000 evaluations on children with autism, learning problems and dyslexia, attention-deficit, trauma, depression, bipolar, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and related difficulties. He has supervised dozens of clinical teams and regularly provides consultation to organizations, agencies, and parents at 6 office locations in four counties counties. Dr. Carosso also has presented at regional conferences, served on the advisory boards of local autism societies, and has served for over 10 years as an evaluator and expert witness in child welfare cases.

He produces a video series, "Dr. C's Morning Minute," that provides helpful strategies for effectively managing childhood autism, ADHD, and behavioral, emotional and learning issues. Dr. Carosso formerly co-hosted the Live weekly PCNC cable television program "Community Psychiatric Centers Presents", targeting child mental health issues, and was a regular guest on various talk shows, including "Night Talk", discussing childhood issues and related current events.