Conversational Counseling is where discipleship and counseling meet. Each season we help you apply biblical truths to your everyday life and to the lives of those around you. After decades of having these conversations in the counseling room and side by
The Conversational Counseling podcast has been an incredibly valuable resource for me as I seek to grow in my understanding of biblical counseling. Each episode is filled with sound biblical teachings and the relatable life experiences of hosts Brenda and Alex. Through their conversations and the practical tools they provide, I have been able to share what I've learned with others who are hurting in my life and through my ministry. As I work towards my biblical counseling certification, these podcasts have become a treasured source of wisdom and encouragement.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is how relatable Brenda and Alex are. They openly share their own ups and downs, as well as their mistakes, in counseling. This transparency helps me see that God uses us no matter what if we are willing. Additionally, they consistently remind listeners that it's all about the work of the Holy Spirit and not about our own abilities or efforts. This reminder is crucial for me as I tend to rely too much on myself rather than trusting in God's power. I also appreciate how practical the information provided in each episode is, with a consistent focus on Jesus as the ultimate source of healing and transformation.
I honestly can't think of any significant drawbacks or worst aspects of this podcast. The only minor criticism could be that occasionally some episodes may feel repetitive if you've been listening for a while, but this is likely inevitable given the nature of counseling topics. Overall, the quality of content and presentation far outweighs any small repetition.
In conclusion, The Conversational Counseling podcast has had a transformative impact on my faith life and how I share that faith with others. It equips listeners with valuable tools for loving God, loving others, and serving well. Brenda and Alex's wisdom and insights make a tangible difference in the lives of their audience, including myself. I am immensely grateful for this podcast and eagerly anticipate each new episode that drops. If you're looking for rich conversation about counseling that interacts with everyday life and relationships, this is the podcast for you.

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email! What is your posture when you join someone on their journey to comfort and change? If our first priority is to influence or teach, we risk pushing our framework of beliefs on others rather than prioritizing love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul opens the chapter by reminding the church about the importance of sharing truth with love. As Christians and counselors, we should never compromise on the essentials of the gospel when we're pursuing love. But at the same time, we must recognize that our framework about the nonessentials is colored by our own experiences, training and mentors. Scholars and biblical leaders have studied the Bible for centuries and still disagree on many nonessentials. When we push our framework of these nonessentials on others, they can feel unheard and pressured to conform to a belief that isn't foundational to their Christian walk. As Paul exhorts in 1 Corinthians, we must emphasize love. Jesus, our better Counselor, welcomes people to Himself, not a certain denomination or school of thought. Just as He's sanctified us, He can sanctify others and deepen their understanding of Him and His Word.Resources:Connect with other Christians and counselors: Gospel-Centered Biblical Counseling and Equipping Facebook Group with Bob KellemenSeason 10 of Conversational Counseling on “Do as I Say Not as I Do.”To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here.Our theme music is by As Isaac.This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors.Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

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Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions forConversational Counselingsent straight to your email!

Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It's not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics. >> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

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>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

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>> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

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Listener discretion advised: This episode is not graphic but it does cover a sensitive topic. >> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Listener discretion advised: This episode is not graphic but it does cover a sensitive topic. >> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Note: This episode is not graphic but it does cover sensitive topics you might not be ready for little ears to hear. >> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

Note: This episode is not graphic but it does cover a sensitive topic you might not be ready for little ears that may be around to hear. >> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

We are SO thrilled to share this bonus episode with you!! Our colleague and quickly becoming dear friend, Shauna Van Dyke, is the Executive Director at the Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC). Shauna has an amazing heart to equip believers for the work of ministry as she sincerely believes we are all called to care. That every single one of us can live out the "one anothers" in our daily lives. And she is an amazing champion and cheerleader of what the Lord is doing in and through others! She offers a sincere and tender encouragement for any of us who feels isolated and alone in our calling... and if we're honest, that's each of us at some point! So we can not be discouraged if we are the only one who is leaning in... to consider it a great gift. If you're looking to be reminded that you are not entirely alone, to learn, be enriched, challenged and encouraged in your own walk with the Lord but also as you walk with others, there's still time to register for the ABC conference coming up April 25-27, 2024. They have in-person and virtual options available! We're going to be there and would love to meet up with any of you who will be as well! Called to Counsel, ABC's conference April 25-27, 2024 in Fort Worth ,TX Shauna's Truth Renewed Ministry website ABC's website: christiancounseling.com Equipped to Counsel by John Henderson Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands by Paul David Tripp "Superpowers" (S1 E2) of Conversational Counseling Our Real Life Discipleship Counseling Class (which Shauna so graciously recommends) "Tim Challies: A Story of Immeasurable Suffering and Incomparable Hope" (S5 E8) of Conversational Counseling ABC's Resources (even more available in their member area!) CCEF's conference Oct 4-6, 2024 in Chattanooga, TN Follow on social media: - ABC on Facebook - Truth Renewed Ministries Facebook - ABC on Instagram - Truth Renewed on Instagram To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this podcast click here. Our theme music is by As Isaac. This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors. Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne.

Note: This episode is particularly one mother sharing her story, but this episode will not merely benefit moms. We think the principles we talk about apply to anyone whose world has been turned upside down and is facing depression. We hope you enjoy… >> Click HERE to get free visuals, handouts and discussion questions for Conversational Counseling sent straight to your email!

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Have you ever felt like you are constantly striving for something that is never quite good enough? Or maybe you just feel like you're always falling a little short? If so, then this episode might be especially for you. This week's common struggle is perfectionism. Whether we can see it in small areas or all throughout our lives, perfectionism can quickly become exhausting, exacting and exasperating! The “do it all” mentality of many perfectionists often leads to positive feedback from others, but all the praise can easily hide our underlying motives to the point that we can become unaware of the shame beneath our striving. Throughout this episode Alex walks us through her own journey with perfectionism and how the gospel provides freedom from the many things that can drive the perfectionism in all of us. For Ed Welch's Shame Interrupted click here. For Robert Thune & Will Walker's The Gospel Centered Life click here. For Milton Vincent's The Gospel Primer click here. You can click to listen to S1 E2 / Superpowers and S1 E3 / The "Tions": Justification, Sanctification, Glorification. To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here. Our theme music is by As Isaac. This podcast is made possible by engineers and producers Zachary Tate Smith and Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors. Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne. This fourth season of Conversational Counseling is called "Wisdom for life's common struggles.”

On this bonus episode of Conversational Counseling we are so excited to talk with Elyse Fitzpatrick! Elyse has spent the last 40 years in the biblical counseling sphere asking two very important questions - what do women need to hear and how can I get it to them? She has paved the way for women in the biblical counseling movement and continues to help teach people how to walk alongside others. We talk about how we can know all the right things and be doing them well, but miss the gospel. For the listeners that feel full of questions, this podcast is for you. If you are the person who has worked really hard to do all the right things and find the right answers, then this episode is most definitely for you. Listen now and hear Elyse talk about her journey and how the trajectory of life changed when the profound beauty of the gospel truly reached her heart. To find out more about Elyse visit her webiste at elysefitzpatrick.com Find Elyse's book, Because He Loves Me, here. Find Elyse's book, Give Them Grace, here. To listen to the Worthy Podcast, click here. To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here. Our theme music is by As Isaac. This podcast is made possible by engineers and producers Zachary Tate Smith and Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors. Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne. This fourth season of Conversational Counseling is called "Wisdom for life's common struggles.”

Click HERE to get the FREE Anti-Psalm handout (it'll be sent to your email) Fear of Man, also known as people pleasing, is the common struggle Brenda and Alex take us through this week. We are reminded that we were created to be known and know others deeply - but people pleasing distorts that into an inordinate desire for approval or inordinate fear of disapproval. These desires and fears can lead people into patterns of overcommitment, excessive worrying, over sensitivity, and over achievement. All of these traps can happen when we take good things and turn them into things we worship. We can begin to worship what others think of us, or what we can achieve, more than we trust in God and His plans for us. Alex and Brenda explain that the way out of people pleasing behaviors isn't to love ourselves more; it is to reorient ourselves to love biblically. When we walk in the truth that God loves us, and we love Him, we don't need to fear man's opinions or judgements. The process of letting go of those fears and desires may cause disruption in our minds and our lives; but it will allow us to go back to gospel truth of how we are called to love God and love others. Our ability to love well is based on our ability to understand that we are loved well. Once we understand we are loved well, we can begin to live from God's approval even if others do not approve. Only by overcoming fear with love can we continue to grow in spiritual maturity. Lou Priolo's People Pleasing Inventory and his booklet Fear: Breaking Its Grip. Ed Welch's book When People are Big and God is Small. Listen to Paul Tripp's Eternity Amnesia here. To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here. Our theme music is by As Isaac. This podcast is made possible by engineers and producers Zachary Tate Smith and Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors. Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne. This fourth season of Conversational Counseling is called "Wisdom for life's common struggles.”

Click here for the Lament Resource mentioned in Episode 7. Bitterness is the complicated, yet common, struggle that Brenda and Alex take us through this week. Bitterness can cause us to feel powerless and will begin to shape how we view the world around us, how we see the past, and how we anticipate the future. If it continues we can begin to lose hope and forget that God is writing the story and we can trust Him in it. Through walking out a very personal experience that Brenda shares we learn that the path from bitterness to forgiveness goes through grief. Using Brad Hamrick's model Alex and Brenda go through the similarities and differences of grief and bitterness. Through every example we can see how bitterness is the opposite of forgiveness, which will keep us stuck in a cycle of pain and hopelessness. In bitterness we tend to turn away from God in order to hold on to anger and our own idea of vengeance, but grief allows us to run towards Him in lament. Lament is an intentional form of grieving and it is essential to overcoming bitterness. Moving towards grief allows us to acknowledge the pain of our circumstance and begin the process of forgiveness. Grief can be exhausting, but as we work through it we can gain strength and hope. Hope in the future that ultimately rests in our hope that God is in control and we can trust in Him. To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click here. Our theme music is by As Isaac. This podcast is made possible by engineers and producers Zachary Tate Smith and Shane Selby, executive producer Meleah Smith, and generous donors. Known Ministries is Alex Kocher and Brenda Payne. This fourth season of Conversational Counseling is called "Wisdom for life's common struggles.”