Filled to Flourish

BONUS EPISODE! Luke and I had the privilege of chatting with Jodi Carlton on her podcast, "Your Neurodiverse Relationship".Jodi says: "Together, they open up about their own marriage, healing past trauma, working through attachment styles, and what it really takes to make a #neurodiverserelationship not only work—but thrive. They also share their professional insights into #neuroplasticity, rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD), attachment wounds, and how their personal growth journey empowered them to help other couples navigate similar challenges.✅ Navigating ADHD & demand avoidance✅ Anxious + avoidant attachment in marriage✅ Overfunctioning, burnout & masking✅ When to accept… and when to seek changeCheck out the rest of the neurodiverse couples interviews Jodi does on YouTube. ‪@JodiCarlton‬ is a leading world expert in mixed neurotype relationship dynamics and communication. Her personal and direct style of educating and coaching is a favorite with all neurotypes around the globe. Her unique blend of personal and professional experience with neurodiverse relationships positions her to help people with a blame-free mind-set, and a goal of clarity. Check out all her offerings and freebies at her site: ⁠⁠https://jodicarlton.com/⁠⁠

Have you ever heard my experience with brain retraining? It's been a few years since I did an episode about it, and because it's SUCH valuable information I wanted to talk about it again, and add in my new insights and perspectives from this point in my journey.In this episode I share:-an overview of my healing process through brain retraining-a guide to explore what is behind you dysregulation and chronic symptoms through mining your story, early conditioning, unique vulnerabilities such as neurodivergence, and your present environments and relationships to understand the reasons behind why you became dysregulated in the first place-the important concept of sustainable nervous system regulation-brain retraining or trauma healing? which should go first-finding the important healing balance of grief/trauma work and beauty/goodness seeking-who I would recommend brain retraining for-what I recommend if you're noticing symptoms crop up, but you're not really unwell yet-how brain retraining has changed my life and opened me up to possibilities I would not have had without it Make sure to check season 2, episode 18 if you want to hear more details about brain retraining! Share this episode with a friend who might benefit!

Join us for the third and final episode in our series on neurodiversity! In this episode we interview Jodi Carlon, a Neurodiverse Relationship Expert. We had an amazing conversation, evidenced by the number of times Luke and I said “beautifully said” to Jodi!We cover:

We're back for episode 2 in our series on neurodiversity! This episode is quite personal, as Luke and I detail several of the challenges we experience navigating a neurodiverse relationship. We explore three main areas of struggle in neurodiverse relationships: communication, emotional regulation and conflicting needs. We flesh out some of the differences between Luke's trauma responses versus neurotype characteristics, and give disclaimers about abuse in relationships. After years of doing it the wrong way, we offer advice for both the neurotypical partner, as well as the neurodivergent partner, and invite you the audience to take the hard road of accceptance so that you can (possibly!) discover how much there is to celebrate about your neurodiverse relationship!

We are so excited to offer this series to our audience as a route to more deeply understanding a really big aspect of ourselves and our relationships: NEURODIVERSITY. Luke shares a bit of his history recognizing his own neurodivergence, how is shows up in his life, and the windy-road process of accepting it. In this episode we explore RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria), demand avoidance, special interest (+ hyperfocus), stimming, imbalanced energy and catastrophic depletion. We also talk through what characteristics are representative of innate neurodivergence, vs a neurodivergent person experiencing trauma symptoms (very common!) We hope this introductory episode is thought-provoking and supportive for neurodiversity novices and beyond. Let us know your thoughts!

In this episode, we tackle the hard-to-talk-about realities of harm in relationships (i.e. betrayal, addiction, abuse...) and the necessary imbalance needed for repair of such relationships. What does it take to create trust and safety after it's been lost? What does the timeline for recovery of connection look like? How much will genuine repair cost you? You won't want to miss this conversation if you have a difficult partnership and you're not sure what healing and relational repair should look like.

We're confident this episode will be valuable to so many as we see this relational dynamic all the time. Listen in as we explore factors behind under and over-functioning such as societal conditioning, religious teachings, family roles and neurodivergence. We share some key things that have been monumental in us unraveling from this imbalanced dynamic, and insight on how to move forward if you find this pattern to be true of your intimate relationship.

Join us for this episode as Flourish Therapy practitioner Bethany Randolph walks us through how the way we address our triggers and young parts can actually be keeping us stuck. Bethany guides Lauren through an impromptu therapy session, gently showing how to allow the wounded parts of us EXPERIENCE our strong and compassion Self. It's a powerful practice that can open you up to new neural pathways of healing and transformation.

We so enjoyed this guest interview with Natalie Hoffman of Flying Free. We quickly connected and had such an engaging conversation about her new memoir where she shares about her exit from her marriage, her church and the toxic theology and shame that had trapped her for so long. She found a lot of help with her healing process through IFS, and actually writes part of her book from the perspective of her different parts. It is such a brave and brilliant move! If you or someone you love is questioning the health of your marriage, family of origin or community of faith, this episode is for you. Find Natalie at https://www.flyingfreenow.com/ Natalie Hoffman is the author of Is it Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage: A Christian Woman's Guide to Hidden Emotional and Spiritual Abuse and All the Scary Little Gods: a Memoir as well as the host of the Flying Free podcast. She is a mother, grandmother, educator, and passionate advocate for Christian women in abusive homes and churches. Natalie empowers Christian women to discover and use their God-given voices, gifts, and freedom to make their own adult choices for their spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.

We all want more regulated nervous systems, but HOW do we get from information and knowledge about the nervous system, to actually experiencing a wider window of tolerance and deeper regulation capacity?

Join us as we explore what we propose could possibly be the root behind misogyny.

In this episode of the Filled to Flourish podcast we examine the topic of boundaries with more detail and nuance than a lot of boundaries conversations. We explore this topic a lot with each other and clients, and wanted to bring some of that more complicated conversation to the podcast. We discuss: -Boundary basics -Power, autonomy and systems -When defensiveness is normal, when it's harmful -Why those closest to us might have such a hard time with our boundaries -Family systems and roles -Shared and unshared boundaries -How powerfully healing it can be when someone responds well to our boundaries -What people's reaction to your boundaries can tell you about your relationship

Jessica Willis Fisher was the oldest daughter in a high-control family system, that just so happened to also be famous (TLC, AGT...ect) Behind the gorgeous smiles and stunning talent of this 14 person family- fear, control and every kind of abuse reigned. When Jessica became able to really face the horrors of what was happening to her, and her family members, she was faced with a seemingly impossible decision. Her memoir captures the immense struggle of her story with striking heart and clarity. We had the honor of interviewing Jessica and hearing from her personally about: -the nature of the effects of abuse on victims -the role of responsibility in getting free and staying free -reframing how we understand committed relationships like marriage -how everyone plays a part in abuse prevention, awareness and support -Jessica gives a sneak peak into what she is working on next by way of writing -and more! Jessica shares so authentically and powerfully, this episode is a new favorite of ours! Find Jessica on IG @jessicawillisfisher and her website https://jessicawillisfisher.com/

So much of our lives involve managing life in the aftermath of other peoples choices. This is particularly true when it comes to your childhood. Join us as we chat with a therapy Hannah Brents about the repercussions, challenges and heartaches surrounding pasts that were chosen for you. examples of having "a past you didn't choose" how grief and acceptance are interconnected and how they heal us moving from helplessness to taking ownership/control of your life forgiveness for those who were responsible for your past experiences? how to titrate through big emotions when grieving a past you didn't choose You can also watch this chat on YouTube!

So many of you enjoy our content on IFS, and we're glad to share another podcast episode with you about how our bodily symptoms can be coming from specific parts of our internal world. We interviewed Katie LaCelle from @‌cressanallc, and looked at IFS (parts work) through a somatic lens. -quick overview of the Self, exiles, protectors -how to tell if you are “in Self” -how hard it is to stay embodied in a body that is suffering -what a somatic protector and how it might try to protect you -polarized parts and the tension they create internally -how protectors may feel about their burdened roles -an important goal of healing If you've found IFS to be a powerful healing paradigm for you, or if you are intrigued by it, be sure to check out this episode- and share it with other IFS friends! If you'd prefer, you can watch this conversation on YouTube! Katie LaCelle is a lifelong seeker and recovering corporate executive who loves helping women thrive personally & professionally while prioritizing self-compassion and presence. She's passionate about mental health and trained in IFS, a trauma-informed therapy modality. She has a bachelors degree in chemical engineering and a masters in organizational leadership and deeply enjoys integrating all of her knowledge to meet and support people where they're at. In her spare time, she coaches and performs on the flying trapeze. Learn more about Katie and the work she does over at: https://www.cressanallc.com/ Connect with and say hello to Katie at: Instagram Linkedin

We promised we would do some teaching on the mixed states of the nervous system- so here is an entire episode on it!

Is “masculinity” a bad thing? Our teenage son asked once when he was trying to make sense of all the things.I think his question is something we are asking as a collective as well. Join us for this engaging conversation about masculinity with Dr. Brendan Kwiatkowski from @‌re.masculine. We explore: -What restrictive masculinity is -What is missing from the idea of “toxic masculinity” -3 of the most harmful beliefs about masculinity -Negative health outcomes of restrictive masculinity -Surprising results from his research regarding emotional sensitivity in males -What the difference is between understanding restrictive masculinity vs. tolerating/coddling abusers -Positive framework for masculinity moving forward We feel this episode is SUCH a needed conversation and are so thankful @‌re.maculine was willing to have it with us. Find Brendan on instagram @re.masculine and tiktok @remasculine. Visit his site and check out his research at www.remasculine.com⁠.

A regulated nervous system has an important role in a healthy and connected sex life. In this episode we explore how the NS is needed in the 4-stage sexual arousal cycle, how cues of safety and cues of threat play into sexual engagement and the aspect of novelty in a sexual relationship. We are excited to introduce the "M.A.P. of Sexual Responsiveness", a model we created to help guide couples to deepen their sexual connection and pleasure. This episode has A LOT in it -- go slowly if needed. Find us on social and let us know your thoughts or questions once you have listened!

"Many abuse, assault, or trauma survivors experience The Second Wound when they disclose their experiences: a combination of disbelief, minimization, shaming, victim-blaming, silencing, and ostracism." In this episode we talk with Miranda Pacchiana of The Second Wound, and explore the dynamics of this gut-wrenching re-traumatization, how to prevent yourself from unknowingly causing this harm, as well as how to begin to heal from the second wound. We discuss childhood sexual abuse, and the issue of consent, arousal and memory related to this form of abuse. If you are survivor of the second wound, you are sure to leave this episode feeling so affirmed and understood. Some listeners may even feel compelled to reach out to those that they have unintentionally harmed with their minimization, shaming or ostracism. Understanding the second wound is so vitally important for the individual and collective healing of the traumas of our stories. Please share this episode with others who have gone through subsequent harm after their initial abuse as it is a lonely and confusing road to walk. Miranda Pacchiana, MSW is a writer, personal coach, creator of the website The Second Wound, and host of the podcast Truth and Consequences. She writes and speaks about recovery from abuse, family estrangement, parenting, and grief, among other topics. A survivor of child sexual abuse, Miranda applies the lessons she learned through the traumatic events in her own life to provide comfort, information, and support to others. She works and lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. You can find her on: Instagram @thesecondwound, Twitter @SecondWound, Facebook @SecondWound, Website https://secondwound.com/

Today on the podcast we share our interview with the lovely Julia + Jeremiah of @sexvangelicals on the intersection of high-control religions and sexuality. We explore:

We asked Clinician Andrew Bauman to join us as we attempt to explore this landmine topic mindfully and truthfully. While more are becoming "abuse-informed" it is still incredibly common for couples and helpers alike to feel very unsure how to identify these dynamics in themselves, their spouses, or who they're working with. Andrew shares with refreshing honestly what he looks for as he helps couples in his practice, and how he navigates what he finds. This episode is only intended to be informative, and we encourage you to seek out a qualified abuse-informed, trauma-informed practitioner to help you navigate this for your individual situation. Andrew J. Bauman is the Founder & Director of the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health & Trauma (CCC) He is a licensed mental health counselor with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. Andrew is the author of How Not to Be an *SS, The Sexually Healthy Man, Floating Away, Stumbling Toward Wholeness, The Psychology of Porn, and (with his wife Dr. Christy Bauman) the book A Brave Lament and award-winning film. You can find him at ChristianCC.org & Andrewjbauman.com or on facebook @andrewjamesbauman

Join us for this episode-with-a-twist! Lauren randomly pulls from a hat 2 distinct therapy modalities, and Luke jumps in with an on-the-spot explanation of how they are connected. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. It's a helpful episode if you are in the trauma healing world (personally or professionally) and are trying to better understand how these worlds connect. We have a tendency to learn through what we already know, to understand what is new, so hopefully that is what we are offering to you here! Check out our site FlourishTherapy.co if you'd like to learn more about our offerings.

In this latest episode we have a WONDERFUL chat with Bethany, the new mental health practitioner @flourish_therapy! In the first half we ask a bunch of fun questions so you call get to know her and the lovely human that she is. Then we delve into some questions about therapy. It's like a refreshing drink from the wellspring of insight and goodness she offers! We hope you enjoy this time getting to know Bethany and hearing each of our hearts about this special work we do. If you are looking for a partner in your trauma healing journey, please contact us via www.flourishtherapy.co to connect with Bethany!

Parenting can be one of the most dysregulating relationships and there are SUCH legitimate reasons why! We've invited parenting coach Lelia Schott from @leliaschott_synergyparenting on the podcast to explore what it is about parenting that makes you so vulnerable to dysregulation, how to better understand yourself as a parent, creating safety for yourself amidst the triggers of parentings, and how to cultivate a healing relationship with yourself and your child. You will find Lelia to be such a tender, encouraging soul, and we know this episode will be a breath of fresh air to weary parents. Lelia is a Trauma-Informed Counsellor, NeuroEmotional Practitioner, and a Certified Parent Coach. She is a South African living in a small coastal town in Cape Town with her family. Lelia's children turn 26, 24, 22, 19, 12, and 9 this year. She loves swimming in the cold ocean and walking in the fynbos mountains. As a family, they are dedicated to softening the hurting and strengthening the healing for generations to come. Find her at https://www.leliaschott.com/ and on IG @leliaschott_synergyparenting

This is a special episode where Lauren takes some time to highlight the powerful portrayals of the effects of trauma, abuse and oppression in the very moving series "Handmaids Tale". The series did a remarkable job showing how power, control and indoctrination quickly break down a persons sense of self and lead to utter despair and compliance. She covers some themes in the show: - conflicted loyalties - thorough indoctrination - making victims "complicit" in their abuse - authoritarian control, patriarchy - intense psychological abuse - religious, physical and sexual abuse (every kind is present) - the enduring love of a mother, and deep friendship And some of the effects of the trauma: - how haunted the victims are by their stories - warped sense of self - vengeance, anger, withdrawn and/or hypervigilant states - confused faith - people supporting the oppressors/perpetrators - difficulty finding safe support. While the series is an extreme portrayal of every kind of abuse, the themes and effects are similar in day to day life with those who are currently in abusive situations or recovering from it. This series is an invaluable teacher to those who want to better understand their own story and the epidemic of abuse affecting so many. If you have watched this series, take a listen to this brief commentary on it, and share it with other Handmaids Tale fans! (If you haven't watched it, but are intrigued, know that there are strong trigger warnings on this show for every kind of abuse imaginable. It is found on Hulu.)

"Conventional medicine approaches pain in this funny way. It operates as if the mind and the body are separate, when we know that they are continuously and unquestionably connected." Join us for another incredible guest episode, this time as we talk with Dr. Anna Redmond about the mysterious and frustrating topic of chronic pain. Dr. Redmond brings much needed clarity on the brain science behind pain, the factors that contribute to whether or not pain becomes chronic, and how the nervous system is intimately involved. We share some of our personal experiences with chronic pain, and talk about the power of neuroplasticity to help you recover from chronic pain. If you or someone you know wrestles with any of the various forms of chronic pain, you won't want to miss this episode!  Find Dr. Redmond at drannaredmond.com and be sure to follow on IG @drannaredmond.

IFS- internal family systems- is an amazing therapeutic modality that brings dignity and understanding to all parts of you, particularly the ones that you have tried to suppress, manage, shame and erase for most of your life. Join us for this incredibly meaningful conversation with IFS educator Christine Dixon.  You will discover the basic tenets of this popular approach to trauma healing, the 3 different types of parts all people have, polarization of parts, who Self is, how wounded parts become "unburdened" and the profound beauty of how healing happens.  Christine Dixon describes herself as "a wounded healer leading other wounded healers into the house of Love so that we can heal the world" (I stole this from one of my IFS trainer's, because I loved it so much). With more than 20 years as an Educational Therapist, Christine's own relational, religious, and medical trauma eventually resulted in panic attacks and bodily symptoms that left her incapacitated. In a desperate effort to heal herself, Christine discovered how integrated her mind and body truly are. After training with renowned Life Coach, Martha Beck, Christine fell in love with the modality of IFS - Internal Family Systems - which she found to be the most direct, effective, holistic, and compassionate inner healing method she had ever encountered. After experiencing the healing of life-long physical and emotional wounds, Christine naturally began to share this "good news" with anyone who would listen. She now finds great joy and purpose as an IFS educator and group facilitator.  Her website is: theordinarysacred.com and you can find her on IG: @the_ordinary_ sacred. 

One of our 5 pillars of healing is "slowing down", and we have a wonderful interview for you with someone who has been intentionally cultivating the "slow life" for many years. Jodi shares, "I think we don't know what we're missing. Slow down and your passions will start coming out. You'll start seeing people in front of you in a totally different way. Your world will come alive!" With modern life so often running at a break neck speed, most everyone can benefit from slowing down their pace and prioritizing their true desires for their life. We've found when people can customize what the "slow life" looks like for them, they deepen their healing of the mind and body. Jodi Grubbs is a slow living advocate and lover of deep conversation over coffee. She lives outside of Raleigh, NC and shares a 1952 bungalow with her husband and teen daughter. As a former island girl, she is passionate about coming alongside women who long for that shift to slower living. She's a writer & the host of Our Island in the City Podcast, where she love conversing with guests about slowing down, faith, ordinary soul care and deep community. Her forthcoming book with IVP will release Spring of 2024. You can find her on IG @jodi.grubbs and on her site- http://www.jodigrubbs.com/

This episode should have happened already- but we're just now getting to it! The episode all about nervous system REGULATION. We explore the 3 primary nervous system states (safe + social, sympathetic and shut down) including what they feel like, what is happening on a biological level and what the body might need in these different states. We share a few helpful ways to easily remember the states, as well as the life-changing concept of "story follows state". We even delve into our own personal default states and how these impact our marriage relationship. While certainly not comprehensive, this episode will for sure give you a deeper understanding of regulation and your body! Which has the potential to impact practically every area of your life. Click on our about section to follow us on social media or visit our website www.flourishtherapy.co.

In this special episode Lauren lets you in to the private spaces of her story with chronic illness. She details the slow evolution of her failing health, the impact on herself, her marriage and family, and what ultimately propelled her into the healing modality of brain retraining. When she began brain retraining she had 70+ symptoms, multiple diagnoses, was down to eating only 10 foods, and had spent tens of thousands of dollars to get better. The first half of the episode is the time before she began brain retraining, while the second is her exciting process of recovery once she attended on program on brain retraining. Analogous to a wild, unknown trek in the outdoors, Lauren's story is teeming with heartache, physical suffering, trauma, ups and downs, healing and restored joy. The brain retraining program she originally did can be found at www.retrainingthebrain.com. If you want to work with Lauren and Luke to rewire from chronic illness and pain, check out the "Flourish Signature Program" at their site: www.flourishtherapy.co

There is a uniquely devastating effect of being betrayed and harmed by leaders of faith. Ryan Ramsey so poignantly shares what contributes to the formation of environments where this type of harm is so pervasive, and how this deeply impacts a person's identity, worldview, mental health and faith. Join us for this sobering and worthwhile conversation on betrayal, grief and healing. Ryan Ramsey (M. Div) is a writer, chaplain, & soul care provider who focuses in the areas of religious abuse advocacy and grief support. He's published in places such as Ekstasis Magazine and Fathom Magazine. You can follow him on social media at @rramseywrites and he also writes regularly on Substack.

The field of Interpersonal Neurobiology teaches that the reasons you are feeling stuck relationally and personally as an adult, is very likely to have its roots in how your nervous system developed in those early years of your life. The evidence is mounting, and many are finding they can no longer ignore these realities churning beneath the surface of their lives. Join us as we sift through WHY our younger years have such a powerful impact on our adulthood, WHAT it can look like and HOW to move forward with this hard-to-accept knowledge. If you are interested in joining our online therapy group Regulate + Recover for Unhealthy Childhoods- message us or click the link in our Instagram bio. We would love to have you!

Do the relationships and systems you are a part of promote healthy commitment or toxic loyalty? Join us as we explore these distinctly different types of relationship, and discover the insidious nature of toxic loyalty masquerading as healthy commitment. We share what characterizes both, and the powerful question you can ask regarding reciprocity. This episode is a deep dive as we explore culture, systems, "covenant" relationships, coercive conditioning, how homogenous groups tend to promote toxic loyalty and how to empower yourself to make choices that honor your well-being. "When people in positions of power create a system where there has to be agreement, sameness and loyalty they are exploiting the genuine needs that people have to be attached and to belong."

Embarking on a healing process is so hope-filled. Imagining a new life, with a whole new way of being in the world can bring such longing to aching hearts. But what if the situation and relationships you are a part of make healing feel virtually impossible? What if your cues of danger, outweigh your cues of safety. How do you heal when your nervous system is so stuck, your body so traumatized? Join us for the special episode as we explore these hard questions with a brilliant colleague, Megan. |||| Megan D. Owen Cox is the owner of Mountain City Christian Counseling. She is a pastoral trauma counselor, with a Master's in Pastoral counseling. She specializes in spiritual process groups, individual Christian therapy, DNMS, Internal Family Systems and EMDR, while working with many clients who are recovering from abuse. You can find Megan here: Website: https://www.mountaincitychristiancoun Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MCCCCorp Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6r2lYrK944

This episode we had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Camden Morgante again, this time about male and female "gender roles", sexism and the ideology of patriarchy. We explore the continuums within complementarianism and egalitarianism thought, as well as the fruit of such systems. Dr. Camden explains the difference between benevolent sexism vs hostile sexism. We share some personal anecdotes of being judged when we didn't fit into the "traditional gender role" categories. Lots of great nuggets in this episode, we hope you enjoy it! | Dr. Camden Morgante is a licensed clinical psychologist and former college professor. She writes and speaks about relationships, sexuality, and faith and is a regular contributor to Christians for Biblical Equality's blog Mutuality. She is currently writing a book on the myths of purity culture. Camden also provides Coaching services for purity culture recovery, egalitarianism, and faith reconstruction. Camden lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, their daughter and son, and two rescue dogs. Website: www.drcamden.com IG: www.instagram.com/drcamden FB: www.facebook.com/drcamden Twitter: www.twitter.com/doctorcamden

This episode we have the privilege of talking with Dr. Camden Morgante about the backlash of purity culture in religious settings and in broader culture as a whole. We explore the history of how "purity culture" developed and gained influence, some of the myths associated with it, the unsexy nature of the obligation sex message, and how some peoples bodies can hold trauma from the messages that come from purity culture. While largely unintended, there has been a lot of fallout and harm that has come as a result of this movement. It is beyond time for a reckoning. Many of the tenets of purity culture have produced rotten fruit, and we have the chance to begin repairing the damage, and recalibrating ourselves to a holistically healthy view of sexuality.  | Dr. Camden Morgante is a licensed clinical psychologist and former college professor. She writes and speaks about relationships, sexuality, and faith and is a regular contributor to Christians for Biblical Equality's blog Mutuality. She is currently writing a book on the myths of purity culture. Camden also provides Coaching services for purity culture recovery, egalitarianism, and faith reconstruction. Camden lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, their daughter and son, and two rescue dogs. Website: www.drcamden.com IG: www.instagram.com/drcamden FB: www.facebook.com/drcamden Twitter: www.twitter.com/doctorcamden

Join us for the last webinar in our "Finding Your Way Back" series! In this webinar we explore the concept and practice of EMBODIMENT. What embodiment is. What the opposite of embodiment is. How we become cut off from our bodies. Barriers to developing an embodied sense of self. How trauma impacts how embodied we are. The benefits of embodiment. How embodiment helps us heal....and more! If you're just checking in to this series, make sure you take a listen to the other 4 Pillars of Healing. If you'd like to work with us 1-on-1, check out our services at www.flourishtherapy.co.

This is our 5th episode in the "Finding Your Way Back" series. Here we explore the concept and practice of "slowing down". Why slowing down feels bad. Barriers to slowing down. P.A.U.S.E. Our pace + the NS. The benefits of slowing down. How slowing down helps us heal. The invitation of slowing down. This is the 4th of Flourish's 5 Pillars of Healing. We will share about the last pillar next week. You can watch the presentation with the slides at our channel on YouTube or on IG. The discount code for Flourish Signature program is "30%OFF", and for the 2.5 Day Intensive it is "INTENSIVE30".

This is our 4th episode in the "Finding Your Way Back" series. This is all about COMPASSION. What self-compassion looks like. Some barriers to self-compassion. How trauma changes us. The physical benefits of self-compassion.  How compassion helps us heal. This is the 3rd of Flourish's 5 Pillars of Healing. You can watch the presentation with the slides at our channel on YouTube. The discount code for Flourish Signature program is "30%OFF", and for the 2.5 Day Intensive it is "INTENSIVE30".

This is our 3rd episode in the "Finding Your Way Back" series. This is all about BEAUTY. The anatomy of beauty. The purpose of beauty. How trauma disconnects us from beauty. The invitation of beauty. The benefits of beauty....and more! We hope you enjoy and you FEEL an accessible invitation to enter more deeply into goodness and beauty. This is the 2nd in Flourish's 5 Pillars of Healing. You can watch the presentation with the slides at our channel on YouTube. The discount code for Flourish Signature program is "30%OFF". and for the 2.5 Day Intensive it is "INTENSIVE30".

This is our 2nd episode in the "Finding Your Way Back" series. This is all about ACCEPTANCE. Why acceptance matters for healing. What to/not to accept. The place for storywork + grief in acceptance. The VERY BEST part of acceptance. How acceptance (and lack of) affects the nervous system. This is the 1st pillar in Flourish's 5 Pillars of Healing. If you'd like to checkout the presentation with slides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-roPAJYxUA If you want to join our next webinar live, and have access to the Q&A, join us Thursday April 21st, 9 PM EST. Sign up in the link: https://www.flourishtherapy.co/findingyourwaybackwebinar?r_done=1 Limited time discount codes for 3-Month Signature Program: 30%OFF, or 2.5 Day Intensive"INTENSIVE30"

We're SO excited about this new series on "Finding Your Way Back". It is all about SAFETY.  What it is. Why it matters so much. How it's lost. The journey of rediscovering it. We explore how the nervous system develops, attachment, coregulation, neuroception, regulation basics, threat + safety, and the vagus nerve.  (This was produced as a webinar, that's why there are some pauses. If you want to follow along with the slides, head over to our YouTube channel and watch the video recording).

*Trigger Warning* (Please put yourself, and your needs first as you listen to this episode) Abuse happens behind closed doors far more often than most recognize. While sometimes it's glaringly obvious- often the truth lies in the subtleties that society typically over looks or even justifies. Join us for a conversation with Samantha, a brilliant domestic abuse survivor, as she details her long and painful trauma journey in which she eventually realized her marriage was in fact, abusive. She shares with us how dangerous hope can be, the 3 things that must be present in a relationship that loves well, and how childhood traumas can set us up for abusive relationships in adulthood. You will not want to miss this episode.   Samantha is a single-divorced, stay-at-home-mom-turned-business- woman, and a domestic abuse survivor and advocate. She loves spending her free time singing, running, hiking and enjoying her 3 beautiful children and amazing friends. If you have any concerns that you may be experiencing abuse, reach out for help https://www.thehotline.org/or Call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) Visit flourishtherapy.co to check out our soon to be launched practice.

In this third episode in our abuse series, we talk with a (really amazing!) mental health professional, Danielle Farra Bingham, about her experience working with people who have suffered various abuses. She shares honestly about the many effects that abuse often has on people + how she sees people recovering from these painful traumas. It is such a wonderful conversation full of compassion, clarity + hope.  Danielle Farra Bingham is a licensed mental health therapist in the state of FL. She received her Bachelor's of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida, her Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University, and is currently getting her Ph.D in Psychology with a special interest in religious trauma.  She is the founder of Vibrant Hope Telehealth Counseling where she sees clients all over the state of Florida. She also is a professor at Southeastern University where she teaches psychology, sociology, and counseling courses. She is passionate about quality mental health education, which is why she created her Instagram @the.farrapist, where she creates relatable content on various mental health topics.  Check out our brand new practice, FLOURISH Therapy on IG @flourish_therapy or our soon-to-be-launched website flourishtherapy.co 

Join us for our 3rd episode in this series as we explore abuse and it's impacts on our hearts + souls. Abi has a unique, but relatable story of being very involved in ministry and part of an intense training program for 7 years, and yet decided to pull out in light of things that were being asked of her that were not in alignment with what she knew was right for her. This began a long, and often painful journey of reorienting her beliefs, healing her heart and recalibrating her role in the global church. In light of her experiences she has become so tender towards others who have experienced hurt in the church, believing healing and wholeness is available for all.  Abi is passionate about creating opportunities for people to experience the joy and compassionate love of the Father. She has 12 years of ministry experience. She has traveled both nationally and internationally to lead worship, speak, and encourage the global community through her writing, music, and in-person and online groups. Abi is the founder of Abba's Joy, which includes a community online platform where she shares blog posts, short encouragements, and other resources. Ultimately, her desire is to create a space where people will feel at home and can relax into the simple fact that God rejoices over us because we are the Father's joy. Connect with Abi @abbasjoy or on her website www.abbasjoy.org. 

Welcome back to Part II as we hear from Heather Elizabeth on the rest of the 13 different patterns of abuse. Make sure you listen in to to Part I if you haven't yet. Heather is an abuse survivor and Certified Faith Based Abuse Advocate through Give Her Wings Academy. She is a group coach, podcaster, facilitator of Held & Healed: Christian Women Rebuilding After Abuse, + host of Safer Spaces Summit and Held & Healed Retreat. Contact her here: http://HeatherElizabeth.org + listen to her podcast here: shorturl.at/elEL0 Make sure to check out Safer Spaces Summit 2022: https://heatherelizabeth.org/page/safer-spaces-summit-2022

Abuse is a pervasive + destructive element in so many relationships and communities. Awareness of what these dynamics look like is so crucial, as the way through towards healing is found in understanding, boundaries + appropriate expectations. Join us as we hear from Heather Elizabeth on the 13 different patterns of abuse. Heather is an abuse survivor and Certified Faith Based Abuse Advocate through Give Her Wings Academy. She is a group coach, podcaster, facilitator of Held & Healed: Christian Women Rebuilding After Abuse, + host of Safer Spaces Summit and Held & Healed Retreat. Contact her here: http://HeatherElizabeth.org + listen to her podcast here: shorturl.at/elEL0 Make sure to check out Safer Spaces Summit 2022: https://heatherelizabeth.org/page/safer-spaces-summit-2022

On our journey of becoming an emotionally healthy adult, we often begin to recognize the way we've engaged relationally and culturally with others hasn't been from a place of health! Today we share an amazing conversation we had with Michelle Reyes, author of "Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures". We explore why we NEED cross-cultural relationships, how to have better conversations with people, when to walk away, knowing our own cultural story, offering people alternatives to racist rhetoric and getting to the heart of what people feel so we can have meaningful conversations. Her insights were SO helpful and her voice SO necessary! She offers such a refreshing way of engaging with people that are different from us, in a way that is deeply honoring and connecting.  Michelle Ami Reyes, PhD, is the Vice President of the AACC and Co-Executive Director of Pax. She is the Scholar in Residence at Hope Community Church and author of Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead to Lasting Connections Across Cultures. Dr. Reyes lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and two amazing kids." You can find her on IG @michelleamireyes or her site: https://michelleamireyes.com/ 

Join us for this episode with a really special guest, Kate Boyd! We jump into what it's like to realize you're a #messymiddlechristian, the differences between deconstruction and deconverting, what is "disentangling", examining the parts of our faith that are cultural and the power of asking questions. Kate is a writer, Bible teacher, and host of the Happy & Holy podcast. She helps believers who find themselves in the messy middle between loving the church and leaving it to more confidently walk the lines between doubt and certainty and faith and action with love and grace for all. She has traveled the world to interview and tell the stories of believers on mission, and inspired by those encounters, she creates spaces to facilitate wholehearted discipleship in the church at home. She is studying theology with an emphasis in church history and biblical languages at Perkins School of Theology. Find her on IG @kateboyd.co or on her site at kateboyd.co

On this very special episode we interview our most beloved guest ever, our daughter, Tessa. We discuss the specifics of what a glass child is, as well as how to better love the glass children in our lives. We are so thankful for Tessa's interest and bravery to tackle this topic publicly. She longs to help other kids with similar stories to hers, and we think this episode is a terrific step in that direction.