Relational Skills in Real Life

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Chris Coursey brings you the THRIVEtoday podcast where you hear real-life stories of encouragement and transformation from people who are using relational skills every day. www.thrivetoday.org

THRIVEtoday


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 11m AVG DURATION
    • 102 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Relational Skills in Real Life

    E102 Dana's Act Like Myself Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 9:37


    In this episode, Thrive Premier Training trainer Dana Bryan shares stories about Relational Skill 12: 'Act Like Myself', and how he was able to connect with Jesus and practice this skill, sometimes in difficult situations. 

    E101 Claudia's Godsight Story

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 16:50


    Claudia Hendricks, one of our THRIVEtoday trainers, shares stories from her life about the importance of Godsight (Skill 13) and practical ways she has been practicing this skill. She also shares some inspiring stories about what God has been doing as she looks at people and situations through His eyes.

    E100 Practicing What We Teach

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 10:22


    Today we take a break from our current podcast interview series to have Chris and Jen join us for the 100th episode of our Relational Skills in Real Life Podcast!In this special episode the Courseys share how they feel called by God "to live what we teach and train and tell the story of it." Doing this is vulnerable because they still make mistakes along the way, but so many have been encouraged by watching them transparently share their journey. They want others to know that God is tender with weakness and often does His best work in us in our difficulties.

    E99 Jason's Relational Circuits Story

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 14:01


    Jason tells about his family's journey to find hope that led to relational skills. He and Kristy discuss what Relational Circuits are and how keeping them on is a game changer in life. Jason shares that he enjoys being his best, relational self and that this skill helps him to be that for the people he loves in very practical ways.

    E98 Barbara's Spreading Skills Story

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 15:40


    Our guest this week, Barbara Moon, is a veteran in the Life Model and Relational Skills community. She has inspired us with the way she intentionally lives out her life sharing skills, maturity and healing everywhere she goes. In this episode, she shares some encouraging stories and tells about different ways she shares these life-giving skills with others.

    E97 Lizabet's Godsight Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 11:30


    THRIVEtoday team and board member, Lizabet Nix, shares how practicing Relational Skill 13: Godsight, has transformed her life and interactions with others. Listen to her story and get some tips on how to learn this skill for yourself.

    E96 Shannon's Quieting Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 12:21


    Shannon Campau, one of THRIVEtoday team members, tells about her personal journey of learning Relational Skill 2: Simple Quiet. She shares about her challenges in practicing Skill 2 and the amazing difference it made in her life and relationships.

    E95 Interview Series Intro: Chris' Appreciation Story [Extended Episode]

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 15:24


    In this extended episode, Chris shares one of his favorite relational skills and the wonderful effect practicing it has on him and his family. He also shares the plan for the next few months of podcast episodes and gives a sneak peak into what we can look forward to!

    E94 How Do Thrive and Relational Skills Fit into the Life Model?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 9:50


    What is the Life Model? How does the mission of THRIVEtoday and what we do fit into that? These questions and more are addressed in this episode, along with a list of great resources to help you on your journey to your God-given identity!

    E93 RCs to Stay Connected

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 13:36


    How can we use the relational circuits (aka RCs) in our brain to stay connected? Every interaction we have, including connecting to God, is impacted by our brain's "master switch". Training this switch to stay on will help us be our best self at all times. Chris gives tips of how to practice keeping our relational circuits on and relational so that we can love the people in our lives no matter what's going on around us.

    E92 Answers to Common Questions about Premier Training

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 14:36


    In this week's episode, we focus on information and testimonies about our Premier Training. Chris addresses commonly asked questions, such as:- Why do I need this training if I am using other resources?- What are the benefits of traveling to a live event?- How do I fund my training?- What if I don't have a partner?

    E91 Building Capacity Makes Healing Possible

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 10:26


    Our story today comes from our friend Paul, who illustrates the need to grow our capacity before working toward healing on some of the really tough things in our life. If we don't have the capacity to stay ourselves and connected to God when facing hard memories or traumas, we need to grow some more! Chris shares about why this is and some resources to help.

    E90 Small Beginnings

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 7:35


    Chris shares the story of a season when he and Jen went back to the basics in their own skill practice. Receive encouragement that practicing relational skills doesn't have to be complicated, and we can start right where we are.

    E89 Emotions Myth Busters

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 11:26


    This episode of the podcast dives into the topic of emotions: Are emotions bad? Why do we need them? What are/aren't emotions? We also hear a story from Todd, who is trying to change his perception of emotions and view them in a healthy way.

    E88 Messing Up Well Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 11:57


    We all mess up from time to time. This provides the perfect opportunity to practice our relational skills as we repair! This episode features a story from Jeremy, whose day wasn't going smoothly with his daughter, and how he repaired and changed the course of their interaction.

    E87 Why Recovering from Emotions Breaks Down

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 12:08


    This episode discusses times when emotions can be hard to manage and why some situations are harder for us to return to joy from than others. Chris walks through how to tell if you have adopted some unhealthy coping habits for these moments and how to change that to better ways to connect with God and not feel alone when you have big emotions.

    E86 Valentine's Day Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 10:36


    In this delightful episode about the importance of sharing joy with our loved ones, Chris explains some of the science behind connection and shares several helpful exercises that we can use to connect with those close to us in a meaningful way--just in time for Valentines' Day!

    E85 Validating an Emotion vs. Agreeing with an Emotion

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 10:53


    The tool we call "VCR" can be a life changing way to interact with our loved ones and even those who feel like enemies. Chris tells us stories about how to validate others' hearts and feelings, even when we may not agree with them, so that everyone can end up in a place of God's peace.

    E84 How Relational Skills Help with Conflict

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 14:32


    Join Chris and Kristy for a conversation addressing the topic of conflict and how relational skills offer us solutions that we can't find with good communication skills alone.

    E83 Relationally Handling Stressful Situations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 12:31


    Through Sarah's story of dealing with a difficult situation, Chris explains how feeling high and low energy emotions at the same time can ramp up the stress in any situation.

    E82 How to Receive Healthy Correction

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 9:50


    It can be hard to hear that you have messed up or missed something, but to have someone who cares about you willing to speak into your life is a gift! Chris discusses how to "Return to Joy" (Skill 11) from shame and interact with Jesus to get "Godsight" (Skill 13) about the situation.

    E81 Nonverbal Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 9:39


    Skill 10, Tell Nonverbal Stories, is a skill that we use all the time, even without thinking about it. What our faces, voices and body movement says is powerful and conveys a message to the people around us. Chris shares how we can develop our "mind-sight" and get good at attuning and relating to others.

    E80 Looking Back and Forward with Hope

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024 11:27


    As we transition from one year to the next, we want to talk about some things that will help you look forward to a wonderful new year. Our brains are natural amplifiers--if we look backward and see pain, we may look forward and expect more of the same. Yet, if we are able to look back with appreciation and connection with Immanuel, we amplify the good stuff and look forward to more. Chris shares his story about how he learned to train his brain to amplify joy and the amazing effect that has had on his life.

    E79 Immanuel, God with Us

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2024 10:44


    Chris shares the miracle of God coming down to this earth to be with us, and how wonderful it is to be able to connect with Immanuel on a daily basis and use the skill of "Godsight" (Skill 13) to see what he sees when he looks at us and the people around us.

    E78 Relationally Handling Stressful Situations

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 9:39


    We need relational skills most when handling stressful situations, and today's podcast guest, Kim, shares a story as an example of how to be our relational best selves when in the midst of difficulty.

    E77 Building Capacity Through Relational Skills

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 10:46


    How do we grow our capacity so that we can find our peace and return to joy even when things are tough? Everyone needs a little more energy to deal with the stress and anxiety of life, and that is something we can practice to grow in! This week's episode, Kailey shares hope and some practical ways to do this.

    E76 Holiday Preparation with Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 9:14


    Holidays can busy and stressful, and despite that, we all want to stay relational and enjoy the people we are spending time with. Our guest this episode, Kāmi, shares some ways she connects with Jesus to plan her holiday calendar and engage her relational skills in a way that helps her share joy with all the people in her life.

    E75 Dealing with Uncertainty when the Stakes are High

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 12:01


    Chris tells the story of a time of uncertainty and despair in his life, and how practice with relational skills, including the skill of appreciation and Godsight, helped him stay relational, remember who he was and not feel alone.

    E74 Appreciation and the Power of Memories

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 9:56


    Hear from 4 of our friends as they each share their love for the skill of appreciation and how it has taught them to continue to find joy in past memories.

    E73 Intervening Where the Brain is Stuck

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 13:23


    Skill 18 helps you know what is needed when, for yourself and for the people around you. If you, or a loved one, are stuck in pain and big emotions, there are things you can do to figure out where in your brain you are stuck and how to help!

    E72 A Unique Solution For Combating Dread

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 9:49


    Today, we listen to a story from our friend Rebecca who addressed feelings of dread with the skill of appreciation. If you are struggling with the world's uncertainty, are unable to enjoy the present moment, or are just looking for more joy and peace, we hope you find encouragement in Rebecca's story.

    E71 Godsight and Living with an Eternal Perspective

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 8:02


    Chris shares a new view on the brain skill of Godsight (Skill 13) and uses Bible stories to illustrate how this skill can give us an eternal perspective to stay connected with God even through the hard times in life.

    E70 Godsight in the Bible

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 8:58


    Chris uses examples from the life of Paul the Apostle to show what a life lived with Godsight (Skill 13) looks like.

    E69 Messing up Well [3]

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 7:40


    This is the third installment of our series of stories about relational repair when we have messed up. Everyone messes up at times. We can either mess up and make problems bigger than relationships, or we can mess up well and stay relational. This story highlights sharing someone's pain even when you are the one who caused it and returning to joy together.

    E68 Complex Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 11:14


    What are complex emotions? Why are they so hard to recover from and what can we do about it? In this episode we hear some stories about how to recognize what you are feeling and come back to a place of peace and joy even in the midst of really big emotions. This episode talks about Skill 19 - 'Recover from Complex Emotions'.

    E67 What is Validation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 10:57


    Special guest, Michel Hendricks, describes the amazing difference it makes in our interactions and relationships when we stay relational, notice and validate others emotions.

    E66 Psuedo Maturity & Attachment Styles

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 15:04


    Chris takes an in-depth look at how our attachment styles that were developed by the environment we grew up in, affect how people interpret our maturity level. He describes how hidden wounds show up in certain behaviors and how our attachment styles are an indication of the places we need to grow. 

    E65 Interactive Quiet

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 15:28


    What do gas pedals and traffic have to do with managing our energy levels? Quiet Interactively (aka Skill 15), is about being able to read facial cues to build safety and trust in our relationships. Listen in and learn more about this essential skill that may sound simple to some, but many people in our society actually lack.

    E64 Navigating Tense Political Atmospheres

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 12:15


    How can we handle big emotions that come up within political tensions? In this episode, Chris Coursey and Kristy Harrang discuss tensions that can arise in politically charged atmospheres, tips for managing your big feelings, and guidance for staying connected with people who hold opposing views.This is a non-partisan discussion.

    E63 Take a Breather

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 10:51


    This episode Chris discusses a skill that we all need to learn: When to stop. Chris tells about a time when he escaped Enemy Mode by using this important skill and shares how we can all grow in it.

    E62 A Foundation for Sustained Healing

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 13:11


    In this episode, we hear from a counselor and relational skills trainer about how inner healing and brain skills work together to accelerate and deepen the healing in her clients.

    E61 Act Like Myself

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2024 16:47


    In this extended episode, Chris shares stories that illustrate what it looks like to act like the person God created us to be and shares tips to help us do that when we get stuck.

    E60 I Can't Hear God

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2024 13:29


    Chris shares the encouragement that you can hear from God personally, and gives tips on how to remove some of the barriers that might have kept you from hearing God's voice in your life.

    E59 Return to Joy

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2024 11:04


    We've referred to the skill of 'Returning to Joy' quite a bit throughout our podcasts, but today we focus on what this skill is, why it is so important, and how you can begin to develop it in your life.

    E58 Engaging People with Less Fear

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 8:34


    Sometimes the people around us can feel intimidating or stir fear in us. Our friend Terri shares a short story from her own life and then Chris discusses practical ways to deal with fear and learn how to engage others in love.

    E57 What Are Energy Styles and How to Recognize Yours

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2024 11:15


    Today's episode is on Skill 16: Recognize Energy Responses. Chris shares the benefits of recognizing the energy responses in ourselves and others. He gives suggestions to help discover your energy style and shares examples of both high and low-energy responders.

    E56 Relational Skills Lab: Quieting

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 15:04


    This episodes explores the need to 'quiet' and gives many tips and suggestions about how to implement quieting into your life, using high energy and low energy examples.

    E55 1 Year Anniversary Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2024 10:27


    In this special anniversary podcast episode, Jen Coursey, Executive Director of THRIVEtoday, joins Chris as they reflect on the podcast's first year and look forward to what is coming in future episodes! If you are new to the podcast, this is a fun episode to jump in on.Intro resources for relational skills: 

    E54 Helping Kids Activate Their Joy Switch

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 10:48


    Hear from Heather Meades, author of children's book, "Switched on for Joy", about her inspiration for helping children understand relational circuits. Chris also shares some practical tips and stories about helping the children in our lives learn these skills.

    E53 Using Relational Skills with Adult Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2024 9:45


    In this episode, our friend Pam shares how she used her relational skills to attune to and quiet with her adult son, and how she has learned how to be a safe person for her adult children to come to at stressful times.

    E52 Family Bonds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2024 11:38


    Following 'Bonds for 2', Chris explains the difference between that and a family bond, and lists reasons both are important and how they affect us.

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