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The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. What is the meaning of remember? We tend to think that remember only means to recall facts, a place, an occurrence, or a time period. It is that and much more. Remember also means to take into account the emotional impact of what we recall. It is the need to integrate all the experiences of living. “Re-member” can mean to keep your thinking, feeling, and behaving congruent with your environment and the people who live in it. For a parent, the definition of remember that also includes “re-member” is a need for the parent to recall and integrate what it was like to be a child, regardless of what age. The parent who does not “re-member” will forget the difficulties, and even the joys of growing up. They will not parent the way a child needs to be parented, or the way the parent actually wishes to do. Many parents run from “re-membering” because it requires that we feel and integrate “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of our own lives. To remember requires that we face, feel, and deal with the pain of failure and the sweet memories of success. If we don't have the courage or willingness to remember, our children have to miss richer connections that they were made to have. Parents who are not willing to grow, have difficulty tolerating their own feelings, and their own inherent neediness; the effect is that they will have lower tolerance for the feelings and needs of the child. Three helpful attitudes to develop to help parents “re-member” Acknowledging distance Doing the work of daily remembrance Facing the impossible What is distance? Distance is to remember that the parent lives in another “time-zone,” called the future in relation to a child. A child struggles in a place that the parent has gone beyond. Either the parent can recall the heart ache or the heart delight, and can relate to the child, or the parent's need to ignore or suppress their experience will block emotional and spiritual connection to the child. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. 2 Helpful resources along the parenting journey: Link to 8 Feelings for Children Chart How Are You Feeling Today Four realities that no one will defeat, this side of heaven. The best we ever get at living is clumsy. No one can become perfect, even though we carry a picture of it in our hearts. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) says, “He has set eternity in the human heart.” No matter our determination or information, we humans will always have to struggle with mistakes and sin. We have to live on life's terms, not our terms. Death and the unpredictable are a part of this life. We cannot know the future. We are dependent upon our need of each other and God. If we do not face, feel, and deal well with our neediness in a healthy way, we will become defended against the pains that come with love. No one can change or defeat this fact about life. If we don't learn how to need others and God, it increases the negative consequences we don't want for ourselves or those we love. Everything in life is practice. Doctors are practicing, and lawyers are practicing. Parents are also practicing, as are children. We are not works of perfection. We have to keep learning and risking without knowing all of the outcomes. We are in this life together; the more proactive everyone is in helping each other practice living fully and loving deeply, the better the outcomes. It takes a lifetime to learn how to live. Whether we are eight, twenty-eight, or eighty, we are still asking many of the same questions throughout our lives, like, “When will we get there?” “How much will it hurt?” or “Will you be there to get me?” No one has all the answers to life. We have to keep learning how to live, even as we gain wisdom about doing so, hopefully. There is not a destination of “having it all together.” We are all works in progress. Rather than the facts of reality defeating us, they can actually give us permission to gain more humility. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. 2 Helpful resources along the parenting journey: Link to 8 Feelings for Children Chart How Are You Feeling Today The focus of this season on “Living with Heart: From Birth to Death” is parenting. Some of the content in these episodes loosely connects to the book, Parenting with Heart by Stephen James and Chip Dodd. The content of episode #86, “Big Results from Simple Actions,” comes from a free resource that can be downloaded at chipdodd.com. Big Results from Simple Actions - Chip Dodd, Ph.D. The following is a list of eleven qualities that make leaders worth joining and make participants valuable to leaders. These eleven simple actions are what leaders and participants do who create vibrant, sustainable, productive environments in which excellence is the norm. The list also speaks to what parents hope their children will learn and what children hope their parents already practice. In addition, the list speaks to how friendship is honored, and how marital partners express respect for one's self and their spouse. The driving force of these qualities comes out of what psychology calls an internal locus of control and what the rest of us call being responsible because it feels good and it's good to do. Simply put, the action-oriented qualities listed below show that a person brings ability, effort, and excellence to what they do. If you open it—close it. If you unlock it—lock it back. If you drop it—pick it up. If you borrow it—return it. If you use it—take care of it. If you break it—fix it. If you can't fix it—call someone who can. If you mess it up—clean it up. If you give your word—keep it. If it is your responsibility—own it. If it encourages someone—say it. To summarize, I end where I started. The actions listed above are what make leaders worth joining, and make participants valuable to leaders. The actions speak to what parents hope their children will learn, and what children hope their parents already practice, so they can learn. In addition, the actions speak to how friendship is honored, and how marital partners express respect for one's self and the other. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Prayer isn't always polished — and it was never meant to be. David, called a man after God's own heart, showed us what raw, honest prayer looks like in the Psalms. He brought every emotion to God — fear, joy, guilt, shame, anger, hope, and more. (If you want an example, read the story of David hiding in a cave in 1 Samuel 22 alongside Psalm 142.)In this episode, Stephen and Megan explore what Christian counselor Chip Dodd calls the Voice of the Heart — 8 core emotions that every one of us experiences. Each emotion signals something deeper, and when we bring them to God, they can become starting points for unfiltered prayer.We'll unpack each one with a definition, reflection questions, and a simple prayer:Hurt → Signal: Something meaningful was damaged | Prayer: God, this still hurts. Meet me in it.Lonely → Signal: I was made for connection | Prayer: God, remind me I'm not alone.Sad → Signal: I've lost something that mattered | Prayer: God, be near in the ache.Angry → Signal: Something isn't right | Prayer: God, help me release what I can't fix.Fearful → Signal: I feel vulnerable or unsafe | Prayer: God, be my refuge and strength.Guilty → Signal: I've done something wrong | Prayer: God, I confess — give me Your grace.Shame → Signal: I feel unworthy | Prayer: God, speak truth over my identity.Glad → Signal: This is what I was made for | Prayer: God, thank You for this good moment.Whether you're feeling joy or pain, grief or gratitude, remember this: if it's in your heart, it belongs in your prayers. Follow Going Somewhere Podcast on InstagramAsk a Question or Suggest a Guest | goingsomewherepod.comSubscribe to us on YoutubePodcast Music: Electric Ten by Broke in SummerStephen's Instagram & Website
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. Keeping Heart, a book by Dr Chip Dodd, is written in short sections that are self-contained as specific pieces. Each section focuses on a dimension of living fully, loving deeply, and leading well a life that leaves a legacy of goodness. Please visit chipdodd.com to download a free resource of the “Feelings/Needs Chart.” The chart integrates the essentials of The Voice of the Heart and Needs of the Heart that leads to experiencing the Gifts of the Heart. The Equation for the Gifts of the Feelings By practicing the equation, we can live fully; we can love deeply; we can lead well. By practicing the equation, we discover that core feelings lead to genuine relational needs, which move us to admitting the desire of our hearts, as well as our longings and hope. Feelings > Needs > Desire > Longings > Hope, as explored in Episode #80 and Episode #81. The equation requires courage, that is, bringing your heart to who and what matters to you. WILLINGNESS + PATIENCE + WORK + TIME = GIFTS Willingness: Willingness is the courageous energy of allowing your heart to be given over to hoping again. Hope has become dangerous to many of us because of past experiences that turned out very differently than what we had hoped. Taking the risk of hoping again is fearful. We need help in risking hope, but we must take the risk if we are to experience new, better, or improved outcomes. Running from hope makes us sick. Patience: Patience is ability to persevere amidst the struggle that comes with your desire to live fully. Patience literally means, “burden of hope.” So often what we seek and what we desire requires the ability to wait—to delay gratification—as we continue to move towards fulfillment. Waiting means that we continue to hope even though it is painful. Waiting requires feeling and needing, and means that our hearts carry the “burden of hope,” as we persevere, with the encouragement of others and faith in God. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. Keeping Heart, by Dr Chip Dodd is written in short sections; each section focuses on some dimension of living fully, loving deeply, and leading well a life that leaves a legacy of goodness. It can be used as a daily form of orienting yourself for the day ahead of you or a book to read cover to cover. Visit chipdodd.com to download a free resource of the “Feelings/Needs Chart.” It integrates the essentials of The Voice of the Heart and Needs of the Heart that lead to the experience of the Gifts of the Heart. On page 23 of Keeping Heart, there is a sentence that shows the dark side of avoiding love's requirements: “Avoiding love's demand, though, requires that we hide our hearts, and, therefore, remove ourselves from living this life.” Contact is not connection We experience a vast array of what we call “connections” through all forms of technology that has given us the internet and its multiple forms of social media that offers the illusion of “connection.” We call it “interconnected.” However, it does not actually give what it says. We are “inter-contacted,” not actually connected. There are multiple forms of contact, but we still remain disconnected from each other, and even ourselves. Sadly, loneliness and relational isolation are two of the most talked about forms of misery in our society today, even though we have more pervasive contact than ever before in the history of humanity. When Caesar connected the Roman Empire with roads, it led to people groups being connected—for better or worse. The technology of today is not a road to connect us. It is the technology that actually keeps us from “facing each other,” which is where genuine connection begins. Contact is like watching a movie. In a movie, we experience life vicariously, which means “not really in it.” Even more, if we watch it alone, we experience life vicariously in isolation. We do not share a lived experience in reality True connection is a shared experience in reality. Contact does not feed the heart. Connection feeds the heart. Connection requires that a person shares the experiences of their emotional and spiritual lives with another who is capable of doing the same. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
In this episode of Leaders in Living Rooms, Sean Morgan sits down with author, counselor, and leadership mentor Chip Dodd to unpack the “Five Pitfalls of Leadership.” Drawing on decades of experience leading leaders and running the Center for Professional Excellence, Chip explores how work can become confused with worth, why performance often overshadows presence, and how leaders slip into isolation and secrecy. He unpacks the role of humility, healthy dependency, and vulnerability in sustaining authentic leadership—reminding us that leaders must remain learners to stay effective. Welcome to Episode 140 of the Leaders in Living Rooms Podcast with Sean Morgan.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. Keeping Heart, by Dr Chip Dodd is written in short sections; each section focuses on some dimension of living fully, loving deeply, and leading well a life that leaves a legacy of goodness. It can be used as a daily form of orienting yourself for the day ahead of you or a book to read cover to cover. Visit chipdodd.com to download a free resource that describes The Spiritual Root System. This resource identifies each “root” of how we are created as feeling, needing, desiring, longing, hoping people who seek to live fully in relationship with ourselves, with others, and with God. A path not a pill So often, people offer a “pill” (metaphorically or literally) to a person who is struggling with life's difficulties. The struggle could be anxiety, depression, or addiction. Most people, however, need a path instead of a “pill.” This podcast is part of the path we are created to walk in life's struggles. The Voice of the Heart, Needs of the Heart, and Keeping Heart, also, are part of the path. This podcast and the books speak to the need for relationship and its power to help and heal us through relational connection. Communion connects to community We quickly think of communion as a religious experience only. It also means to share; it is where we get the word community and communication. We are created to be in communion with each other—a group of people who share the truth of their hearts. In Genesis 2:18, God declared for the first time that something was “not good.” This declaration clearly made reference to a man and a woman. It also speaks to how we are created for fellowship; the fellowship of truth telling about our struggles and celebrations that connect us to each other. Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18 (NIV) When Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they not only hid their physical bodies, they also hid their hearts from God. In the cool of the day, God comes to His creation and asks them, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) This phrase in Hebrew is “ayeka” which is a lament and a question. Click here to continue reading episode highlights.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. Keeping Heart, by Dr Chip Dodd is written in short sections; each section focuses on some dimension of living fully, loving deeply, and leading well a life that leaves a legacy of goodness. It can be used as a daily form of orienting yourself for the day ahead of you or a book to read cover to cover. Visit chipdodd.com to download a free resource that describes The Spiritual Root System. This resource identifies each “root” of how we are created as feeling, needing, desiring, longing, hoping people who seek to live fully in relationship with ourselves, with others, and with God. To read a short encapsulation of episode #81, go to pages 28-29 of Keeping Heart. We are created to BE, DO, and HAVE In order to live fully, love deeply, and lead well lives that leave behind good legacy, we must: admit that we don't control how life works. we don't have power to change how we are created as relational creatures. We only find fulfillment by living fully in relationship with ourselves others God (The Voice of the Heart by Chip Dodd) Surrendering to the process of how we are created occurs through three developmental movements: Being - who we are created to be as relational creatures. We are created 99.9% like everyone else on an emotional and spiritual level. We seek connection through feeling, needing, desiring, longing, and hoping. We are created to respond to life accordingly. Doing - what we are created to do by participating in the actions of producing, shaping, making and caring about creating “good.” We take action in daily life by using our internal awareness; we are “response-able.” Having - what we are created to experience if we live according to how we are created. We have relationships, connection, provision, bounty, and prosperity. We risk giving ourselves to and attaining the experiences of life that create relational and experiential fulfillments. Be-Do-Have vs Do-Have-Become If a person is raised in an environment that diminishes his/her essential makeup and places too much emphasis on performance in order to be accepted, the person's worth becomes wrapped up in the constant need for approval of others and in competition with others. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
This week we're discussing how to have the Courage to be Angry Anger is one of the most misunderstood emotions, especially for single parents trying to keep everything together. Many of us were taught to fear it, repress it, or feel shame when it shows up. But what if anger isn't destructive at all? What if it's actually the part of us that wants to live, connect, and keep showing up for the things that matter? To help us navigate this emotional terrain, we're joined by Dr. Chip Dodd, author, counselor, and founder of The Voice of the Heart Center. With decades of experience helping people move from emotional disconnection to deeper purpose, Chip unpacks how anger, when understood and expressed in healthy ways, can become a powerful force for healing and hope. Today, we cover three main points: Anger is not the problem, rage is. Suppressed anger leads to shame, anxiety, and isolation. Reclaiming anger can reignite our purpose and bring us back to each other. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: The Voice of the Heart by Dr. Chip Dodd: A foundational resource for understanding and expressing core emotions, including anger, in a healthy and life-giving way. Living with Heart: From Birth to Death co-hosted by Dr. Chip Dodd: Explores emotional and spiritual health through the lens of vulnerability and connection. We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Submit your listener questions HERE. Full Show Notes Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. Keeping Heart by Dr Chip Dodd is written in short sections. Each section focuses on some dimension of living fully, loving deeply, and leading well a life that leaves a legacy of goodness. It can be used as a daily form of orienting yourself for the day ahead of you or a book to read cover to cover. Please visit chipdodd.com to download the free resource, The Spiritual Root System. This resource describes and illustrates the specifics of each “root” of how we are created as feeling, needing, desiring, longing, hoping people who seek to live fully in relationship with ourselves, with others, and with God. Spiritual Rot System (SRS) = Feelings - Needs - Desire - Longings - Hope Basic premise of The Spiritual Root System: Feed the roots of a tree, it will grow to produce much fruit. Moving the metaphor to human behavior, a child reaches out to be affirmed as belonging and mattering by connecting to his/her caregivers. The need to belong and matter is met by his/her caregiver responding by reaching back and affirming and attending to the child's heart, made up of feelings, needs, desire, longings, and hope. This process grows the child's confidence in being created as a feeling, needing, desiring, longing, and hoping creature. Through the confidence of being able to depend on connection, the child grows into a competent human being, who can use his/her mind to express their heart's makeup as they grow into their giftedness. Every human being is gifted and the world is in need of the “fruits” of those developed gifts. Understanding the connections of the roots: Reading the “roots” from left to right: Feelings awaken a person to needs. Needs connect to desire within the heart Desire moves a person to longings Longings draw a person toward hope. Hope will return a person to feelings; hope is wishing or planning to achieve something a person doesn't know for sure will happen. Hope requires the action of risk, which circles back to the need to deal with feelings. The Voice of the Heart and Needs of the Heart offer specific details about The Spiritual Root System, as does this podcast Living with Heart: From Birth to Death. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. The Pitfalls of Leadership are descending steps, one connects to the other with predictable effects. Some leaders have referred to the descent as a “chain reaction.” The descent can be stopped at any time, with an intervention from others who the leader listens and healthily responds to, or a cry out from the leader in descent who is heard and responded to by others. The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things. To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose. These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one is freed from them. Living in freedom from the Pitfalls is work. It is a daily activity and a lifestyle. In the Pitfalls, we are driven by what we are running from. Essentially, we are running from: Feelings, needs, desire, longings, and hope that expose our vulnerability; Telling the truth about our hearts that expresses our need of others; Trusting a process that we are not in control of, which expresses our distrust of God. The daily activities that become the recovering leader's lifestyle are: Confession - the acknowledgment of my own healthy shame, and need of others and God. Admission - the full awareness that I do not have control over life, and the more I attempt to get control, the more unmanageable my life becomes. Surrender - practicing believing and trusting that God has control; therefore, I give myself to God and the way God works, because my attempt to control life hasn't worked. Acceptance - the practice of turning my heart and life over to God who cares for me, knowing that whatever happens, God wants good for me because I am loved. Daily activities have to be practiced until we see the results and their benefits; The daily practices become a lifestyle. The leader eventually desires for his/her life to be different and adopts the new lifestyle because it is “better” than what life was like in the Pitfalls. Click here to continue reading episode highlights.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things. To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose. These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one is freed from them. Out of the Pit Hopeful Truths: Freedom is not only possible; we are created for it. The descent into the Pitfalls can be stopped at any time. When the leader who is descending into the pitfalls experiences an intervention from others whom the leader listens to and healthily responds to, the descent can be stopped. Also, if the leader comes to an awareness of his/her descent and cries out and is heard and responded to by others, the descent can be stopped. There is a path that takes us out of the Pit; we can ascend. Freedom is not only possible; we are created for it. The people who dare to “come back to life” are some of the greatest blessers in this world: They have humility and passion. They have compassion because of empathy. They are doers who are relational. They are witnesses to what God can do with a person who dares to be in need. Their “loss” can become many others' gains. They are witnesses of John Newton's hymn, Amazing Grace. That which we think has destroyed us has opened up a future before us. Listen to Episode #26 “Becoming a Portable Sanctuary. The woundedness of the leader, coordinated with their healing, becomes the leader's newly discovered productivity. Liberation from bondage is available. If there is breath, there is hope. Recovery from addiction to control begins with: Confession: the recognition of and “fessing up” to being human, which means that I feel and I need more than I can handle or manage without relational help. Admission: The acknowledgment of powerlessness over life The profound awareness that the more I have attempted to do it alone, the more unmanageable my life has become. In these two beginning steps, the impaired leader must admit the specific nature of his/her secrets in order to get relief. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Send us a textThis week on the podcast we go back into the archives to a conversation we hd with Dr. Chip Dodd, to talk about the important role our feelings play in our growth and development as someone made in the image of God.Chip is a teacher, trainer, author, and counselor. He has been working in the field of recovery and redemption for more than 30 years. His purpose is to help others see who they are made to be so they can do what they are made to do. Find Chip at www.chipdodd.comCheck out Voices of the Heart: A Call to Full LivingOrder his latest children's book: "How Are You Feeling Today?"
The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. The 5 Pitfalls are descending steps. One step connects to another with predictable effects. Some leaders have referred to the descent as a “chain reaction.” The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things. To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose. These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one finds freedom from them. People Become Things Leaders enter the world of doing good because they wish the pain of the world to be treated, bettered, or healed. However, as the leader slips into the pitfalls: the people that the leader wishes to serve become burdensome objects that have to be dealt with the people that the leader works with become objects that have to be manipulated his/her family members become burdensome objects of needs that have to be met the leader who originally planned to benefit others reaches a significant crisis point they must move into neediness as human beings or fade into despair as “human doings.” The leader whose worth is trapped in work, and whose performance is valued more than their presence shows symptoms of people becoming things They experience “feeling drained” of the passion or energy that had compelled them in the beginning. Whether slowly or rapidly, the leader becomes restless, irritable, and discontent. Indicators of restlessness and irritable can be overt or covert, but the symptoms are “known” to the leader, but not accurately taken responsibility for. Compulsivity takes over for “being compelled.” Blame, projection onto others, and denial are hallmarks of the impaired leader at Pitfall #3. *The family is usually affected first and foremost, before the signs are noted by others who the leader influences. In the name of loyalty the family members begin to take on feelings of “self-blame” and toxic shame that comes with the leader's self-negligence. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. The Pitfalls are descending steps, one connects to the other with predictable effects. Some leaders have referred to the descent as a “chain reaction.” This descent can be stopped at any time, with an intervention from others who the leader listens and healthily responds to, or a cry out from the leader in descent who is heard and responded to by others. The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things. To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose. These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one is freed from them. Pitfall #2: Performance Begins to be Valued More than One's Presence: When a leader's primary personal value is associated with performance, they become someone they are not—"human doings.” To be present means to be able to present the truth of our inner selves as human beings to others. Presence is the ability to speak the feelings, needs, desire, longings, and hopes of one's own heart. People who are actively present can be “in need” and be led. Performers develop contempt for their neediness. They also eventually develop secret contempt and fear towards the needs of others because they see others as the ones who demand that they perform. The “ease” of being one's true self is lost in the “dis-ease” or stress of believing that one is only valuable for their performance. People who are performers can be driven by anxiety A leader who believes that their performance matters more than their personal presence is actually driven by anxiety, more than they are compelled by inspiration or mission/calling. These performers: compete and compare, more than they are called and compelled tragically believe that they are only measured by their last mistake, or the mistakes they haven't made yet have pride and arrogance, rooted in toxic shame, can drive the leader away from being in need A leader is expected to be effective and productive A leader is expected to perform and meet the needs of those they are on mission to help, which is good. However, every leader needs a place to go where they can honestly share their own needs, without toxic shame, and where others can do the same. Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. Leaders Have a Need for Help: Everyone, believe it or not, is created to lead. Everyone who cares about something and is investing themselves in what they care about is leading. Leaders find much fulfillment in serving others. Whether it's serving as a CEO or a parent, the most significant moments for leaders come when they are giving their gifts, abilities, passion, and creativity. Leaders who pour out great energy doing what is fulfilling also need to refill. *Leaders need to be able to receive restoration and replenishment so they can continue to serve well. They refill by being humble enough to know their limits, to recognize their needs, and to ask for help. I have worked with leaders for more than thirty-five years. I have recognized five common pitfalls that block leaders from receiving the replenishment that is essential to lead well. These pitfalls can stymie a leader's passion and purpose. As a result, the people the leader wishes to help ultimately do not receive what they need. Pitfalls of Leadership Life is full of struggle, and the struggle is not preventable. Samuel Beckett wrote, “You are on earth. There is no cure for that.” Life's struggles are inevitable, but the Pitfalls of Leadership are preventable. The Five Pitfalls: Work becomes confused with one's worth. Performance begins to be valued more than one's presence. People become things. To be an example to others, the true self is isolated. Secrets sap one's passion and purpose. These pitfalls can destroy careers, friendships, reputations, marriages and families—unless one is freed from them. Everyone always wonders, “What happened to them? How did this self-destruction happen?” These episodes on the “Pitfalls” are about preventing those questions from being asked. Whether you are a parent, a pastor, a plumber, or a pulmonologist, these episodes are for you. These episodes are also about what to do when you find yourself in the “Pitfalls” or when the consequences have already impacted your life. Hope in spite of the Pitfalls: The beauty of life and the beauty of God in our lives gives us the hope of: redemption recovery restoration Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.
This week, Eric kicked off a new series called The Process: Living Fully in a Tragic World. It's personal, practical, and deeply spiritual. Drawing from Proverbs 4:23 and Chip Dodd's Voice of the Heart, we explored how emotional honesty is essential for spiritual maturity. Jesus Himself felt all eight core emotions—and lived fully in the midst of a tragic world. The journey toward emotional and spiritual wholeness begins with naming what's really happening inside of us. If we want to guard our hearts, we need the right tools. And it starts by learning to feel what we feel.
This week, Eric kicked off a new series called The Process: Living Fully in a Tragic World. It's personal, practical, and deeply spiritual. Drawing from Proverbs 4:23 and Chip Dodd's Voice of the Heart, we explored how emotional honesty is essential for spiritual maturity. Jesus Himself felt all eight core emotions—and lived fully in the midst of a tragic world. The journey toward emotional and spiritual wholeness begins with naming what's really happening inside of us. If we want to guard our hearts, we need the right tools. And it starts by learning to feel what we feel.
Why do we need to look back at our past to move forward in marriage? In this meaningful episode, Rebekah and Gabe explore how unresolved childhood experiences shape our marriage conflicts today. They share that the number one trigger in marital fights is actually tone—not words—because "we sense before we make sense" of what our spouse is saying. The Lyons vulnerably discuss how Gabe's counselor once told him he communicated "like an Excel spreadsheet"—all facts with no heart—revealing how childhood trauma had caused him to shut down emotionally.Drawing from their book "The Fight For Us," they introduce Dr. Chip Dodd's eight primary feelings (hurt, loneliness, sadness, anger, fear, shame, guilt, and gladness) and explain how confessing these emotions transforms them from impairments into gifts. When loneliness is shared, it leads to intimacy; when fear is named, it builds faith. The episode closes with a beautiful blessing for couples willing to be vulnerable and trust each other, especially when it requires risk.Order The Fight for Us:https://a.co/d/aJehu4fFree Gifts when You Order Now:Get Our Free Masterclass, Growth & Connection Toolkit, Emotional Health for Marriages Course and More at https://rebekahlyons.com/marriageTake the What's Your Dance Quiz:rebekahlyons.com/quiz
What if the emotions you fear most are actually the gateway to your greatest freedom? In this final episode of our series, Chip and Leanne explore how to stop fearing emotions and start listening to them instead. They break down the connection between numbing and disconnection, why vulnerability is the key to healing, and how embracing your emotions can lead to real joy and fulfillment. With practical tools and mindset shifts, this episode will empower you to move from numbing to healing—so you can reclaim your peace, presence, and power. Visit Chip's website at: ChipDodd.com You can order your copy of Chip's book, The Voice of the Heart: A Call To Full Living HERE. Listen to the Living With Heart Podcast HERE. HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Click here to read the episode highlights. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com. To download my Free Resources, go to chipdodd.com. Download The Discipline of Restoring, and more, to continue the journey of living fully, loving deeply, and leading well. A leader needs inner strength and inner resources. I offer these resources to help people succeed. A Man Knows He is God's Masterpiece: Every man is created to lead and needs inner-strength to do so; he needs to know how to get the strength he needs to fulfill his leadership responsibilities. Every man needs God and others to succeed. For his own personal fulfillment, every man needs to attend to his tasks, mission, and/or callings—all synonyms. A “job well-done” is gratifying. Every man (and woman) is created to live fully, love deeply, and lead well lives that others can benefit from long after the man has finished his career. The greatest treasure of a man's life is the value he leaves behind. Every man needs to recognize his importance and dependency upon the God who created him. A man has inherent God-created worth, and he is created to be in need. What stops a leader from succeeding? Usually, he does not know his value, and he does not know his neediness; therefore, he doesn't develop the inner strength and inner resources to “stay the course” of his mission. We are God-created; we need to depend upon Him and how he created us. God created us to live with heart. God created us as emotional and spiritual creatures, created to live fully through relationship with ourselves, others, and Him, as talked about in The Voice of the Heart and Needs of the Heart, by Chip Dodd. Addiction takes us away from the heart of how we are created, because addiction is all about “avoiding” and “silencing” the heart. Four powerful scriptures speak to our worth, our dependency on God who created us, and the importance of the heart: Ephesians 2:10. Psalm 139:13-16. Proverbs 4:23. Psalm 8. Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The word “workmanship” testifies to God creating us specifically. The DNA of the human being is 99.9% identical to all other human beings. We are created 99.9% the same emotionally and spiritually, as well as biologically and physiologically. We have also been gifted with a .01% uniqueness. Click here to continue to read the episode highlights.
Text us your questions to answer on a future episode (if you want me to contact you, please include your email)Adventure Racers and podcast hosts Andrea Anderson and Chip Dodd join Jennie to share about their Alaska trip in 2024 including visiting CordovaListen to Andrea and Chip's Podcast - ThisABILITY AdventuresFollow Andrea and ThisABILITY Adventures on InstagramSupport Alaska Uncovered on Patreon as a free or paid subscriberBook a trip planning session with JennieShop all Alaska Travel planners and premade itinerariesFollow Jennie on InstagramMusic credits: Largo Montebello, by Domenico Mannelli, CC.
If willpower alone isn’t enough to stop numbing, what is? In this episode, Chip and Leanne explore why true healing starts with understanding the function of our coping behaviors—not just trying to “fix” them. They share the first steps to recognizing an unhealthy coping pattern, decoding what it’s really telling you, and shifting from avoidance to awareness. This episode is all about embracing discomfort as the key to freedom and learning how to break the cycle for good. Visit Chip's website at: ChipDodd.com You can order your copy of Chip's book, The Voice of the Heart: A Call To Full Living HERE. Listen to the Living With Heart Podcast HERE. HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Why do we turn to food, alcohol, shopping, or even busyness when life feels overwhelming? In this episode, Chip and Leanne dive into the real reason we numb—what we’re actually trying to escape or avoid—and how society conditions us to suppress rather than process emotions. They break down the neuroscience behind coping mechanisms, revealing why they provide short-term relief but lead to long-term suffering. If you’ve ever wondered why breaking free from old habits feels impossible, this episode will give you the clarity you need to start shifting your patterns. Visit Chip's website at: ChipDodd.com You can order your copy of Chip's book, The Voice of the Heart: A Call To Full Living HERE. Listen to the Living With Heart Podcast HERE. HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Addiction isn’t just about substances—it’s about the ways we cope with pain, stress, and unmet needs. In this episode, Chip Dodd and Leanne unpack how behaviors like emotional eating, over-exercising, workaholism, and social media addiction follow the same addictive patterns as substances. They explore the difference between coping mechanisms that help us heal versus those that keep us stuck, and how the brain wires itself for addiction. If you’ve ever felt caught in a cycle of numbing or self-sabotage, this episode will help you understand why—and what you can do about it. Visit Chip's website at: ChipDodd.com You can order your copy of Chip's book, The Voice of the Heart: A Call To Full Living HERE. Listen to the Living With Heart Podcast HERE. HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
I interviewed one of my heroes! Dr. Chip Dodd, author of the seminal and bestselling book "The Voice of the Heart," is our guest on this week's podcast. Get ready to understand your feelings and how you're made to function. Get ready to feel restored to YOURSELF. Get ready for truth bomb after truth bomb. And get ready to take copious notes. If a podcast has the ability to heal you, this is the one. (Sorry for the audio quality on my end. My mic wasn't properly attached. But don't listen to me anyways. Listen to Chip!)https://www.chipdodd.com The song Chip talked about: https://youtu.be/x8aEVJQhyOg?si=zUldWdzkOYGhDUhr
Send us a textWhat if your greatest strength as a leader lies in embracing your emotions? As a leader, is it possible that showing vulnerability and healthy shame can actually unlock deeper connections and growth in your ministry? Join us as we uncover the transformative power of leading with heart.Ben and Lynley Mandrell, along with Chip Dodd and Bryan Barley, explore the often-overlooked role of emotions in leadership, particularly for pastors navigating the complexities of ministry. Discover how vulnerability and emotional connection can transform your relationships and leadership effectiveness. The discussion dives into the challenges leaders face in acknowledging their emotions, overcoming fear, and navigating the fine line between toxic and healthy shame. Learn how embracing your emotional needs fosters genuine connections, personal growth, and healing—for you and those you lead. If you've ever wrestled with the weight of ministry, this episode will equip and inspire you to lead with courage and authenticity. Thanks for listening and sharing this episode with a friend! SHOW LINKS: Living with Heart PodcastVoice of the Heart CenterThe Voice of the Heart: A call to full living Connect with Dr. Chip DoddConnect with Bryan Barley-Leave Ben & Lynley a voice mail HERE-Connect with the Glass House on Instagram HERE-Please email us your questions and feedback to president@lifeway.com or leave us a voice mail HEREPlease click THIS LINK to shop for the brand new Together Bible Study from Lifeway and Ben Mandrell.
In this follow-up episode of What's God Got To Do With It?, I'm joined by Colton Shannon, the founder and clinical director of the Voice of the Heart Center, for an in-depth conversation about the profound impact of understanding and embracing our emotions. Colton shares his journey into emotional health and what inspired him to establish the center dedicated to this transformative work. We explore the uniqueness of Chip Dodd's The Voice of the Heart and why it stands out among books on emotional wellness. Colton gives listeners a powerful overview of the eight core emotions outlined in The Voice of the Heart, discussing their importance for both emotional and spiritual health. We chat about the real-life challenges people face when trying to reconnect with these emotions and how embracing them can lead to breakthroughs and deeper self-awareness. Whether you're new to the concept or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode provides insights and practical wisdom to help you listen to your own “voice of the heart” and live a more connected, authentic life. GUEST: Colton Shannon of https://www.vothcenter.com/@vothcenter You can order your copy of The Voice of the Heart: A Call To Full Living HERE! HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Leanne sits down with Chip Dodd, the bestselling author of The Voice of the Heart and many other impactful books. With over 30 years of experience in recovery and redemption work, Chip brings a wealth of wisdom to the table as they dive into what it really means to listen to the ‘voice of the heart.' They talk about the moments that sparked his belief in the power of emotions and how embracing our feelings can transform the way we connect—with ourselves, others, and God. They also unpack the eight core emotions from The Voice of The Heart, and why they're so crucial to understanding who we are. If you've ever been taught to suppress emotions like anger or fear, Chip offers a fresh perspective on why these emotions are not only okay but necessary for authentic living. And if you're someone who feels overwhelmed by grief or loneliness, don't worry—you'll hear practical advice on how to navigate those feelings without getting stuck. This conversation is packed with insights that will inspire you to see your emotions as guides, not barriers, on your path to a richer, more connected life. You can order your copy of Chip's book The Voice of the Heart: A Call To Full Living by clicking HERE Listen to the Living With Heart Podcast HERE! Chip's Website: Chipdodd.com HOST: @LeanneEllington To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this powerful and raw episode of the Dad Tired podcast, Jerrad sits down with Pedro LaTorre, speaker, author, and coach, to dive deep into Pedro's personal story of fatherhood, healing, and breaking free from performance-driven living. From childhood trauma to finding freedom in Jesus, Pedro shares how his life experiences have shaped him as a father and husband. Key Moments: [00:01] – Jerrad introduces Pedro amidst the chaos of a flooded house and sets the tone for an honest conversation. [01:26] – Pedro shares his background: being half Puerto Rican, half Cuban, and growing up with a name that confuses people. [03:16] – Daddy-daughter day with Pedro's 3-year-old and the small moments that matter most. [05:35] – Pedro talks about the emotional healing journey that helped him become more present as a father. [07:58] – Discussing the importance of knowing God enjoys us, and how that fuels us to enjoy our families. [08:41] – Pedro opens up about the deep pain caused by his father leaving and childhood abuse, which led to a performance addiction in his life. [11:36] – The turning point in Pedro's life after an injury ended his professional baseball dreams and led him into ministry. [16:16] – The “performance addiction” Pedro struggled with and how it impacted his relationships, including his marriage. [19:12] – Pedro talks about how COVID shut down his life in LA and how he dealt with the struggle of being still. [27:58] – What it means that Jesus' sacrifice was covenantal, not transactional, and how that changes our lives as fathers. [36:53] – Pedro recounts the life-changing moment when he asked his wife, “What's it like being married to me?” [47:16] – The importance of community, healing, and embracing feelings to live out the life God intends for us as men. Resources Mentioned: Tin Man Ministries – Emotional wellness resources for men Dr. Chip Dodd's "Voice of the Heart" – A recommended book on emotional healing
Dr. Chip Dodd has been working in the field of recovery and redemption for over 30 years. He has taught and trained thousands to not only use an emotional vocabulary, but ultimately connected us to our hearts—and each other. Chip has written numerous books, including the bestselling Voice of the Heart and his newest kids' book, How Are You Feeling Today? We are so excited for you to listen to this rich conversation full of faith and feelings! And grab a copy of his books now! . . . . . Grab a copy of Are My Kids on Track? to follow along with us through the season! Sign up to receive the monthly newsletter to keep up to date with where David and Sissy are speaking, where they are taco'ing, PLUS conversation starters for you and your family to share! Go behind the scenes and watch our podcast on YouTube! Download a copy of the Raising Boys and Girls Feelings Chart. Connect with David, Sissy, and Melissa at raisingboysandgirls.com. . . . . . If you would like to partner with Raising Boys and Girls as a podcast sponsor, fill out our Advertise with us form. A special thank you BYU Radio: Find The Apple Seed wherever you get your podcasts. Hiya Health: Receive 50% off your first order. To claim this deal you must go to hiyahealth.com/RBG. This deal is not available on their regular website. Wayfair: Visit Wayfair.com or download the Wayfair app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Have a question you want answered? Submit it here!Can our past really dictate the health of our current relationships? Join us in this enlightening episode where we uncover the profound influence of unresolved emotions on our interactions today. With Dr. Chip Dodd, an esteemed expert in emotional and spiritual counseling, we explore how understanding and managing our feelings can be the key to personal and relational well-being. Dr. Dodd shares his pioneering spiritual root system philosophy, blending ancient wisdom with modern neuroscience to explain how our hearts govern our experiences and relationships.Through heartfelt stories and practical advice, we dive deep into emotional regulation, the importance of processing feelings, and the power of resonance and revision in building trust. From navigating the complexities of marriage to understanding the four essential questions that help manage emotions, we emphasize the necessity of addressing emotional history to cultivate healthier connections. Dr. Dodd's insights are complemented by relatable anecdotes, including the impact of childhood experiences on adult relationships, revealing the intricate dynamics of emotional responsibility and empathy.In our journey towards emotional healing, we highlight the shared humanity that binds us all, emphasizing the resilience of the human heart. Discover how identifying and expressing emotions truthfully can foster genuine connections and mutual understanding. We also discuss valuable resources such as 12-step groups for emotional support, underscoring the importance of finding trustworthy individuals to share vulnerabilities with. This episode offers a transformative perspective on emotional well-being, encouraging listeners to embrace their feelings for a more connected and compassionate life.Today's Guest: Dr. Chip DoddThe Voice of the Heart BookChip Dodd's PodcastsThe Boy & The Ogre: Finding Freedom From CodependencyYour Host: Kimberly Beam Holmes, Expert in Self-Improvement and RelationshipsKimberly Beam Holmes has applied her master's degree in psychology for over ten years, acting as the CEO of Marriage Helper & CEO and Creator of PIES University, being a wife and mother herself, and researching how attraction affects relationships. Her videos, podcasts, and following reach over 500,000 people a month who are making changes and becoming the best they can be.
Have a question you want answered? Submit it here!Full episode releases August 27th!What if your heart, not your mind, holds the key to living a fulfilled life? In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Dr. Chip Dodd, the esteemed author of "The Voice of the Heart," to explore the profound idea that our emotions and spiritual nature define our true selves. Dr. Dodd breaks down the concept of the spiritual root system, explaining how our feelings shape our needs, desires, longings, and hopes. This is not just a theoretical discussion—it's grounded in both biblical teachings and modern neuroscience, offering a transformative perspective on how we engage with our emotions.Dr. Dodd passionately discusses how recognizing and embracing our feelings can unlock deeper connections with ourselves, others, and even God. He shares how this understanding is foundational to various therapeutic practices aimed at nurturing our emotional and spiritual well-being. Whether you're familiar with Dr. Dodd's work or new to his insights, this thought-provoking conversation will challenge you to reconsider the role of the heart in your life, encouraging you to live more fully and authentically. Tune in for a journey that bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary science, offering timeless lessons for today's world.Today's Guest: Dr. Chip DoddDr. Chip Dodd has spent his entire career guiding thousands of professionals and their families through the struggles of their lives and into the lives they were created to have. In 1996, Dr. Dodd founded a treatment center in Nashville, Tennessee called The Center for Professional Excellence (CPE), and spent the next 22 years serving as its Executive Director. Since selling CPE in 2017, Dr. Dodd has worked in private practice doing consulting, mentoring, speaking, counseling, as well as writing. He began Chip Dodd Resources in 2019. In 1991, Dr. Dodd developed The Spiritual Root System (SRS). It is a simple and effective way of seeing how we are made, and integrating how we are made into the lives we desire. Dr. Dodd's first book, The Voice of the Heart was published in 2001. This seminal work teaches the importance of feelings as tools and gifts that can assist us in living fully. This book continues to impact people's lives all over the world. All of Dr. Dodd's books speak to our desire to live fully, love deeply, and lead well. Dr. Dodd married his high school sweetheart in 1983. They have two grown sons and two precious daughters-in-law. They currently live in Middle Tennessee.Your Host: Kimberly Beam Holmes, Expert in Self-Improvement and RelationshipsKimberly Beam Holmes has applied her master's degree in psychology for over ten years, acting as the CEO of Marriage Helper & CEO and Creator of PIES University, being a wife and mother herself, and researching how attraction affects relationships. Her videos, podcasts, and following reach over 500,000 people a month who are making changes and becoming the best they can be.
TOPIC & GUESTThis week we're discussing Using Loneliness to Your Advantage with Dr. Chip Dodd PAIN POINTIf there is one word to describe single parenting, it's “loneliness.” We are reminded throughout the day—in big and small ways—that we don't have a partner for companionship. Loneliness hits when we miss our kids if we're co-parenting. And we're always keenly aware there's no one to share the responsibilities, experiences, decision-making, and mental load with; no one to laugh (or cry) with after the kids go to bed. How can we use loneliness to our advantage? GUEST BIOChip Dodd is an author, a speaker, and a counselor. He holds a PhD in counseling and is the author of many books including “The Voice of the Heart,” which has been a cornerstone resource for us here at Solo Parent. LINK TO SHOW NOTESFor all the detailed show notes, tips and links click - https://soloparent.org/show-notes-blog ASK US ANYTHING! We want to answer any Solo Parent questions you may have. Go to SoloParent.org/TalkToUs and ask us anything…it can be related to a topic we cover on the podcast, something you are facing or just something you are curious about. We want you to be part of our podcast! To receive a free SPS Welcome Toolkit with links to groups, info and a free book click - https://soloparent.org/welcome-toolkit Join our FREE daily meditational devotional - pod.link/1517894054 Download our free app - APPLE - https://apple.co/3fKOd6F ANDROID - https://bit.ly/2TvjtOsWherever You Go I Want You To Know is available here. Save 25% by using code: Go25
Episode Summary: CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPANION STUDY. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In Episode 26 of "Living with Heart," titled "Portable Sanctuary," Chip Dodd and Bryan Barley explore the concept of being a portable sanctuary, a safe space for others, while navigating life's challenges with faith and vulnerability. They discuss essential practices such as feeling emotions authentically, telling the truth, and building trust, all while reflecting on personal experiences and the transformative power of living cooperatively. The episode underscores the importance of mentoring younger generations and reclaiming our innate connection to feelings, aiming for a revival of the heart in both personal and communal contexts. The conclusion previews the upcoming season, highlighting a special focus on the spiritual root system and the process of awakening, acquiring, and arriving at a life of fulfillment. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (www.vothcenter.com). Links from the Episode: More on Euphoria River in Episode 18, “Living Fully in ‘The River” FREE DOWNLOAD > River of Euphoria Chip's Book The Perfect Loss (Amazon) Dr. Chip Dodd Website Chip's Free Resources link Subscribe to Chip's website Follow Chip on Instagram Facebook Link Linked In Find Chip on YouTube Chip's Amazon Author Page Voice of the Heart Center Website Subscribe to the Voice of the Heart Center website Instagram Facebook
Episode Summary: In Episode 25 of "Living with Heart," titled "The Ladder," Bryan Barley and Dr. Chip Dodd discuss the intrinsic nature of healthy shame and the importance of emotional presence from birth. They examine the metaphor of a societal "ladder of success," highlighting its detrimental effects on self-worth and genuine human experience. The discussion emphasizes the crucial role of parents in understanding and meeting their children's emotional needs, and the importance of embracing vulnerability and authenticity. Ultimately, the episode calls for a return to living fully and truthfully, rejecting external validation in favor of inner fulfillment and genuine connection. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) helping people be who they are made to be so they can do what they are made to do for over 40 years. Also brought to you by The Voice of the Heart Center (www.vothcenter.com). Healthy people get help, and we would be honored to help you. In Depth Show Note (Downloadable Transcript at the Bottom) “The Process” Feel your feelings, tell the truth about your feelings, and trust God with the process, because He owns the process. Free Downloadable Resource - The Ladder (https://www.chipdodd.com/free-resources-download) The Ladder is a disrupter of The Process. If you get trapped on The Ladder, you will miss The Process and you will miss the actual “arrival” that you're created to have because you never acquired the skills of living fully. We are created for connection; created to find fulfilment through relationship with ourselves, others and God. Parents often want to prevent their children from having to experience the pains of the world, so they teach them to act in an “acceptable” way; they teach them to perform. The result is, children wind up giving up their presence (God given uniqueness) and putting performance in the place of how God made them. We come out of the womb with healthy shame. Examples: I am going to make mistakes. I'm dependent. I can't help but be fully present. I can't help but be in need. I'm a feeling creature. If something is sad or I lose something, I'm going to cry. If I walk into the dark, I need someone to hold my hand, etc. Webinar on Shame > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Pjb6EsAGI We are created to find fulfilment through relationship. When this need isn't met through relationship, we will give up our God-given identity and start looking to others to fulfill what they want from us, and claim a false identity, in order to find fulfilment through belonging and mattering. “Adorning the Dark” by Andrew Peterson “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” Psalm 8:2 (NIV) “And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'” Matthew 18:3 (NIV) Once healthy shame is rejected, once it becomes not okay to make mistakes, once it becomes not okay to be in need, once one becomes distrusting of questions, an unwillingness to risk having answers/ideas, and once we start to have to be more than human, we lose connection with healthy shame. Healthy shame is a dependency feeling that allows us to have the humility to be people who can be of equal worth to other people. We have the same needs. We have the same heartaches. We have the same struggles. We have the same feelings. “It's a Small World” is considered a children's song, but it is so deep and rich. The lyrics are pure and true for everyone, young and old. https://youtu.be/2rTZ9UndNeI?si=5OhagIXRyS3socj5 When we have to give up, silence or hide our God-given feelings, needs, desire, longings, and hope, we lose true connection. Our hearts express that we are made like other people; therefore, we have the ability for attachment. Passion is the willingness to be in pain for something that matters more than pain. Children come into the world with integrity that is fully intact. They are willing to be in pain. They hunger for intimacy. They cry when they are sad. They trust that you are who you “say” you are and you want their best. So, when the way a child is created disagrees with the way they are parented or treated, they will speak up (crying, defying, protesting) until they finally have to give up how God made them in order to belong and matter. This is where “The Ladder” actually starts. The Ladder moves us away from how we are born to answer two essential questions, “Where am I?” and “What am I doing?” Good parents are always in pursuit of “Where are you?” “Are you ok?” “What are you feeling?” “What are you needing?” “How are you doing (internally)?” Since babies and infants can't talk and express themselves verbally, parents need to see the facial and body expressions of their children in order to know what is going on internally in their child. (Example: They can't tell you where they are hurting, but you can see their tears and trembling hands.) Babies speak a spiritual and emotional language. They are continuously communicating spiritually and emotionally saying, “This is where I am.” (Babies and infants communicate in many ways. They coo, they cry, they hold their breath, they burp, they engage, they reach out, they laugh, they grunt, etc.) As babies grow, they begin to trust moving from “This is where I am with feeling, needing and desiring” to “This is what I'm doing with where I am.” This growth, or “response-ability” leads them to becoming a responsible person. A parent's job is to raise a child to belong and matter simply by being the way God made them to be. Then the child can take ownership of what they're doing with how they are created. (Example: I have sadness but that does not make it ok for me to hit you just because I'm sad.) These two questions are essential for growing into “response-able” people: “Where am I?' “What am I doing with where I am?” A child that is being raised with heart, can answer these two questions. When we lose the ability to answer those two questions, we can't really answer where we are and be confident about it. Also, we no longer know how to take real ownership of what our intentions are (what I'm doing and what I'm planning to do,) and we lose connection with truthfulness. Then, instead of belonging and mattering by being ourselves, we change the question from “What am I doing?” into “How am I doing?” Instead of “Where am I?” which needs an internal answer. We slowly lose our internal sense of worth and find our worth externally. When this happens, we are only as good as our last achievement; we're only as good as the last time we were applauded; we are only successful and belong and matter as much as the last time we saw you smile. Therefore, we move from inborn self-worth, which is inherent, to needing others to build our self-esteem, which is exterior. “You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:5 (NIV) When a child's voice becomes diminished, he or she loses connection with their self-worth. When we lose connection with our personal presence (our God given uniqueness), we look to others because we still need to belong and matter. We still need to connect. But now, instead of being a feeling creature, we've become a figuring creature. We begin to look at others and try to “read” their faces in order to protect ourselves from their rejection, instead of just being ourselves. Because we fear the rejection of people who matter to us, we begin to change our behavior in order to belong and matter. We also try to control or change the way they are behaving to make everything more manageable. We begin to let others evaluate us to determine our value, rather than embracing our God-given value that we are born with. Then, the question changes from the two internal questions to an externally answered question, “How am I doing?” “How am I doing?” is a question that requires a comparison. We compare ourselves to people around us in order to determine our value. We ask ourselves these questions: “Am I doing enough so they will smile?” “Will they applaud me?” “Will they reward me?” “What else do I need to do to move up the ladder?” “Will they notice me?” So, we lose or give up our personal presence, which is our own recognition of our self-worth, which leads to needing others to build our self-esteem. Anything that can be built, can be torn down. When we rely on others to build our self-esteem, it sets us on a roller coaster of achievement, a sense of “up-and-down” worth that is based on our achievements or lack of achievements. …Now we're at the ladder. The ladder is the thing you climb to prove you're worth something. The ladder is the thing you climb to show others that you are “somebody.” Then, you end up trying to find your worth on the outside and absorb it, so you can say, “Now, I'm officially someone.” “Now I officially belong and matter.” Once we start climbing the ladder: We begin to avoid our own presence (We avoid having to admit that we have feelings.) We begin avoiding the truth about ourselves (We run away from being needy.) Avoid and despise the experience of being dependent (We refuse our need of others.) The ladder is the pursuit of: Independence from needing others (Free from dependence.) Power (If I can get enough power, then I won't have to be in need anymore.) Being realistic (“It is what it is.” “It's just business.”) You climb the ladder in order to achieve. “How am I doing?” has to do with what rung of the ladder you're on and how far up the ladder you've gotten. The person below you on the ladder is merely an object of competition, and the person above you is merely an object of competition. You're aways comparing yourself to everyone else all the time and ranking yourself as better, or worse, or not good enough. Comparison is the thief of joy and the thief of genuine connection. “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt Comparison always leads us to examining ourselves and comparing ourselves to those above/below us or to those people who are against us. The result is that we can't really be with these people because there is so much dissecting, scrutinizing, judging, and inspecting going on. This leads me to depend on myself--be independent. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” Mark 10:35-37 (NIV) The great delusion is that when I do finally become independent, I've “achieved” enough to say, “I've got mine.” When I do have power, and I have done it by being realistic (“I've got mine, now you get yours,”) then I get up the ladder and into the clouds. Instead of finally arriving at the top, I get past the clouds only to see there is more ladder to climb. I realize that it's just a ladder of achievement. I realize that I have been “tricked” by my life's teachings. I climbed the ladder of achievement and realized there was always going to be “more ladder.” I got tricked. The best thing that could happen now is for me to experience the one thing that I will do just about anything to keep from happening…fall off the ladder. For the climber, falling off the ladder is horrifying. It equals “certain death,” which means losing rank. It means losing belonging and mattering. It means not counting anymore, as well as having no value. I become “worth-less” (worthless.) “How am I doing?” is not a bad question. It is a great question if I really want to know how you see me doing, and I'm open to hearing your feedback, versus asking others to rank me and tell me that I'm the best or what I need to do to become the best. Pursuit of the “-est” (the “bestest”, the “mostest”, the “greatest”) is insanity. It is ultimately a hatred of others and a hatred of how I am made. We are indeed created to climb; however, just not ladders. We are created to climb the “mountain of our own dreams.” What does falling off the ladder look like? The ladder climber will: Lose connection with themselves. Lose connection with others. Wind up attempting to become gods. Become a people pleaser, achievement-oriented, a caretaker, and an approval-seeker. Lose their own identities. Become secret-keepers. Figure out how to get their needs met without being in relationship with others. Lose connection with God. Give up being a feeling creature. Either become sick because they don't know how to feel anymore, or people become sick of them. Falling off the ladder often involves addiction, illness, rejection, waking up to not liking your life, or some other form of hitting bottom. What do you do at the bottom of the ladder? Feel your feelings (a wake up) Tell the truth (a reach out) Give it to the process (a risk of asking for help and accepting it) Learn to ask yourself, “Where am I?” and “What am I doing?” VERSUS “How am I doing?” This will help you move from competition to cooperation. When we return to how God made us and face that we're created to live dependent, we become truthful with how we're made and it returns us to being fully present, and known from the inside out. We begin answering these two questions: “Where am I?” (We admit feeling, needing, desiring, longing, hoping. This is where I am. This is what I dream.) “What am I doing with where I am?” Answering these two questions requires that others be in our lives. We admit what's going on inside of us, and hope in a power greater than ourselves that can restore us to the wholeness that we're made to live in. People who are living on the ladder are living in anxiety. They are living in the anticipation of the negative while attempting to achieve the positive. (“I've got to get up and go for it.” “I've got to be strong.” “I've got to be somebody.” “I've got to work harder”…) When you live knowing how you're made with others and God, your anxiety goes down, and your potential for embarrassment goes up. This is true because you're seen and known, you're receiving feedback, you're willing to go take risks, you're willing to ask questions, you're willing to make mistakes, you're willing to go fail. You're also willing to succeed, you're willing to be celebrated and grieved over. You're alive to feel again. Ironically, when you become willing to pursue the dreams that you were created to have, and you're willing to take risks with them, you automatically, through that dependency upon how you're made, become independent. Dependency allows you to live fully in the world, but no longer of it. I don't have to get in line. I'm climbing the mountain of my own dreams, pursuing how I'm created to live in fulness with how God made me. Dependency leads us to being independent from the world, but dependent upon how we're made, Who made us, and who we're made to do it with. Truthfulness is like I am made to live a certain way, and I understand the context I live it in. I live in reality where it's tragic, but that's not going to stop me from going towards my dreams anyway. So, the truth trumps reality, although reality is not denied. Power isn't the purpose anymore. I'm not trying to get away from life, I'm moving fully in it, but I'm empowered now to do it by being fully present. Example: Battle of Thermopylae Be liberated to become who God made me to be and go do what God called me to do in spite of what the results may be. There is so much pronounced rejection, and parents try to protect their children. Vulnerability is equated with being harmed, but vulnerability needs to be kept, and we learn how to live it in an empowered way, where we selectively decide how vulnerable we'll be according to who we're with. There are so many people against how God made us, that we get on the ladder reactively and once we give up having feelings, the ladder awaits us and the mountain of our dreams is abandoned. As long as there is breath, there is always time for change. When I hit bottom or a place I don't like, it's not an ending. In the hands of God and others who are in recovery, it is my beginning. Dr. Chip Dodd chipdodd.com Chip's Free Resources link > https://www.chipdodd.com/free-resources Subscribe to Chip's website > https://www.chipdodd.com/free-resources Instagram link > https://www.instagram.com/drchipdodd/ Facebook link > https://www.facebook.com/chipdoddphd Linked In link > https://www.linkedin.com/in/chip-dodd-phd-9a6b5a84 YouTube channel link > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP9WpxZNCZ9Xm8CoOHHwzhQ Amazon Author Page link > Chip's Amazon Author Page Voice of the Heart Center VOTHcenter.com Subscribe to the Voice of the Heart Center website > vothcenter.com Instagram > https://www.instagram.com/vothcenter/ Facebook > https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556086675833 Timestamps: 00:00 Lou Lamour, prolific author of western fiction. 06:07 Our purpose is connection and living authentically. 08:24 Emotions are fundamental to human connection and behavior. 15:16 Identity struggle and parental pursuit of children. 21:32 External validation obstructs genuine self-discovery and connection. 24:40 Pursuit of success leads to unfulfillment and disillusionment. 28:18 Seeking honest feedback for personal growth and success. 32:54 Living authentically and embracing the present moment.. 37:23 Small, dedicated groups can overcome overwhelming force. 40:33 Embrace vulnerability, wield it with discernment and strength. Transcript - Episode 25 Transcript Keywords: Healthy shame, human beings, birth, fulfillment, loss of self, creativity, storytelling, Psalm 8, pure expression, parenting, children's emotions, needs, desires, integrity of children, societal expectations, ladder of success, impulsive decisions, pressure to achieve, addiction, denial, disconnection, identity loss, forsaking humanity, living truthfully, dependence, presence, embracing vulnerability, authentic trust, internal struggles, pursuit of dreams, morning writing routine, living from the inside out, performance vs presence, self-worth, external validation, internal locus of control, Christian Counseling
In Part 2 in a series on emotional intimacy, Derek, Gabrielle, and Scott discuss how to practically grow in emotional intimacy with your spouse. Check out Part 1 of this 2-Part series if you haven't already! Scriptures:Genesis 2:25Galatians 6:2Ephesians 5:31-32Matthew 18:15-17Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Resources:Podcast – More Than Roommates - Episode 80 – Fully Known, Fully LovedPodcast – More Than Roommates - Episode 64 - Questions to Ask Your Spouse Every WeekBook – Untangle Your Emotions, by Jennie AllenBook – The Voice of the Heart, by Chip DoddBook - The Naked Marriage, by Dave and Ashley WillisQuestions to Discuss:1. How do you handle an “emotional mismatch” in your marriage (when one more readily expresses/shares/shows their emotions)?2. What prevents you from being emotionally intimate with your spouse (i.e., technology, invalidation)?3. How can you create more time and space for emotional intimacy?
In this episode of "Living with Heart," Bryan Barley and Chip Dodd delve deeper into the concept of trusting God's process and stepping away from the illusion of controlling the future. They discuss the importance of honesty, openness, and willingness (HOW) combined with faith, emphasizing the significance of everyday moments over seeking epic events. Through personal anecdotes and the analogy of symphony, they highlight embracing one's unique traits and passions, the emotional impact of major life changes, and the need for patience and growth in daily life. The episode encourages listeners to surrender to their God-given path, fostering a genuine and fulfilling life journey. The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) & The Voice of the Heart Center (www.vothcenter.com). Healthy people get help, and we would be honored to help you. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 04:15 Trust the promise, embrace the risk ahead. 08:50 Choosing between two terrible options, surrendering to God. 15:29 Honesty, openness, connection, and being Velcro capable. 21:12 Asking questions, seeking guidance, making our choices. 32:01 Embracing your uniqueness invites resistance, risk, hope. 39:15 Parenting requires commitment, love, and anticipation. 45:05 Embracing limitations leads to better outcomes. 51:35 Embrace struggle, find fulfillment in daily life. 56:36 We become portable sanctuaries, giving ourselves away. Keywords: Fear, Control, Surrender, Trust, Ego, Honesty, Openness, Willingness, God, Process, Symphony, Memories, Emotions, Authenticity, Passion, Fulfillment, Voidition, Parenting, Growth, Creativity, Christian Counseling.
We don't often talk about emotional intimacy in marriage—we get to be fully known and fully loved in marriage. In part 1 of this 2-part series on emotional intimacy, Derek, Gabrielle, and Scott discuss what it means to be emotionally intimate in marriage.Scriptures:Genesis 2:252 Corinthians 12:9-10Resources:Book – The Voice of the Heart, by Chip DoddBook - The Naked Marriage, by Dave and Ashley Willis3 Questions to Ask Your Spouse:1. Is there anything that I'm holding back from or not confessing to my spouse?2. How can we be more emotionally intimate with each other (i.e., clear out time and space for emotionally intimacy)?3. Am I providing a safe space for my spouse?
Did you know your brain subconsciously asks two questions each time you interact with another person? In today's episode, we're going to dive into these two questions and how they can positively impact your marriage. Thanks to the research of Dr. Chip Dodd, we have plenty to talk about in this episode! Enjoy.
In today's episode, distinguished guest Dr. Chip Dodd, a beacon of guidance and hope, joins me for a beautiful conversation about the power of feelings and relationships. We explore his groundbreaking Spiritual Root System (SRS), a simple yet powerful framework for understanding your emotional and spiritual nature and integrating it into your desired life. With his profound understanding of addiction, stress illnesses, and burnout, he shares insights that guide people toward healing. We also differentiate between the traits of Type 2 and Type 8 and how that shared line fuels his passion and dedication to helping others find their true path. To learn more about Chip Dodd visit his website at www.chipdodd.com and grab a copy of his book, "The Voice of the Heart: A Call to Full Living."
Leanne is kicking off a new series based on her own experiences navigating "The Paradox of Worthiness" (as she calls it). As in, how do you feel worthy when you don't feel worthy?There is so much talk nowadays about self-love and worthiness, but the crucial question remains: How do we truly embrace it if all we've ever known is the opposite? How do you suddenly feel worthy if all you've ever known is feeling unworthy? In this kickoff to the series, Leanne introduces you to (what she calls) "The 5 Blocks To Love", and how she discovered that when it came to actually FEELING worthy of being loved, that was a really hard concept for her to grasp at first. It felt like something was actually blocking her. And that's when she discovered that there were "5 Blocks" that were hindering her ability to RECEIVE what was already there, and that this was what was actually causing her resistance. She also discovered that removing those blocks catapulted her ability to connect to herself, others, and God. You're going to get an in-depth look at each of these blocks in this upcoming series, but first she dives into the fusion of faith, neuroscience, and self-image as a pathway to feeling worthy and putting yourself in the optimal position to remove your own blocks. HOST: @LeanneEllington Episodes Mentioned: ★ The Faith-Brain Connection: Where Self Image Meets Neuroscience★ A Scientist Goes Looking For God★ How God Helped Me Heal My Fears About Being Alone the Rest of My Life Authors Mentioned: ★ Curt Thompson: https://curtthompsonmd.com/ ★ Chip Dodd: https://www.chipdodd.com/ To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.