Podcasts about Family therapy

What it means to live a flourishing life has been one of the most animating questions of my career, and the brilliant, complex, nuanced conversations I had this season convinced me more than than ever: we are absolutely dependent on the world around us, on our friendships, our families, our communities, for all of us to become more fully alive. Our extraordinary guests on this season of With & For offered a powerful blueprint on how to thrive.  In this episode, I reflect on some of the most powerful lessons, invitations and insights of this past season. Thank you so much for lending us your ears and your time this season.  –Dr. Pam King With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

My name is Molly Downs-Stoller and I'm a gay, Christian, Marriage and Family Therapist who lives in San Diego with my wonderful wife Sue and our dog Sir Andrew James.  I have a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Point Loma Nazarene University and a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. I became a Christian in high school after going to a Southern Baptist youth group and I have been involved with conservative churches up until the day I met my wife. Meeting her totally rocked my world!  For years, I have heard preaching about homosexuality being a sin, however I found myself in love with a woman, and one who loves God. I didn't understand how our amazing love for each other could have been a sin.  Wow…I was completely wrong all of those years and I know without a doubt that God not only loves me but will never leave me. The journey that we walk as LGBTQIA Christians can be a difficult one, however it doesn't have to be a lonely one. I ended up losing my church, my best friend and my goddaughter, however I have never been happier or felt as free as I do now. I needed supportive/affirming friends and an affirming therapist to help me get to the other side of my loss and confusion and now I have the chance to walk alongside others. I have worked in the mental health field for over 15 years and have seen the healing power of faith and therapy.  I became a therapist so I could join others in the difficult stories and experiences in their lives and finding clarity and freedom in those places.  I have extensive experience working with depression, anxiety, trauma and crisis intervention. I am also Level 2 trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS), as well as EMDR. I am so truly blessed to be able to help people sort through what they believe in, how they see God, how they see themselves, and how God sees them.   So let's do this together! Molly's Previous Appearance on GAY with GOD! Connect with Molly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queerlesbiantherapist/   Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lesbiantherapist   Website: https://www.thechristiancloset.com/therapists/2022/2/2/molly-downs-stoller

This week we're discussing: Tips for Creating a Peaceful Home Base Most solo parents are not struggling to love their kids well. They are struggling to create the kind of home where that love actually lands. Where kids feel safe, settled, and like they can exhale when they walk through the door. That gap between intention and reality is something almost every solo parent feels but rarely talks about out loud. A peaceful home is not something you either have or you don't. It is something you build, through the way you communicate, the way you listen, and the way you show up on the days when everything feels like too much. And it matters more than most of us realize, because when home feels unpredictable, kids do not just feel unsettled. They start filling the silence with their own story, and that story almost always ends with the same conclusion: something is wrong with me. Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, sits down with Elizabeth Cole, a single parent, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and a single parent herself, to talk practically about what it takes to build a peaceful home base. Not a perfect one. A consistent one. Key Insights from This Episode: What you say, and how you say it, changes everything. Kids fill silence with their own story, and that story almost always puts the blame on themselves. Listening well is more powerful than having the right answer. Empathy before action helps you understand what your child actually needs, not just what the situation appears to need. A peaceful home is a slow build, not a single decision. Consistency over time is what creates safety, and safety is what peace is made of. Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App Join a Solo Parent Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram  

Poet Christian Wiman and theologian Miroslav Volf wrote each other letters in which they wrestled honestly with the big questions: what does it mean to love God? What is faith?  Letter writing deepened the friendship between these two intellectuals as they wrestled with their questions about faith and the nature of God.  The longings they discuss speak to our deepest needs for transcendence and connection.  If we're going to transcend muffled lives and cut through the noise, we need a sharp, almost brutal honesty. These letters were published in Glimmerings: Letters on Faith Between a Poet and a Theologian. The book is named after a Seamus Heaney line: “glimmerings are what the soul's composed of”.  Miroslav Volf is a Croatian-American theologian Miroslav Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founder and director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. Christian Wiman is a poet, translator, and essayist from West Texas. He served as editor of Poetry magazine from 2003 to 2013. Discussed in this episode:   Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel  Veni Creator by Czesław Miłosz Zero at the Bone by Christian Wiman With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

“I often feel like the work is kind of a disintegrative work that we’re doing, we’re allowing the patterns and the structures to release, so that there’s sort of nowhere left to go, because there’s nothing left to lose.” – Julia Bodkin Beloved Hoffman Process facilitator and psychotherapist, Julia Bodkin, first took the Process in India in her very early adulthood. After living quite a bit of life, she took it again in Australia. Now, as a trained professional in many healing modalities, Julia facilitates the Process in the U.K. She brings a lifetime of experience, wisdom, and expertise, along with her generous, vulnerable heart. In her youth, Julia wondered if there could be more to life than just getting a job and settling down. She grew up in a middle-class British family that, to her, seemed very “dull.” So she left the U.K. and travelled around India until she came to Pune, India, where she studied on and off for ten years. Along her journey, having worked within many of the great schools of spiritual transformation, Julia knew she was seeking enlightenment and an “everlasting blissful state.” Through study, teaching, and much meditation, she’s, over time, found herself settling into an awakening and the embodiment of her true nature. Julia now sees it as “settling into what is.” In teaching the Process, Julia shares how beautiful it is to watch students soften into themselves. She shares that in shedding patterns, they start “to get familiar with something that they’ve been trying to avoid, and realize how beautiful it is, and how much more open, and how much sweeter it is to have that connection with themselves.“ We know you’ll love this conversation with Julia and Drew. It’s filled with many bits of Hoffman history that might be new to you. Listen on Apple Podcasts More about Julia Bodkin: Julia Bodkin has been a Hoffman Process facilitator since 2014. She completed the Process, trained in Australia, and is now based in Devon, in the U.K., where she has a private psychotherapy practice. Julia’s work is inspired by more than 35 years of personal and professional immersion in different schools of psychotherapy and meditation. She has a degree in psychotherapy and a long career as a therapist in private practice, individually and with groups. Julia has worked as an addiction therapist at the original Priory Hospital in London. For 15 years, Julia was a co-creator and a senior facilitator of The Path of Love process. She has been a senior teacher of the Diamond Logos Teaching since the late 1990's. She has expertise and experience in Trauma Healing/SE®, Addiction Treatment, Gestalt Therapy, Group Therapy, Family Therapy & Family Constellation, and is also a Craniosacral Therapy practitioner. As a traveller, Julia has lived and worked on several continents and is passionate about supporting people in reconnecting with their true nature. As mentioned in this episode: County of Devon, South West England. •   Dartmoor, an upland area in southern Bob Hoffman, Founder of the Hoffman Process Osho Ashram, Pune, India Pokhara, Nepal •   White water rafting North of India, in the Tibetan Buddhist area of Ladakh The Path of Love Faisal Muqaddam Diamond Logos™ Teachings The Diamond Approach, Ridhwan School •   Ali Hameed Almaas (A. H. Almaas) •   Karen Johnson Claudio Naranjo •   Enneagram •   SAT: Seekers After Truth The Priory, London, England Negative Love •   A Path to Personal Freedom & Love: Written by Bob Hoffman. Download and read in PDF form. •   Listen to Drew and Andy Milberg, Hoffman teacher: Exploring the Negative Love Syndrome Zen Buddhist Koans •   How to practice Zen Koans. Spiritual Self •   Essence, the Essential Self, your True Nature  

Dr Clay and his wife experienced their own infertility journey, an experience that tested them deeply but ultimately brought them closer together.That outcome sparked a defining question: Why do some couples grow closer after infertility or pregnancy loss, while others grow apart?Pursuing this question, Dr. Clay studied more than 1,000 couples navigating infertility and reproductive loss. His findings identified four consistent factors—the Four Pillars of Connection—that predict resilience in relationships facing reproductive trauma.His research has informed clinical practice, been published in leading journals, and is now used by therapists and couples worldwide. To serve local clients, he founded Shiloh Counseling in Ballwin, Missouri, specializing in reproductive grief and relationship counseling.Dr. Clay Brigance, PhD, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor, researcher, and nationally recognized specialist in couple therapy for infertility and reproductive grief. He is the founder and clinical director of Shiloh Counseling, a group practice specializing in relationship therapy for couples navigating infertility, miscarriage, and perinatal loss. He is also the host of the podcast “Love and Infertility”.For over a decade, Dr. Brigance has worked almost exclusively with couples facing reproductive trauma. His clinical and research work has included more than 1,000 individuals and couples experiencing infertility and miscarriage, informing his integrative approach to treatment. He has published in some of the top journals for couples work, including Marriage and Family Therapy, Couple and Relationship Therapy, and The Family Journal, among others. His model draws from interpersonal mindfulness and evidence-based couple therapy approaches, including the Gottman Method and emotion-focused principles, to help couples reduce conflict, process grief, and rebuild emotional connection.Dr. Brigance is also a researcher examining the role of interpersonal mindfulness, stress biomarkers, and relational resilience in couples navigating infertility. His work seeks to better understand how couples can maintain closeness under chronic stress and how therapeutic interventions can foster long-term relational growth following reproductive loss.In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Brigance trains therapists nationally and speaks on the relational impact of infertility and reproductive grief. His work is deeply informed not only by research and clinical experience, but also by his own journey through infertility. As someone who has personally navigated the uncertainty, loss, and strain that reproductive grief can bring to a marriage, he brings a grounded empathy to his work that resonates with both clinicians and couples.Dr. Brigance lives in the St. Louis area with his family. His work is devoted to helping couples move from silent suffering toward connection, clarity, and resilient love in the face of disrupted dreams of parenthood.FIND HIM HERE:WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA: Website: https://www.drclaybrigance.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_claybrigance/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Shiloh-Counseling-LLC/100090955350701/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-brigance-phd-lpc-99a4381a4/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.ClayBrigance/featured Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/326IpwHCa0diGyJIz4QgZj?si=51d3e3c2e386477a&nd=1&dlsi=1651f7262f41401b 

The first step in finding meaning and purpose in our lives is radical acceptance of the present moment.  Dave Evans is the co-founder of the Life Design Lab at Stanford, which applies principles of design thinking to our lives. Dave and his co-founder Bill Burnett wrote the hugely popular 2016 bestseller Designing Your Life. Their new book out this year is How to Live a Meaningful Life: Using Design Thinking to Unlock Purpose, Joy, and Flow Everyday.  After listening to this episode, you'll know the three barriers that get in the way of meaning making. You'll be armed with simple yet powerful practices to savor the here and now, and you'll learn how to step your gratitude exercise up a notch.  Dave holds a BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford and a graduate diploma in Contemplative Spirituality from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He is Lecturer on the Product Design Program at Stanford, Management Consultant, and co-founder of Electronic Arts.  Mentioned in this episode: Falling Upward by  Richard Rohr  Spem in Alium Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Por estos días el Gottman Institute difundió el concepto de “Embargo sexual” acuñado por la terapeuta Jordan Rullo y no tardó en empezar a viralizarse porque suena un tanto a castigo, a retiro, a falta. En una cultura que insiste en que el sexo es un indicador de salud vincular, con toda esta difusión negativa de la recesión sexual, proponer dejar de tenerlo parece ir en contra de todo lo que aprendimos. ¿Cómo podría un vínculo mejorar su intimidad suspendiendo aquello que, en teoría, la sostiene? Un estudio del American Journal of Family Therapy del 2025 identificó las 7 amenazas a la longevidad matrimonial y ninguna de ellas fue la falta de sexo compartido. 

Why have we misunderstood what is normally involved in spiritual growth? What does it mean to say that our God is a withdrawing God?” And what do we do when the bible becomes boring and prayer seems pointless? We'll discuss these questions and more with our guest Dr. Kyle Strobel around his new book When God Seems Distant.Kyle Strobel (Ph.D. University of Aberdeen) is the director of Talbot's Institute for Spiritual Formation and Marriage and Family Therapy program. He is a systematic theologian interested in theological anthropology, Jonathan Edwards, spiritual formation and prayer. He writes both popular and academic books and articles, and is on the preaching team at Redeemer Church, La Mirada. Kyle writes regularly on kylestrobel.substack.com==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California.   Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically.   To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.  

Are you a grandparent, caregiver, or child impacted by generational trauma? Do you wrestle with questions of connection, healing, and the hope to break repeating patterns? Are you searching for authentic guidance to rewrite your family's future after abuse or neglect? I'm Laura Brazan, and in this episode of 'Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Nurturing Through Adversity,' we confront the realities of trauma and healing. Our guest, therapist and author Johnzelle Anderson, shares his powerful story as a grandchild raised by his grandmother—the very person who both nurtured and wounded him. Together, we unpack how generational abuse cycles can be disrupted with love, boundaries, and self-awareness. Learn practical tools for auditing your family's “trauma soundtracks,” building genuine connection, and fostering resilience in your grandchildren.Johnzelle is a licensed therapist by trade, and believes in the power of storytelling to heal, imagine, disrupt, and inspire. His writing focuses on mental health, race, relationships, and identity. In his book Mixtape: A Memoir, therapist and storyteller Johnzelle Anderson weaves a raw, lyrical portrait of resilience, identity, and healing. Send us Fan MailDr. Jennifer Brunton holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Columbia University and has a career spanning from college professor to high-level editor and writer for brands like Forbes and Random House. But it is her identity as a proudly Autistic parent of an Autistic son and grandmother/primary caregiver to two neurodivergent granddaughters, 2- and 3-years-old, that fuels her deepest mission. I recently interviewed her for an episode that will be live the end of August 2026.  Jill Bryant has spent years researching the deep complexities of counseling and the lived reality of kinship care as a professor and a grandparent raising a grandchild. Her work, focusing on the complete subjective well-being of kinship caregivers. Taking this 10-minute survey gives our advocates the timely, real-world data they need to fight for the funding and structural support your family deserves right now.  Kinship care—stepping up to raise your grandchildren—can often feel like an incredibly lonely journey. When custody happens unexpectedly, it's easy to feel like you are the only one navigating the trauma, the system, and the sheer exhaustion.But you aren't alone. And that is exactly why your story matters. Your unique experience holds the power to change the system for the next family. Share your story with us at laurabrazan@grandparents-raising-grandchildren.orgThank you for tuning into today's episode. It's been a journey of shared stories, insights, and invaluable advice from the heart of a community that knows the beauty and challenges of raising grandchildren. Your presence and engagement mean the world to us and to grandparents everywhere stepping up in ways they never imagined.Remember, you're not alone on this journey. For more resources, support, and stories, visit our website and follow us on our social media channels. If today's episode moved you, consider sharing it with someone who might find comfort and connection in our shared experiences.We look forward to bringing more stories and expert advice your way next week. Until then, take care of yourselves and each other.Want to be a guest on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Nurturing Through Adversity? Send Laura Brazan a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/grgLiked this episode? Share it and tag us on Facebook @GrandparentsRaisingGrandchilden Love the show? Leave a review and let us know!CONNECT WITH US: Website | Facebook 

Educational psychologist, researcher and author Dr. Todd Rose has one of the most unusual journeys of any academic. Todd dropped out of high school, became a father at a young age, and went on welfare to support his family.  Recognizing his own distinctive talents changed everything for Todd. He realized that humans are not cookie cutters: we have unique gifts, but that is not the same as individualism. We are fundamentally connected to one another. Todd went on to get a masters and doctorate from Harvard, before co-founding Populace, a thinktank which aims to research and understand individuality so people can live fulfilling lives.   In this conversation, Todd talks about our deep yearning to belong – but also the dangers of assuming we know what the group thinks, and the perils of conforming. He also explains why we're in an epidemic of resentment – and what you can do about it in your own life.  Todd's books: The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness 2016 Dark Horse: Achieving Success Through the Pursuit of Fulfillment 2018  Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions 2022 With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

I didn't know frozen shoulder was a perimenopause symptom. Neither did Melissa Monahan, this week's podcast guest, and she's a therapist living through it herself. This week Melissa joins me on the podcast to talk about the mental health side of perimenopause and menopause, and what IFS can offer women going through it. She's an IFS Level 2 therapist and host of Mindfully Meni, a podcast and Substack for women in this chapter of life -- and the people who love them. In this episode we talk about the changes happening in our inner worlds during this transition, and how IFS can help us make sense of and befriend parts whose burdens we may be noticing for the first time.  Takeaways Perimenopause is as much an identity transition as a physical one.  As estrogen drops, the manager parts lose their primary tool. Anger, anxiety, and old wounds may surface. Parts that were managed and exiled for years may now need additional care and compassion I share about my angry part around hot flashes, and what happened when I got curious instead of contemptuous.  Anger in women going through this transition is often the first time they've allowed themselves to feel it.  The polarization between shrinking completely and blowing everything up is a parts pattern, not a personality flaw.  Melissa went to PT for weeks for a frozen shoulder that kept getting worse. A surgeon finally told her it was common in women her age. Nobody had connected it to perimenopause. That's the gap she's trying to close. Community is not optional. It is medicine. Be sure to check out my extended interview with Melissa over on The One Inside on Substack   About Melissa Melissa Monahan is a licensed mental health counselor and IFS Level 2 therapist specializing in perimenopause and menopause. She integrates IFS, EMDR, and Brainspotting to support women through the hormonal and emotional dimensions of this transition, with a focus on the mental health conversation perimenopause deserves. She hosts Mindfully Meni, a podcast and Substack community for women in this chapter and for the people who love them. Melissa also offers clinical consultation for therapists working with this population and is building resources for clinicians.  Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Therapy Training Boston. Therapy Training Boston offers live, in-person, and online workshops, plus consultation for therapists and other helping professionals, designed to support you as a whole person while satisfying your CE requirements. All of their offerings are taught with an eye toward context, power, and relational justice, and draw on the family systems theories and best practices that shaped the IFS model. They also offer an Intensive Certificate Program in Couples and Family Therapy to help you build confidence and capacity in community.  About The One Inside I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.  Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more. Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store. Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube. Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger. I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach. Resources New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start. Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away. Sponsorship Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

Text me a question I might answer through the showRecent studies indicate that about one in four Americans experience some form of family estrangement.  This statistic is alarming, as many individuals report feeling deeply troubled by this estrangement. A significant portion of these estrangements occur between parents and their adult children, emphasizing the need for understanding and addressing familial relationships.  In this podcast and video, expert guest Dr. Tamsen Thorpe and I explore the causes, implications and solutions for family estrangement, drawing on insights from experts in psychology and family dynamics.What is Family Estrangement?Family estrangement refers to a cutoff in communication or contact between family members. It ranges from complete no contact to limited interactions, such as only connecting through social media. It is not always a straightforward situation; some families might maintain superficial ties while feeling emotionally distant. Understanding these nuances is crucial for addressing the underlying issues that contribute to estrangement.Support the showThis show was created with love on my volunteer time.   One small gift you can give me back is to take the time to leave the show a comment and rating on iTunes.  You can also support the production costs of the show by buying me a $3 coffee at buymeacoffee.com/dralexandra.  I will be encouraged by your support, and thank you!  

 When Jeff Chu turned up to work as a farmhand, he didn't know anything about gardening. He says he actually had more experience killing plants than nurturing them. But this wasn't just any farm: this was the Farminary, a 21-acre experiment in sustainable agriculture that's part of Princeton Theological Seminary. Jeff calls it the world's best classroom.  Writer, reporter, preacher and teacher Jeff Chu went on to write Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand, a memoir of his season at the Farminary. In today's conversation, he shared some of the gems of wisdom that he gleaned from his time there.  He shared what we can learn about life and death from the compost pile; how to move through grief; and why belonging isn't something we're entitled to. It's something we create for each other that requires the hard work of intimacy and vulnerability.  Jeff is teacher in residence at Crosspointe Church in North Carolina; parish associate for storytelling and witness at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley in California. He's also a Ph.D. student in theology at the University of Stellenbosch, a Minister of Word and sacrament in the Reformed Church in America and author of Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America and co-author, with the late Rachel Held Evans, of the New York Times best-seller Wholehearted Faith.  With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

This week we're discussing Getting Out of Our Comfort Zone. Most of us have a version of life we have quietly decided is good enough. Not thriving, maybe, but manageable. And when you are doing this alone, manageable starts to feel like a win. The problem is that manageable has a way of becoming permanent if nobody asks the harder question: is this actually where you want to stay? Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, and Elizabeth Cole, single parent and co-host, sit down with Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and single parent herself, to get honest about what the comfort zone actually costs and what it looks like to take one step out of it without blowing up the life you have worked hard to build. Key Insights from This Episode Familiar is not the same as free. What feels like stability may actually be avoidance wearing the clothes of comfort. There is a real difference between the growth zone and the panic zone. One stretches you with purpose; the other pushes you past your limits and burns you out. One small step is not a consolation prize. Starting smaller than you think you need to is exactly how lasting growth happens. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Judith Bardwick - Danger in the Comfort Zone Brene Brown Jon Acuff — Soundtracks Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App  Join a Solo Parent Online Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram  

 What parts of yourself need more attention? What would it mean for those parts to be given space? Today's conversation dives deep into these questions, leading to a conversation on what it means to be fully alive – and the individual and systemic obstacles that can get in the way of thriving.  Brad and Christin spoke openly about how they confront issues of power and privilege. And they also shared their wisdom on what it really means to bring spirituality into the therapist's office; and how we can reframe unhealthy experiences of spirituality and religion.  Dr. Brad Strawn is a licensed psychologist, ordained minister, and one of the leading figures in the integration of psychology and Christian theology in the U.S. He is the Evelyn and Frank Freed Chief of Spiritual Formation and Integration, Dean of the Chapel, and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Fuller Graduate School of Psychology. His latest book is The Integrative Mindset: Pathways to Practicing as a Christian Clinician Dr. Christin Fort is a therapist and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary who specializes in the integration of clinical psychology and biblical theology. Her scholarship, research, teaching, preaching, and clinical practice lie at the intersections of faith, race, emotional health, and relational well-being.  With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

What if the biggest barrier to your leadership effectiveness isn't your strategy or team but the emotional patterns you developed long before you ever became a leader? If you've ever struggled with delegation, micromanagement, conflict avoidance, or the pressure to constantly prove yourself as a leader, this episode will hit close to home. You'll discover how your attachment style quietly shapes the way you lead, communicate, build trust, and respond under pressure, and why improving your leadership effectiveness starts with greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and psychological safety. What You'll Gain From This Episode: Learn how secure leaders create trust-filled environments where teams feel safe to innovate, collaborate, and perform at a higher level. Discover the hidden connection between childhood attachment patterns and leadership behaviors like micromanaging, people-pleasing, or avoiding vulnerability. Understand practical ways to strengthen emotional intelligence, improve self-awareness, and intentionally change leadership habits that may be limiting your growth. Ready to become a more self-aware, emotionally intelligent leader? Play this episode to uncover the mindset shifts that can dramatically improve your leadership effectiveness and transform the way your team responds to you. Check out: 08:45 – Dr. Jaime Goff explains the two core questions that shape leadership behavior: "Am I worthy?" and "Are other people trustworthy?" — a foundational moment for understanding leadership effectiveness. 24:10 – The conversation dives into how insecure attachment styles show up in leadership through micromanagement, lack of trust, and difficulty delegating. 41:30 – Jim and Jaime discuss how leaders can actually rewire unhealthy leadership patterns through self-awareness, emotional regulation, and intentional behavioral change. About Dr. Jaime Goff Dr. Jaime Goff is the founder of The Empathic Leader, LLC, where she specializes in helping leaders unlock their full potential through executive coaching, insightful workshops, and thought-provoking keynotes. With her unique blend of expertise in psychology and leadership development, Jaime helps individuals and teams navigate their toughest challenges, build resilience, and achieve transformative growth. In addition to her coaching and speaking, Jaime serves as the Director of Leadership Development for an international healthcare system, where she designs and leads innovative programs that inspire leaders to thrive. Her career began in higher education as a professor of Couple and Family Therapy and later as an academic dean. Dr. Goff's thought leadership has been featured in academic journals and industry magazines. She shares her insights regularly on her blog and LinkedIn, where she engages a thriving community. A seasoned speaker, Jaime has delivered presentations and workshops at more than 30 professional conferences. 

In an industry with high turnover and lots of workers fresh out of school, on-the-job education is par for the course. But even for experienced owners and managers, the skills needed to handle personal and performance issues that come up in the salon are often not fully developed. That's why were so lucky to have a conversation with today's guest, Araceli Castañeda. Araceli is a leadership trainer in Summit Salon Business Center's Leadership and Wellness Training division. She's also COO, General Manager and an owner at The Fixx Hair Studio in New Braunfels, Texas. Araceli has a bachelors degree in psychology and a masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.   As Araceli shares with host Blake Reed Evans, managers should go into conversations with employees with an attitude of curiosity. You'll get a lot from this conversation with two seasoned salon leaders including: What kind of questions to ask How to listen Understanding generational shifts in expections of reward and disapointment Advice for checking internal biases Self-regulation mini-skills for leaders Legal and ethical limitations of managment-employee conversations RESOURCES Learn more about Araceli and schedule a 30 minute discovery call. You can also email her at acastaneda@summitsalon.com. Sign up for Araceli's Summit leadership subscription series.  Take the Summit Owner Burnout Diagnostic, a research-backed self-assessment to help salon owners identify burnout patterns and receive personalized recommendations for sustainable wellness. Find more information about burnout and the diagnostic tool here.  Follow Summit Salon Business Center on Instagram @SummitSalon, and on TikTok at SummitSalon. SUMM IT UP is now on YouTube! Watch extended cuts of our interviews at www.youtube.com/@summitunlockedFind host Blake Reed Evans on Instagram @BlakeReedEvans and on TikTok at blakereedevans. His DM's are always open! You can email Blake at bevans@summitsalon.com. Visit us at SummitSalon.com to connect with others in the industry. SUMM IT UP is produced and edited by Andrea Muraskin. The executive producer is Tim Fisk.

In this episode, Jenni and Daniel talk with infidelity expert Michelle Weiner-Davisabout how couples can rebuild sex, safety, and emotional connection after an affair. They normalize everything from “hot and heavy” post-discovery sex to long dry spells, and offer practical tools for easing back into touch, managing triggers, and shifting from obligation to genuine desire. Michelle also explains why she believes choice—not a “bad marriage”—causes infidelity, and how he two-day intensives help couples move from crisis to traction. Bullet Points: It’s common for betrayed partners to feel increased sexual desire for the unfaithful spouse right after discovery—this can be a form of reclaiming and reconnection, not something to be ashamed of. After an initial “hot and heavy” phase, sex often cools down, which can trigger panic that the couple is sliding back into old patterns. Rebuilding intimacy works best when couples start with low‑ pressure touch (like hugs that are explicitly not a prelude to sex) instead of jumping straight to intercourse. Many women experience sex as obligation—understanding responsive desire and their own pleasure can shift sex from duty to something they actively want. Michelle argues that “bad marriages don’t cause infidelity; deciding to cheat does”, and she uses two‑ day therapy intensives to give couples enough time to stabilize, process, and begin real repair. Links: Michele@divorcebusting.com2-day intensive InformationAudiobook: Healing from InfidelityWebsite: DivorceBusting.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're discussing What's Holding You Back and How It's Affecting Your Kids. Growth doesn't always announce itself as something you're missing. Sometimes you're functioning, even thriving in some areas, and still carrying patterns that are quietly working against you. Denial, shame spiraling, overcompensating, running to busyness or numbing out. You don't have to be falling apart to need this. You just have to be human. And the way you're handling the hard things right now is already shaping the way your kids will learn to handle theirs. Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, and Elizabeth Cole, single parent and co-host, sit down with Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and a single parent herself, to name the patterns that quietly keep solo parents from growing. Amber brings both clinical insight and lived experience, speaking not just as a therapist but as someone who has navigated the same hard terrain. Together they get honest about the traps, and the part nobody talks about enough: how those patterns find their way into our kids. Key Insights from This Episode Naming the trap is the most courageous first step. Whether it shows up as denial, shame spiraling, or overcompensating, you cannot grow through something you are not willing to honestly look at. Staying in the river is a learnable skill. Sitting with hard emotions rather than escaping to busyness or apathy is not something you either have or don't; it is something you practice, and it gets easier. Your growth is already teaching your kids something. More is caught than taught, and when you do the work of facing your own struggles honestly, that becomes one of the most powerful things you can model. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Chip Dodd - Living Fully in the River - Podcast Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App  Join a Solo Parent Online Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram  

 When it comes to thriving, listening to our inner compass is crucial. Living out our purpose alongside others can only really happen when we use the tool of discernment. But that can often feel kind of daunting. It's hard to know where to begin.  Bonnie Wan has developed a three-step process for tuning into our true desires – and then putting them into action.  Bonnie Wan is a strategist, bestselling author and creator of The Life Brief: A Playbook for No-Regrets Living. She took the idea of a brief from her marketing campaigns, and repurposed it for our creative and spiritual lives. Bonnie shares her challenging experience writing her own life brief – and the surprising path it led her down.  Bonnie walks us through how to apply the life brief to a big decision, which begins with allowing our human messiness to come to the surface. And more often than not, living out our purpose is relational.  Bonnie has over 30 years of experience guiding major companies. At advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Bonnie has led strategy for BMW, Comcast/Xfinity, Frito-Lay, HP, Kraft-Heinz, and PepsiCo. She also led award-winning campaigns fighting racial injustice, child sex trafficking, cyberbullying, college campus rape, and gender inequality.  With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health.  Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

In this episode, we dive into the powerful insights of Dr. Kim, also known as “The Parentologist,” and her transformative approach to raising emotionally connected, confident children. Drawing from her clinical work and her new book Parenting Through Play, we explore how play is truly the language of childhood—and how, as adults, we often forget its importance.Dr. Kim reminds us that while parents tend to rely on words, children communicate through play. When we meet them in that space, we unlock deeper trust, understanding, and connection. This episode highlights how play isn't just fun—it's a foundational tool for building self-confidence, emotional security, and strong parent-child relationships.We also discuss the importance of validation: seeing our children, hearing them, and responding in ways that foster trust and reciprocity. Dr. Kim offers practical, relatable strategies that feel accessible and real—no overwhelming jargon, just guidance that meets you where you are as a parent.In addition, we touch on a topic that's often overlooked: the parent's own emotional regulation. From navigating the transition between work and home life to managing stress in everyday parenting moments, Dr. Kim provides tools to help you stay grounded so you can show up fully for your children.Whether you're parenting a baby, toddler, or child up to age 12, this episode is packed with meaningful takeaways. If your goal is to build trust, deepen connection, and nurture confidence in your child, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.About Dr. Kim:Dr. Kim is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Play Therapist, author of Parenting Through Play: Creative Strategies for Building Better Behavior, Deeper Connection, and Positive Communication, and host of The Parentologist Podcast. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Sociology from UCLA, a Master's in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University, and both a Master's and Doctorate in Psychology with a focus on Marital and Family Therapy.With over 20 years of experience as a public speaker, Dr. Kim has worked extensively in television and radio. Prior to earning her doctorate, she spent five years in Los Angeles as a National Account Manager for Clear Channel Communications, specializing in sales, marketing, and advertising. Following her doctoral work, she served for five years as a Program Manager at a nonprofit agency, where she implemented a positive behavior support program across more than 20 elementary schools. She has also worked as a Behavior Consultant and Supervisor, supporting families with children on the autism spectrum.Follow her on Instagram : @theparentologist

In this episode of I Wish They Taught That in School, I sit down with my wife, Renee Brna, to talk about something rarely discussed openly: the quiet shame many mothers carry. Before entering the mental health field, Renee spent 20 years as a professional performer in theater, television, and music. She began working in crisis support and client services more than a decade ago, and after stepping back to raise her children, she returned with a focus on research and clinical training. She’s now a graduate student therapist pursuing a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Ahead of the release of her new book, A Happy Healthy Mom—a revised and expanded second edition of Mother Nurture, co-authored with Rick Hanson, Jan Hanson, and Ricky Polycove—Renee shares insights into the emotional realities of modern motherhood. We explore how unrealistic expectations—especially those amplified by social media—can leave new moms feeling like they're falling short, even when they're doing everything right. This conversation dives into identity, comparison, mental health, and how to redefine what it actually means to be a “good mom.” If you've ever felt like you're not measuring up—or love someone who feels that way—this episode is for you.

What are the hidden, unconscious forces that shape how we lead—why we react the way we do, why some situations knock us off center, and how we can build the internal security to lead with more empathy, clarity, and connection?My guest, Dr. Jaime Goff, is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and founder of The Empathic Leader, where she now works full-time helping leaders “lead from security, not fear.”With a Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy and two decades in organizational leadership, Jaime translates attachment theory, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence into practical tools leaders can use immediately. Her new book, The Secure Leader, helps readers uncover the narratives shaping their leadership, regulate under pressure, and create environments where their teams can thrive.We dig into why our brains love stories, and how those stories can limit us, what to do when leaders can't see their own unhelpful narratives, why adaptive challenges can't be solved with technical solutions, and the essential first step to emotionally regulate in today's turbulent world.To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com, search by episode title.Listen in for…The connection between parenting leadership and team leadership. How early experiences influence leadership behavior. How insecurity blocks empathy and team flourishing.What leaders can do to build internal security and lead with more calm and clarity.Strategies and daily habits for emotional regulation and stress tolerance to be a better leader."You end up stifling the growth and development of your team because you're holding on to so much control that you don't let go of the reins and you don't empower them. You don't let them experiment, innovate, learn, and grow.” — Dr. Jaime Goff Episode References: Dr. Jaime Goff's Secure Leader Style Scan: https://drjaimegoff.com/secure-leader-style-scanAbout Jaime Goff, PhD, Founder, The Empathic Leader, and Author of The Secure Leader:Dr. Jaime Goff is an executive coach, leadership strategist, and founder of The Empathic Leader, where she now works full-time helping leaders “lead from security, not fear.” She previously served as Director of Leadership Development at CHRISTUS Health, designing programs for more than 45,000 associates, and she brings a powerful blend of research and real-world experience to her work.With a Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy and two decades in organizational leadership, Jaime translates attachment theory, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence into practical tools leaders can use immediately. Her new book, The Secure Leader, helps readers rewrite unhelpful narratives shaping their leadership, regulate under pressure, and create environments where their teams can thrive.Whether delivering a keynote, facilitating workshops, or engaging in one-on-one coaching, Jaime is known for weaving research with relatable stories to spark insight and lasting behavior change.Connect with Jaime:The Empathic Leader, LLC: drjaimegoff.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drjaimegoffInstagram: instagram.com/dr_jaimegoffBook: The Secure Leader by Dr. Jaime Goff Connect with Maria:Get Maria's books: Red-Slice.com/booksHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Courses! Leading with Empathy and Balancing Empathy, Accountability, and Results as a Leader LinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red SliceGet your copy of The Empathy Dilemma here- www.theempathydilemma.com

Help us plan season 4. We want to hear from you. Take our survey now! https://forms.gle/doQYx73hoPU2tRdC7  Social connection is critical for our wellbeing – it's as important as shelter and food. Combating loneliness can feel risky sometimes - especially if it means reaching out to a stranger. We might fear awkwardness or even rejection. But it's worth it.  Dr. Natalie Kerr and Dr. Jaime Kurtz are psychologists and professors at James Madison University. Together their work focuses on social connection and how modern life shapes our relationships. Their new book is Our New Social Life: Science-Backed Strategies for Creating Meaningful Connection.  Natalie and Jamie discuss some of the barriers to making connections that we need to watch out for. And they share those all-important practical tools to deepen our relationships and combat loneliness. We also talk about how our spiritual lives can make us feel more connected – even when we're alone.  Resources ​​Seven Barriers to Building More Meaningful Connection Interview with John Cacioppo on loneliness  How to Build Bonds with Others Creating Meaningful Connections With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Dr. Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

[CONTENT WARNING]: Rape, sexual assault, and suicidal ideationToday, Jan is joined by Rachel Hunter, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist whose passion is working with survivors of trauma and Complex PTSD. Rachel began working in the mental health field in 2016 while pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She went on to earn her Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University. Rachel's passion for working with trauma and C-PTSD comes from her own lived experiences as a survivor of rape, sexual exploitation, and sexual assault. She feels an important part of her own healing has come from learning about trauma, connecting with other survivors, and consistently investing in therapy. Rachel strives to use her expertise and personal experience to help others heal from trauma and thrive as survivors.Rachel is here to talk about her journey to becoming a therapist and her personal experiences with complex PTSD. Jan and Rachel discuss the impact of childhood experiences on relationships, the importance of self-worth and self-respect, and some steps to take in the direction of healing. Rachel shares her insights on building healthy coping mechanisms, practicing self-care, and mitigating suicidal ideation. She also introduces the SEEDS technique, which stands for sleep, eating, exercise, doctor's orders, and something for you to use as a tool for self-improvement and well-being; such as self-care, socializing, or sobriety. In this conversation, Jan and Rachel discuss various aspects of mental health, particularly focusing on living with clinical depression and seeking happiness and joy. They explore the concept of learned helplessness and the importance of taking control of one's life. They also discuss the power of making different choices and recognizing one's worthiness. The conversation emphasizes the importance of self-care, self-love, and finding hope and empowerment. Ultimately, they highlight the lifelong relationship with oneself and the potential for healing and empowering others.If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or suicidal ideation, please access the resources below:National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988National Sexual Assault Hotline  (RAINN) : 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)National Alliance for Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264Subscribe / Support / Contact:

 Help us plan season 4. We want to hear from you. Take our survey now! https://forms.gle/doQYx73hoPU2tRdC7 Nicholas Ma is an award-winning film director, writer, and producer. He produced Won't You Be My Neighbor?, about the life of Fred Rogers, which became one of the highest-grossing biographical documentaries ever made.  Nicholas' latest movie Leap of Faith, is an incredibly ambitious, raw documentary that brought together 12 Christian leaders – with very different views – in an attempt to find some common ground.  In all his work, you can see Nicolas' thriving qualities of curiosity and deep patience come through. In this episode, we talked about making bold decisions in life, the intersection of art and faith, and a simple practice for making the world a little better, one ripple effect at a time. Won't You By My Neighbor? Leap of Faith The American Revival With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health.  Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

You feeling this episode? Send us a text!Without looking, how many states still have child marriage on the docket? What' the age of consent in your state? Child marriage shouldn't be in any state or country's laws. Let children be children. You can't tell a child, yes a teen is still a child that they have rights when it comes to driving, voting, and military sign up but it's reneged when it comes to sex and marriage. Young girls should not have to choose when they can be children. We shouldn't have to be the only one protecting our childhood. Childhood is ONLY 18 year. Adulthood is everything else. Tune in now!Support the show

My friend Josh Otani (Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Utah State University and a Bachelor's in Psychology with a minor in Family Life from Brigham Young University; active LDS) joins us to talk about: * How to build a healthier tools and perspectives about the sexual part of ourselves * Untangling shame from our sexual part—not something that needs to be “covered up” * It's beautiful, inherent, and life giving * Thoughts are part of our experience—be curious—not your identity * Agency is after our thoughts—act within our value system * Working through betrayal trauma (ourselves and our role to help others) * Developing “safety and security” in a marriage comes at a price—the price of being vulnerable * Discussion of how to create a culture of vulnerability * Being a peacemaker—fresh perspective This is a super powerful episode to talk sexual shame and how to develop better tools and perspectives to do better. I wish I had listened to a podcast like this a long time ago—before becoming a parent and in my church assignments. I could have done such a better job to help reduce shame and a much more positive perspective on their road to recovery. Thank you Josh for being on the podcast. You are doing much good in our community. You give me hope. Links: For anyone who would like to connect, feel free to reach out or schedule a 20-minute consultation through the following: Website: https://bigvalleytherapy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigvalleytherapy/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@big.valley.therapy?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578825803249 Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/porn-addiction-betrayal-trauma-josh-otani-sandy-ut/1252682 If you're a church leader, please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like me to come speak with you personally or present to a group (youth, Elders Quorum, etc.).

Today, Beatrice Chestnut interviews Wilder Heath about his journey with the Enneagram and his experience as a Self-Preservation 4. In this episode, Wilder shares how his path of self-discovery involved testing different types, recognizing patterns of envy, and understanding his tendency to intensely absorb emotions and identities.Based in Seattle, Washington, Wilder is a psychotherapist, Hakomi therapist, and Enneagram life coach. He has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology with a dual focus in Marriage & Family Therapy and Drama Therapy. He has been a practicing mental health professional for over 10 years and maintains Professional Certification from CP Enneagram Academy.Learn more about Wilder's work at https://www.wilderheath.com Like learning about the Enneagram from Bea and Uranio? Join a community of Enneagram enthusiasts and participate in live monthly webinars and Q&As with Bea and Uranio. Sign up for a FREE trial of CP Online membership at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learn.cpenneagram.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to discover which Enneagram type you could be? Visit our webpage ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://enneagramcompass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn about the Enneagram test they created, Enneagram Compass.Please subscribe and share this podcast with others. It will help us out a lot!Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ChestnutPaesEnneagramAcademyFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/cpenneagramSign up for our newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://cpenneagram.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Questions? ⁠hello@cpenneagram.com

When your child looks you dead in the eyes and asks, “Is Santa real?”

This week we're discussing Creating a Stable Home for Our Kids. The deeper fear most solo parents carry isn't about logistics. It's the worry that the tension, the grief, the moments of emotional checkout just to survive the day, are quietly shaping who their kids are becoming. And underneath that fear lives a question worth asking out loud: is one parent really enough to give a child real stability? The answer is yes. Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, Elizabeth Cole, a single parent, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and a single mom herself, work through that question with honesty and care. What creates stability for kids isn't a two-parent household. It's about presence, self-awareness, and the rhythms you build at home. Solo parents navigating this topic know the weight of it. The pressure to be both mom and dad. The anxiety about what happens in a home you can't control. The struggle to hold routines together when your own emotional reserves are running low. Key Insights from This Episode: One present parent is enough. Your kids don't need a two-parent household to feel secure. They need you, consistently showing up. Self-awareness is the foundation. You can't offer emotional stability to your kids if you haven't first done the work of knowing what's happening inside you. Routines are how kids learn the world is safe. The rhythms and rituals you build at home aren't just organizational. They are how your kids develop a sense of security. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Love as a Boundary with Dr. Henry Cloud Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App  Join a Solo Parent Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram  

Help us plan season 4. We want to hear from you. Take our survey now! https://forms.gle/doQYx73hoPU2tRdC7  Lauded MIT professor Rosalind Picard invents technologies that help people better understand emotions and behaviors that impact human wellbeing and health.  In 1997 she wrote an incredibly influential book called Affective Computing, which proposed giving skills of emotional intelligence to computers.  Rosalind grew up atheist but she's now a devout Christian–and in this eye-opening conversation, she shares exactly how her faith impacts her work with technology.  We talked about AI's morality–or lack thereof–and its flaws, but also talked about how AI might enhance our relationships with other human beings. Rosalind shares the one thing she believes AI cannot do for us. Rosalind Picard, Sc.D., is a scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, author, and engineer. She is the Grover M. Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at the MIT Media Lab. Links and resources: About Rosalind's work Recent publications 1997 book Affective Computing Rosalind's journey from atheism to faith in Christianity Today  With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health.  Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

This week we're discussing How to Find Stability When Nothing is Stable. You are holding more than most people will ever see. The bills, the decisions, the late-night worries, the questions your kids ask that you don't have answers to. And somewhere underneath all the managing and the doing is a feeling that doesn't have a clean name: a low-grade unsteadiness, like the ground beneath you is just slightly off. Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, joins Elizabeth Cole, single parent and co-host, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and single parent herself, for an honest conversation about what it actually takes to feel grounded when life keeps shifting. Amber brings both clinical insight and personal experience to the table, speaking not just as a therapist but as someone who has navigated the same uncertainty solo parents know well. This conversation gets honest about what actually sits at the center of why stability feels so out of reach for solo parents. Unprocessed grief quietly blocks forward motion, keeping you stuck between the life you lost and the one you're trying to build. The instinct to stay busy or numb out works against you, pushing away the very stillness that restores steadiness. And when a real, pressing crisis lands with no partner to call on, knowing how to take one grounded step forward can make all the difference. Key Insights from This Episode: Naming what you're carrying is the first step toward putting it down. Unprocessed grief doesn't disappear when ignored; it becomes the weight that quietly keeps you from building what's next. Inner stability is built by plugging back into a grounding source, not by solving everything at once. Whether it's prayer, stillness, or a simple morning ritual, returning to something steady is what keeps you anchored. Small, repeatable anchors create the predictability that stability is actually made of. You don't need to fix everything; you need a few things you can count on, and the courage to ask for help when the problem is bigger than you. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Atomic Habits by James Clear Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App  Join a Solo Parent Online Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram

In our fractured and sometimes dark world, we so often focus on the leading causes of death – but what if we focused our energy on what gives life? That is the pioneering work of my guests today. Dr. Somava Saha and Rev. Dr. Gary Gunderson are leaders in public health. And while they come from very different faith traditions, together they believe that communities have within them the belonging, agency, and wisdom to thrive.  Gary Gunderson is an ordained Baptist minister and professor of Faith and Health at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. He developed the five leading causes of life: agency, coherence, connection, generativity and hope. Gary has managed major faith and healthcare collaborations where he saw these causes in action.  Dr. Somava Saha is a Baha'i, and has dedicated her career to intergenerational wellbeing. She's currently CEO of Wellbeing and Equity in the World, and her work has reached millions of lives. Through this conversation, recorded in cooperation with Interfaith America, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how to tap into the power and resourcefulness that exist in the communities you serve -- and how you can work towards being a better ancestor.  Leading Causes of Life Betterancestors.org With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Dr. Antonio Pascual-Leone is an expert on change. He's spent over a 10 years studying how change happens across different therapy models. Turns out there are only 5 types of changes. Down regulation Emotional awareness Deeping emotion to make new meaning, Changing emotion and Cognitive reframing. Therapists often get stuck when clients need one type of change (i.e. emotional awareness) but a therapist is using a model which specializes in another type of change (ie cognitive reframing). In this interview we discuss the 5 types of change, talk about when to use them, and more importantly when NOT to use them. Jordan Harris, Ph.D., LMFT-S, LPC-S, received his Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisiana Monroe. He is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Arkansas, USA. In his clinical work, he enjoys working with couples. He also runs a blog on deliberate practice for therapists and counselors at Jordanthecounselor.com You can find him on linkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-harris-lpc-s-lmft-s-418412301/ Antonio Pascual-Leone is a clinician psychologist and full professor in Psychology at University of Windsor, Canada, as well as an honorary professor of Psychiatry at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Regarded as a world expert on emotion change, he has published seminal contributions to psychotherapy theory and research. His books include the recently released "Principles of Emotion" (APA, 2026), which has been praised as a contemporary classic, as well as "Emotion Focused Therapy for Complex Trauma" (APA, 2nd ed. 2023). His work is recognized by career awards from the Society for Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (2009) and Society for Psychotherapy Research (2014), as well as publication awards from American Psychological Association (2010) and the Society for the Research and Treatment of Personality Disorder (2016). A certified trainer in Emotion-focused Therapy, he has delivered over 50 clinical workshops in over a dozen countries. His TEDx talk on resolving relational trauma has been viewed over 6.4 million times. He has received awards for teaching and mentorship (2016; 2018; 2024), for his approach to psychotherapy training. Dr. Pascual-Leone maintains a private practice, providing therapy to individuals and couples.

Tim Green sits down with his children for an unfiltered, deeply personal conversation on family, faith, regret, and legacy, turning the interview into something closer to real family therapy. Through candid questions, Tim reflects on fatherhood, ALS, and what ultimately matters most. SPONSORS: ElevenLabs: Thanks to ElevenLabs (⁠https://elevenlabs.io⁠) for supporting this episode and powering Tim's voice. SOCIAL: Website: ⁠https://nlupod.com/⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/nlutimgreen⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/NLUpod⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/nlupod⁠ PERSONAL: Tackle ALS: ⁠https://www.tackleals.com⁠ Tim Green Books: ⁠https://authortimgreen.com⁠ Tim's New Book - ROCKET ARM: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062796895/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I welcome Irina Diyankova back to the podcast. Her last episode,  Is It Trauma or Neurodivergence?  was one of our most popular.  This time we explore what happens when "going inside" during an IFS session becomes hard for clients. She finds this is especially true with neurodivergent and C-PTSD clients.  Irina shares why externalization can be so helpful in these cases. Instead of relying only on what's happening internally, bringing things outside, like mapping, speaking out loud, connecting visually or relationally, really help. We also talk about how IFS isn't a cookie-cutter model. We all respond differently, and part of the work is noticing what helps you stay engaged and attuned to a particular client's system. One of my favorite segments was hearing her talk about building community inside with part-to-part relationships. This is where we help parts notice each other, listen, and begin to relate differently. These part-to-part connections are just as important in the healing process as Self-to-part. We also talk about slowing things down in session, and how that's a small-but-critical opportunity for healing. Saying, "what you just said is important," or "tell me more about that." For many people, that kind of attention wasn't there growing up. It can feel unfamiliar, and also really supportive. Later in the conversation, Irina shares about her experience with cancer, being in remission, and what it's been like to be with her system in the process. She talks about holding different parts at the same time, and relating to cancer not as something to fight, but something to understand. Don't miss my short extended interview with Irina over on Substack, where she shares what's giving her hope lately.  Takeaways from this episode: • Externalizing can make parts work more accessible when staying inside feels hard • IFS isn't one-size-fits-all; adjust based on what you need • Slowing down and naming something as important can help people feel seen • "Community inside" means parts noticing and relating to each other • When Self isn't available, part-to-part connection still helps • Orienting parts to the present can reduce overwhelm • What helps you stay engaged when going inside feels hard? Links: Medium article: Dancing With Cancer Using IFS with Complex Trauma Clients workshop About Irina Diyankova Irina Diyankova, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist, certified IFS therapist, Approved IFS Clinical Consultant, and a Co-Lead Trainer. She has private practice in Knoxville, TN, USA where she specializes in working with complex trauma in adults and adolescents and intersection of trauma and neurodifferences. Irina also maintains consultation practice where she offers individual and group consultation to the IFS therapists and those who are in the process of learning IFS. Being born and raised in Russia, Irina has a special interest in applying IFS across cultures, as well as working with cultural dynamics and burdens. Irina has completed all three levels of IFS training. SHe has also conducted multiple IFS workshops and consultation groups in the US and Russia. She is very passionate and excited about IFS Model and loves sharing it with other therapists and human services professionals. In her leisure time she loves practicing yoga, hiking, traveling, reading and writing.  You can learn more about her work at dr-irina.com Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by Therapy Training Boston. Therapy Training Boston offers live, in-person, and online workshops, plus consultation for therapists and other helping professionals, designed to support you as a whole person while satisfying your CE requirements. All of their offerings are taught with an eye toward context, power, and relational justice, and draw on the family systems theories and best practices that shaped the IFS model. They also offer an Intensive Certificate Program in Couples and Family Therapy to help you build confidence and capacity in community.  About The One Inside I started this podcast to help spread IFS out into the world and make the model more accessible to everyone. Seven years later, that's still at the heart of all we do.  Join The One Inside Substack community for bonus conversations, extended interviews, meditations, and more. Find Self-Led merch at The One Inside store. Listen to episodes and watch clips on YouTube. Follow me on Instagram @ifstammy or on Facebook at The One Inside with Tammy Sollenberger. I co-create The One Inside with Jeff Schrum, a Level 2 IFS practitioner and coach. Resources New to IFS? My book, The One Inside: Thirty Days to Your Authentic Self, is a great place to start. Want a free meditation? Sign up for my email list and get "Get to Know a Should Part" right away. Sponsorship Want to sponsor an episode of The One Inside? Email Tammy. 

 We often think of sacred texts like the Bible as being rigid, set in stone. But actually they're really nuanced and complex, and crucially, they allow us to bring our own complexity. Dr. Janette H. Ok is a New Testament professor at Fuller Seminary. She empowers her students to embrace their unique perspectives and backgrounds, and use those as powerful tools in biblical reflection. In this conversation, Janette also explains how wisdom isn't something you master, but a way of living you can cultivate. And she shares a practice for how we can go beyond quick Biblical memes, and dive deep into what might transform us. Links and resources: About Janette About Saint Augustine of Hippo With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org. Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

I have never wanted to give much credit to genetics or my upbringing. I wanted to feel, and really did, like I'm my own person. Until sometime in my 40s when I realized I kept repeating some patterns that weren't helping me. Today I amaze myself at the impact our upbringing and family has on us. All of us. For better and worse, but as people so want to be their “authentic selves,” I wonder how fully authentic we can ever be. So…I have an expert. My guest and guide on this subject is Vienna Pharaon. She has a book called The Origins of You: How Breaking Family Patterns Can Liberate the Way We Live and Love. Vienna has been posting her insights, driven from thousands of patient encounters, on Instagram and has over 700k followers tuning in to find their authentic selves. Vienna Pharaon is a licensed marriage and family therapist and one of New York City's most sought after relationship therapists. She has practiced therapy for almost 20 years and is the founder and owner of the group practice, Mindful Marriage and Family Therapy. Pharaon has been featured in The Economist, Netflix, Vice, and Motherly, and has led workshops for Peloton and Netflix, amongst others. Vienna has become a therapist that many other therapists look to for guidance. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're discussing The One Parenting Skill That Changes Everything. There are nights when you replay the whole day. The sharp word before school. The moment you lost patience and immediately wished you could take it back. As a solo parent, guilt settles in fast. It sits with you through dinner, through bedtime, through the quiet after the kids are asleep. You wonder if the damage is already done. But what if the thing you're most afraid of admitting is actually the very thing that could change everything? Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, sits down with Elizabeth Cole, single parent and co-host, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and single parent herself, to talk honestly about repair: what it is, what gets in the way, and how to actually do it. This conversation gets honest about something most solo parents feel but rarely say out loud. The guilt from past mistakes can sit for a long time when you don't know where to begin. Shame, survival mode, and never having seen repair modeled growing up all make it harder. And even when the desire is there, knowing what to actually do in the moment is its own challenge. Key Insights from This Episode: Repair is one of the most powerful gifts you can give your child. When a parent owns a mistake, it builds trust, validates a child's feelings, and shows them that being human is not something to be ashamed of. Toxic shame, lack of modeling, and the pace of solo life are the biggest barriers to repair. Naming what gets in the way is the first step toward not letting it stay in the way. Real repair follows four steps: Admit, Acknowledge, Accept responsibility and Apologize, and Act differently. Words begin the process, but changed behavior over time is what makes repair real. Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App  Join a Solo Parent Online Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram  

Pádraig Ó Tuama is an Irish poet, theologian and host of the On Being podcast, Poetry Unbound. Belonging, identity and reconciliation are at the heart of his work. Growing up bilingual, speaking both English and Irish, showed Pádraig that there are multiple ways to say things, and multiple ways to look at things.  As a young gay man, Pádraig was subjected to abusive conversion practices, and it was his yearning for a better language to understand God and himself that led him to poetry and conflict mediation.  Pádraig shows us both the brutality and the beauty of language, how words can destroy or nourish, and choosing which words to use is a power worth cultivating.  You'll learn how to balance fear and courage, and why you should approach conflicts in your life by admitting what you don't know. Padraig also shares a journaling practice to draw out your own poetic voice.  Links and resources About Pádraig  Poetry Unbound Pádraig's memoir In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World Pádraig also read The Exorcist and Oh What A Marvel it Appeared to Me from his 2023 collection Feed the Beast His latest collection is Kitchen Hymns With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media & Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenSenior Producer: Clare WileyExecutive Producer: Jakob LewisProduced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Dr. Richard M. Lerner is a revolutionary force in the field of psychology, which had previously focused on what goes wrong with people. Richard's relentlessly optimistic vision focuses on what can go right with people, how they can change and grow.  In this special conversation, Pam sits down with her mentor – someone who's had an influential impact on her career and research, to discuss thriving, relationships, spirituality and transcendence.  Richard is the Bergstrom Chair in Applied Developmental Science, and the Director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University.  Links and resources: About Richard's work Richard speaks at the Vatican Richard's books What makes young people thrive With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & For: Host: Pam King Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook Operations Manager: Lauren Kim Social Media & Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen Senior Producer: Clare Wiley Executive Producer: Jakob Lewis Produced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Natasha is joined by Jennifer Aull on this episode of the Natasha Helfer Podcast. They discuss the male experience with purity culture. Jennifer is passionate about empowering people to live their fullest lives. This dedication has been lived out through some of her personal and professional experiences. Jennifer brings with her a wealth of life experience. Along with her marriage and family therapy practice, Jennifer serves as a pastor at the Greenpoint Reformed Church. She has also worked as a chaplain in both hospital and hospice settings. These experiences have taught her that life can be a journey toward greater awareness and spiritual growth and that such awareness can bring about deep joy and fulfillment. Jennifer enjoys working with clients to help them author an authentic life by examining their most challenging past experiences. By creating a warm, safe, nonjudgmental environment, she encourages clients to assess those elements that are limiting them. Through short-term, solution-focused therapy and deeper relational techniques, Jennifer guides clients to find the relationships they long for. Jennifer is experienced in working with a wide variety of people, regardless of religions, genders, cultures, life circumstances, and sexual orientations. Jennifer is a licensed marriage and family therapist who completed her master's degree in marriage and family therapy at Hofstra University. She also received a bachelor's degree in English literature from San Francisco State University. After working for several years as a technology specialist for several investment banks, Jennifer attended Union Theological Seminary, where she received a Master of Divinity Degree. She is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. Jennifer is a certified Prepare/Enrich premarital counselor with ten years of experience helping couples prepare for greater levels of commitment. She is an AASECT certified sex therapist. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Hebrew Union College, Long Island University Brooklyn, Syracuse University and Widener University.  She is expected to complete her PhD in Clinical Sexology from Modern Sex Therapy Institutes in March 2025.  Her dissertation focuses on the impact of purity culture messaging on male sexuality. She is available for both individual and couples therapy.   To help keep this podcast going, please consider donating at natashahelfer.com and share this episode. To watch the video of this podcast, you can subscribe to Natasha's channel on Youtube and follow her professional Facebook page at natashahelfer LCMFT, CST-S. You can find all her cool resources at natashahelfer.com.  The information shared on this program is informational and should not be considered therapy. This podcast addresses many topics around mental health and sexuality and may not be suitable for minors. Some topics may elicit a trigger or emotional response so please care for yourself accordingly. The views, thoughts and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or feelings of Natasha Helfer or the Natasha Helfer Podcast. We provide a platform for open and diverse discussions, and it is important to recognize that different perspectives may be shared. We encourage our listeners to engage in critical thinking and form their own opinions. The intro and outro music for these episodes is by Otter Creek. Thank you for listening. And remember: Symmetry is now offering Ketamine services. To find out more, go to symcounseling.com/ketamine-services. There are also several upcoming workshops. Visit natashahelfer.com or symcounseling.com to find out more.

In this deeply meaningful episode of Interviews with Innocence, we welcome Brooke Grove—a complex trauma survivor-thriver, near-death experiencer, former psychotherapist, author, and multidisciplinary integrative healer working in co-creation with Spirit. Brooke's journey bridges both the scientific and spiritual worlds. With advanced degrees in Clinical Psychology, Marital and Family Therapy, and Clinical Art Therapy, she spent years working within traditional psychotherapy before being called into a more expansive path of healing that integrates consciousness, energy medicine, and spiritual guidance. Her work today draws from an extraordinary range of training and experience, including Shamanic Energy Medicine, Quantum Fieldwork, Transpersonal Neuroscience, trauma-informed psychedelic therapy, and psychedelic-assisted integration. Through this multidimensional approach, Brooke helps people explore, transmute, and transform deeply rooted emotional and energetic patterns. During our conversation, Brooke shares how profound life experiences—including trauma and a near-death experience—expanded her understanding of consciousness and opened the door to a deeper partnership with Spirit in her healing work. We also explore the emerging field of psychedelic-assisted healing and the importance of ethical guidance, integration, and spiritual awareness when navigating expanded states of consciousness. In a very personal moment during the episode, I share how Brooke supported me during the passing of my beloved labradoodle, Daisy. Her compassion, presence, and spiritual perspective brought comfort during a tender and emotional time, reminding me that healing and connection often appear when we need them most. This episode is a beautiful exploration of resilience, spiritual awakening, and the ways we can transform life's most challenging moments into opportunities for growth, compassion, and deeper connection. Brooke's upcoming memoir, The Beauty in the Broken Glass, shares her powerful story of trauma, transcendence, and the journey toward healing and light.

Spiritual practices can improve your physical and emotional health – but that doesn't mean spirituality is a wellness hack. David DeSteno's groundbreaking work explores how religious rituals like prayer and chanting are so beneficial as powerful psychological tools. But what happens if you take these rituals outside of their community context? David can speak to both sides of the equation: the science behind faith, and the mystery of the sacred.   David DeSteno is a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, where he directs the Social Emotions Lab – exploring the effects of emotions like gratitude and compassion. His latest book is called How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion, and he hosts a podcast of the same name.  About David's work: David's website How God Works: The Science Behind the Benefits of Religion - 2021 book How God Works podcast  Social Emotions Lab David referenced:  Michael Pollen Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research  Rabbi Shira Stutman  Rabbi Angela Buchdahl Rev. Alex Leach's Burning Man camp With & For is a podcast of the Thrive Center, an applied research center that exists to catalyze a movement of human thriving, with and for others through spiritual health. Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter Dr. Pamela Ebstyne King hosts With & For, and is the Executive Director of the Thrive Center and the Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy at Fuller Seminary. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media & Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenSenior Producer: Clare WileyExecutive Producer: Jakob LewisProduced by Great Feeling Studios Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and Fuller Seminary's School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. The podcast was made possible through the support from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

Shaun Furniss didn't grow up in the church. A Roman Catholic mass enthralled him at age seven, a confirmation class confused him at twelve, and the Heidelberg Catechism converted him in college. Now he's co-pastor at Trinity CRC in Sparta, Michigan—holding a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy alongside his MDiv—and he's convinced that most churches have quietly abdicated one of their most important responsibilities: the care of souls. This episode is a candid look at what Christian counseling actually is, why the reflex to "refer it out" is often a failure of pastoral nerve, and what it looks like to do it right. The conversation covers hard ground honestly. Both Jason and Shaun have counseled people through suicide, abuse, and grief—and both have learned the hard way that the biggest mistake pastors make is walking into a crisis ready to solve it. Before any wisdom lands, trust must be built. People don't care what you know until they know that you care. The most powerful diagnostic framework is also the simplest: nearly everyone who comes to a pastor is wrestling with guilt, fear, anger, or loneliness—and the scriptures give us the answers to all four. The episode closes with one of the most important statements about pastoral ministry you'll hear: when you walk into that counseling room, you are not the true counselor. The Holy Spirit is. He has given us his Word as the means of healing, and the pastor is simply the instrument. "I've never fixed anyone, I've never saved anyone, but by the grace of God, he's allowed me to be a part of what he's doing." Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro and Shaun's family, Trinity CRC Sparta, co-pastor model 0:43 — How the 50-50 co-pastoring structure works with Pastor CJ DenDulk 2:40 — Shaun's story: did not grow up in the church 3:04 — Dad drops him at a Roman Catholic mass with a quarter 3:37 — Confirmation class, Philippians, and "I'm reading someone else's mail" 4:28 — College and career Bible study leads to conversion 4:51 — Heidelberg Catechism: the Lord drew me to faith 5:38 — Reformed Theological Seminary: Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy 6:23 — Jason's first pastoral care crisis: suicide attempt five months into youth ministry 7:45 — True Christian counseling is discipleship on a one-on-one basis 9:16 — The church's heartbreaking habit: farming out what it should keep in-house 9:54 — When to bring in outside help (abuse, opposite sex) 13:53 — Often what passes for Christian counseling is humanistic counseling with a prayer at the end 16:52 — The seminary culture: one class on pastoral care and one joke — just refer it out 17:31 — Counseling as worldview formation: who shapes how your congregant sees the world? 19:33 — The biggest misconception: thinking you need to instantly give an answer 21:39 — The four root issues: guilt, fear, anger, or loneliness 23:56 — People don't care what you know until they know that you care 26:57 — The ministry of presence: what a hospice chaplain learns 30:07 — The Holy Spirit is the true counselor — you're simply the instrument Join and support us on Substack: https://themessyreformation.com/ Intro music by Matt Krotzer

Dr. Jenn is a psychotherapist, couples and family therapist, author, speaker, tv and radio host. She is a well-recognized psychotherapist, most known as the host and therapist for VH1's long-standing hit shows Couples Therapy with Dr. Jenn, and Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn. She has appeared as a guest expert on other shows including: The Today Show, The Doctors, Steve Harvey, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. She has been a host and/or cast member on many series including Shopaholic 911 (Style) and Pretty Wicked (Oxygen). She is the author of multiple best-selling advice books including: The Relationship Fix: Dr. Jenn's Guide to Improving Communication, Connection & Intimacy, SuperBaby: 12 Ways to Give Your Child a Head Start In the First 3 Years and The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy Confident Kids which have collectively spent five weeks on the best-seller list. She is also the co-author of the children's book Rockin' Babies which she co-wrote with her mother, Grammy award-winning songwriter Cynthia Weil. Dr. Jenn's advice columns have received wide distribution nationally. Her weekly column in In Style Magazine called “Hump Day with Dr. Jenn,” where she gives sex and relationship advice. Dr. Jenn spent five years hosting her popular, five day a week,call-in advice radio show The Dr. Jenn Show on Sirius XM. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're discussing Raising Healthy Kids When You're Doing It Alone. Solo parenting means making every call yourself. Every hard conversation, every boundary, every moment you are not sure you handled it right. And somewhere underneath all of that doing is a fear that rarely gets spoken: what if the way I am showing up is actually hurting them? That question deserves a real conversation. Robert Beeson, Founder and CEO of Solo Parent, sits down with Elizabeth Cole, single parent and co-host, and Amber Fuller, a counselor with a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy and single parent herself, to get honest about what healthy parenting actually looks like when you are the only one holding it all together. This episode speaks directly to the fears most solo parents carry quietly. Three specific tensions come up that are worth naming: parenting from fear instead of awareness and not knowing the difference, carrying unhealed pain that spills over onto your kids without realizing it, and trying to figure it all out alone when perspective is exactly what you need. If you have felt any of those, this one is for you. Key Insights from This Episode: Your internal world shapes your parenting more than you realize. The fear, stress, and unprocessed pain you carry does not stay contained; it finds its way into how you parent every day. The five Rs of stability give solo parents a practical framework for raising healthy kids. Respect, Relationships, Rules, Responsibility, and Risk each play a distinct role in building security and resilience for you and your kids. Blind spots don't fix themselves. Getting curious, asking questions, and inviting perspective from trusted people around you is one of the most courageous moves you can make as a parent. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Henry Cloud - Love as a Boundary - Solo Parent Podcast Stay Connected + Get Support: Download our Solo Parent App  Join a Solo Parent Online Group Learn more about Solo Parent Follow us on Instagram  

Dr. Nanyamka Redmond joins guest host Ruthi Hanchett as they explore how everyday adults — parents, teachers, coaches, and neighbors — can become a powerful protective factor in young people's lives by building the kinds of relationships that help youth thrive and navigate risk.Chapters(00:00) - (00:00) - Introduction: Why Relationships Matter More Than Programs (01:02) - Meet Dr. Nanyamka Redmond and the Search Institute (02:48) - What Are Developmental Assets — and Why Do They Work? (09:27) - Defining Developmental Relationships: The Five Elements (14:57) - How Caring Adults Can Protect At-Risk Youth (20:11) - Building a Culture of Belonging in Schools and Communities (30:13) - Resilience Is Relational: What Adults Need to Hear Right Now (32:35) - Supporting Youth Leadership Without Getting Out of the Way (00:00) - Chapter 10 Dr. Nanyamka RedmondDr. Nanyamka Redmond is a Research Scientist at the Search Institute, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to advancing research and practical frameworks that help young people thrive. She holds a PhD in Applied Developmental Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary and a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy from Azusa Pacific University. Her work focuses on developmental relationships, youth resilience, and advancing equitable, relationship-centered approaches to youth development and wellbeing. Dr. Redmond specializes in translating developmental science into practical tools for educators, families, youth-serving professionals, and community organizations, emphasizing culturally responsive and strengths-based approaches that center young people's lived experiences. She has also served as Director of School Partnership for Character Lab, co-founded by Angela Duckworth, and is a keynote speaker at the Global Center for Women and Justice's Ensure Justice Conference.Key PointsAn anti-trafficking program can teach warning signs, but it cannot replace a caring adult — if a young person doesn't feel seen, safe, and valued, information alone won't protect them.The Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets framework identifies a combination of internal strengths and external supports that young people need to thrive, and research consistently shows that the more assets a young person has, the better their outcomes.Developmental relationships go beyond good relationships — they are defined by five specific elements (express care, challenge growth, provide support, share power, and expand possibilities) that research has shown to directly impact positive youth outcomes and reduce risk.For youth who have experienced trauma, relationships have often been transactional or harmful, so the experience of someone who cares without strings attached can be surprising — which is why consistency and small, repeated moments of connection matter more than grand gestures.Belonging is not just a buzzword — when adults work to help every young person feel genuinely seen and valued in the spaces meant for them, it builds the sense of dignity that serves as a foundation for resilience.Sharing power with young people doesn't mean abandoning guidance; it means entering those relationships with a frame that sees adolescence as an age of opportunity rather than a period of storm and stress.Resilience is relational — it is not something young people build alone, but something that grows when multiple caring adults across their ecosystem show up consistently over time.Adults who want to support youth leadership can start with incremental steps: invite young people to co-create the questions, let them lead the conversation, and hold the barriers gently without squashing the vision.ResourcesSearch InstituteThe 40 Developmental Assets FrameworkGlobal Center for Women and JusticeEnding Human Trafficking PodcastAge of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence by Laurence Steinberg