CXMH: On Faith & Mental Health

This week we’re joined by CXMH all-star Hannah Brencher! Hannah’s new book Fighting Forward came out recently and she tells us about the lies we encounter in various parts of our journey and how to overcome them. Things we mention in this episode/other resources: -  The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield - Hannah’s past episodes on CXMH -...

This week, we're joined by psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Hankerson. Dr. Hankerson is passionate about training clergy on counseling depressed community members and has worked extensively with communities in New York to build partnerships between faith communities & mental healthcare providers to help people get treatment for mental health. He tells us about barriers to care in African American commu...

This week, we're joined by Dr. Linda Buchanan. Dr. Buchanan is an expert in eating disorders, working with ambivalence, and helping people make changes when they're hard changes to make. We talk about all of that, how to be compassionate when making changes is hard (for ourselves or others), procrastination, narratives, and so much more.   See full show notes here .   Connect with Dr. Buchanan on...

It's 2021, which means Robert & Holly are back for the second half of Season 5! We talk about the things that have happened already this year, as well as reflect on some good questions: What are the things we're bringing into 2021? What are the things we're leaving in 2020?   Connect with Robert on  his website ,  Twitter ,  Facebook , or  Instagram . Connect with Holly on  her website ,  Twit...

This week, Robert & Holly talk about the complications of holidays this year. Topics include holding grief & joy together, favorite Christmas songs, and reflecting on the first half of Season 5.   Things we mention/other resources: -  Recast - Grieving During the Holidays (feat. Lanta Carroll) - ep.  115 - Gratitude & Mental Health   Connect with Robert on  his website ,  Twitter ,  Fa...

This week, we talk with Alexandra Thompson, LCSW about the church’s responsibility in caring for the mental health needs of communities. We also hear about her own experiences with infertility, adoption, and why she’s passionate about those topics. In the intro, Robert and Holly talk about Advent. Connect with Alex on Instagram or send her an email .   Connect with Robert on  his website ,  Twitte...

In a CXMH first, our guest is an epidemiologist! We're joined by Dr. Emily Smith, also known as your Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist, to talk about loving our neighbors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. What does that look like for faith leaders? For individuals? What's her hope for the next few months? We cover all of this and more.   Connect with Dr. Smith on  her website ,  Facebook , ...

This week, we're re-airing a conversation we had with therapist and pastor Lanta Carroll last year about grief during the holiday season. We know that so many of us are carrying grief in a myriad of ways this year, and hope this conversation can be helpful in some small way. In the intro, Robert and Holly talk about whether or not seasonal decorations are a thing in their houses.   Things we menti...

It's the second half of November, which means (here in the United States) we're approaching Thanksgiving. In this episode, Robert and Holly talk about gratitude and it's impact on mental health. How can it help? Has it been suggested in unhelpful ways before? What are some ideas for incorporating practices of gratitude and thankfulness into your life? Also, we work through some conflict about Than...

This week we share a talk from Robert called Talking About Mental Health: Having Conversations that Facilitate Healing & Promote Resilience (his talk from the Church Mental Health Summit on Oct. 10th). The talk shares practical tips, as well as talking about how we show up to each other in moments of vulnerability.   Things we mention/other resources:- Last week's episode: 113 - Self-Care for...

This week, we get to hear Holly's talk from the Church Mental Health Summit that happened on Oct. 10th. She talks about why it's important to take care of ourselves as well as talking through a variety of areas & ways we can learn to do so. In the intro, Robert & Holly talk about things they've found helpful recently.   Things we mention/other resources: - If you want to watch the video of...

Yikes! In the United States, it's currently the last few weeks of the 2020 Presidential Election (along with various down ballot elections). This is an understandably hard time for lots of us, so Robert and Holly got together to talk about some tips & ideas for how to try and stay healthy over the next few weeks. Or next few months. Or next few years. I dunno, it seems like it's always electio...

This week we're joined by Dr. Michelle Pearce to talk about her new book  Night Bloomers: 12 Principles for Thriving in Adversity . Dr. Pearce talks about those 12 principles, what a 'night bloomer' is, and how we can use adversity to help us grow.   Things we mention/other resources:- the  Church Mental Health Summit we talk about in the intro- CXMH ep. 55 - CBT for Christians (feat. Dr. Michelle...

This week, we talk with Janine Halloren about kids! Their emotions, being flexible, helping them learn coping skills, and things we can remember as adults. Janine is a counselor who's worked with kids and families for over 20 years, the author of multiple books, the founder of CopingSkillsForKids.com, and a mother of two kids herself.   Things we mention in this episode/other resources:- CASEL: Th...

This week we're joined by Gina Biegel, LMFT, an expert in working with teens related to stress. We talk about the challenges today's teens are facing (preCOVID and now), why she recommends mindfulness, some practical ways for teens to cope with stress, and how we can best support them. Gina is the founder of StressedTeens.com, author of various books about teens & stress, and the developer of...

We're kicking off Season 5 with Dr. Amber Thornton, founder of Balanced Working Mama. We talk with Dr. Thornton about a the challenges workings moms face (both pre-COVID and now), why those persist despite changing views, and ways to keep a holistic view of health in mind for yourself or the working moms you know.   Things we mention/other resources: - Amber first came on CXMH in episode  25 - Rac...

We’re back! Robert and Holly return to your ears to talk about how their summers went, what they’ve learned, and what to look forward to in Season 5.

Robert and Holly reflect on Season 4, talk about taking the summer off, and set some goals for the next few months. We’ll see you in the fall for Season 5! Full show notes available here .

It’s our last interview of Season 4! We’re glad to be joined by Dr. Alex Korb, a neuroscientist and author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time. We talk about what motivates us, why small

Instead of the episode we had scheduled for this week, we wanted to amplify voices of those doing important work around racial justice. As a result, we’re rereleasing our interview with Austin Channing Brown from 2018. In the show notes you’ll find a list of resources we’ve seen recommended by racial justice activists & leaders.

This week we’re joined by Melody Moezzi, author of the new book The Rumi Prescription: How an Ancient Mystic Poet Changed My Modern Manic Life. She talks with us about Rumi, her experiences with a bipolar diagnosis, the challenges between faith & mental healthcare, and how to fight injustice with love instead of anger. In the intro, Robert & Holly talk about end-of-the-school year traditions.

How do we give up on ‘hiding in hurry,’ opting instead to be present to our bodies and our stories? Therapist and author K.J. Ramsey joins us to talk about her new book This Too Shall Last, her own story, and how we can shift from thinking pain is a problem to be solved to seeing it as a story to tell. In the intro, Robert & Holly offer some words for those graduating.

What do we do when faced with suffering (either our own or someone else’s)? Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren and Sara Showalter Van Tongeren (authors of the new book The Courage to Suffer) join us to talk about existential questions, facing the darkness, and coming out on the other side. They walk us through the steps of Sunset, Dusk, Midnight, Dawn, and Daylight, explaining the importance of meaning-making...

How do we communicate well? Do the same principles apply to settings like one-on-one, preaching, writing, or posting online? We talk with communication expert Dr. Heather Thompson Day about all of that and more! (Communication is really about listening! Why should we tell stories? What about ‘platform building’?)

This week, we’re joined by relationship experts Dr. Rod Hetzel & Dr. Susan Matlock-Hetzel who talk us through the Gottman Institute’s Sound Relationship House Theory. They explain how to build trust and commitment in your marriage or partnership, offering ideas like building love maps, sharing fondness and admiration, turning towards instead of away, keeping a positive perspective, managing confli...