CXMH: On Faith & Mental Health

We’re back! (not the dinosaur movie, although that’s one of Robert’s favorites).We kick off Season 4 of CXMH with the two of us (Robert & Holly) talking about our time off, what we learned about rest, and looking ahead at what’s to come.

In this episode with just Robert & Holly, they (we?) talk about why we take the summer off, what our hopes are for the time away, and what books we’re planning on reading during the next few months. Things we mention in this episode/other resources:- The Stressed Years of Their Lives: Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During Their College Years by Dr. B. Janet Hibbs & Dr. Anthony Rostain...

In a new intro, Robert admits that he has no idea how to rest and Holly tells us all about her recent travels. Then, we recast our 2018 interview with Hillary McBride about self-image, passing narratives on to our children, and learning to love ourselves as we are.

We’re joined by Yesenia Reta, LCSW, who practices as a Christian therapist in Florida. She talks about how she views faith & mental health working together, how growing up in a Mexican family shaped her view of mental health, and some barriers she sees her Hispanic clients facing when trying to get treatment.

This week, Robert & Holly talk about one of Robert’s favorite topics: narratives! What they are, why it matters what we believe about ourselves and the world around us, how to notice them, and more.

The first week of May is Children’s Mental Health Week, and to celebrate we’ve got the second part of our conversation with Dr. Stephen Grcevich! We cover a lot of ground including things to look for in children, the medicating of kids (are we overdoing it?), the rising rates of anxiety & ADHD in children, and helping our kids be resilient. In the intro, Robert & Holly talk about Burger King’s rec...

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Stephen Grcevich (founder of Key Ministry and author of Mental Health and the Church) to talk about how we can make our churches & ministries more inclusive to those encountering mental health struggles and their families. Dr. Grcevich talks about the 7 barriers identified in his book and what we can do about them. (Next week, he comes back to talk about childr...

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale to talk about her personal journey with OCD, what OCD is (and isn’t), and what types of things to be looking for in OCD treatment.

Do you lead others in some capacity? (Hint: the answer is yes). This week, Holly and Robert talk about mentoring both formal and informal, the way we can lead others through our actions, and why empowering those coming behind us is important. We also touch on some important ideas like being aware of the social conditioning we’re experiencing and how to change those narratives.

Today, we’re joined by author Alia Joy to talk about weakness and finding God in all we lack. We talk about imposter syndrome, false ideas of God, the fluency of hope, poverty, not fitting in, bipolar disorder, and much much more.

We’ve all seen the headlines in the past few years: adolescents seem to be wrestling with more anxiety than ever before. In this episode, we’re joined by Lisa Schab, LCSW who has written tons of mental health workbooks for teens. We talk about why the anxiety rates might be rising, the difference between stress & anxiety, what some practical skills are for individuals, and how adults can help in t...

It only took a year, but the timing has worked out to air the last of the guest hosted episodes from last Spring! In this episode, Holly talks with Kelsey Moffatt, who (at the time) was a social work student getting ready to graduate. They talk about Kelsey’s story, why she thinks integrating faith into therapy is so important, being real with God in hard times, and more. Things we mention in this...

It’s just us, folks. Robert and Holly got together in Atlanta to record this episode in person (the first CXMH episode ever recorded without Skype!). We talk about faith, why we think doubt is a good thing, and what it often looks like to move through our faith lives. We share our own faith journeys, as well as digging into some proposed Stages of Faith progressions. (Note from Robert: I formally...

Bullying: it seems like something we’re always hearing about, but never getting into the details of. Danielle Matthew, LMFT stops by to talk to us all about it: what are the different types of bullying? How do people experience bullying across their lifespan? How do we support victims of bullying, empower bystanders, and healthily address the bullies themselves? We touch on all of this and more. T...

This week, we’re airing an interview Holly recorded back when Robert was on podternity leave (flashback!). She talks with Storey Cook, director of Reclaim Recovery Ministry at Harris Creek in Waco. They talk about recovery ministries, how 12 step programs fit into a faith context, and the importance that doing your own work plays in helping others. Things we mention in this episode/other resources...

Robert and Holly give 13 practical self-care tips & discuss ways to help maintain your mental & emotional health while working in ministry (or any helping profession). Tips we mention, along with accompanying links to things we mention: Eat + sleep- episode 48 - How Does Nutrition Impact Our Mental Health? (feat. Dr. Leslie Korn) - episode 57 - Why We Need Better Sleep (& How to Get It...

It’s Valentine’s week, and one important conversation to have is about singleness. What messages do people get about being single? Are there positives and negatives? How can the church do a better job at creating space for single people to exist and to lead? We’re joined by Dr. Bella DePaulo and Holly Stallcup to talk about it. Things we mention in this episode/other resources:- Bella’s TedTalk ‘...

Do we have too much clutter in our homes, schedule, and mind? Courtney Ellis (author of the new book Uncluttered: Free Your Space, Free Your Schedule, Free Your Soul) stops by to talk to us about her journey from more to less and how it was actually a journey from less to more. Don’t worry, this isn’t just an episode about organizing stuff: we talk about technology use, our busy schedules, the pra...

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Ellen Hendriksen to talk about Social Anxiety! We touch on all sorts of things including shyness, the difference between being an introvert and being social anxious, how to help others, ways to challenge our own social anxiety, and how to make friends as an adult. Dr. Hendriksen is an expert on social anxiety and the author of How To Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Cri...

It’s 2019, and we’re doing something we’ve never done before: a crossover episode! We got together with our friends from The Desire Line podcast to talk about resolutions, setting goals, and what it takes to create lasting change in our lives. In the intro. Robert & Holly talk about changes to the ways you can interact with the show! Join the Cxmhunity Facebook group for free here and support...

Have a seat here for a special holiday fireside chat with Robert & Holly. It’s the last episode of 2018, so we take a look back at the year and talk about what we’ve learned, as well as listing what we think could be better about the show in 2019. We also put on our respective therapist hats to talk about how the holidays are hard for a lot of people and the tension of a ‘joyful’ time of year...

How do our religious & spiritual beliefs factor into how we cope with hard times in our lives? Dr. Kenneth Pargament (author of The Psychology of Religion and Coping) comes by the show to talk to us about his work in exactly that area. We talk about integrating spirituality into therapy, various styles of coping using religious beliefs (self-directed, deferred, and collaborative), what some po...

Hey, how’re you feeling today? Tired? Us too. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Scullin (an expert in the connection between sleep & cognition) to talk about getting good sleep and how we’re not getting it. We talk about how lack of sleep impacts memory, driving, adolescents, college students, and tons more. Dr. Scullin also shares with us his top ten tips for getting better sleep! Things...

Our good friend Phileena Heuertz is back with a new book, Mindful Silence! She joins us to talk about centering prayer and the role that things like solitude, silence, and stillness play in our callings to social action. Things we mention in this episode/other resources:- Phileena’s last appearance on CXMH: episode 51 - Pilgrimage of a Soul - Obviously, the book we talk about in this episode! Mind...

How are thoughts, emotions, and behaviors connected? What can we do about that? Can CBT be integrated with spiritual & religious beliefs? This week’s guest, Dr. Michelle Pearce, drops by to chat with us about all of this. She talks us through the basics of CBT as well as what the implications are for therapists, faith leaders, and individuals themselves. Things we mention in this episode/other...