Mental Health & Faith: A Closer Look

A New Creation As we seek to grow in our spiritual lives, we have hope, joy, and peace. We will realize we God has a purpose for us in life. When we grow in our spiritual lives, we will improve our mental health as well. In the second episode on January’s “All Things New” series, Caroline teaches from two passages in two letters from Paul about how we become can become a New Creation.  These are t...

The New Covenant When the people of Israel were rescued from slavery in Egypt by the Lord, He established a covenant with them that would be impossible to keep. In His perfect timing, God revealed the New Covenant to take its place. Caroline reads from Exodus, Jeremiah, and Luke in this episode comparing the first conditional covenant with the unconditional eternal covenant. Below is a 10-point co...

New Heavens and a New Earth The fourth and final episode in the All Things New series looks at three passages in Scripture — the only three passages — that use the phrase “new heavens and new earth.” Isaiah 65:17-19 God speaks to his people through the prophet Isaiah to give them a glimmer of hope in the midst of being judged by God for disobedience. He promises to create a new heavens and a new e...

Today’s episode is an interview with Alex Dumas, an executive coach and keynote speaker who shares his wisdom from the coaching world. He also invites listeners to join him for a book study related to being your best. Although this is not a Christian study, it will have many applications for Christians who desire to be there best for the Lord. Alex wants people to know that, “You were born to live...

Christian meditation In part 2 of the Wellness Tools series, Caroline presents eight types of Christian Meditation based on an article called “What is the best type of meditation?” from Medical News Today. Find out how you can experience presence and peace of God through Loving-kindness meditation Progressive muscle relaxation Mindfulness meditation Breath awareness meditation Repetition (mantra-b...

Affirmations & Journaling In this third of four episodes on wellness, Caroline shares information on how to use affirmations and journaling to improve mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Affirmations Using affirmations and accompanying Scriptures, a person can retrain their thoughts to line up with the truth of God’s Word. They will begin to accept their identity as a beloved child of God...

Caroline closes out her four-part series on wellness by discussion spiritual wellness. Two key activities for spiritual growth are prayer and Bible study. Prayer The Serenity Prayer by Reinhold Neibuhr (1892-1971, German theologian) https://www.prayerfoundation.org/dailyoffice/serenity_prayer_full_version.htm God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to...

THE RESPECT INSTITUTE “The Missouri Mental Health Foundation (MMHF) is proud to offer certified speakers through the RESPECT Institute of Missouri . Our speakers bravely share their lived experiences with mental illness and substance use disorders, providing powerful insights and inspiration.” As a RESPECT speaker, Caroline knows firsthand the importance of sharing your story to provide hope, enco...

Laurie Hammer is a functional nutritional therapist. She is also a survivor of an eating disorder with accompanying anxiety and depression. God brought Laurie through this adversity to place of healing. She now has a passion for helping others through her Calm Mom program, Take Back My Brain podcast, coaching, and amino acid therapy. Laurie is hosting a virtual faith-based mental health back-to-sc...

Today’s topic revolves around trauma and how it impacts a person’s life. The good news is, with the guidance and healing power of Jesus, recovery is possible! Life can be purposeful, impactful, and joyful. Here Caroline’s guest, Beth Jones, share her story of trauma, sin, recovery, and restoration. Beth Jones is an international speaker and author. Beth’s mission is encouraging women to use their...

wellness and wellness tools What is wellness? In this episode Caroline will define “wellness” and discuss the importance of using wellness tools to find peace and calmness in the midst of chaos. The episode includes scripture and other suggestions for pursuing wellness from a Christian perspective. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Join the conversation by leaving your comments or emailing Caroline at caro...

Facing The Giant: Bipolar Disorder Jessyln McCutcheon spent twenty years battling a giant in her life. A diagnosis of bipolar I revealed the giant’s name, and then the real work began. Hear Jesslyn’s story of how finding the right treatment plan brought her relief from symptoms. The more powerful story is how God transformed Jesslyn by revealing his purpose for her life resulting in the establishm...

SELECTIVE MUTISM – social anxiety Nanette Holloway shares her experience with selective mutism, a condition typically found in childhood and occasionally continuing into adulthood. The Cleveland Clinic describes selective mutism (SM) as “a mental health condition where you can’t talk in certain situations because of fear or anxiety. It usually affects young children, but it can also affect adolesc...

“Imagine” Brant Winn was so impressed with a workshop he attended by Dianne Mahoney that he has now become an active proponent of The Imagine Project, an approach to mental wellness through “imagining” the possibilities in a seven step approach to healing. The imagine project was created by Dianne Mahoney. This nonprofit organization provides free resources to gives kids, teens, and adults the opp...

The importance of breathing Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7, NASB)  Dentistry involves so much more than cleaning teeth. Dentist Timothy Doolin, DMD shares incredible insights on how the development of our tongue and facial structure can affect our ability to breathe, sleep, and dev...

Judith Vander Wege has been a Christian freelance writer for 44 years. On today’s episode, she shares about the heartache she’s endured over her life and how God has walked with her through the pain and grief. Judith shared insights about grief from her book, Annalisa’s Journey through Grief.   See the book on Amazon. suggestions for Coping with Grief What are the things that helped Annalisa cope...

WAYFARING: A CHRISTIAN APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH Warren Kinghorn is a psychiatrist, theological ethicist, and author. But more than anything, he is a man of God who desires to keep faith at the forefront in all his endeavors. In this interview, Dr. Kinghorn shares personal thoughts and insights from his book, Wayfaring: A Christian Approach to Mental Health Care. Dr. Kinghorn’s book is published b...

Caroline’s guest, Chris Morris, has a story to tell. In episode 48, he shares important tips for finding a therapist based on his challenging experience. Additionally, Chris talks about the importance of having a support network for accountability. Episode 49 goes deeper into Chris’s story as he shares about his suicide attempt. This important episode offers hope and encouragement in recognition o...

Caroline’s guest, Chris Morris, has a story to tell. In episode 48, he shares important tips for finding a therapist based on his challenging experience. Additionally, Chris talks about the importance of having a support network for accountability. Episode 49 goes deeper into Chris’s story as he shares about his suicide attempt. This important episode offers hope and encouragement in recognition o...

Here are the September-October episode topics and guests for Mental Health & Faith: A Closer Look. 9/3/24 – Resilient & Redeemed: Therapy with Chris Morris 9/10/24 – Resilient & Redeemed: Suicide with Chris Morris 9/17/24 – Wayfaring with Dr. Warren Kinghorn 9/24/24 – Overcoming Grief with Judy Vander Wege 10/1/24 – The Mouth and Mental Health with Dr. Tim Doolin (dentist) 10/8/24 – Th...

Roxanne Pendleton shares information about trauma and trauma informed care (TIC) from a professional and personal perspective. She has lived through trauma and turned that experience into an opportunity to help others. Roxanne works as a trauma consultant at the Center for Trauma Informed Innovation at University Health-Behavioral Health (formerly Truman Behavioral Health). Roxanne is also a pasto...

Jane Alexander bravely shares her experience with mental illness and trauma in a podcast originally posted in March of 2020. As she shares you will gain insight into what it’s like to live with a mental illness. You’ll be comforted that you are not alone in your mental health challenges. And, you’ll be reminded that our identity never comes from a diagnosis, but from the truth that God created us,...

Today’s episode is a replay of Caroline’s first episode on the Mental Health & Faith podcast. The information shared is still relevant and you will enjoy listening to insights related to mental health, faith, and recovery. Caroline’s guest is her sister, Terri Cooley-Bennett, a licensed clinical social worker who has worked in the field for almost 40 years. This episode has been listened to mo...

The Mental Health and Faith: A Closer Look program presents a series of episodes on Writing Your Way to Recovery. Throughout June 2024, Caroline shares content originally created for presentations at two different mental health conferences in Missouri. Today’s episode explores how journaling can be beneficial in working your way to healing. Write Your StorY Resources mentioned in the episode The R...

The Mental Health and Faith: A Closer Look program presents a series of episodes on Writing Your Way to Recovery. Throughout June 2024, Caroline shares content originally created for presentations at two different mental health conferences in Missouri. Today’s episode explores how journaling can be beneficial in working your way to healing. Journaling Thanks to my fellow author and poet, Sharon Sh...