Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol

Christian culture has promoted the idea of purpose and calling. But the struggle to find and fulfill one's purpose and calling has left many feeling frustrated, tired, and discouraged. Longing for significance and greatness seems often futile and disappointing. Do our priorities and perspective need to be changed? Dr. Carol talks with Kelly Needham, Bible teacher, author, wife and mom, about how w...

Every marriage is the union of two sinners. And that sets every couple up for pain and disappointment. Most couples simply react to the stresses their marriage encounters, or don't think about it much until a crisis hits. Grace and intentionality can change all that. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Brad and Marilyn Rhoads about how their own marriage was desperately challenging in the beginni...

Sobriety is not enough. There are many men who have found sobriety from problematic sexual behaviors, but their relationships are still in tatters. And many women say something like, "My husband doesn't know how to love me." What's missing? Dr. Eddie Capparucci answers these questions in this episode with Dr. Carol, addressing the underlying reasons many men struggle with addiction, sex, and intim...

Who hasn't felt knocked down, held back, or left out? Perhaps you feel that way now. Whether your problems stem from your own choices and behaviors, or whether you've been harmed by others, there is a pathway back to goodness and a life full of purpose. That pathway involves cooperating with God in changing your mindset and taking positive action. Kimberly Jones, better known as Real Talk Kim, tal...

Most of us human beings try to live beyond the limitations of our time, energy, and responsibilities. We see limits as a bad thing. But God doesn't. Might our very limits be part of God's gifts to us? And how might understanding the humanity of Jesus help us navigate these questions? In this episode Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Kelly Kapic about our nature as created beings, and how our limits are act...

Too often narcissism seems to thrive in our churches as well as in some Christian homes. Navigating out of the pain and dysfunction involved is hard. And Chuck DeGroat has been helping churches, individuals, couples, and church systems address these issues for over 20 years. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Chuck DeGroat about some of the deeper personal and church system factors that can lead...

Someone sitting beside you at church, at work, or at school has experienced sexual abuse or exploitation. Perhaps that's even you. Unfortuately, the Christian community's response has not always been effective. Drawing from her own story makes Trish Propson – chaplain, author, speaker, and advocate – a sensitive and engaging voice in bringing hope and healing to those who need to be set free. On t...

The loneliness epidemic is real, and has a larger impact on physical and mental health than most people realize. But friendship is hard and messy, perhaps more so in our culture today than ever before. Are ongoing authentic friendships really possible? And are they worth the effort and the risks? Lawyer, author, and speaker Justin Whitmel Earley joins Dr. Carol on this episode to talk about how we...

Teens and young people today are swimming in, drowning in, an unhealthy culture especially around issues of sexuality and gender. Holy sexuality often seems outdated or impossible. But these questions and challenges are not new. Dr. Christopher Yuan joins Dr. Carol in this deep and empowering episode to address holy sexuality - what it is, how it differs from the contemporary mindset, where these...

"Meaningless. Meaningless. Everything is meaningless." Those depressing words are actually from the Bible. If your life and marriage are messed up and meaningless, is there any way to find growth and meaning for yourself and for your relationship? Jeff and Tami Allen say Yes. On this week's podcast they talk with Dr. Carol about their tumultuous, even traumatic, early years together, and the long...

Issues around same-sex relationships are "hot topics" both in culture and in the Christian church. And what about same-sex marriage in particular? What does the Bible really say about same-sex marriage? And how should we even go about addressing these kinds of questions? On this no-holds-barred episode Dr. Carol talks with Preston Sprinkle from the  Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender , about...

Narcissism can be an unfounded accusation, and it can also lead to marriage trauma. How do you know if you're living with a narcissist? And what if you might be one? Narcissism creates challenges for any relationship, but especially in the most intimate relationship of marriage. In this episode Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Jake Porter, relational psychotherapist, about the nuances of narcissism, why w...

We all experience loss. Small or large, healing from any loss requires grieving well. Many people imagine grief only applies when a loved one dies. It certainly applies then, but for mental, relational, and spiritual health it's important to grieve all our losses.  Chuck and Ashley Elliott have experienced losses - individually and together, including loss of trust through pornography use, and los...

Questions around gender identity have become a hot topic both in culture and for many Christian families and young people. Why now? What the medical world calls "gender-affirming care" has major, often permanent, life-altering consequences. Should we be concerned? This episode features a conversation between Dr. Carol and Lori Kuykendall, president of Beacon Health Education Resources. Lori has ma...

When you said "I do" you were expecting a connected, safe, life-giving, and intimate relationship. But you may now be wondering, "What's gone wrong?" Too many spouses end up living as roommates instead of as soulmates. You'll find yourself saying "me too" in this powerful episode as Dr. Carol outlines nine barriers to whole-person intimacy in marriage, and provides six specific keys to overcoming...

When trust is broken in a marriage there's always an underlying story. Although behaviors absolutely matter, there's more to be addressed. Looking at the matters of the heart for both the betrayer and the betrayed spouse makes a new chapter possible - regardless of what happens in the marriage. In this episode Jessica and Ryan McDaniel talk with Dr. Carol about their story. You may first think it'...

Being married and feeling alone may be the worst loneliness of all. Whether or not sex is happening, your heart craves true intimacy. And can true connection happen even after trust has been broken? Danisa and Jorge Suarez did not have good role models to build their marriage on, but they persisted. In this episode Dr. Carol talks with them about what they learned, and their work together now as a...

If you're a parent, you are likely anxious about talking with your kids about sex. And many parents and others who care about kids feel that the ways most people have been handling "the sex talk" hasn't worked well at all.  The Lindas have a different approach than you're used to seeing. In this episode Dr. Carol talks with Linda Noble and Linda Stewart, who are both educators and parents, about t...

Relationship status is a big deal. Marriage was God's idea, and He created it to be good. But when we make something God created to be good into an idol, it becomes harmful. We can do that with marriage or parenthood. We can also do that with singleness. In this brief episode Dr. Carol addresses the harm that can come when we turn one of God's good gifts into an idol, and how we must fully live in...

LUST. What a disturbing word for many. Is living without lust possible? What is lust, and is it possible to have healthy sexual desire apart from lust? Dr. Carol's guest on this episode believe the answers to those questions is YES. Jay Haug is the executive director of Living Without Lust, an organization helping men who struggle with lust and supporting the Christian leaders who serve them. He s...

Our culture has politicized so much around abortion, sex trafficking, even sex addiction. Policies matter. However, it's more important to address the roots underlying such painful and difficult realities. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with Lisa Rowe who has previously worked with sex trafficking survivors and is currently executive director of Support After Abortion. But this is not primarily a...

What has your heart most deeply longed for? Whether you've used these words or not, it has something to do with being safe, secure, and loved. Life often leads to deep wounds around your deepest longings. What do you do then? As a little girl Sue Moore prayed, "God, make me pretty, and happy, and give me a man who loves me." On the podcast today she talks with Dr. Carol about how different her lif...

Behaviors matter. Sexual behaviors matter! But focusing most on behaviors leads to "trying harder" and failing, and stops short of addressing the deep heart changes needed for lasting transformation. In this episode Dr. Carol shares the core part of her message given at the Sexual Integrity Leadership Summit. This message shows how the "problem" is less of a sex problem and more of an intimacy pro...

Marriage always takes work. But what happens when mental health struggles get added to the mix? How can both partners experience intimacy and goodness when things get messy? In this eyeopening episode Dr. Carol talks with founder and president of The Veritas Creative, Jon Seidl and his wife, Brett, a business owner and interior designer. Jon lives with significant mental health diagnoses. However,...

Loss is always possible when you love. But when emotional bankruptcy and loss happen repeatedly, regaining intimacy and love has even more challenges. In today's episode Dr. Carol talks with Rachel Faulkner Brown who describes herself as emotionally bankrupt during her first two marriages which both ended in death and grief. Hear how she found freedom, healing, true intimacy, and love again, and h...