What's God Got To Do With It? With Leanne Ellington

If willpower alone isn’t enough to stop numbing, what is? In this episode, Chip and Leanne explore why true healing starts with understanding the function of our coping behaviors—not just trying to “fix” them. They share the first steps to recognizing an unhealthy coping pattern, decoding what it’s really telling you, and shifting from avoidance to awareness. This epi...

Why do we turn to food, alcohol, shopping, or even busyness when life feels overwhelming? In this episode, Chip and Leanne dive into the real reason we numb—what we’re actually trying to escape or avoid—and how society conditions us to suppress rather than process emotions. They break down the neuroscience behind coping mechanisms, revealing why they provide short-term relief but...

Addiction isn’t just about substances—it’s about the ways we cope with pain, stress, and unmet needs. In this episode, Chip Dodd and Leanne unpack how behaviors like emotional eating, over-exercising, workaholism, and social media addiction follow the same addictive patterns as substances. They explore the difference between coping mechanisms that help us heal versus those that k...

Mylaina is 22 years old. And she just did what most women wish they'd done decades earlier. She was a psychology student getting certified in nutrition and wellness. She knew  intellectually  how to take care of her body, how to eat, how to work out. But mentally, she was destroying herself. Every morsel of food was tracked. Most foods were off limits. She was the one not licking the spo...

What if you didn't have to manage your anxiety, your trauma, your patterns for the rest of your life? What if you could actually repair the root problem—and move on? In this final episode of our series, Dr. Lee Warren and I talk about the solution. The shift from "holding pressure on the wound forever" to actually stitching it up and letting it heal. The shift from symptom management to root...

What if the very thing mental health culture tells you to do—focus on your trauma, honor your feelings, explore your pain—is actually reinforcing the patterns that are keeping you stuck? In this episode, Dr. Lee Warren and I tackle one of the most controversial (and most important) truths about how the brain works: where you put your attention literally shapes your reality. What you fo...

We have more mental health resources, more awareness, more support than ever before. So why are anxiety, depression, and suicide rates at all-time highs? In this first episode of our brand-new Spiritual Brain Surgery series, Dr. Lee Warren and I dive into the paradox that's plaguing our culture: more help, worse outcomes. We unpack the stats, explore what's missing from the current mental health m...

In this final episode of the Teenager Brain series, Leanne dives into the root of it all: the identity crisis. Teens today don't have a stable sense of self. They don't know who they are, what they value, or what they stand for. And their sense of self rises and falls with every like, every comment, every comparison. One day they're confident. The next day they're convinced they're not enough. And...

In this episode, Leanne dives into emotional dysregulation—why your teen melts down over the smallest things and can't bring themselves back down. When a teen experiences something that feels threatening, stressful, or overwhelming, their brain's alarm system (the amygdala) goes off and sends them into fight-or-flight mode. Their heart rate spikes, their breathing gets shallow, and their pre...

In this episode, Leanne exposes the attention crisis that's affecting every single teenager right now—and reveals what social media platforms know about teen brains that most parents and educators don't. The average teen now spends between four and five hours a day on social media. And teens who spend three or more hours a day have double the risk of anxiety and depression. Heavily addicted...

In this episode, Leanne dives into why schools have become mental health first responders—and why they're not equipped to handle it. 96% of schools report skyrocketing mental health needs, but only half have the staff to address them. Counselors are managing caseloads of 400-600 students. And teachers—who became educators to inspire minds—are now carrying the emotional weight of...

In this episode, Leanne launches a special 5-part series on the teenage brain crisis—and why today's teens are struggling in ways we've never seen before. Nearly 1 in 3 teen girls seriously considered suicide in the past year. 42% of high school students report persistent sadness or hopelessness. This isn't just a mental health crisis. It's a brain wiring crisis. Leanne explains how social m...

In this episode, Leanne explores the question: “What would it look like to trust God with my body?” Drawing from her personal journey and the experiences of many women, Leanne delves into the idea that trusting God with our bodies isn't about achieving perfection but about surrendering control and embracing our God-given worth. Leanne outlines five transformative shifts that can lead t...

In this episode Leanne explores the question: “Is my obsession with food a spiritual battle?” Drawing from her personal journey and the experiences of countless women, Leanne delves into the idea that struggles with food and body image are not merely about willpower or discipline but are deeply rooted in spiritual warfare, and how the enemy often uses lies and shame to keep us trapped...

Today's episode is going to be a wild ride, as we dive headfirst into a conversation that's bound to be one of the most raw and real shares we've ever had. Yep, you guessed it - we're talking about sex. But hold on, we're not approaching it the way you've heard a million times before. Our mission here at The God Pod? To flip the script and invite you into a judgment-free zone where we ca...

Join us for a deeply personal conversation as we sit down with Jenny Robinson-Clark, debut children's book author and my dear friend of over 30 years. Jenny opens up about her heart-wrenching journey following the loss of her mother and the miraculous signs from heaven that inspired her beautiful book,  "Are You Here?: A Story about the Magical Signs All Around Us." When Jenny lost her mom, h...

Join us for an intimate conversation with Brandi Wilson, author, coach, and speaker, as she courageously shares her journey from the highs of leadership to the depths of heartbreak. In her book "Better than Okay," Brandi unveiled the raw reality of her shattered marriage to a megachurch pastor and the sudden loss of her church community and her identity as a "pastor's wife".   Her suffer...

Join us for an intimate conversation as we sit down with Granger Smith, a country music star who dedicated his life to ministry.  Granger opens up about his heart-wrenching journey following the tragic loss of his youngest son, River, which he vulnerably shares in his book, "Like a River." On June 4th, 2019, Granger's life changed forever when River drowned in their family pool...

In this episode, Leanne and special guest Pastor Kevin Queen delve into the beliefs that often keep people from forming a meaningful relationship with God. They explore the misconceptions, worldly views, and unbiblical beliefs that can hinder individuals from connecting with their spirituality, inviting listeners to consider new possibilities. Beliefs Explored Were: "I’m too broken-- too far...

Do you have beliefs that are holding you back that (no matter what you try), they continue to have a stronghold on you? In this week's episode of the God Pod, Leanne Ellington shares her personal journey of transforming beliefs through the unique intersection of where "faith meets science"...and where "science meets faith", as we start to unravel how faith and science intersect in transforming you...

You’ve been told that body image is about self-esteem. Or confidence. Or that it’s just a “vanity issue” you need to pray your way out of. But what if the issue isn’t your reflection, but it’s your wiring? In this episode, Leanne Ellington dismantles one of the biggest lies women have been taught: that if we just loved ourselves more, the body shame would go awa...

Medications that quiet food noise are everywhere right now. They’re being talked about in doctors’ offices, on social media, and in conversations between women who are just desperate for some peace around food. So instead of approaching this topic with judgment, fear, or extremes, let’s have an honest, transparent conversation about what’s really happening in the brain&mdas...

You think your struggle with food is about willpower. Or that your body image issues are just about confidence. But what if the real cost isn’t on the scale, but it’s actually in your spirit? In this powerful episode, Leanne Ellington pulls back the curtain on what food and body obsession is really stealing from you. From missed moments with your kids to constant inner criticism and sp...

In this final part of the series, Dr. Warren brings it all together — turning the science, the faith, and the commandments into a daily, livable, empowering practice. He shares how hope is the first dose, but action is the medicine. How transformation isn’t an event, but a series of tiny, faithful choices. And how to become the kind of person who notices, names, and rewires thoughts in...

In this episode, Dr. Warren unveils the heartbeat of his work: The Ten Commandments of Self-Brain Surgery — a framework rooted in science, anchored in Scripture, and powerfully practical for everyday life. He walks us through why “Feelings are not facts,” why you can’t change your life without changing your mind first, and why choosing joy is not naïve… but neur...