When we lose someone in our life we feel deep grief. How do we process grief after loss? In this week's episode, I have a conversation with Jason Caine and Stephanie Caine about the stages of grief after loss and how we should process our grief in a healthy manner as followers of Jesus.

For more resources from Better Days check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co. 

Suffering changes us. Most people who have walked through moments of suffering in life will tell you two truths they reflect on: (1) they would never wish those circumstances of suffering to be repeated in their life, and (2) they would not want to change the person they have become through suffering. In this week’s episode, I have a conversation with Jason Caine and Stephanie Caine about how suffering makes us think deeply about our life and can change us for the good.

For more resources from Better Days check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co. 

How do we help hurting people? And how do we know when to reach out for help with our mental health?  In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Jason Caine and Dr. Casey Taylor about how to help hurting people, knowing when to reach out for help, and therapy 101. 

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Relationships are a core component to mental health. Healthy relationships can cause us to flourish. And unhealthy relationships bring us stress and pain. In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Jason Caine and Dr. Casey Taylor about God's design for relationships, healthy traits in relationships, unhealthy traits in relationships and wisdom to navigate relationships.

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Grief is a normal human response to loss and painful moments in life. Followers of Jesus should learn to grieve in an emotionally and spiritually healthy manner. What does that look like? In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Jason Caine and Dr. Casey Taylor about  the anatomy of grief, grief in the Bible and how to have a healthy relationship with grief as a follower of Jesus. 

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Trauma is a popular topic in our culture. What is trauma? And how should followers of Jesus think about trauma? In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Jason Caine and Dr. Casey Taylor about trauma in our culture, a theology of trauma, the danger of thinking that everything has a silver lining, and what not to say to someone who has experienced trauma. 

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Suicide is a sensitive topic. The reality of suicide has intersected with many people’s lives. Some have thought about suicide in their deep pain and hopelessness, and others have been affected personally through losing someone they loved to suicide. In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Jason Caine and Dr. Casey Taylor about suicide, wisdom for pastors interacting with people in pain, and finding help and hope when you feel hopeless. 

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

What is self-care? Should followers of Jesus have a healthy theology and practice of self-care? In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine and Dr. Casey Taylor discussing a healthy theology of self-care, misconceptions around self-care, and offer practices for followers of Jesus to steward their body and soul as an investment in their mental health. 

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Burnout seems to be an epidemic in western culture. Burnout is no longer the experience of a few. Burnout has become the experience of the majority. In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Dr. Casey Taylor and Jason Caine about the anatomy of burnout, causes of burnout, what the Bible says about burnout, and how to prevent and heal from burnout. 

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Millions of people are living through the reality of depression in this moment. Depression is a complex and often confusing experience. In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Dr. Casey Taylor and Jason Caine about what depression is, why people are afraid to talk about depression, what the Bible says about depression, and healthy practices and pathways for those who are  suffering with depression.

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Anxiety is the most prevalent mental health condition in the US. What does the Bible say about anxiety? And how can followers of Jesus navigate anxiety? In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Dr. Casey Taylor and Jason Caine about what the Bible says about anxiety, different types of anxiety, and healthy practices for adults and kids to navigate anxiety.

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Mental health challenges appear to be affecting every generation in our culture, particularly the youngest generations. Why are mental health statistics rising in our culture? And what are the causes behind these rising mental health challenges? In this weeks episode, Wesley Towne has a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Dr. Casey Taylor and Jason Caine about current mental health statistics and trends in our culture, causes behind the rising statistics, and how we can shape mentally and emotionally healthy followers of Jesus.

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

The intersection between joy and suffering is hard to process. Hearing someone talk about joy in the midst of suffering can feel deeply conflicting. How are we supposed to find joy in the midst of pain? That is a perfectly fair question. Are we able to feel joy in suffering? In this week's episode, I have a conversation with Stephanie Caine and Jason Caine answering this question and pointing out popular misunderstands about joy and suffering.

For more resources from Better Days check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co. 

How does mental health relate to Christianity and following Jesus? Mental health is deeply rooted in the story of the Bible. Mental health and every bit of human flourishing was God's design from the beginning. In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with Dr. Stephanie Caine, Dr. Casey Taylor and Jason Caine about the intersection between mental health, Christianity and following Jesus.

For more resources check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co

Suicide is a reality for many people. Some have thought about suicide in their deep pain and hopelessness, and others have been affected personally through losing someone they knew to suicide. In this weeks episode, I talk about the reality of suicide in this current moment, and share help and hope for those who are walking through deep pain and suicidal ideation. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, please reach out for help. Here are two resources: 

You can call the national suicide prevention lifeline 1-800-273-8255. 

You can text the Crisis Text Line. This is a free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text 741741 from anywhere in the US to text with a trained Crisis Counselor.

Trauma is an emotional response to disturbing or life-threatening events. Trauma leaves an imprint on our lives. In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with Stephanie Caine about the anatomy of trauma and how to process through trauma in a healthy manner. 

Grief is an emotion that we feel when we experience a loss. What does healthy grief look like? How can we both grieve and find joy simultaneously? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation about the anatomy of grief and how to process through grief in a healthy manner. 

We cannot spend our lives leading others well if we have not made intentional decisions to lead ourselves well. Emotionally healthy leadership influences the health of our internal well-being and the health of our leadership with people. What is emotionally healthy leadership? How do we become emotionally healthy leaders? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with Benji Horning and Xavier Brasseur about our current journeys toward emotionally healthy leadership and what we have learned along the way. 

Anger can be a confusing emotion. It is also an emotion that is often hard to navigate. What is anger? Why do we become angry? How should we think about anger as followers of Jesus? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation about the anatomy of anger and how to process through anger in a healthy manner. 

Shame is a powerful emotion. It can attack our identity and worth as humans created in the Image of God. What is shame? How does shame influence our lives? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with Casey Shortt, a clinical psychologist, about the anatomy of shame and how to process through shame in a healthy manner. 

Guilt is an emotion that all humans feel. We are imperfect and experience the internal sense of wrongdoing. How do we process our guilt in a healthy manner? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with Casey Shortt, a clinical psychologist, about the anatomy of guilt and how to process through guilt in a healthy manner. 

Identity is not a simple topic, nor is it is a simple endeavor to understand. Identity is complex and layered. Many of us struggle with our identity, and this struggle can often shape our internal emotional and mental narrative. In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with my friend Dominic Done about human identity, how identity influences us mentally and emotionally, and how to practically understand and shape our identity. 

Emotional health is a popular topic in our culture. What is emotional health? How do we cultivate emotional health? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with my friend Xavier Brasseur about the different facets of emotional health, how to cultivate emotional health, and our stories growing up in broken homes and how we have pursued emotional health as adults. 

We all have insecurities. Sometimes we struggle with negative viewpoints about ourselves. How do we learn to value and become confident in the person that God created us to be? In this week’s episode, I have a conversation with Stephanie Caine and Jason Caine about how to value God's Image in you, process insecurities in a healthy manner and change the inner dialogue about ourselves.

For more resources from Better Days check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co.

Welcome to Better Days Podcast, The Summer Session! 

This summer I am looking forward to having conversations with people about emotional and mental health. I will end each episode with a tip to practice. These tips will help you process and navigate your own mental and emotional health. 

I am so looking forward to these conversations. 

Join us next week for our first episode.

Hope is one of the most important and life giving words for humans walking through the hard moments of life. What is hope? In this episode, I discuss various versions of hope, and spend time explaining a version of hope that allows us to enter into our present experience while also believing that there are Better Days Ahead. 

Suffering is a universal human experience. How do we walk through moments of suffering? In this weeks episode, I talk about how lament teaches to engage with reality, have honest faith, be emotionally aware and present, wrestle with our suffering, and follow the example of Jesus who practiced lament when he faced deep pain and sorrow. 

Suffering is a universal human experience. How do we walk through moments of suffering? In this weeks episode, I talk about several core facets of lament, and how these truths help us to walk through moments of suffering. 

Many of us are deeply familiar with the experience of grief. Grief is an emotion that we feel when we experience loss. What does grief look like? And, what does lament teach us about grief?  In this weeks podcast, I talk about the anatomy of grief and how lament encourages us to engage with loss and enter into our grief. 

We live in a culture obsessed with happiness, positivity and success. This cultural atmosphere makes us uncomfortable communicating the pain and emotions around suffering. The biblical world had a language and response to pain and suffering called lament. In this weeks podcast, I talk about what lament is, how our western culture is hindering us from processing the painful moments of life, and how lament gives us a shared language and pathway to process our pain and suffering. 

We all desire to feel at peace. We all want to live fully in the reality of the present. We all want a future where feel emotionally, mentally, and relationally unhindered so that we can fully engage in our relationships. Sometimes we have to process our past in order to find healing, freedom and growth for our future. In this weeks podcast, I talk about the value of processing our past, the influence our past has on our present and future, and I share a framework for processing our past. 

Anxiety is so prevalent in this moment. Many of us are feeling anxious about the events that we are living through. In this weeks episode, I talk about anxiety and stress, anxiety and self-care, anxiety and relational support, and the importance of professional help. 

Anxiety is so prevalent in this moment. Many of us are feeling anxious about the events that we are living through. In this weeks episode, I share my experience with anxiety, along with practices and concepts that have helped me. 

Anxiety is so prevalent in this moment. Many of us are feeling anxious about the events that we are living through. In this weeks episode, we have a conversation about the narratives around anxiety in Christianity, what the Bible teaches about anxiety, unhealthy thought patterns, and getting to the root cause of anxiety. 

Where is God in my suffering? That is a question that many have asked. Sometimes it feels like we are alone in our suffering. We may think that God has, for some reason, detached from us in our suffering. The Bible's storyline around suffering indicates the opposite. God is near to us in our suffering. How does this work out relationally and practically with God as we are walking through suffering? In this week’s episode, I have a conversation with Stephanie Caine and Jason Caine answering the question—Where Is God In My Suffering?

For more resources from Better Days check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co.

Anxiety is so prevalent in this moment. Many of us are feeling anxious about the events that we are living through. In this weeks episode, we have a conversation around why people are feeling anxiety in this moment, the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder, and I share some of my own personal challenges with anxiety. 

Depression is a widespread reality in our world. People are walking through the pain, confusion, and deeply complex experience of depression. In this weeks episode, we have a conversation about the difference between stigmas vs. understanding when it comes to depression, and offer five tips to understand a person who is experiencing depression. 

Depression is a widespread reality in our world. People are walking through the pain, confusion, and deeply complex experience of depression. In this weeks episode, we have a conversation about depression in the Bible, the mental and emotional pain that Jesus and others experienced throughout history, and how this validates us being human. 

Depression is a widespread reality in 2020. People are walking through the pain, confusion, and deeply complex experience of depression. In this weeks episode, we have a conversation about depression in this moment, learn basics about the experience of depression, and explain the need to deconstruct and reconstruct the conversation around depression in Christianity. 

All of us have been walking through one of the hardest moments in modern history--a global crisis that has deeply shaped our lives.  How do we navigate the effects of this moment? In this weeks episode, we have a conversation about the mental and emotional effects of this crisis on our lives, and offer four practical responses to a crisis that we learn from the life of Jesus. 

Suffering and pain have a way of overshadowing essential parts of being human. We have a tendency to withdraw, isolate and lose our self-worth during seasons of suffering. It is easy to get so enveloped in our pain that we forget that we are still a living human. In this episode, I talk about losing ourselves in suffering, how to be fully alive in the midst of suffering, and offer some practical steps forward. 

Welcome to Better Days Podcast, Season 6. 

Better Days is a podcast about Mental Health + Suffering, and what it means to be human and follow Jesus.

In Season 6, we will be exploring various topics around Mental Health + Suffering and how they relate to this cultural moment we are living through.  Follow along as we find hope, help and wisdom to navigate through the mental health challenges and suffering that we face in this moment.  

In Season 5, we are opening up a conversations to learn about the Pain of Racism. In Episode 6, Efrem Smith shares his story--his pain, the mental and emotional toll of racism, and offers practical steps toward equality and reconciliation. Efrem is a leading voice in Christianity around the subjects of racial reconciliation and justice. 

Visit betterdaysfmly.co to support Better Days and for more content around Mental Health + Suffering. 

In Season 5, we are opening up a conversations to learn about the Pain of Racism. In Episode 5, Kayla Johnson shares her story--her pain, the mental and emotional toll of racism, and her hope for change.

Visit betterdaysfmly.co to support Better Days and for more content around Mental Health + Suffering. 

In Season 5, we are opening up a conversations to learn about the Pain of Racism. In Episode 4, Tyronne Gross shares his story--his pain, the mental and emotional toll of racism, how he talks to his kids about racism, and his hope for change.

Visit betterdaysfmly.co to support Better Days and for more content around Mental Health + Suffering. 

I have always wrestled with the idea that there is a silver lining in all suffering. Maybe you have too. There are moments of suffering that are devastating. There are people across the globe experiencing horrific pain. How could experiences like these have a silver lining? In this weeks episode, I have a conversation with Stephanie Caine and Jason Caine about the reality of pain and suffering being not good, and how God by his very presence, nature and redemptive plan can bring good into our not good human experiences.

For more resources from Better Days check out https://www.betterdaysfmly.co. 

In Season 5, we are opening up a conversations to learn about the Pain of Racism. In Episode 3, Christa Armstead shares her story--her pain, not wanting to live, the mental and emotional toll of racism, and her hope for change.

Visit betterdaysfmly.co to support Better Days and for more content around Mental Health + Suffering. 

In Season 5, we are opening up a conversations to learn about the Pain of Racism. In Episode 2, Tim Johnson shares his story--his pain, the mental and emotional toll of racism,  and his hope for change.

Visit betterdaysfmly.co to support Better Days and for more content around Mental Health + Suffering. 

In Season 5, we are opening up a conversations to learn about the Pain of Racism. In Episode 1, Michael Metcalf shares his story--his pain, the mental and emotional toll of racism, and his hope for change.

Visit betterdaysfmly.co to support Better Days and for more content around Mental Health + Suffering. 

Welcome to Better Days, Season 5. 

Most of us have a personal knowledge of human suffering. We have suffered. Someone close to us has suffered. And we all realize that suffering comes in many forms. Yet, many us have never experienced racism. Racism is a devastating form of human suffering. We are in a cultural moment where each one of us is aware of the pervasive reality of racism and the human suffering associated with it. We are living in a moment where each of us has the opportunity to learn, listen, empathize and collectively enter into the change process. In Season 5, we will open up a conversation and listen to the stories of friends of mine who have lived through racism. They will talk about their pain, the mental and emotional toll of racism, and their hope for change. Join me, as we enter into this important conversation about The Pain of Racism.