Fresh Hope For Mental Health

While working as a crime scene investigator, Carol’s anxiety disorder began to manifest itself.  And after being attacked by a dog, the anxiety became debilitating.  Through her struggle she ended up attending a Fresh Hope group which has played an important part of her oncoming the anxiety disorder and living well in spite of it!  She shares her story as hope and encouragement for those who suffer from anxiety.

This podcast is 18 minutes long. After listening to this podcast we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.  If you are listening to this podcast on iTunes, we encourage you to leave a comment regarding the podcast.… Read More

Do you have a child whose behavior(s) are causing you concern?  Have you ever felt like a failure as a parent?  Possibly you feel like you have a child who becomes a very angry “Incredible-Hulk” periodically?  If so, then this is a podcast you won’t want to miss!

In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, Pastor Brad Hoefs interviews Dr. Brian Lubberstedt who is a board certified child and adolescent psychiatrist. They discuss how potential mental health issues manifest in a child’s life, parenting children who have mental health issues and much more.

This podcast is 45 minutes long. After listening to this podcast we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.  If you are listening to this podcast on iTunes, we encourage you to leave a comment regarding the podcast.… Read More

“When I went through surgery and recovery with my brain tumor people brought meals to the house, cards came in the mail, people called. But two years later when I crashed with depression I felt forgotten. Nobody called and someone in our Bible study group tole me that I just needed to get over it,” said Jamie Meyer, author of Stepping out of Depression; Fresh Hope for Women Who Hurt. (Available on Amazon.com) 

Unfortunately, her experience within her church is the what too many folks who have a mental health issue also experience.  That is, everyone is there with prayer, home visits and casseroles, but no one shows up following your hospitalization for depression.  On this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Jamie and her husband Allen will be sharing their journey to living well in spite of the mental health challenge Jamie faced head on.… Read More

On this special edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, Pastor Brad interviews Kay Warren from Saddleback Church.  Kay and her husband, Pastor Rick Warren, cofounded Saddleback church.  Rick is the author of New York bestseller, Purpose Driven Life.  

Three years ago the Warrens youngest son, Matthew, lost his battle with a mental illness. And in the three years that have followed the Warrens have become advocates for hope for mental health.  (www.Hope4MentalHealth.com) They have held two conferences on the church and mental health the past two years with another one in planned for this coming October of 2016. 

We apologize in advance for the poor quality of the audio of this podcast post.… Read More

Greetings Everyone!

Today is a special day for us here at Fresh Hope.  We have now released our second podcast program entitled “Holding to Hope for Mental Health”  

We hope you’ll check this new program out! The website is: www.Holding2Hope.com 

This new podcast program is for those who are family and friends/loved ones of those who have a mental health diagnosis.  

This program will soon be available on iTunes and Stitcher Radio.  Enjoy!

Both Holding to Hope for Mental Health and Fresh Hope for Mental Health are weekly podcast programs of Fresh Hope.

All right reserved.… Read More

Early on in Pastor Brad’s recovery his doctor insisted that he find a hobby.  He told Brad that it would help his brain heal and assist his recovery.  So, Brad set out to find one.  In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Pastor Brad humorously recalls his “hunt” for a hobby.  In doing so, gives insight into how to find a hobby and why it is important for you too to have a hobby for the sake of you being able to live well in spite of a mental health diagnosis.

After listening to this podcast we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.  Or you can leave a voice message for us on the site: www.FreshHope4MentalHealth.com

Pastor Brad Hoefs, host of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, is the founder of Fresh Hope Ministries, a network of Christian mental health support groups for those who have a diagnosis and their loved ones.… Read More

Being able to leave your past behind you is key to being able to move forward in recovery.  In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Brad shares a humorous experience which illustrates the importance of disconnecting with your past so that you might move forward into the present and future without dragging your past behind you.

After listening to this podcast we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.  Or you can leave a voice message for us on the site: www.FreshHope4MentalHealth.com

Pastor Brad Hoefs, host of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, is the founder of Fresh Hope Ministries, a network of Christian mental health support groups for those who have a diagnosis and their loved ones.… Read More

Everyone ruminates here and there.  However, those of us who have mental health issues can really get stuck ruminating over and over to the point where we find it extremely hard to stop it.  Is it possible?  Yes!  It is.  In this eidtion of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Brad talks about how he overcame the obsessive reuminating over and over with his negative thinking.  He also talks about resources that can help with these issues. 

After listening to this podcast we encourage you to email us at info@FreshHope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.  Or you can leave a voice message for us on the site: www.FreshHope4MentalHealth.com

Pastor Brad Hoefs, host of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, is the founder of Fresh Hope Ministries, a network of Christian mental health support groups for those who have a diagnosis and their loved ones.… Read More

In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, Brad discusses the importance of moving toward something as opposed to moving away from something.  

After listening to this podcast we encourage you to email us at info@freshhope.us with a comment or question that we will share on our next podcast.  Or you can leave a voice message for us on the site: www.FreshHope4MentalHealth.com

Pastor Brad Hoefs, host of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, is the founder of Fresh Hope Ministries, a network of Christian mental health support groups for those who have a diagnosis and their loved ones. In other words, Fresh Hope is a Christian mental health support group. 

Brad was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1995.… Read More

Many times when someone has a mental health issue it brings with it a number of behaviors and ways of thinking that have damaged relationships.  So, we end up hurting the very people we love; the people who are “for us”.  Once out of the heat of a manic episode or deep depression we many times have deep remorse for the pain that we have caused those around us.  And while appropriate to take responsibly for our behavior our regret can also become toxic to us being able to move forward.  So, how much regret is enough?  When is it time to move forward?… Read More