Are you unsatisfied? If so, then you are blessed! In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Pastor Brad interviews author, Amy Simpson regarding her new book entitled Blessed Are the Unsatisfied: Finding Spiritual Freedom in an Imperfect World

“We know that our material comforts and temporal accomplishments are not enough to fully satisfy us. Momentary pleasures, whether of pure or darker motivations, are fleeting at best. But Christians often hear the idea that following Jesus means that we should be living a life of full satisfaction. How many of us actually experience that kind of life? Amy Simpson wants to debunk this satisfaction myth in the church.… Read More

We offer this special podcast as a point of hope and healing for pastors and those who serve in full-time ministry. Serving the Lord full-time in ministry can be challenging.

 

In this special edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health for October, Pastor Appreciation Month, Pastor Brad interviews Mr. David Anderson who is the Founder and President of Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat.

Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat offers week-long counseling retreats for men and women in full-time ministry who are in the midst of various stages of burnout, stress, depression, and conflicts of all kinds. Each retreat can accommodate up to eight individuals.… Read More

In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Pastor Brad looks at eight different ways to “fix” your cognitive distortions (which were covered in Part 1: 15 Cognitive Distortions).  These are eight different ways to change your “thinking default settings” in order to get rid of your stikin’ thinkin’.  

Aaron Beck first purposed the theory behind cognitive distortions, and it was David Burns who was responsible for popularizing them with common names and examples of these distortions.

Here are the 15 cognitive distortions that Pastor Brad discusses in this podcast:

1. Filtering
2. Polarized thinking/black or white thinking
3. Overgeneralization
4. Jumping to conclusions
5. Catastrophizing
6. Personalization
7. Control fallacies
8. Fallacy of fairness
9. Blaming
10. Shoulds
11. Emotional reasoning
12. Fallacy of change
13. Global labeling
14. Always being right
15. Heaven’s reward fallacy

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

This podcast for everyone and anyone!  Why?  Because everyone needs to be able to identify the 15 common cognitive distortions that they may be struggling with or others are struggling with in their lives. 

The topic of cognitive distortions is for everyone.  Pastor Brad identifies 15 common cogitative distortions. These distortions are widespread.  These distortions are not necessarily connected to mental illness or mental disorders, but certainly, these distortions can easily exasperate a mental illness or mental disorder. 

Aaron Beck first purposed the theory behind cognitive distortions, and it was David Burns who was responsible for popularizing them with common names and examples of these distortions which is what Brad covers in this Part 1 of a two part edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health: “Cogitative Distortions and How to Overcome Them.”

Here are the 15 cognitive distortions that Pastor Brad discusses in this podcast:

1. Filtering
2. Polarized thinking/black or white thinking
3. Overgeneralization
4. Jumping to conclusions
5. Catastrophizing
6. Personalization
7. Control fallacies
8. Fallacy of fairness
9. Blaming
10. Shoulds
11. Emotional reasoning
12. Fallacy of change
13. Global labeling
14. Always being right
15. Heaven’s reward fallacy

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

In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, Pastor Brad interviews Chaplain Joy Stevens.  Joy is a Master Facilitator for the Trauma Healing Institute of the American Bible Society.

Joy and Brad discuss what trauma is and the trauma healing classes that the Trauma Healing institute is sponsoring in both churches and jails.  They also talk about the healing and hope that is coming from the classes and what is necessary in order for trauma, which is a wound of the heart, to heal.  

Please know, if you have experienced hope in your life, what happened to you matters.… Read More

In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Brad interviews Pastor and Author, Rick Qualls. Rick suffered for many years with anxiety and depression until being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Since taking a mood stabilizer Rick has been living well and has experienced episode free living for the last 9 years!

Rick Qualls is the author of Bright Spots in the Darkness and a Fresh Hope blogger. His book is available on his website: http://www.rickqualls.com. Rick is retired after 40 years as pastoral ministry. He and Nancy have been married for 44 years. They have three grown children and five grandchildren.… Read More

 In this edition, Pastor Brad interviews the owner of Daybreak Behavior, Mark Housman and the Clinical Director of Daybreak Behavior, Robin Houser.

The work that Daybreak Behavior is doing is groundbreaking in so many ways.  They specialize in helping kids who have behavioral issues — along with the entire family unit and even the school.  They have a success rate of 90%! 

Daybreak helps aggressive children, and children with severe behaviors, overcome their behavior problems.… Read More

 In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Pastor Brad interviews Colleen Swindoll-Thompson. Colleen is the daughter of Chuck Swindoll with Insight for Living.

Colleen says, “I’m a recovering idealist; a witty, creative investigator of faith; a compassionate caregiver; a writer and speaker; and a survivor of a shipwrecked life.

“My passion is to help fellow survivors and life-strugglers steer through difficult circumstances and develop steadfast hope, so that they can navigate life with significance, meaning, and purpose in God.”

Colleen serves at Insight for Living Ministries as the director of our Reframing Ministries Department.… Read More

In this edition Pastor Brad interviews author Katie Dale.  Katie talks about her faith and recovery.  She stresses how important having purpose has been in staying stable for the last 5 years.

BipolarBrave.com is where you’ll find Katie’s blog.  She is open, transparent and willing shares her faith and spiritual insights.  You’ll want to sign up for following her blog!  Plus, you’ll want to be sure and check out her book which will hopefully be published in the near future.

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 Thomas “melted-down” in the small town of only 600 people he felt as though everyone was talking about him and that he had become the town “monster.” So, following his move back to his parents’ home in a metro area, he began a remarkable journey of healing that led him to find hope through Fresh Hope.

In this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, Thomas talks about his various diagnoses which include schizoaffective disorder and borderline personality disorder. He discloses the importance of researching and understanding your diagnosis and how medicine does 50% of the work, but you have to do the other 50% of it.… Read More