Too often we say things like, “I am___________.”  (Fill in the blank with your diagnosis e.g., “I’m bipolar.”) Instead we should say, “I’ve been diagnosed with _______.” We who have a mental health diagnosis need to understand that we
are NOT the sum total of our mental health diagnosis, rather saying that we have or have been diagnosed as _______, which indicates there is much more to us than just our diagnosis.  Your diagnosis does NOT define you!

In this podcast, Pastor Brad says, “I am NOT bipolar! I have bipolar. There’s a big difference between those two statements.”  He explores who we are in Christ; seeing it from a Christian mental health perspective.  … Read More

While the journey of mental health recovery varies from person to person there do some to be some key principles that are primary to most all paths to successful recovery.

In this episode of Fresh Hope Today Pastor Brad, who has bipolar disorder, shares the key Christian mental health principles that he has found to be the most helpful in his own sustained recovery. 

Brad Hoefs, host of the program is the founder of Fresh Hope, www.FreshHope.us.  Fresh Hope began as one Christian support group for those who have mental health issues along with their loved ones and has grown to numerous groups throughout the United States with a list of even more groups starting in the near future.… Read More

Fresh Hope Today with host Pastor Brad Hoefs,  is a podcast which empowers people to live a full and rich life in spite of a mental health diagnosis from a Christian perspective.

In this episode of Fresh Hope Today, Pastor Brad interviews a young woman who has bipolar disorder who has struggled with complete hopelessness which caused her to loose the desire to live.  She has struggled with finding the self-discipline to use mental health wellness tools to overcome the feelings of complete hopelessness.  

Stacy shares the recent events in her recovery that through her faith and her learned coping skills have enabled her to choose to live in spite of how she might feel on any given day.… Read More

This special edition of Fresh Hope Today is for Christian pastors and church leaders.  This edition focuses on the Christian Church and Mental Illness (Mental Health).

In this edition Pastor Brad Hoefs, founder of Fresh Hope, interviews author, Amy Simpson.  Amy wrote the award winning book Troubled Minds. 

This podcast is focuses on educating Christian church leaders about the mental health crisis and what each congregation might consider doing in order to help those effected by the crisis within there church and communities.

In this edition, Amy lays-out of the history of the Christian Church and its’ relationship with the mental health movement in America.… Read More

In this edition of Fresh Hope Today, Melody shares with Pastor Brad her journey to emotional and spiritual health in spite of having a mental health diagnosis.  After attending Fresh Hope for the last four years Melody is experiencing the payoff to a lot of the hard work of mental health recovery.

Melody’s Christian faith has been key in her journey to wholeness.  Forgiving others and not holding out forgiveness toward others has been a key to her successful recovery.  

Diagnosed with bipolar disorder as well as PTSD Melody knows very well how challenging and at times overwhelming mental health recovery can be.… Read More