Melissa Clark

Hello Friends!

I’m so excited about today’s episode and it is a special one! In this episode, I sit down with my new friend and kindred spirit, Bonnie Gray, author, speaker, and podcast host. We talk about Bonnie’s journey, the wounds of her childhood, PTSD, and her latest book, Sweet Like Jasmine.

Bonnie Gray is the author of Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace, and Sweet Like Jasmine. An inspirational speaker and podcast host of Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast, Bonnie touches thousands of lives using storytelling, soul care, and prayer. Bonnie’s global following of readers come to her for inspiring Christian content in her authentic, unique voice. Her writing has been published and syndicated across a broad online audience. Bonnie lives in California with her husband and two sons. 

In this episode we talk about:

• How Bonnie overcame depression, anxiety, PTSD, and panic attacks
• Turning anxiety and depression as a healing superpower to build a new legacy of faith
• Healing the wounds of sexual assault and date rape
• How childhood trauma bred perfectionism
• Lonely no more: the importance of being vulnerable and finding belonging
• How to break free from the cycle of emotional exhaustion, toxic relationships and prioritize your emotional wellbeing

Want to connect with Bonnie :

Facebook: BonnieGray

Instagram: TheBonnieGray

Website bonniegray.com 

Podcast : BREATHE: The Stress Less Podcast 

Pick up a copy of her new book, Sweet Like Jasmine 

Check out this episode!

We are wrapping our series on struggling well in the hard seasons. We heard from Sheila Walsh, Lisa Whittle, and Amanda Cunningham. If you haven’t heard those yet, I urge you to go back and listen.

It has been a few weeks but I’m happy to bring you a Counselor-on-Call episode this week.  We are talking about the power of identifying your emotions.

By identifying our emotions and feelings, it helps us know what we need and want (or don’t want!). It also helps us build better relationships. We can’t turn off our emotions and if we try to push them away, they usually show themselves at the most inopportune times.

God himself is full of emotion. There are many men in the Bible that showed emotions like Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

Tips to identify your emotions:

1. There are no good or bad emotions. It is what you do with these emotions that can help or hurt you. Emotions can hurt us when we don’t listen, understand and identify our emotions.
2. Check-in with your emotions regularly. Emotional check-ins are designed to help you get an accurate reading of how you feel. Journaling can be an effective tool to process your emotions effectively.
3. You process your feelings and emotions because they are trying to tell you something. When you process them, it gives you greater clarity.

Resources:

The Feelings Wheel

Episode 47: The Power of Journaling 

*DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  If you are in need of counseling, please check out Psychology Today or Nami for helpful resources.

Check out this episode!

Hello Friends!

This week we continue our series on dealing with the hard things in life. Whether it is the pandemic, a health issue, or a parenting challenge, we are ALL going through something. 

In this episode, I sit down with my new friend, Amanda Cunningham, special needs mom and owner of Glory Days Co. Since October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, We talk about Amanda’s journey,  the unexpected Down Syndrome diagnosis of her daughter, and how she created a business while trying to manage the overwhelm as a new special needs mom.

Amanda Cunningham is the founder of The Glory Days Co., a company that provides organizational tools for parents and caregivers of special needs children. Amanda’s daughter Aurora “Rory” was born with an unexpected diagnosis of Down Syndrome. Amanda and her husband live in West Virginia with their three kids.

Listen in to learn more about :

1. Amanda shares the journey of Rory’s birth and all the emotions that came along with that.
2. Debunking the myths around why Down Syndrome is such a dreaded diagnosis
3. Ways to support those who are raising a special needs child and how to serve them well 
4. Why she created the Glory Days planner and how it helps manage all the chaos of doctor visits, therapy appointments, and more.

Want to connect with Amanda:

Website– www.theglorydaysco.com     

Instagram– @theglorydaysco

Resources

• Order your Glory Days Planner Today!  with 

Check out this episode!

Hello Friends! 

We are in the midst of a series talking about the hard things. Whether it is the pandemic, a health issue, or a parenting challenge, we are ALL going through something. 

In this episode, I sit down with my friend, Lisa Whittle to why we need to find the good during the hard seasons, how to let God transform us in the hard seasons, and discuss her book, The Hard Good. 

Lisa is the founder of Ministry Strong and the popular Jesus Over Everything podcast. She has done master’s work in Marriage and Family  Counseling and advocated for Compassion, International. Wife, mom, lover of laughter, good food, interior design and, The Bible, Lisa is a  grateful work in progress. 

Things that we discussed:

1. Lisa shares her journey and passion behind her new book 
2. You can use the hard seasons to change yourself or you can run from it
3. The idea behind grief and joy co-existing 
4. You don’t have to agree with the loss to make peace with it 
5. Give yourself permission to feel your grief rather than to push it down

Want to connect with Lisa:

You can find her on Facebook [Lisa Whittle], follow her on Instagram [@LisaWhittle] and Twitter [@LisaRWhittle], and visit her ministry community at www.lisawhittle.com. 

Resources

• Called Creatives – Join TODAY!! 

Check out this episode!

We’ve all been going through a hard season for the last 2 years with all the things that we’ve been dealing with.  It’s no wonder that all this uncertainty and the overwhelming sadness and loneliness have caused cases of depression and anxiety to accelerate at alarming levels.

I’m so honored to have Sheila Walsh on the show today for a very special conversation about mental health.

Sheila is an author, amazing Bible teacher, and television host, and, fun fact: she’s was born and raised in Scotland! In this episode, she shares her journey with clinical depression and we also discuss her new book, Holding on When You Want to Let Go, and what she has learned as she managed her depression while navigating the pandemic and Covid-19.

Things that we discussed :

1. We need to share how we are feeling and experiencing and not feel shame from it.
2. Empathy is born out of suffering and it makes the world so much less scary.
3. Sheila shares how to help others and sharing their burdens in a healthy way.
4. Setting boundaries is essential to our mental health. “No”  is a complete sentence and you get to say no without a hundred reasons why.

Want to connect with Sheila:

Website: sheilawalsh.com

Instagram: @sheilawalsh1

Order her Book – Holding On When You Want to Let Go

Resources

• NAMI 
• PsychologyToday.com 

Check out this episode!