Podcast

Hey Friends! 

What a show this is. I am so excited to have the amazing Morgan Harper Nichols joining me to talk about her journey with a life-changing diagnosis and her pursuit of peace. We also discuss her new book, Peace is a Practice. This is such an important conversation, and I hope you’ll walk away from it feeling encouraged and inspired.

Popular Instagram poet and artist Morgan Harper Nichols (@morganharpernichols) has garnered a loyal online following of nearly two million, and each poem she shares is created in response to the personal stories submitted by her friends and followers. In addition to her burgeoning career as a poet and illustrator, Morgan has also successfully established her reputation as a musician, with her song “Storyteller” amassing more than one million Spotify plays thus far. She currently has partnerships with Target, Starbucks, Kind Bar, and more. She and her family live in Phoenix, Arizona.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Her personal journey, including receiving a diagnosis of autism last year
• Why peace is a practice
• The importance of breathing

Resources we discussed:

• Morgan’s book: Peace is a Practice
• Morgan’s website: https://morganharpernichols.com/
• Jay Nester: Breath

If you loved this episode as much as I did, add so some stars to the review and tell a friend about the show!

Melissa

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Conflict is part of every intimate relationship–that’s why conflict resolution skills are essential. Abuse, however, has no place in a healthy relationship, whether the couple is dating, engaged, or married.

On the show today, I’m sitting down with the amazing Bob and Polly Hamp of Think Differently Counseling to talk about abuse in marriages, the religious views on marriages, and practical strategies to setting boundaries in an abusive relationship. This is an episode you will want to share with your friends!

Bob Hamp is the founder of the Think Differently Counseling Consulting and Connecting Center. He has been in private practice and worked in the Church for a combined 25 years of practice. He has published two books built around the idea that changing thought process is the true meaning of Biblical repentance and, therefore, the critical component of real change.

Polly Hamp’s vision in life is to see people walk in the fullness of who God created them to be. For years Polly has been helping individuals find freedom and hope from hurting and stuck places. She was the founder and director of a ministry that helped people impacted by the sex industry find freedom and a new life. She is a published author, speaker, and teacher. Polly is a Think Differently Coach, Certified NLP Practitioner, and an Organizational Consultant.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What does responsibility have to do with abuse, and how can we incorrectly assign responsibility in marriage?
• How has the Church often replicated the dynamic they are trying to heal?
• God doesn’t hate divorce; He hates the behavior that leads to it.
• Practical strategies for setting boundaries in an abusive relationship.

Resources we discussed:

1. Bob’s video – Understanding the Dynamics of Abuse https://tdacad.com/courses/understanding-the-dynamics-of-abuse/
2. Think Differently Counseling 
3. The Life-Saving Divorce
4. Safe People 
5. Beyond Boundaries

If you loved this episode as much as I did, help me out by adding some stars to the rating and tell a friend about the show.

Have a great week!

Melissa

PS – don’t forget to DM or email me your questions!

Quote, I loved: “Forgiveness heals your heart and has a connection to God.”

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Nearly 50% of all Americans report feeling alone and regularly left out. Are you one of the half? If so, this episode is for you.

In their debut book, I’ll Be There (But I’ll Be Wearing Sweatpants): Finding Unfiltered Real-Life Friendships in This Crazy, Chaotic World, Jess & Amy offer an-easy-to-follow road map to the place we all desperately want to be—authentic friendships. The message of the book is simple: let’s not do life alone; let’s do it together. Jess & Amy share real-life examples and actionable steps we can all take to build deep and satisfying friendships.

Amy Weatherly is a Texas girl through and through, which is where she lives with her husband, three kids, and two rescue dogs–Lou and Brewster. She is passionate about helping women embrace courage, confidence, and purpose for their life, and she does it with a quick wit and down-to-earth sense of humor. She has written for the Today Show, MSN.com, Good Morning America, Yahoo.com, and Love What Matters.

Jess Johnston lives in Southern California with her husband and four kids who are the loves of her life. Her favorite thing to do is to sit around a table with her best friends, eating nachos and laughing until her stomach hurts. She has been a top contributor to publications such as HuffPo, Scary Mommy, and Motherly, and has been honored with Motherly‘s Writer of the Year Award.

In this episode we talk about:

• The loneliness epidemic
• Simple, effective strategies to build enduring friendships
• Ways to pursue new friendships when you’re feeling lonely or left out
• Steps to navigate social anxiety

Links to great things we discussed:

Amy Weatherly

Jess Johnston

I’ll be there for you

Sister, I’m with you

If you loved this episode as much as I did, add some stars to the review!

Have a great week!

Melissa

PS – Don’t forget to DM or email your questions for the Counselor-on-Call weekly segment

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Are you struggling with your relationship with money? The good news is that being good with or getting better with your money does not have to be difficult.

On the show today, I’m sitting down with Jessi Fearon, author and personal finance coach, to take about getting out of debt, understanding your spending motivation, and getting started on your way to becoming free from debt. 

Jessi Fearon seeks to challenge, encourage, and equip women to take the steps they need to achieve financial freedom. Jessi firmly believes in living a real-life on a budget and that personal finance is, in fact, personal. She seeks to help others learn how to make their money work for them. 

Jessi has written guest posts for popular websites like DaveRamsey.com, MSN Money, MoneySavingMom.com, Clark.com, TheHumbledHomemaker.com, Popsugar.com, and HuffPo. She and her family make their home in the Atlanta area.

Things we discussed : 

1. Jessi’s story of how they became debt-free 

2. The importance of getting good with money

3. The types of spenders and what motivates them 

4. Ways to get started on your journey to debt freedom 

Ways to connect with Jessi :

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook 
• Pick up a copy of her book – Getting Good with Money 

Check out this episode!

If you feel things aren’t going as planned, this episode is for you. In this episode, we are talking with Scott Erickson. 

Scott Erickson is a touring painter, performance artist, and creative curate who mixes autobiography, aesthetics, and comedic narrative to create experiences that speak to our most profound stories. He is the co-author of Prayer: Forty Days of Practice and May It Be So, the author of Honest Advent, a spiritual director to brave women and men, and a professional dishwasher for his food-blogging wife. Scott lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and three children.

Great things we discuss: 

1. How to not give up on yourself in 2022
2. Two questions to ask every January to check in on how you are.
3. Facing the Voice of Giving Up and declaring that change is possible
4. Mental health and spiritual health practices to help you thrive 

Helpful resources:

• Scott Erickson 
• Say Yes 
• SAY YES: A Liturgy of Not Giving Up On Yourself

Blessings to you, friend!

Melissa

PS – if you love Thrive, please add some stars to the review and write a short review.

PPS – don’t forget to send email or DM questions.

Check out this episode!