What if the feelings you’re hiding aren’t proof you’re broken—but clues pointing you toward care?

In this episode of Shame Free Sunday, we sit down with Harmony (our shame-free bear) to explore Mental Health Awareness Week through a grounded, faith-informed lens. We talk about how anxiety, depression, and grief are not flaws to hide but signals to understand—and how shame often twists struggle into identity. Naming what hurts is the beginning of relief.

You’ll hear about simple nervous system tools—like slow exhale breathing and even bubble-blowing—alongside deeper practices of awareness, pattern-tracking, and finding safe people. We unpack when anxiety and grief become maladaptive, what it means to feel stuck in fight/flight/freeze, and how to gently widen your window of tolerance. We also look at biblical stories like Elijah and David, where rest, nourishment, and honest prayer came before solutions—offering a compassionate model of healing that honors both faith and therapy.

As a trauma therapist in Central Texas and Miami, Florida, I also share practical ways to seek support: understanding the difference between coaching and counseling, finding a provider who aligns with your values, and reframing help-seeking as strength—not weakness.

Our refrain throughout: shadows mean light is nearby. If you’ve been feeling ashamed or stuck, this is your invitation to take one small step—name it to tame it, feel it to heal it, and remember you’re not alone.

✨ If this episode speaks to you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. What’s one baby step you’ll take today?

Connect with us on Social Media or Visit our website!

Website: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

Bookstore: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store

The wounds that cut the deepest often come from the places we expect to feel safest. When church hurt becomes part of your story, how do you navigate that pain without walking away from your faith?

In this honest conversation, licensed professional counselor Eleanor (Elly) Brown, based in Central Texas, and co-host Isa dive into the topic of church hurt and religious trauma with vulnerability and grace. Together, they unpack 3 clear signs you may be experiencing church hurt:

• Avoiding church because it feels more painful than safe
• Experiencing Scripture as a source of pain instead of comfort
• Wrestling with shame rooted in human judgment rather than God’s truth

Rather than dismissing the church or excusing harmful behavior, Elly and Isa share faith-centered tools for healing while honoring the church’s essential role in spiritual growth. They draw on biblical examples, practical counseling insights, and their own experiences of both giving and receiving hurt in church spaces.

💡 Want to go deeper? Elly’s book A Better Way: Integrating Faith and Psychology to Heal Inner Wounds offers a step-by-step framework for healing. You can also take her free Shame Quiz to discover how shame may be impacting your spiritual life.

Whether you’ve walked away from church, are supporting someone who has, or want to help create healthier faith communities, this episode provides a compassionate roadmap for finding a better way to heal.

👉 Resources:

• Shame Quiz: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie
  
  
• A Better Way: Integrating Faith and Psychology to Heal Inner Wounds: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store/p/a-better-way-book
  
  
• Learn more about Elly’s counseling services in Texas and Florida at eleanorbrowncounseling.com

Connect with us on Social Media or Visit our website!

Website: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

Bookstore: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store

Have you ever felt like your worst experiences define who you are? A painful moment, traumatic event, or difficult season can color how you see yourself, others, and even God.

Trauma has a way of embedding itself into our identity, convincing us that what happened to us is who we are. In this episode of A Better Way to Heal: Where Faith Meets Therapy, licensed professional counselor Eleanor Brown and co-host Isa explore the critical difference between experiencing trauma and becoming trauma.

We talk about how labels can limit healing and isolate us from the fullness God intends for our lives. Drawing from biblical examples like David and Elijah, we unpack how protective strongholds can turn into prisons when we stay in them too long. Just as David couldn’t fulfill his calling as king while hiding in a cave, we can’t walk in our purpose when we’re defined by wounds instead of worth.

You’ll hear practical steps for reclaiming your identity:

• Speaking small truths you can actually believe
• Replacing comparison with gratitude
• Using mindfulness to stay grounded when triggers arise

Most importantly, we’ll remind you of God’s truth: “I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). Your identity is not trauma — it’s rooted in Christ.

✨ Whether you’re working through childhood wounds, relationship pain, or the weight of shame, this conversation offers hope, clarity, and a path forward.

👉 Join us as we discover that while trauma may be part of your story, it was never meant to be your identity.

Connect with us on Social Media or Visit our website!

Website: https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

Bookstore: https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store