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?

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Website: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

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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

Struggling does not mean lack of faith. In this episode, we share why struggle is part of faith — and 5 practical tips to calm panic attacks.

Does struggling mean you lack faith? In this episode of A Better Way to Heal, Elly and Isa dig into that big question with wisdom from Elijah, David, and Job. We talk about why pain and faith can coexist — and why honest struggle is not weakness but part of our faith journey.

Along the way, we also get practical. Panic attacks can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face them without tools. We share 5 tips that really work to calm panic attacks:

1. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding — connect with your senses to stay present.
2. Change Your Temperature — cold water, warm cloth, or another shift to reset your body.
3. Butterfly Taps — gentle bilateral tapping to soothe the nervous system.
4. Vagus Nerve Breathing — inhale for 2, exhale long and slow to calm your body.
5. The Power of a Hug — safe, supportive touch that regulates and grounds.

If you’ve ever been told your struggle means you don’t have enough faith, this conversation will bring comfort and clarity. God meets us in the middle of our struggle, not after we “snap out of it.”

Tune in to learn why struggling does not equal lack of faith — and walk away with practical tools you can use the next time anxiety or panic shows up.

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

Grief does not come with a rulebook. Yet society often places unspoken expectations that make the journey even harder. In this episode of A Better Way to Heal, cohosts Elly and Isa share three things you do not need to do while grieving, from pretending you are fine to following a strict timeline.

They begin by challenging the pressure to care for everyone else while neglecting your own emotional needs. Drawing from personal stories and biblical wisdom, they explore how well meaning friends can unintentionally make someone’s grief about themselves. With compassion, they offer practical guidance on creating boundaries and honoring your own healing process, as well as insights for supporters who want to truly help without adding to the mental load.

The conversation deepens as Elly and Isa dismantle the myth that grief must look a certain way. Vulnerability, they explain, requires discernment, but acknowledging your true emotions creates authentic connections. They emphasize that emotions will ebb and flow. Feeling okay one day and overwhelmed the next is part of the process, not a failure.

Perhaps most freeing is their discussion of timelines. They explain why the five stages of grief were never meant to be sequential steps, illustrating through personal stories of losing their mothers how grief can resurface unexpectedly years or even decades later. They also point to biblical examples like Jesus grieving Lazarus and John the Baptist to show that even perfect faith does not erase sorrow, but it does provide hope within the pain.

Whether you are grieving the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, an unfulfilled dream, or even lamenting the state of the world, this conversation offers permission to grieve authentically and gently.

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

Three small steps to reduce shame in your marriage and grow trust, empathy, and real connection.

Shame whispers I am not good enough and it can quietly damage even healthy marriages. In this Shame Free Sunday short from A Better Way to Heal, Elly and Harmony unpack how shame blocks trust, fuels defensive talk, and feeds unworthy beliefs that lead to self sabotage. You will learn three simple practices you can start today. Share feelings in small, safe steps to build trust. Practice active listening so you hear to understand rather than to react. Affirm worth together by naming your strengths and the strengths you see in your partner. These baby steps interrupt the shame cycle and make space for real intimacy. If you are wondering whether shame is shaping your relationship, take the free Shame Quiz on my site. Like, subscribe, and share this with a friend who needs encouragement today.

Grab your Shame Quiz here: https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie

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

Inside Out 2 skips shame; here is what shame is, how it hides under other feelings, and one small step to start healing.

Ever wonder why shame was not featured among the emotions in Inside Out 2 If you have asked what is shame you are not alone. This powerful and often invisible emotion works behind the scenes, shaping how we experience everything else.

Shame has a unique way of hiding within other feelings. When you feel embarrassed, shame may whisper you are not good enough. When you lash out in anger, shame can be the hidden driver making you feel inadequate. Unlike fleeting emotions, shame digs into identity and can start a cycle of negative thoughts that colors how we see ourselves and how we relate to others.

What makes shame challenging is how well it disguises itself. Many people do not realize they are experiencing shame because it presents as anxiety, perfectionism, withdrawal, or aggression. This stealth quality is why so many say I do not deal with shame while still being shaped by it. Naming what is shame in your own story is the first step toward healing. Once we can identify those thoughts, we can challenge them and begin to reclaim worth. Remember, guilt says I did something wrong and can guide healthy change. Shame says there is something wrong with me and keeps us stuck.

The move from shame to hope starts with grace, truth, and small steps that build worth and belonging. By understanding how this invisible emotion operates in our emotional landscape, we can move toward self compassion and authenticity.

Ready to see if unhealthy shame is affecting your life
Take the Shame Quiz: https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie

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

A Shame Free Sunday Episode from A Better Way to Heal: Where Faith Meets Therapy

Shame silently shapes our lives—how we speak, how we connect, and how we see ourselves—often without us realizing it. Have you ever stopped mid-sentence, convinced your thoughts weren’t worth sharing? Or felt completely alone in a crowded room because “if they really knew me, they wouldn’t want me here”?

You’re not alone. You’re experiencing shame’s powerful grip.

In this special Shame Free Sunday episode, Licensed Professional Counselor Eleanor L. Brown (most people call her Elly) explores the emotional and spiritual cost of shame, how it differs from guilt, and how to begin healing. Guilt says, “I did something wrong.” Shame says, “I am something wrong.” While guilt can lead to growth, shame attacks our identity and keeps us stuck.

Elly shares personal stories of how shame once silenced her voice and distorted her sense of worth. Joined by Harmony the Shame No More Bear, she walks through the free Shame Quiz, a practical tool to help you recognize where shame is showing up in your life—and what you can do about it.

💭 Understand the inner critic and how shame shows up in self-talk
🔎 Take the free Shame Quiz to assess your current struggles
📖 Explore tips rooted in therapy and Scripture using the BETTER Framework
🛠️ Gain simple tools to externalize shame and step into healing
🙏 Learn how faith and therapy together offer a better way forward

Whether you're just beginning to notice shame’s impact or you've been in the healing process for a while, this episode offers gentle guidance and hope. Because as Elly says, “Hurt people hurt people. But free people? Free people.”

✨ Take the quiz today: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie
📘 Grab the Overcoming Shame Workbook: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store/p/overcoming-shame-workbook
🔗 Explore more resources at: eleanorbrowncounseling.com

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