Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol

Vaneetha Risner grew up believing that faithfully following Jesus would ensure a stable, fulfilling life. So when her marriage collapsed, it didn't just break her heart; it shattered the framework upon which she had built her identity. In this deeply personal conversation, Vaneetha opens up about the layered grief of divorce — a loss she describes as a kind of death that the church too often meets with judgment instead of compassion — and how that pain sat alongside other devastating trials, including contracting polio as a child, losing an infant son, and a later post-polio diagnosis.


Though Vaneetha experienced deep heartache and betrayal, her story centers around a renewed and reconstructed faith. She shares how reaching the absolute end of herself forced a new and desperate hunger for God, and how the biblical practice of lament became a lifeline, a place to pour out bitterness without fear of judgment. She offers candid wisdom on forgiveness (including why forgiving too quickly can actually delay healing) and the importance of becoming whole before pursuing remarriage. Listeners will also gain practical insight on how to support others in crisis through her "SHOWUP" framework. This episode is a powerful reminder that even when life doesn't go according to plan, faith can be rebuilt in the most unexpected and beautiful ways.
 
For more about Vaneetha Risner, check out her website, Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram
Find Vaneetha's book: This Was Never the Plan: Walking with God Through the Heartache of Divorce (A Practical Christian Guide to Healing, Hope, and Strength After Separation)
Here's my previous conversation with Vaneetha.    

 
For more from Dr. Carol, check out her article When One Flesh Tears Apart: The Trauma of Broken Covenant
Find out more about Dr. Carol Ministries:
Dr. Carol Ministries In-Person Intensives.  Experience true healing and wholeness in a safe environment as you unpack your story around intimacy and relationships while inviting Jesus to be part of that story.   
Individual coaching with Dr. Carol.  This provides a one-on-one format to help you navigate your personal journey.     

Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can send a confidential message here.

Have you ever felt a quiet, persistent restlessness — a sense that no matter how good life gets, something still feels off? In this episode, Niki Kirby unpacks the powerful biblical theme of "exile" from her book The Garden of Exile, revealing how the human story—from Eden to eternity—is one of displacement and longing for true home. She reframes modern discomfort as a spiritual ache for shalom, inviting listeners to see their discontent not as something to numb, but as something that points to God's greater restoration story.

Drawing from Scripture, Niki shares how we can live faithfully in exile as she explores how we are called to build, plant, love, and multiply even in a broken world. From navigating spiritual warfare and avoiding distraction, to embracing relationships as tools of sanctification, she offers a grounded and hopeful vision for everyday faithfulness. With a powerful emphasis on lament as holy ground and hope as a daily fight, this conversation reminds us that while we may not feel at home here, we are not without purpose—and restoration is coming.

For more about Niki Kirby, check out her website, Facebook, or Instagram.   
Find Niki's book The Garden of Exile: How to Flourish in a World that's Not Your Home     

For more from Dr. Carol, check out:
Dr. Carol's article Jesus, What's Going On Here?
Dr. Carol Ministries In-Person Intensives. Experience true healing and wholeness in a safe environment as you unpack your story around intimacy and relationships while inviting Jesus to be part of that story. 

Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can send a confidential message here.

What if the life you've built—doing the right things, saying the right words, holding it all together—isn't actually bringing the transformation your soul longs for? In this new monthly feature of Relationship Prescriptions, Dr. Carol is joined by Zion and Avery Montgomery for an honest, deeply personal conversation about the shift from performance to presence. They explore how real change begins not with striving, but with becoming secure in your identity in God, and how unresolved trauma, both big and small, quietly shapes the way you relate to yourself, others, and Him.

Through stories from their own journeys and their work in immersive intensives, they unpack why healing requires more than insight. It requires safe spaces, honest relationships, and the courage to let Jesus meet you in the places you've kept hidden. From the power of vulnerability and community to the surprising freedom found in surrender, this conversation is an invitation to something deeper. The question isn't whether change is possible—it's this: Do you want to be well?

Find out more about Dr. Carol Ministries In-Person Intensives     
Interested in a one-on-one format? Find out more about individual coaching with Dr. Carol.       
Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can send a confidential message here.

In this special Holy Week episode of Relationship Prescriptions, Dr. Carol reflects on the meaning of Easter and the transforming power of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. Sharing her personal story of encountering Jesus during a Good Friday service—an experience she now celebrates as her spiritual birthday—Dr. Carol explores why the resurrection is the most pivotal event in human history. She invites listeners to look beyond a limited understanding of forgiveness alone and consider the full scope of what Jesus accomplished through His sacrifice and victory.

The episode unpacks the human "sin problem" in three dimensions: our sinful actions that require forgiveness, the deep woundedness and brokenness within us that need healing, and the spiritual bondage from which Christ has secured victory. Dr. Carol explains how Jesus provides complete forgiveness, offers deep inner restoration, and triumphs over the powers of darkness, while inviting believers to respond through repentance, choosing healing, and standing firmly in His victory. Grounded in the hope of becoming more like Christ and living in God's kingdom, this conversation encourages listeners to experience the fuller transformation made possible through the resurrection.

For 7 simple (though not guaranteed to be easy) keys to living more Fully Alive, get your free pdf download here.

Find out more about Dr. Carol Ministries in-person intensives - a safe place to unpack your story around intimacy and relationships, and experience Jesus coming into your story to bring healing and wholeness.       
Find out more about individual coaching with Dr. Carol       
Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can send a confidential message here.  

New boost

In this candid and "spicy" conversation, Dr. Carol sits down with Matt and Jen Schmidt to explore how couples can have healthy, mature conversations about sex in marriage. Addressing a topic many couples avoid or only discuss in terms of conflict or frustration, this episode expands listeners' vocabulary, mindset, and comfort in talking openly about intimacy. Together, they unpack both theological and practical perspectives on married sex, discuss common barriers to connection, and offer insights into how couples can move toward greater closeness, understanding, and fulfillment.

Drawing from their own journey and their work through Intimate Covenant, Matt and Jen share why they believe Christian marriages should model an extraordinary sex life and how couples can begin cultivating that vision. The conversation offers encouragement for those navigating challenges such as emotional barriers, negative patterns, or unresolved struggles around sexuality, while pointing listeners to additional resources for growth, healing, and transformation. This episode invites married couples to embrace a richer vision of intimacy within their relationship.

Note: this episode is candid without being graphic. And it does not specifically address trauma, infidelity, or similar issues.

Connect with Matt and Jenn Schmidt through their website, Facebook, or Instagram.
Find their Intimate Covenant podcast.

Check out Dr. Carol's article Having the Sex Talk - With Your Spouse
Find out more about Dr. Carol Ministries in-person intensives - a safe place to unpack your story around intimacy and relationships, and experience Jesus coming into your story to bring healing and wholeness.       
Find out more about individual coaching with Dr. Carol       
Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can send a confidential message here.