Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol

Have you ever been surprised by who someone turned out to be? Research shows we form impressions of people within seconds, but real life often proves those impressions wrong. In this episode, we explore how that gap between appearance and reality shows up in relationships –with others, and especially with God. These realities reveal a deeper truth; there's a profound difference between knowing about someone and truly knowing them. Many people believe in God, yet carry perhaps unconscious distortions about what He is really like. You may "know" that "God is love," but internally picture a God who is disappointed, withholding, harsh, or just waiting for us to fail. In this episode, we explore how our internal picture of God is often shaped by our past experiences, and why information alone doesn't heal it. Instead, healing comes through encountering Jesus. And we close with some practical ways to let God's love reshape your inner picture of who He really is. 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.        Check out Dr. Carol's article How to Develop a Healthy Internal Picture of God 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 year-end episode, we revisit the conversations you loved most in 2025: honest, hope-filled moments about intimacy, relationships, sexuality, and the God who designed us for connection. These clips capture the wisdom, clarity, and compassion that resonated deeply with listeners all year long. Whether you're new to the podcast or want a fresh dose of encouragement, this highlight reel brings together the insights that helped people grow in intimacy with God and with each other.  And here are links to the full conversations from which the excerpts were taken for this episode: - Overcoming Contradictions Between What You "Know" and What You Feel About Love, God, Intimacy, and Sex with Michael J. Cusick - Knowing and Being Known: Fulfilling Your Need for Intimacy with Erin F. Moniz - How to Find True Connection Through Courageous Authenticity with Tom Bennardo - From Criticism to Blessing: Transforming How You Speak to Your Spouse with Ann Wilson - More Than Behavior: What Surrendering Your Sexuality to Jesus Means with Dr. Juli Slattery Relationship Prescriptions is listener supported. That means YOU! Would you prayerfully consider how God might ask you to support this ministry financially? And then make your best year-end tax-deductible contribution today. Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can leave a confidential comment here. 

On the night Jesus was born the angel told the shepherds, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."  The Christmas season may not always feel like good news. Busyness, difficult circumstances, emotional struggles, and more can make this time feel like anything but good news.   This brief Christmas meditation shares how the angels' declaration of good news applies to everyone, even you, even in the difficulties of real life right now. Merry Christmas from all of us at Dr. Carol Ministries! Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can leave a confidential comment here. 

This episode takes you inside the heart of an Intensive at Transformation Place and gives you a glimpse of what this unique experience is like. Here people confront the barriers holding them back, encounter God in deeply personal ways, and experience the kind of change they may have sought for years but struggled to find on their own. You'll hear five individuals who courageously share their own "God stories." Each one describes how the Intensive met them right where they were—whether stuck, hurting, confused, or hungry for more—and how God worked in ways they didn't expect. Their stories are honest, hopeful, and full of the kind of change only God can bring. This episode will encourage your heart and invite you to believe again in what God can do. And then you'll hear how you can be a part of the next man or woman's transformation story through your support. We can't do this without you! I invite you to make your best year-end tax-deductible charitable contribution today.   Additional ways to give:  Set up a recurring monthly donation  Easily make a gift from your mutual fund or appreciated stock right here Recommend a grant to Dr. Carol Ministries through your Donor Advised Fund Send a check to 14900 Avery Ranch Blvd., Suite C200-223, Austin, TX  78717 Purchase an item from our Amazon wishlist for Transformation Place Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can leave a confidential comment or question here. 

In this episode, we sit down with author Donna VanLiere to explore the rich, often overlooked details of the biblical nativity story, and why they matter for us today. From the unlikely cast of characters to the humble setting of Jesus' birth, we look at how each part of the story speaks meaning and purpose into our own lives, especially as we enter the Christmas season. Our guest helps us see how the first Christmas wasn't polished, serene, or ideal, but messy and real, much like our own lives. We talk about how Christmas is truly for everyone, and perhaps most especially for those who feel troubled, unseen, or without hope. Together we explore how the joy of Christmas isn't dependent on perfect circumstances but arises from the presence of God with us in the midst of whatever we are facing. Whether this season feels bright or heavy, this conversation offers an invitation to experience Christmas in a deeper, more grounded, and more joyful way. Connect with Donna VanLiere on her website, Facebook, or YouTube Check out the YouVersion Bible reading plan based on Looking For Christmas Find out more about Donna's book Looking for Christmas: A Search for the Joy and Hope of the Nativity  We'd love you to be one of our Friends of Dr. Carol Ministries. Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can leave a confidential message here.