The Holistic Counselor

What does it really mean to heal when faith, trauma, shame, and identity are all tangled together?
In Episode 126 of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS, welcomes Vanessa Bentley, LPC-MHSP, licensed professional counselor, author, speaker, and host of The Work of Being Human podcast, for a deeply honest conversation about Christian therapy, trauma healing, spiritual abuse, church hurt, shame, faith deconstruction, identity in Christ, emotional healing, and what it means to face reality without denial, deception, or distortion.
Vanessa's story begins in the arts. Before becoming a psychotherapist, she earned her B.F.A. in Musical Theater from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and spent ten years working in theater, film, television, and print modeling. Her work took her from the professional stages of Manhattan to the historic stages of Europe, including a European tour of West Side Story in the role of Maria.
But this conversation goes far beyond credentials.
Diana and Vanessa talk about what happens when faith is inherited as rules instead of formed as identity, when religion becomes performance instead of relationship, and when trauma, shame, and suffering are met with spiritual bypassing instead of truth, compassion, and healing.
This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered:
What is true?
Who am I really?
Where is God in my suffering?
Why do I feel stuck even after therapy, prayer, or trying to "do all the right things"?
Can Christian faith and mental health counseling work together in an ethical, grounded, and healing way?
How do I stop performing and begin becoming honest, human, and whole?
Vanessa shares how her own life, failures, spiritual disillusionment, therapy, and return to Christ shaped her work as a therapist. Together, Diana and Vanessa discuss high-control religion, spiritual abuse, shame, guilt, fear, agnosticism, atheism, confession, redemption, psychology, theology, relationship repair, and why healing must be built on truth.
At the heart of this conversation is a powerful idea: mental health is not just symptom management. It is learning how to live in reality, tell the truth, and become whole.
Why This Conversation Matters
Many people are searching for healing, but they are afraid.
Afraid of being judged.
Afraid therapy will pull them away from God.
Afraid their church will tell them to just pray harder.
Afraid their questions mean they are losing faith.
Afraid their trauma means something is wrong with them.
Afraid to tell the truth because shame has convinced them they are beyond repair.
This episode creates space for a different kind of conversation.
Diana and Vanessa do not reduce healing to a diagnosis, a coping skill, a church answer, or a self-help phrase. Instead, they explore the deeper work of becoming honest before God, self, and others.
This conversation honors both clinical wisdom and Christian faith. It invites listeners to consider that mental health is not only about feeling better, but about learning how to live in truth, reality, humility, love, and grace.
In This Episode, Diana and Vanessa Discuss
Vanessa's journey from musical theater, film, television, and modeling into psychotherapy

How the performing arts shaped Vanessa's understanding of story, identity, and humanity

Why many therapists are shaped by their own pain before they ever enter the classroom

The difference between inherited faith and investigated faith

What happens when religion gives rules but not identity

Spiritual abuse, church hurt, and high-control faith environments

Why questions can become part of spiritual maturity

The difference between belief and identity in Christ

How shame, guilt, and fear can become normalized

Why healing requires both truth and compassion

The danger of confusing trauma with "God's will"

Why Christian therapy must be honest about suffering, sin, grace, and redemption

How therapy can create a safe place for confession, accountability, and repair

Jesus as Logos: truth, reality, reason, and the Word made flesh

Why mental health and theology intersect for people of faith

How denial, deception, and distortion keep people stuck

Why anxiety, depression, and emotional pain can be signals that something deeper needs attention

What it means to face reality and embrace humanity

Powerful Quotes from Diana S. Rice
"I love when someone can hold creativity, clinical wisdom, faith, suffering, beauty, and humanity in the same room." — Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS
"But underneath all that, I think many of us are really asking, what is true? Who am I really? Where is God in my suffering? And how do I stop performing long enough to become honest, human, and whole?" — Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS
"All the signals are signaling out. It's what you're gonna do with it." — Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS
Powerful Quotes from Vanessa Bentley
"Because therapists are not made in the classroom, they're made in the fire." — Vanessa Bentley, LPC-MHSP
"When you have belief, but not identity, you will always, always be scratching at the surface of what's possible in your relationship with God." — Vanessa Bentley, LPC-MHSP
"Mental health is your ability to be in reality without denial, deception, or distortion, and thrive in that place." — Vanessa Bentley, LPC-MHSP
Key Takeaways
1. Healing must be built on truth.
Vanessa defines mental health as the ability to live in reality without denial, deception, or distortion. For people of faith, this means healing is not about pretending, performing, or avoiding pain. It is about learning to tell the truth with humility, compassion, and courage.
2. Rules are not the same as identity.
Faith that is only built on rules can create fear, shame, and performance. Diana and Vanessa explore how true healing requires a deeper foundation: knowing who you are in relationship with God.
3. Questions are not always rebellion.
For many people, questioning inherited faith is not about rejecting God. It may be part of moving from a borrowed belief system into a more honest, tested, and mature faith.
4. Spiritual bypassing can keep people stuck.
Saying "just pray harder" or "Jesus fixes everything" may sound spiritual, but it can also avoid the real work of grief, trauma, confession, nervous system healing, relational repair, and emotional honesty.
5. Shame heals in truth and relationship.
Shame grows in hiding. Healing often begins when we can bring our real story into the light with God, safe people, and sometimes a trained therapist who can help us face reality without condemnation.
6. Christian therapy can be clinically grounded and spiritually honest.
This episode does not flatten therapy into self-help or faith into clichés. It invites a deeper integration of theology, psychology, biology, story, and embodied healing.
Listener Questions This Episode Helps Answer
Can Christian therapy help with trauma?
Yes. Christian therapy can help people process trauma, shame, grief, anxiety, and relationship wounds while honoring faith, Scripture, and the whole person. The best care is ethical, clinically grounded, and never uses faith to shame or silence a person's pain.
What is spiritual abuse?
Spiritual abuse can happen when faith, Scripture, authority, or religious systems are used to control, shame, manipulate, silence questions, or disconnect people from God, self, or safe community.
What is the difference between church hurt and losing faith?
Church hurt can create confusion, grief, anger, and distrust. But questioning harmful systems does not automatically mean someone has lost faith. Sometimes it means they are trying to separate God from the wounds caused by people or institutions.
Why do I feel shame even when I believe in God?
Many people intellectually believe they are loved by God but still carry emotional wounds, trauma responses, fear, or a performance-based identity. Healing often involves moving from belief alone into embodied identity, truth, safety, and grace.
Can therapy and Christian faith work together?
Yes, when done with wisdom and ethical care. Therapy can help people face reality, understand their story, process pain, take responsibility, repair relationships, and live more honestly before God and others.
Books and Resources Mentioned
Vanessa Bentley's Website
https://www.vanessabentley.co
The Work of Being Human Podcast with Vanessa Bentley
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-work-of-being-human/id1555914519
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OSzahM97510fClqYs3ZYt
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanessaBentley
Vanessa on Instagram
@vanessathetherapist: https://www.instagram.com/vanessathetherapist/
@theworkofbeinghuman: https://www.instagram.com/theworkofbeinghuman/
The Toolbox: The Tools We Need to Build Relationships and Repair Them When They Break by Vanessa Londino
Vanessa's Book Page: https://www.vanessabentley.co/author
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Toolbox-Tools-Build-Relationships-Repair/dp/1736381318
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/mere-christianity-c-s-lewis
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mere-Christianity-C-S-Lewis/dp/0060652926
The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Simon & Schuster: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Road-Less-Traveled-Timeless-Edition/M-Scott-Peck/9780743243155
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Road-Less-Traveled-Psychology-Traditional/dp/0671250671
Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning by James W. Fowler
HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/stages-of-faith-james-w-fowler
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stages-Faith-Psychology-Development-Meaning/dp/0060628669
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Hymnary: https://hymnary.org/text/what_a_friend_we_have_in_jesus_all_our_s
Books Vanessa Mentioned Reading During Her Search for Truth
These were discussed as part of Vanessa's personal search, questioning, and faith journey. They are listed for context, not as blanket recommendations.
God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens
https://www.amazon.com/God-Not-Great-Religion-Everything/dp/0446697966
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
https://www.amazon.com/God-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins/dp/0618918248
The End of Faith by Sam Harris
https://www.amazon.com/End-Faith-Religion-Terror-Future/dp/0393327655
Scripture References Reflected in the Conversation
John 1:1–14 — Jesus as the Word, Logos, truth, and reality made flesh
Romans 8:28 — God working all things together for good
Exodus 3:14 — "I AM WHO I AM"
1 John 4:8 — God is love
James 5:16 — Confession, prayer, and healing
Matthew 7:7–8 — Ask, seek, knock
Ecclesiastes — Wisdom, searching, suffering, meaning, and the limits of life apart from God
About Vanessa Bentley, LPC-MHSP
Vanessa Bentley is a licensed professional counselor, LPC-MHSP, author, speaker, podcast host, and therapist serving Nashville and the broader Middle Tennessee community.
Before becoming a psychotherapist, Vanessa earned her B.F.A. in Musical Theater from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and spent ten years working in theater, film, television, and print modeling. Her work as an actress took her from the professional stages of Manhattan to the historic stages of Europe, including a European tour of West Side Story in the role of Maria.
After transitioning into counseling, Vanessa earned her M.A. in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. She began her clinical work in a community nonprofit, serving underprivileged clients throughout Middle Tennessee. Her work later expanded into teaching and lecturing counseling students, divinity students, and clergy on the intersection of psychology and theology.
Vanessa is the author of The Toolbox: The Tools We Need to Build Relationships and Repair Them When They Break and the host of The Work of Being Human podcast.
Her message is clear and deeply needed: mental health requires facing reality and embracing our humanity.
Connect with Vanessa
Website: https://www.vanessabentley.co
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-work-of-being-human/id1555914519
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanessaBentley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessathetherapist/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworkofbeinghuman/
Book: https://www.vanessabentley.co/author
About The Holistic Counselor Podcast
The Holistic Counselor Podcast is where faith, psychology, and whole-person wellness meet.
Hosted by Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS, founder of Through the Valley Therapy and Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching, this podcast offers grounded and compassionate conversations for anyone seeking emotional healing, mental clarity, spiritual growth, and healthier relationships.
Some conversations reflect Diana's Christian perspective and theology. Others center on clinical insight, cultural context, holistic wellness, or lived experience. All episodes share the same intention: reducing stigma, elevating mental-health literacy, honoring diverse stories, and supporting whole-person transformation.
Connect with Diana
Through the Valley Therapy: https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com
The Holistic Counselor Podcast: https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com/holistic-counselor-podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-holistic-counselor/id1732149496
Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching: https://www.transformedmindcc.com
Content Note
This episode includes honest discussion of spiritual abuse, shame, trauma, sexual sin, abortion, faith deconstruction, and emotional suffering. Please listen with care and seek support from a licensed mental health professional, pastor, spiritual director, or trusted support person if needed.
Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for mental health counseling, medical care, crisis support, legal advice, or spiritual direction. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call or text 988 in the United States or go to your nearest emergency room. If you are seeking therapy, please consult a licensed mental health professional in your state or region.
Thank you for listening. Please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may be wrestling with faith, trauma, identity, shame, church hurt, spiritual abuse, or the work of becoming more honest, human, and whole.
And remember: trust in the Lord, guard your heart, and renew your mind.

Divorce recovery is about more than ending a marriage. It is about healing grief, rebuilding self-worth, restoring emotional health, processing identity loss, and learning how to move forward after one of life's most difficult transitions.
In Episode 125 of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, Diana Rice, LMHC, sits down with divorce recovery specialist Shirley Barthelemy, MS, LMHC, LPC, CAP, to discuss emotional healing after divorce, grief, faith, attachment wounds, people-pleasing patterns, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and practical tools for rebuilding confidence and finding hope again.
Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal experience, Shirley shares how her own journey through divorce inspired her to create the HER Divorce Recovery Coaching Program, a structured framework designed to help women heal emotionally, renew their minds, strengthen their faith, and rediscover who they are beyond the pain of relationship loss.
Together, Diana and Shirley explore the hidden mental health effects of divorce, the stigma many women experience within faith communities, the importance of emotional honesty, healthy boundaries, self-care, nervous system awareness, and why healing requires more than simply "moving on."
Whether you're currently navigating separation, healing from a divorce that happened years ago, supporting someone you love, or simply interested in emotional wellness, resilience, personal growth, and the intersection of faith and mental health, this conversation offers practical wisdom, encouragement, and hope for the journey ahead.
In This Episode
• How to heal after divorce
• The emotional stages of grief after divorce
• Identity loss and rebuilding self-worth
• Depression, anxiety, shame, and emotional overwhelm
• Faith, forgiveness, and healing after divorce
• Attachment styles and people-pleasing patterns
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and renewing the mind
• Healthy coping skills during major life transitions
• Emotional regulation and nervous system awareness
• The importance of community, support, and accountability
• Red flags that unresolved relationship wounds may still be affecting current relationships
• Why healing is a journey—not a quick fix
• How to move from surviving to thriving
Memorable Quotes
"You started understanding how to respond in wisdom instead of reacting in emotion."
— Diana Rice, LMHC
"The relationship ended, but that doesn't define who you are. It's just part of your story, not your entire story."
— Shirley Barthelemy, MS, LMHC, LPC, CAP
Who This Episode Is For
This episode is for you if:
 You're currently going through a separation or divorce
 You're struggling with grief, shame, anger, loneliness, or uncertainty
 You're wondering how to rebuild your confidence and identity
 You're navigating divorce within a faith community
 You're carrying emotional wounds from a past relationship
 You're supporting a friend or loved one through divorce
 You're looking for practical tools to help you heal and move forward
 You're interested in mental health, faith, personal growth, and emotional wellness
About Our Guest
Shirley Barthelemy, MS, LMHC, LPC, CAP is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Addiction Professional, Certified Life Coach, and Founder of Holistic Lady Counseling Services.
For more than 10 years, she has served individuals, couples, and families within the mental health and substance use field. Today, she specializes in Divorce Recovery Coaching, helping women navigate grief, emotional healing, confidence rebuilding, self-worth restoration, and personal growth after divorce.
She is the creator of the HER Divorce Recovery Coaching Program, a comprehensive framework designed to help women Heal, Grow, and Thrive.
Resources Mentioned
Holistic Lady Counseling Services
https://holisticladycounseling.com
Learn More About Shirley Barthelemy
https://holisticladycounseling.com/official-about-page/
DivorceCare Divorce Recovery Support Groups
https://www.divorcecare.org
Through the Valley Therapy
https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com
Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching
https://www.transformedmindcc.com
The Holistic Counselor Podcast
https://pod.link/1732149496
Connect with Diana Rice
Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP
Founder, Through the Valley Therapy
Founder, Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching
Host, The Holistic Counselor Podcast
Enjoyed This Episode?
If this conversation encouraged you, challenged you, or reminded you that healing is possible, please subscribe, follow, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who may be struggling with grief, heartbreak, divorce, identity loss, relationship trauma, or emotional healing.
Your reviews help these conversations reach people who feel isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure where to turn. Together, we can remind others that they are not alone and that healing is possible.
Until next time, remember: you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

What happens when mental health awareness meets social media algorithms?
In this thought-provoking episode of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP sits down with Dr. Alyssa Kerrigan, Licensed Psychologist, ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP), and founder of Peace of Mind Testing and Therapy, to explore one of the most important conversations happening in mental health today: self-diagnosis, therapy culture, psychological testing, neurodiversity, social media, and identity.
From TikTok videos about ADHD and autism to viral discussions about anxiety, trauma, executive functioning, and neurodivergence, more people than ever are seeking answers about their mental health. But how do we balance awareness with accuracy? Validation with discernment? Understanding with identity?
Together, Diana and Dr. Kerrigan discuss why so many people turn to social media for mental health answers, the role of comprehensive psychological evaluations, how diagnostic labels can both help and hinder growth, and why understanding ourselves should lead to greater freedom—not greater limitation.
Whether you're a therapist, parent, educator, student, faith leader, or someone navigating your own mental health journey, this episode offers practical insight, compassion, and hope.
In This Episode We Explore
• The impact of TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, AI, and social media on mental health awareness
• Why ADHD, autism, anxiety, trauma, and neurodivergence content is exploding online
• The difference between self-diagnosis and professional psychological evaluation
• How psychological testing can provide clarity, validation, accommodations, and support
• Why many women and adults are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism later in life
• The role of culture, race, family systems, and lived experience in mental health assessment
• How labels can become empowering tools instead of limiting identities
• The importance of digital literacy and critical thinking in the age of algorithms
• Parenting strategies for raising children in a social media-driven world
• How therapists can balance validation, resilience-building, and personal growth
Memorable Takeaways
"Understanding yourself should lead to greater freedom, greater self-compassion, and greater possibility."
A diagnosis is not the end of your story.
Psychological evaluations are not designed to put people into boxes. They are designed to provide clarity, uncover strengths, identify challenges, and create a roadmap for support.
Social media can offer validation and community, but it should never replace a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a qualified mental health professional.
The goal is not to become your diagnosis.
The goal is to better understand yourself so you can move forward with confidence, self-awareness, and appropriate support.
About Dr. Alyssa Kerrigan
Dr. Alyssa Kerrigan is a Licensed Psychologist, ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP), and founder of Peace of Mind Testing and Therapy in Wellington, Florida.
She specializes in psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children, teens, and adults, helping individuals gain clarity regarding ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, learning disabilities, executive functioning challenges, mood disorders, and neurodivergent presentations.
Dr. Kerrigan is passionate about helping individuals understand how they learn, think, process information, and navigate the world. Through evidence-based assessment and compassionate care, she empowers clients to recognize their strengths, build confidence, and take meaningful steps toward achieving their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Connect with Dr. Alyssa Kerrigan
Website:
https://www.peaceofmindtestingandtherapy.com
Psychology Today:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/alyssa-kerrigan-wellington-fl/1058709
Connect with Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP
Through the Valley Therapy
https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com
Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching
https://www.transformedmindcc.com
The Holistic Counselor Podcast
https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com/holistic-counselor-podcast
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-holistic-counselor/id1732149496
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/throughthevalleytherapy
Diana specializes in anxiety, trauma recovery, perfectionism, faith and identity struggles, religious trauma, nervous system regulation, resilience, neuroplasticity, and whole-person healing through an integrative approach that blends neuroscience, evidence-based therapy, and faith-informed care.
Resources Mentioned
DSM-5-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) 
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/iep-overview/
Neurodiversity-Affirming Care
https://www.usa.edu/blog/neurodiversity-affirming-care-what-does-it-mean-for-therapy/
Digital Literacy and Social Media Awareness
https://www.digitalrights.community/blog/what-is-digital-literacy 
CommonSense Media (Parent Resource)
https://www.commonsensemedia.org
Understood.org (Learning Differences, ADHD, Dyslexia)
https://www.understood.org
Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
https://chadd.org
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
https://autisticadvocacy.org
American Psychological Association
https://www.apa.org
National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov
If This Episode Helped You
Please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend, parent, teacher, therapist, pastor, or family member.
Every conversation helps reduce stigma, increase understanding, and remind people that they are more than a diagnosis.
Remember:
You are not your label.
You are not your diagnosis.
You are a whole person with strengths, challenges, gifts, and a story still being written.
And wherever you are on your journey, I hope today's conversation encourages you to keep learning, keep growing, and keep moving forward.

Why do we keep repeating the same relationship patterns, emotional reactions, and self-sabotaging behaviors—even when we understand where they come from?
In this episode of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP welcomes Mark Levinsky, MS, LMHC, licensed psychotherapist, life coach, Certified Instructor with The REAL Courses, and founder of Intentional Living Coaching & Counseling Services.
Together they explore childhood trauma, family-of-origin influences, emotional maturity, vulnerability, shame, men's mental health, addiction recovery, inner child work, experiential learning, and the connection between faith, psychology, and personal transformation.
If you've ever wondered:
Why do I keep repeating the same relationship patterns?
Why do I feel emotionally stuck?
How does childhood trauma affect adulthood?
How can I stop reacting and start responding?
Why is vulnerability so difficult?
What is experiential therapy or experiential learning?
How can faith and psychology work together?
This conversation offers practical insights and hope.
Mark shares how experiential growth work transformed his own life after years of traditional therapy and discusses why understanding our story is important—but often not enough to create lasting change.
Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of emotional growth, self-awareness, relationship patterns, trauma recovery, community, belonging, forgiveness, and the lifelong process of becoming more fully who God created us to be.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Childhood Trauma & Family Systems
How childhood experiences shape adult relationships
Family-of-origin patterns
Attachment wounds
Core beliefs and self-worth
Understanding emotional triggers
Emotional Growth & Mental Health
Emotional maturity
Vulnerability and shame
Self-awareness
Emotional intelligence
Emotional sobriety
Faith, Psychology & Transformation
Personal responsibility
Community and belonging
Forgiveness
Spiritual growth
Why perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18)
Experiential Growth
What experiential learning is
How action creates transformation
Why insight alone isn't enough
Building courage and resilience
POWERFUL QUOTES
Mark Levinsky, LMHC
"To love and be loved. They're starving to be loved, and they want to love."
"Understanding is the booby prize."
"With action, I believe deeper growth occurs."
"The main thing is not to isolate."
"Vulnerability is strength."
Diana S. Rice, LMHC
"Perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18)
"We're trying to understand. It's not blaming."
"Learning how to become the parent you needed."
"The lessons become blessings. The wounds become wisdom."
RESOURCES
Mark Levinsky, LMHC
Website:
https://marklevinsky.com
The REAL Courses
Official Website:
https://therealcourses.com
Instructor Directory:
https://therealcourses.com/instructors
Adlerian Psychology
North American Society of Adlerian Psychology:
https://www.alfredadler.org
Through the Valley Therapy
https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com
Transformed Mind Consulting & Coaching
https://www.transformedmindcc.com
Related Episode
Episode 103: Why Men Struggle With Emotions with Jon Waller, LMHC
YouTube:
https://youtu.be/NR_bKRvPc3w?si=4cVJ2y44HkD889LN
ABOUT THE HOLISTIC COUNSELOR PODCAST
The Holistic Counselor Podcast is where faith, science, and holistic healing intersect.
Hosted by Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, the podcast features therapists, physicians, attorneys, pastors, authors, educators, wellness professionals, and advocates exploring mental health, trauma recovery, neuroplasticity, relationships, emotional wellness, faith, personal growth, and whole-person healing.
The mission is to challenge stigma, foster meaningful conversations, and provide practical tools that help people grow emotionally, mentally, physically, relationally, and spiritually.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
If this episode encouraged you:
 Leave a review
 Share the episode with a friend
 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform
 Visit our merch store:
https://theholisticcounselorpodcast.printful.me/

What happens when you genuinely love Jesus… but still struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, overthinking, intrusive thoughts, chronic stress, or emotional exhaustion?
In this deeply honest and clinically grounded episode of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP sits down with Christian therapist and author Melissa Fisher, LMHC, to explore the intersection of Christian faith, anxiety, trauma, nervous system regulation, burnout, perfectionism, emotional healing, and mental health in the church.
Melissa shares her personal story of navigating military life, repeated relocations, panic attacks, self-doubt, and what she describes as a "dark night of the soul," while learning how faith, therapy, neuroscience, breathwork, and emotional healing can work together instead of against one another.
Together, Diana and Melissa unpack some of the questions millions of Christians silently wrestle with every day:
Can Christians have anxiety?
Is anxiety a sin?
Why do I still feel anxious if I trust God?
What does the Bible actually say about anxiety and peace?
Can prayer and therapy work together?
How do trauma and chronic stress affect the nervous system?
What is high-functioning anxiety?
How do perfectionism and people-pleasing fuel anxiety?
Can someone intellectually trust God while their body still carries fear?
How do we tell the difference between God's voice, wisdom, fear, hypervigilance, and trauma-driven anxiety?
This episode also explores:
Christian anxiety and panic attacks
Nervous system dysregulation
Trauma and emotional healing
Church hurt and spiritual abuse
High-control religion and guilt
Breathwork and neuroscience
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Neuroplasticity and rewiring the brain
The mind-body connection
Faith and mental health
Women's mental health and burnout
Military family stress
Rest, Sabbath, and slowing down
Overstimulation, doomscrolling, and social media anxiety
Somatic and body-based healing approaches
Why emotions are signals—not failures
One of the most powerful moments of the conversation comes when Melissa shares:
"It's never labeled as a sin in the Bible." — Melissa Fisher, LMHC
And Diana reflects:
"I've started seeing anxiety less as an identity and more as a signal." — Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP
Whether you're a therapist, ministry leader, caregiver, military spouse, trauma survivor, person of faith, or simply exhausted from carrying too much for too long, this conversation offers practical tools, honest reflection, and compassionate insight for anyone trying to find peace in an overwhelmed world.
About Melissa Fisher, LMHC
Melissa Fisher, LMHC, is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor based in Vancouver, Washington, specializing in trauma, anxiety, spiritual formation, and Christian mental health. She has over two decades of experience serving in Christian youth, women's, military, and young adult ministries.
Melissa is also the author of Jesus for the Anxious: 8 Weeks of Practicing Peace to Calm Your Worry and Fear, published by Revell, an imprint of Baker Publishing Group.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Melissa Fisher Counseling
https://www.melissafishercounseling.com/
Melissa Fisher's Book: Jesus for the Anxious
https://www.melissafishercounseling.com/book
One Minute Pause App
https://wildatheart.org/pause
Breathly App
https://breathly.app/
Learn More About Through the Valley Therapy
https://www.throughthevalleytherapy.com/
Transform Mind Consulting & Coaching
https://www.transformedmindcc.com/
Support The Holistic Counselor Podcast + Merch Store
https://theholisticcounselorpodcast.printful.me/
About The Holistic Counselor Podcast
The Holistic Counselor Podcast is where faith, science, and holistic healing intersect. Hosted by Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, the show explores trauma, neuroscience, relationships, nervous system healing, Christian mental health, emotional wellness, and integrative healing through thoughtful conversations with therapists, physicians, authors, advocates, and wellness experts.
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And as always…
Trust in the Lord.
Guard your heart.
Renew your mind.