Unrefined Podcast .com

For a long time, the church has assumed that if people just receive the right teaching, real transformation will follow. But this conversation pushes back on that idea in a big way.
Michael Sullivant joins Brandon and Jen to explore what happens when brain science, attachment theory, and spiritual formation are brought into the same room. They unpack how the human brain was designed for belonging, why attachment is central to identity, and how emotional and relational maturity have too often been separated from spiritual maturity.
The conversation moves into the difference between left-brained information and right-brained formation, how trauma leaves unfinished stories in people, and why joy is not a side issue but a major part of becoming like Christ. Michael also shares practical rhythms that can help rewire the brain toward peace, gratitude, and deeper connection with God and community.
This one gets into discipleship, healing, joy, trauma, gratitude, group identity, healthy correction, and why the church may be overdue for a relational reformation.
https://radiusministries.org
https://lifemodelworks.org/
App on Apple Store- Hearing Heart - icon for app looks like episode graphic
Books Mentioned-
https://amzn.to/47Mb2BS
https://amzn.to/4c2msny
https://amzn.to/3Q1PMlt
To get links to the Free books Michael mentioned- email [email protected]

Timestamps:
00:00:51 Why information alone does not create maturity
00:03:17 Michael Sullivan’s background and conversion story
00:07:57 From church leadership to Life Model Works and Radius Ministries
00:10:19 What Radius Ministries does
00:13:00 What neurotheology means
00:15:07 Defining attachment and why it matters
00:17:31 Attachment love and the image of God
00:19:55 Adoption, belonging, and relational need
00:22:19 Marriage, attachment, and why people matter most
00:24:44 Attachment, addiction, and the right hemisphere
00:26:52 Attachment to God and attachment to community
00:29:09 Emotional maturity and spiritual maturity belong together
00:31:32 Why the right hemisphere matters in discipleship
00:33:56 Trauma as an unfinished story
00:36:15 How to begin building healthy attachment with God
00:38:40 Gratitude as a practice that rewires the brain
00:41:06 Greeting, joy, and golden memories
00:43:27 Golden memories and recognizing God’s presence
00:45:54 Joy, sacred moments, and God memories
00:48:17 Revisiting meaningful moments with Jesus
00:50:39 Why feelings matter more than many Christians were taught
00:53:00 Log jams, deep healing, and releasing what is already in us
00:55:20 What it looks like to practice the disciplines of joy
00:57:43 Love as gladness to be with someone
01:00:09 Group identity and healthy correction
01:02:34 Joy resistance and starting small
01:05:00 Joy capacity and contagious peace
01:06:58 Regulating the right hemisphere and identity practice
01:09:23 Tongues, trust, and right-brain spirituality
01:11:47 Five minutes of gratitude three times a day
01:14:10 Trauma, fear, and the Holy Spirit as the spirit of mental health
01:17:28 Jesus in the trauma story
01:19:52 Humility, healing, and rich soil
01:22:15 Relational reformation and the future of the church
01:26:40 Recommended books and resources

https://join.unrefinedpodcast.com
What happens when too many eyewitness accounts start sounding alike to ignore?
In this episode, Marcus Ellis returns to the show to talk about the rise in Dogman reports, the work of the North American Dogman Project, and the kinds of encounters that leave people shaken for years. He explains why he sees Dogman as distinct from Sasquatch, what witnesses most often describe, and why these cases seem to carry a different kind of fear than most Bigfoot reports.
https://northamericandogmanproject.com/
Timestamps:
 00:00:51  Dogman as a question at the edge of folklore and the unseen realm
 00:03:13 Marcus shares his role with the North American Dogman Project
 00:05:39 Why Dogman encounters are treated more seriously than many Bigfoot cases
 00:08:06 Why Marcus no longer sees Dogman as misidentified Sasquatch
 00:10:37 The fear and trauma witnesses report after close encounters
 00:13:03 Why Dogman gets less public acceptance especially in the Bible Belt
 00:15:31 Bigfoot Dogman and the turn toward paranormal explanations
 00:17:59 Dogman vs Bigfoot and why Dogman reports feel darker
 00:20:27 Marcus recounts a Dogman sighting at Sky Lake
 00:22:48 Todd’s terrifying face to face encounter in the woods
 00:27:40 Yazoo County Sky Lake and Mississippi hotspot discussion
 00:30:03 Strange locations local reports and more Mississippi stories
 00:32:31 Why these creatures may be dangerous even if they do not always attack
 00:34:51 SRT team reports and questions about DNA and government interest
 00:37:22 Claims of government monitoring and asset theories
 00:39:47 What Dogman reportedly looks like according to witnesses
 00:44:37 Fear flesh and blood reality and the spiritual feel of encounters
 00:47:00 Shape shifting skinwalker theories and why Marcus stays open but cautious
 00:51:51 Dogman Nephilim and fitting cryptids into a biblical worldview
 00:56:44 Giants abominations and why Canaan comes into the discussion
 01:01:38 Blood defilement bestiality and corruption themes in scripture
 01:04:02 Reptilian reports skepticism and eyewitness credibility
 01:06:24 Why biblical and scientific lenses may both matter
 01:11:06 The Bible as a supernatural book and not just a naturalistic text
 01:13:27 Demon in the gaps and the danger of overexplaining everything spiritually
 01:18:24 Biggest misconceptions about Dogman and fear of the outdoors
 01:23:11 Are there male and female Dogman reports
 01:25:31 Where to contact Marcus and the North American Dogman Project

In this episode, we go beyond surface-level healing and step into the deeper mechanics of how the body, mind, and spirit actually work together. This isn’t about chasing trends or adopting buzzwords—it’s about understanding design.
We unpack how trauma is stored, why subconscious beliefs shape your reality, and what it really means to come back into alignment with how God created you to function.  From quantum principles and nervous system regulation to identity, sonship, and the power of belief—this conversation challenges the idea that we’re broken and replaces it with something far more dangerous:
That we’ve simply been out of alignment. If you’ve ever wondered why healing feels inconsistent, why certain struggles won’t go away, or why your prayers sometimes feel blocked… this one will hit different. And it might just change how you see everything.
Grab info about IBRT
Timestamps:
00:00:04 Anxiety fear and why you cannot pray effectively in fear
00:00:28 Unrefined intro and sponsor call to action
00:00:51 Why this conversation goes deeper than surface level healing
00:03:08 The subconscious as the missing piece in healing
00:05:26 God did not design us broken
00:07:40 Alignment vs brokenness framework explained
00:10:07 Science and theology working together
00:12:31 Allopathic medicine vs natural healing tension
00:14:51 Subconscious beliefs and frequency explained
00:17:14 Why fear and shame keep people stuck
00:19:42 Sonship identity and authority over the earth
00:21:59 Real example of hidden beliefs affecting life
00:24:25 Reclaiming what the enemy has distorted
00:26:48 Misuse vs proper use of spiritual principles
00:29:08 Energy modalities and alignment with the practitioner
00:31:28 Bless baptize or burn framework
00:33:44 What muscle testing actually measures
00:36:06 How the subconscious stores memory and trauma
00:40:56 Nutrition and body response through energy
00:43:18 Truth vs lie responses in the body
00:45:42 Quantum communication and spiritual discernment
00:48:05 Real case study of spiritual root cause healing
00:52:53 Why the body lacks energy to heal
00:55:16 Healing is not linear process
00:59:59 Conviction vs condemnation in healing
01:02:21 Vision boards intention and alignment
01:07:01 God giving desires vs performance mindset
01:11:39 Poverty mindset vs abundance
01:14:06 Vision and belief shaping reality
01:18:59 Sonship vs new age identity
01:21:03 Biggest lie about healing
01:23:24 Forgiveness beyond words
01:25:52 Nervous system and triggers
01:29:45 Self sabotage and success blocks
01:33:46 Limiting beliefs and fear of influence
01:36:13 Double binds explained
01:41:02 Personal story of root belief formation
01:43:24 Final thoughts on IBRT and healing tools
01:45:38 How to connect and learn more

In this our 200th episode of the Unrefined Podcast, Brandon continues his conversation with Jennifer Johnson on judgment in the heart, emotional healing, biblical meditation, identity in Christ, and practical heart transformation. They discuss Dr. Jim Richards’ How to Stop the Pain, the difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge, how judgment creates pain cycles, and why peace, healing, and healthy relationships begin with renewing the mind and writing truth on the heart. This episode is a powerful look at Christian emotional healing, heart beliefs, forgiveness, journaling, biblical identity, and how to walk in peace and freedom.
join.unrefinedpodcast.com <- become a sponsor
How to Stop the Pain Book <- click for link
https://paperbell.me/jenniferjohnson-coach
Timestamps:
00:00:52 Introduction to Jennifer Johnson and part two setup
00:01:20 Brandon shares personal testimony of depression and heart physics journey
00:02:10 Importance of community and safe relationships in healing
00:03:11 Introducing How to Stop the Pain and discussion direction
00:04:10 Jennifer’s first encounter with Dr Jim Richards teachings
00:05:00 Initial skepticism about sending away offense
00:05:31 Story of offense and first practical application of sending it away
00:07:00 Decision making and intention in heart transformation
00:07:57 Immediate shift when choosing to release offense
00:08:45 Pain is inevitable suffering is optional explained
00:09:20 Brandon shares real life example from same morning
00:10:08 Not about words but intention and heart posture
00:10:45 Jennifer shares recent repentance for judgment
00:12:00 How judgment operates and distorts perception
00:12:27 Log in your own eye and focusing on faults
00:13:30 How judgment snowballs into relational breakdown
00:14:53 Twisted perception and spiritual distortion explained
00:15:50 Becoming what you behold and sowing and reaping
00:17:11 Law of the seed and identity transformation
00:18:00 Identity crisis in culture and Genesis foundation
00:19:28 Head knowledge vs heart knowledge
00:20:10 God as a heart God and new heart reality
00:21:52 Mind as gatekeeper and renewing the mind
00:23:00 What righteousness actually means in practice
00:24:11 Simplicity of believing who God says you are
00:25:00 Engaging imagination in transformation
00:26:32 Meditation reframed from biblical perspective
00:27:30 Writing beliefs on the heart through emotion and imagery
00:28:52 Identity illustration through royal family analogy
00:30:00 House of David example and engaging scripture emotionally
00:31:01 Imagination activating deeper understanding of scripture
00:33:21 Living out of identity and supernatural expectation
00:35:42 Faith vs fear and emotional belief systems
00:36:30 Confession vs heart belief disconnect
00:38:04 Living from the heart not behavior modification
00:40:29 How heart beliefs are formed subconsciously
00:42:51 Writing new beliefs through truth and scripture
00:45:16 Identity producing promises and virtues
00:47:35 Living from promises not striving
00:49:57 Journaling as a tool for heart transformation
00:52:18 Simple journaling practices and starting small
00:54:33 Brandon realization about control and quiet time
00:56:57 Journaling revealing hidden beliefs
00:59:20 God reveals to heal not condemn
01:01:38 First step to dismantling judgment
01:03:11 Fixing others vs choosing peace
01:04:01 Power of safe community without judgment
01:06:16 Boundaries vs threats explained
01:08:35 Judgment vs discernment tension
01:11:00 Letting go of pain instead of holding offense
01:13:20 Choosing righteousness over being right
01:15:21 Identity transformation and encouragement
01:17:14 Final thoughts and emotional closing
joinapp.unrefinedpodcast.com <- get our FREE app- join the conversation

There is a growing conversation happening around trauma, mental health, spiritual warfare, and the unseen realm and this episode steps right into it.  Brandon and the Unrefined crew sit down with Dr. Natalie Atwell to explore what happens when human struggle is treated only through a clinical lens and the spiritual dimension is ignored. Dr. Atwell shares from her work as a clinical mental health therapist, educator, and researcher, explaining why some issues that present as mental health struggles may also carry deeper spiritual roots.
This conversation covers trauma, epigenetics, attachment, generational patterns, personality disorders, suicide, dissociation, Freemasonry, occult influence, deliverance, inner healing, brain science, and the divine council worldview. Rather than reducing everything to demons or dismissing the supernatural entirely, this episode presses into a more integrated biblical framework for healing and freedom.
If you’ve wrestled with depression, spiritual oppression, church trauma, counseling, or the question of how the unseen realm intersects with real life, this episode gives language to a conversation many people have felt but never knew how to articulate.
https://mentalwarriorconsulting.com/
Timestamps:
00:00:07 There are spiritual beings out there who have influenced us negatively
00:00:51 Intro to mental health spiritual formation and the unseen realm
00:03:10 Dr Natalie Atwell shares her background in counseling and Liberty University
00:05:30 When clinical explanations stopped being enough
00:07:46 Why some mental health struggles may have spiritual roots
00:09:50 The cost of ignoring the unseen realm in modern mental health
00:12:01 Why spiritual darkness questions rarely get asked in therapy
00:14:23 Trauma early experiences and the imprint they leave
00:16:48 The Body Keeps the Score trauma and generational patterns
00:19:03 Epigenetics faith and healing
00:21:11 Why spirituality alone is not enough if darkness is ignored
00:23:20 Suicide spiritual oppression and going to war with the lie
00:25:38 How skeptical therapists respond to this framework
00:27:44 A case study involving dissociation and Freemasonry
00:29:48 Personal testimony of darkness depression and survival
00:32:03 Layered healing trauma choices and demonic influence
00:34:04 Fraternal orders sororities and hidden influence
00:36:28 The gray areas and asking better questions
00:38:50 The Holy Spirit and discernment in counseling
00:41:14 Why the divine council worldview matters for real people
00:43:24 Why children may be targeted and the value they carry
00:45:48 Assessing darkness without blaming everything on demons
00:47:57 Narcissism pride attachment disorder and Babel
00:50:16 How to distinguish trauma from spiritual oppression
00:53:03 Finished work inner healing and the long road of restoration
00:57:39 Renewing the mind after deliverance and healing
00:59:35 Community attachment and why the church must show up
01:01:55 What Christian mental health care could look like in five years
01:04:08 SRA alien abduction language and believing people’s stories
01:06:33 How pastors should respond to strange or disturbing testimonies
01:08:56 House of David giants and the supernatural worldview of scripture
01:11:02 Preparing the church for stranger days ahead
01:12:35 Final encouragement greater is He who is in you