Interview with Dr. Steve Grcevich, President of Key Ministry
Release Date: 02/05/2018
Finding Hope Through Anxiety: A Conversation with Cody Deese
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, Pastor Brad interviews , a pastor from Georgia and author of Discovering Your Internal Universe. Cody opens up about his lifelong struggle with anxiety, which began in childhood. At 40 years old, he received his first diagnosis of panic disorder — the moment that marked the beginning of a deep and challenging journey toward healing. He shares how he tried numerous approaches — from professional help to various methods and diets — but his real breakthrough came when he began addressing unprocessed pain. By revisiting his childhood memories through imagination and...
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Escaping the Trap of Unprocessed Pain
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
This week, Pastor Brad sits down with his long-time friend, Jimmy George, the Executive Director of Fresh Start Omaha! For years, Jimmy served as a pastor at Relevant Church, and now he is dedicated to seeing people set free from the debilitating effects of offense, hurt, and loss. In this powerful conversation, Jimmy explains the dangerous, subtle ways that unprocessed pain holds us captive. He describes how old wounds can manifest as: A self-focused life. A victimhood mentality. Patterns of self-sabotage. Negative thoughts and rumination. False identities built out of past...
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Healing from the Inside Out: Trauma, Faith, and the Power of IFS
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
Do you feel like a part of you is stuck in the past, carrying wounds you can't seem to shake? In this profoundly important episode, Pastor Brad welcomes Dr. Audrey Davidheiser—a leading expert who is helping people find deep soul healing. Dr. Davidheiser, a licensed psychologist in California and certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist (PhD, Fuller), specializes in guiding survivors of trauma toward wholeness, including those grappling with the unique and often-misunderstood pain of religious trauma. Drawing from her powerful experience—which includes founding a counseling center...
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Finding Hope Through Bipolar Disorder – Interview with Ruby Lucas
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, Pastor Brad interviews Ruby Lucas, author and mental health advocate. Ruby was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 19, but her struggles with anxiety began much earlier in childhood. Her teenage years were marked by depression, sadness, and panic attacks. While studying abroad, Ruby experienced her first manic episode, which led to her diagnosis. The following years were challenging—marked by denial, lack of proper treatment, psychosis, and even times when people took advantage of her vulnerability. But God broke through. Ruby’s story is one of faith, hope, and...
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From Burnout to Breakthrough: Katie Allred’s Story
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, Pastor Brad talks with —professor, author of and community builder. Katie shares her story of growing up in the church, the importance of community, and how faith has shaped her journey. When Katie was just 18 years old, her father passed away, a loss that deeply impacted her and her family. Driven by her natural achiever personality, Katie pursued success, but eventually experienced corporate burnout. This season led to severe depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. In this conversation, Katie opens up about her path to recovery—what helped, what she...
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From Homelessness to Hope: Cristina Baker’s Story of Redemption
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this powerful episode, Pastor Brad sits down with Cristina Baker, author, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus. Cristina shares her incredible story of redemption—one marked by a difficult childhood, abuse, homelessness, and addiction. Years ago, Cristina encountered the miraculous love and power of God through a group of faithful intercessors who led her to Christ and taught her how to pray. Her life was radically transformed, and she now shares hope and encouragement with others through her testimony and writing. Cristina is the author of two inspiring books: Hope in 60 Seconds and...
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"Finding Strength in the Journey: Yvonne Borgquist on Parenting a Child with Special Needs"
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, Pastor Brad interviews Yvonne Borgquist, a mother whose only child, a 33-year-old son, is on the Autism Spectrum, Cognitively Delayed, and has Bipolar Disorder. Yvonne shares her journey of discovering her son’s diagnosis and navigating through challenging psychosis episodes during his teenage years. Today, her son lives in a group home, and Yvonne continues to find strength in the Lord throughout these experiences. Yvonne started a Special Needs Parenting/Caregiver Support Group at her church, Bay Presbyterian, and her involvement in the Key Ministry Prayer Team....
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"Mental Help: Josh Wilson’s Journey with Faith and Mental Health"
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, Pastor Brad interviews singer-songwriter Josh Wilson, who recently released a new album titled "Mental Help," which delves into mental health and his faith in Jesus. Josh shares his personal story, including his battles with anxiety, depression, and addiction, and how his music documents his journey, offering inspiration to others facing similar struggles. Learn more about Josh and his music on his website: . Listen to his new album here: . Don’t forget to share this podcast with friends: .
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"Miriah Rossow's Journey Through Bipolar Disorder and Homelessness"
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, Pastor Brad interviews Miriah Rossow, a member of the Fresh Hope support group, who shares her heartbreaking story of overcoming homelessness and navigating life with a bipolar type 1 diagnosis. In her early twenties, Miriah was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, leading to multiple hospitalizations and a challenging period where she became homeless for a couple of months during the winter. She recounts how a relative eventually introduced her to Fresh Hope, where she found the support and community she desperately needed. Miriah discusses the role Fresh Hope played in her...
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"How To Decrease Childhood Anxiety" with Andrew Blackwood
Fresh Hope for Mental Health
In this episode, we replay sessions from our 2023 virtual conference, Voices of Hope. Tune in to hear as he guides Christian parents through the Parental Peace Framework. Discover effective strategies to understand and address your child's anxiety, motivate them to excel daily, and resolve conflicts swiftly and peacefully. Learn how to stay calm in challenging moments and listen to your children in "Their Voice." Don’t forget to share this episode with friends on social media and explore more resources available at Fresh Hope (). Tune in to additional episodes on our website: ....
info_outlineIn this edition of Fresh Hope for Mental Health Pastor Brad interviews Dr. Steve Grcevich. Dr. Grcevich is the author of Mental Health and the Church: A Ministry Handbook for Including Children and Adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Other Common Mental Health Conditions, which be released this week (February of 2017). Pastor Brad believes that this book is a must read and must use book for any church that wants to include people who struggle with mental health issues.
The church across North America does a weak job of welcoming and including families of children, teens, and adults with common mental health conditions or trauma. One obstacle is the absence of a widely accepted model for mental health inclusion ministries for kids, teens, adults, and their families.
In Mental Health and the Church, Dr. Stephen Grcevich seeks to put forth a model for a mental health/trauma inclusion ministry of sufficient flexibility to be implemented by churches of all sizes, denominations, and organizational styles. This model is based upon an understanding of seven barriers that families of kids, teens, and adults with common mental health conditions face if they seek to regularly attend a local church: ADHD, anxiety disorders, attachment disorders, mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and difficulties with social communication/interaction. The model includes seven broad inclusion strategies for helping persons with common mental health conditions and their families to overcome barriers to active engagement in the full range of ministries offered by the local church.
Dr. Grcevich is the principal author of Church4EveryChild, recognized among the Top 15 children’s ministry blogs in 2013 by Ministry-To-Children.com, and serves as the Program Committee Chairman for Inclusion Fusion, Key Ministry’s Disability Ministry Web Summit. In March of 2013, he was recognized by Sharecare as one of the top ten online influencers in children’s mental health.
Dr. Grcevich is a physician specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in practice in Chagrin Falls, OH. He is a graduate of Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and trained at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Case Western Reserve University. He is a faculty member at both Case Western and NEOMED and has extensive research experience evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications prescribed to children and teens for ADHD, anxiety and depression. He has been a featured speaker or presenter at over 35 national and international medical conferences and is a past recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the “Psychiatrist of the Year” award from the Ohio Chapter of NAMI.
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Pastor Brad Hoefs, the host of Fresh Hope for Mental Health, is the founder of Fresh Hope Ministries, a network of Christian mental health support groups for those who have a diagnosis and their loved ones. In other words, Fresh Hope is a Christian mental health support group.
Brad was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1995. He is a weekly blogger for www.bphope.com (Bipolar Magazine). He is also a certified peer specialist and has been doing pastoral counseling since 1985. Brad is also the author of Fresh Hope: Living Well in Spite of a Mental Health Diagnosis, which is available on Amazon or at www.FreshHopeBook.com
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