The Story of Mental Health
Breaking Bread Podcast
May is Mental Health Awareness month. Like most matters that get highlighted with a month’s recognition, there is a story to be told. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ron Messner and Ted Witzig Jr. join to tell the story. A story that has loving as Jesus loves at its center. The story of mental health can be told from two perspectives: a societal understanding of mental health and the care that comes from that understanding.
info_outline
Receiving God's Blessing
Breaking Bread Podcast
God was very thoughtful and intentional about how to bless his people. “Do it like this” he told Aaron. His blessing (captured in Numbers 6) is beautiful poetry. Not only is it beautiful to the ear, but it is also health to the heart and soul. In this episode of Breaking Bread, let’s learn together about how God chooses to bless us, how to receive His blessing and how to bless others with our Father’s words. Show Notes: We live in a world of cursing. God knows this, so he has thoughtfully chosen to bless us carefully. And when he does, he confers abundant, flourishing life on us....
info_outline
Emotional Dependency & Enmeshment
Breaking Bread Podcast
The capacity for emotion sets us apart from all things living. It gives us the capability for healthy, deep and intimate relationships. What does it look like when our relationships are too enmeshed emotionally? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Kathy Knochel teach us about enmeshment and the dangers of being too emotionally dependent on others. Show notes While we are to receive and give support to others, we are not to take ultimate responsibility for other's wellbeing. Unhealthy emotional dependency can happen when two or more individuals lose...
info_outline
Are We Too Fragile in Life?
Breaking Bread Podcast
There is a lot of offense these days. Probably not more offending than normal as people have acted badly for a long time. But it seems people are quicker to call foul when they are hurt by others. “Trauma”, “emotional hurt”, “abuse”, “bullying” are household terms and sometimes we drop them when the opportunity is right. Have we become connoisseurs of the offenses against us? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Ted Witzig Jr give us some important tips on living in a world of offense. “Trauma”, “hurt”, “abuse”, and “bullying” are too real to...
info_outline
Emotional Affair
Breaking Bread Podcast
We are built for relationship. There is a yearning, need and desire within us for emotional connection with others. In the marriage relationship this can be both an asset and a liability. In this episode of Breaking Bread, marriage and family therapist Kaleb Beyer helps us understand the signs, offense and repair of emotional affairs – when emotional intimacy outside the marriage compromises the covenant of marriage. Show notes: Three stages of emotional affairs: 1st Emotional intimacy with another person outside of marriage. Deep connection at the...
info_outline
Habit Formation
Breaking Bread Podcast
We are creatures of habit. Rhythmic, repetitious actions that are triggered almost without notice. For good or bad, these habits shape us in profound ways. To help us wield the power of habit for good, Kathy Knochel and Brian Sutter take up the topic of habit formation in this episode of Breaking Bread. Show notes: Habits are reinforced by the positive feedback we experience when we do them. Typically, bad habits form naturally with immediate favorable reinforcement. For example, scrolling on your phone becomes a habit when it seems to cure momentary...
info_outline
Anxiety and Our Youth: Instruction (Part 2 of 2)
Breaking Bread Podcast
Generation Z has been dubbed “the anxious generation.” Any adult who has the opportunity to walk alongside these anxious ones knows how painful it can be. Sometimes we need someone who has walked this road in both directions to provide light and insight. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Nichole Suvar, an anxiety and depression survivor, speaks from her own journey of anxiety and illumines a path forward for the anxious - both young and old. Show notes: Nichole Suvar is an anxiety and depression survivor and Intentional Living Strategist who speaks and...
info_outline
Anxiety and Our Youth: A Story (Part 1 of 2)
Breaking Bread Podcast
Generation Z has been dubbed “the anxious generation.” Any adult who has the opportunity to walk alongside these anxious ones knows how painful it can be. Sometimes we need someone who has walked this road in both directions to provide light and insight. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Nichole Suvar, an anxiety and depression survivor, speaks from her own journey of anxiety and illumines a path forward for the anxious - both young and old. Show notes: Nichole Suvar is an anxiety and depression survivor and Intentional Living Strategist who speaks and writes on the...
info_outline
Six Keys to Better Brain Health
Breaking Bread Podcast
Just as there are aspects of our physical health we can improve, there are ways we can improve our brain health. Many of these are quite simple and attainable. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr. proposes six ways we achieve better brain health. Show notes: Six keys to better brain health: Physical Exercise: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days each week. Food & Nutrition: ...
info_outline
Relational Wounds: A Block to Marital Intimacy
Breaking Bread Podcast
Husbands and wives want healthy attachment, intimacy and oneness. Yet, sometimes it can be elusive. In this episode of Breaking Bread, marriage and family therapist Kaleb Beyer helps us see one barrier to intimacy – relational pain. Fortunately, there is a path forward but be forewarned, it will require going backward before going forward. Show notes: Intimacy has cleverly been defined as “into me you see.” This is a good definition and a wonderful intention for marriages. It is not uncommon, however, for “blocks” to exist that prove intimacy difficult. One...
info_outlineThe question before every human being is not if they have pain, but rather, what they do with the pain that they have. Some people make peace with their pain. Unfortunately, many do not. In this Breaking Bread two-part series, Brian Sutter and Kaleb Beyer help us understand what making peace with pain means, why it is important and how to do it.
Show notes:
What does making peace with pain mean?
Answer: Making peace with pain happens when we change our relationship with pain. Instead of orbiting the pain, we are freed from the unhealthy attachment we have with it. While pain may remain, we are able to live with it as a part of our story but it does not govern our identity. Pain has its proper effect on our lives - not too much, yet not ignored.
Why is making peace with pain important?
Answer: Pain unattended has a tendency to generate unhealthy attachments in our lives. We orbit closely to the pain. Some will try to soothe the pain by unhealthy means. Others will over identify with the pain. Still others will expend tremendous energies to change circumstances to make the pain go away. As a result, we become less responsive to our present lives because pain management requires so much attention. We don’t live well now.
How do we know if there is pain in our lives for which peace needs to be made?
Answer: If we have a past relationship with our pain and not a present relationship we may need to make peace with pain. This can be seen in our response to present circumstances. For example, if we react to present circumstances inappropriately, our past pain may be speaking.
How do we make peace with pain?
Answer: We make peace with pain by first understanding that God is present with us in our pain. We are not alone. Alowing yourself to sit with God in your pain is a healthy exercise. Next, acceptance will need to be practiced. Acceptance is letting go of circumstances that are not and will not be. It includes a trust that God loves you, is good and sees a wider expanse. For some pain, forgiveness will need to be extended to the offending parties.