Can Biblical Friendships Be the Cure to Loneliness?
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
Release Date: 12/10/2024
Falling Forward: Turning Slips and Relapses into Stepping Stones to Transformation
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
In your journey to transformation you will be tempted again. And most followers of Jesus will slip again. It's tempting to fall into a shame spiral. You may think, "I've got to try harder and be more self-disciplined." Or, "It's no use. I'm too far gone. I might as well give up." You find yourself hiding from yourself, others, and from God. In this episode Dr. Carol unpacks how to deal with slips and relapses in your transformation journey. She outlines practical steps to building your escape plan for when you're tempted, and also how to set yourself up for success with lifestyle patterns...
info_outline
Getting Your Fix: Finding Transformation and Spiritual Awakening
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
What's your addiction? What do you go to in order to feel better? Some addictions are dark and especially destructive. Others are less obvious, but nonetheless keep us from living whole, healthy, and in union with God. On this episode Dr. Carol talks with therapist, author, and Episcopal priest Ian Morgan Cron about the path to recovery using the 12 steps toward a "spiritual awakening." This is a picture of the gospel! Ian shares his own story, and then unpacks what it looks like to experience your own journey of recovery, wholeness, and transformation. Connect with Ian Morgan Cron...
info_outline
From Porn Star To Preacher: Trauma, Brokenness, Rescue, and Finding the Good Life
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
What are you doing to fill the empty places in your soul? We all do something. And for many, that's porn. But there's nothing too dark, too broken, too marred for Jesus to reach in and set a person free. Joshua Broome is a porn star turned preacher. On this podcast he talks with Dr. Carol about his story of what led him to become one of the most successful adult film stars, and how God brought him along a journey to amazing rescue and healing. And we talk about what porn does to a person, and the process of finding healing and freedom. Connect with Joshua Broome on , ,...
info_outline
Keys to Lasting Transformation: Why Striving Fails and Grace Prevails
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
You've probably realized by now that trying harder doesn't work very long or very well. That may be especially true for those experiencing sexual brokenness. Today's episode is excerpted from a session at the Change(d) Conference 2024 where Dr. Carol was joined by Jonathan Daugherty, founder and president of Be Broken Ministries. He shares his own story, and then a powerful picture of why grace is the only foundation that works, and nine specific aspects of that grace-based transformation journey. Connect with Jonathan Daugherty and Be Broken Ministries at , his , , or ....
info_outline
Grace for the Broken: How God Heals Sexual Wounds
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
Shame seems a certain companion to those who have experienced sexual harm and brokenness. And hurt people end up hurting other people. Those feeling such shame usually also feel like hiding from God. Teresa Whiting had to walk through that in her own journey. She shares about how she found healing, and what it's like to restore one's internal picture of God in this process. And she talks about some engaging and deep resources to help you experience deep healing. Connect with Teresa Whiting on or . Find her book Here's where you can get . Check out our brand...
info_outline
Your Marriage, Your Story: The Good, the Bad, and the Transformative
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
Neither you nor your spouse entered marriage as a blank slate. Most married people don't realize the extent to which the past experiences of both you and your spouse, especially trauma, form the foundation of most of the conflict between you. Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Steve Call, clinical psychologist, author, and graduate professor at the Allender Center, about dealing with the roots defining your marriage. Your past stories can become the fruitful ground from which redemption and true intimacy can grow. Find out more about Dr. Steve Call at , on , or . Get the book Steve...
info_outline
Overcoming Contradictions Between What You "Know" and What You Feel About Love, God, Intimacy, and Sex
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
Do you feel loved? Do you feel loved by God? We are all born looking for love - to be safely attached, seen, and cared for. Our early stories usually mess that up. And for Christians, that usually leads to disruptions between what we "know" about God and our emotional connection with Him. Michael John Cusick, licensed professional counselor, spiritual director, and professor, joins Dr. Carol to talk about love. Weaving in his own traumatic and healed story, they talk about healing and becoming securely attached to God. They address the places where love, intimacy, and sex overlap - or...
info_outline
Reclaiming Your Power: Steps to Healing from Sexual Harm
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
Dr. Carol believes, as many experts do, that it's a rare person indeed who has not experienced some form of sexual harm, whether obvious and severe, or more subtle and "normalized." You didn't wake up one day and decide to have sexual "issues," and behind your "issues" is almost always some dimension of experiencing sexual harm. In this episode Dr. Carol discusses different categories of sexual harm, the many ways such harm impacts you over the long haul, and three specific and practical steps to take that will bring real and deep healing. Check out our brand new . Discover your pathway...
info_outline
What Role Does Porn Play in Your Christian Marriage?
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
"It's not playing any role!" I hope that's true, but chances are good that porn is affecting your Christian marriage. Approximately 2/3 of Christian men and 1/3 of Christian women admit to a struggle with porn. That statistic holds even when that Christian man or woman gets married. And the impact of porn usually continues long after the actual porn use stops. This episode looks at the multiple ways in which your or your spouse's porn use has affected your marriage, your intimacy, and even your relationship with God. And then we discuss several practical things to do to when you...
info_outline
The State of Sex, Love, and Relationships in 2025
Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol
What's the current state of affairs when it comes to sex and sexuality - in culture, in the Christian church, in your life? Dr. Carol shares a few statistics - some hopeful, and some very sobering, and then quickly moves to exploring your sexual story which may include the good, the bad, and the ugly. You'll also hear about what it looks like to invite Jesus right into the middle of your sexual story. This is not primarily about behaviors; it's about matters of the heart. Check out our brand new . Discover your pathway to sexual wholeness as you explore your sexual story with...
info_outlineChristians have the best answer to the epidemic of loneliness in our culture. As articulated by the US Surgeon General, being disconnected has life-damaging consequences. But too many in the body of Christ are neither experiencing nor offering the kind of friendship Christians are uniquely equipped to provide.
Dr. Carol's guest on this episode is author and podcaster Rebecca McLaughlin who has a PhD in literature from Cambridge University and a theology degree from Oak Hill Theological College in London. She contends that friendship love is not optional for followers of Jesus. She explains why this love is, in New Testament terms, more critical than marriage or romantic love. And she talks about what this can practically look like for you.
Connect with Rebecca McLaughlin on her website, X (Twitter), or Instagram
Find Rebecca's book No Greater Love: A Biblical Vision for Friendship
Check out Dr. Carol's article How to Find Your People When You Need Help
Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can send a confidential message here.