Therapy and Theology

Have you been interacting with someone and concern rises up within you? An unsettledness bubbles up? Your guard goes up, and you start thinking things like: I don’t know if I can trust them. I don’t know if I can believe what they’re saying. Am I safe to share with them?

If so, this first episode in our new season, "Red Flags in Relationships," is for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What a red flag is and what it isn'...

Summertime is a season for sunshine, long days, and making memories with the people closest to us.

But let’s be honest — more time together doesn’t always mean more connection. It could create more tension. And sometimes that’s because we can no longer ignore red flags that are now staring us in the face.

Whether you’re single, dating, married, or navigating complicated family dynamics — we're diving into it all this...

The (sometimes secret) struggle with pornography takes an emotional and spiritual toll on individuals, marriages, and families. It's a multifaceted issue that requires a multifaceted healing plan.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How pornography affects intimacy, identity, and trust.
• Tools and tactics for having conversations around this topic without fear.
• What to do (and not to do) the moment you discover something.
• Scriptu...

Addiction is a heartbreaking reality that weighs heavy on loved ones who are affected. But when you're navigating something this complex, how can you know the best way forward?

In this episode, you will learn:

• What is considered an addiction and what the Bible says about the root of addiction.
• How to respond to the longings and desires you have without turning to substances.
• The complicated dynamics addiction creates w...

While we don't want to put labels on people, it is important to be aware of certain patterns of behavior. Because the more awareness we have, the better we'll be able to navigate situations we find ourselves in.

In this episode, you will learn:

• The characteristics, signs, and symptoms of narcissism and borderline personality disorder.
• How to draw boundaries and protect yourself from dysfunctional or even dangerous relatio...

Have you ever wondered why you have different reactions with different people in your life? Maybe it's easy to respond to a friend with love and patience but difficult to respond to your spouse without getting angry.

The truth is our character is revealed in how we react. Lysa TerKeurst puts it this way: "Our feelings are indicators, not dictators."

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What the four kinds of reaction types are ...

Lysa TerKeurst says "emotional abuse is sometimes both the most overused and underused term" ... and we couldn't agree more.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The hidden tactics of emotional abuse: gaslighting and love bombing.
• Why living in extremes in relationships are unhealthy and unsustainable.
• How to "take agency" in yourself and escape dysfunction.

Helpful Links

• Have a question for Lysa, Jim or Joel? Leave us a ...

You cannot be in a healthy, flourishing relationship with someone who refuses to take responsibility for their own issues. This is why the dynamics and roles of the Victim Triangle must be recognized.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What the three roles of the Victim Triangle are.
• How to grow in self-awareness without labeling others.
• Where to insert boundaries if you find yourself in toxicity.

Helpful Links

• Download...

It's time to get out of the dysfunctional dances and be bravely honest about what you may be experiencing behind closed doors. That's what Lysa TerKeurst, counselor Jim Cress and Dr. Joel Muddamalle want to help you work through this season!

In Season 8 of Therapy & Theology, you'll hear episodes on:

• The victim mentality.
• Love bombing and gaslighting.
• Anger and blaming.
• Narcissism and Borderline Personality Disorder...

Broken trust can make us look at the world with skepticism, resistance and hesitancy. Or broken trust can make us more resilient and brave.

We get to choose how we move forward.

In this episode of Season 7, Lysa, Jim and Joel discuss how we can find the inner strength to move forward, even when broken trust and betrayals have stolen from us.

Related Resources:

• We'd like to thank the American Association of Christia...

When you have experienced heartbreak or betrayal, it’s hard not to fall into thought spirals. You may find yourself bracing for impact as you think: If this worst-case scenario happened in the past, when will something else bad happen again?

But if we’re honest … So many times, we spiral in our thoughts about things we can’t control.

In this episode, Lysa, Jim and Joel will help you see that even when you're spiraling, y...

Can I trust this person? This is a big question, especially after a betrayal has occurred.

The deeper the wound, the longer the repair will take. But not all repairs are equal. You see, there is a difference between wise trust and blind trust. Of course, there is space for grace in relationships, but it shouldn’t be sloppy grace where deceptions and dysfunctions are glossed over.

In this episode, Lysa, Jim and Joel will ...

It can be so disillusioning to process things that are breaking our heart, especially when it seems like God is not intervening. Maybe you find yourself asking questions like: When is God going to right the wrongs and bring justice to this situation? How am I supposed to believe the Lord is good in light of this? How can I trust God when the person who hurt me got away with it?

In this episode, Lysa, Jim and Joel will meet ...

Not one of us gets to live this life unmarked by hurt, so not one of us gets to

live this life without trust issues. Whether you claim to be someone who naturally struggles with trust or not, sometimes skepticism creeps in even in the smallest of ways.

In this episode, Lysa, Jim and Joel will help you begin to process broken trust issues you have so that you can move forward with more hope for the future.

Related Resource...

Betrayal can come in so many different forms. Maybe a friend tells a secret you trusted them with. Or maybe your spouse is making decisions that are breaking your heart. Or maybe a co-worker threw you under the bus. Underneath it all, if you're honest, you feel betrayed by God: Why didn't He step in? 

This episode will help you begin to realize that the trauma of having your trust broken by people you thought would never be...

Trust is the oxygen of all human relationships. But it's also what trips you up after you've been burned.

Maybe a friend constantly lets you down. A leader or organization you respect turns out to be different from what they portray themselves to be. A spouse cheats on you. A family member betrays you. You're becoming exhausted by other people's choices and starting to question your own discernment. And you're wondering, If...

We all want our relationships to go the distance, but it's inevitable that not all will. As believers, when this happens, how can we move forward without growing bitter and resentful?

In this episode, "How To Move On When Someone Walks Away," Lysa TerKeurst; Licensed Professional Counselor Jim Cress; and Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theological Research, Dr. Joel Muddamalle, will help you navigate goodbyes with bibli...

Sometimes we hit a point in a relationship where we realize something must change. But when we're so close to the situation, it's easy to slip into denial about what's really going on and what the best next steps are from here.

In this episode, "Am I in Denial That This Relationship Is Unhealthy?" Lysa TerKeurst; Licensed Professional Counselor Jim Cress; and Proverbs 31 Ministries' Director of Theological Research, Dr. Joe...

Pride is probably a word most of us could give a quick definition for. It's easy to spot in other people, but how can we operate in self-awareness to know how pride is surfacing in our own lives? And what are the costs of letting pride go unattended?

In this special bonus episode, Lysa, Jim and Joel discuss the layers of pride, revealing its subtle yet profound impact on our relationships with others, God and even ourselves...