Care to Change Counseling - Practical Solutions for Positive Change

What if your exhaustion isn’t just about being tired? What if your body has been trying to tell you something you’ve been too busy to notice?

Brain fog, irritability, trouble sleeping, digestive issues, anxiety, and even emotional numbness can all be signs that your nervous system is overwhelmed. When stress becomes a constant part of life, our bodies can remain in survival mode long after the stressful situation has passed.

In this episode of the Care to Change Podcast, therapist April Bordeau sits down with therapist Jared Jones to explore how chronic stress affects the nervous system, why we sometimes feel disconnected from our emotions, and what it takes to begin recovering.

Together, they discuss the everyday habits that quietly drain our capacity, how to recognize what our bodies are communicating, and practical ways to move from survival mode toward greater emotional and physical well-being.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

• Common signs of an overwhelmed nervous system, including brain fog, irritability, fatigue, and emotional numbness
• Why the body can remain in survival mode even after a stressful experience has ended
• How caregiving, perfectionism, grief, difficult relationships, and high-pressure environments contribute to nervous system exhaustion
• Everyday habits that increase stress, including multitasking, overstimulation, overcommitment, and inadequate rest
• Why scrolling, watching television, or simply taking time off may not provide the restoration your nervous system needs
• Practical ways to begin recovering through intentional rest, mindfulness, gratitude, and healthier boundaries
• How to reconnect with your emotions when you’ve become numb or disconnected from your body
• Why safe relationships and professional counseling can play an important role in healing

Resources Mentioned:

• The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
• Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

Take a Moment to Reflect:

What is your body trying to tell you that you’ve been too busy to hear?

Pay attention to the tension in your shoulders, the tightness in your jaw, your energy level, or the emotions you’ve been avoiding. These signals may be invitations to slow down and consider what you need.

You don’t have to wait until you’re completely exhausted to begin caring for yourself.

At Care to Change, we provide practical solutions for positive change through counseling, groups, and intensive therapy services.

Learn more at www.caretochange.org.

Connect with Care to Change:

Website: www.caretochange.org
Call: 317-790-9396
Text: 317-979-7133

Next Episode: Recovering from Burnout: Healing the Whole Person

What if you’re getting enough sleep, taking weekends off, maybe even going on vacation, and you’re still exhausted?

You may not just be tired.

In this episode of the Care to Change Podcast, Mac Zambrano talks with therapist and Care to Change Managing Director April Bordeau about the difference between everyday stress and burnout, why traditional rest sometimes stops working, and how to recognize when exhaustion is telling you that something deeper needs attention.

Burnout doesn’t always mean you need another day off. Sometimes you need a different kind of rest. You may be physically rested but mentally overloaded, relationally depleted, emotionally exhausted, spiritually dry, or carrying responsibilities that were never yours to carry.

April and Mac explore what happens when caregivers, leaders, parents, pastors, therapists, first responders, and other helpers spend so much time caring for others that they stop noticing their own limits.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The difference between normal stress and burnout
• Warning signs that stress may be becoming burnout
• Why sleep, weekends off, and vacations don't always restore us
• How burnout can show up as irritability, numbness, resentment, detachment, difficulty concentrating, or loss of motivation
• The different kinds of exhaustion we experience: physical, emotional, mental, relational, spiritual, and professional
• Why over-functioning, constant availability, and tying your identity to productivity can contribute to burnout
• How chronic stress can begin showing up in the body
• Why your current season of life matters when evaluating your capacity
• The difference between temporary relief and addressing the root of depletion
• How boundaries, delegation, and sustainable rhythms can help
• What Jesus models about solitude, withdrawal, prayer, and sharing responsibility
• Why burnout can be information rather than evidence that you aren't strong enough

The goal isn’t simply to get better at recovering from an unsustainable life. The goal is to build a way of living that you don’t have to keep recovering from.

If you recognize yourself in this conversation, you don't have to wait until you're completely depleted to make a change. Pay attention to what your exhaustion may be telling you, and consider what kind of support, boundaries, restoration, or deeper healing you need.

Care to Change is here to walk alongside you.

Other episodes that may help:

• Worklife Balance
• Burnout & Compassion Fatigue

Sometimes the people who care about us most say the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. “Everything happens for a reason.” “It could be worse.” “You just need to forgive.” “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” The intention may be good, but the impact can still hurt. 

In this episode, Jared Jones sits down with therapist April Bordeau to talk about what happens when well-intentioned words land painfully. They explore why people often speak out of their own discomfort, how to acknowledge hurt without assuming the worst about someone’s heart, and what healthy repair can look like when words cause harm. 

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

•  Why people say unhelpful things when they don’t know what to say 
•  The difference between someone’s intent and the impact of their words 
•  How seemingly encouraging statements can actually feel dismissive or invalidating 
•  Why you can validate your hurt without assuming someone meant to hurt you 
•  How to tell someone, with grace, where their words landed 
•  What to do when you realize you’re the one who said the wrong thing 
•  Why a sincere apology matters more than defending your intentions 
•  How forgiveness, humility, and honest conversation can strengthen relationships 

April and Jared close with two important questions: Who might you need to forgive for words that hurt? And who might need an apology from you for words you never intended to cause pain? 

If words have left a deeper wound than you know how to navigate, you don’t have to work through it alone. The team at Care to Change is here to help you find a path toward healing, healthier relationships, and hope.

Pastors and ministry leaders are often invited into people’s hardest moments. They sit with grief, conflict, betrayal, trauma, addiction, family struggles, church hurt, and major life transitions. That work is meaningful, but it can also be incredibly heavy. Sometimes the person helping everyone else find peace is quietly carrying pain of their own. 

In this episode, Jared Jones talks with Mac Zambrano, counselor and former pastor, about the unique emotional and relational weight ministry leaders carry and why caring for their own souls is an important part of faithful leadership.

You’ll hear about:

•  The unrealistic expectations pastors can place on themselves and that others can place on them 
•  Why ministry leaders need permission to grieve, hurt, rest, and simply be human 
•  How criticism, conflict, betrayal, and people leaving a church can affect pastors personally 
•  Why forgiveness doesn’t mean ignoring hurt, skipping grief, or eliminating healthy boundaries 
•  The emotional weight of walking alongside people through loss, suicide concerns, marriage struggles, divorce, parenting challenges, and other difficult seasons 
•  Why every leader needs a place where they are not the leader
•  The importance of honest self-check-ins: What am I carrying? Where am I discouraged? What has been life-giving? What do I need to surrender to God? 
•  Why Sabbath, boundaries, safe relationships, and time with God that isn’t connected to producing a sermon or serving others are essential forms of soul care  
•  Practical ways church members can encourage and care for pastors through prayer, notes, encouragement, practical help, and simply allowing them to be human 

Mac offers an important reminder for ministry leaders: God loves you beyond your role. Your value isn’t dependent on how well you preach, how much you accomplish, or how available you are to everyone around you. 

And for those being cared for by pastors and ministry leaders, this episode offers a simple challenge: care for the people who care for you. Send the note. Pray for them. Encourage them. Offer practical help. Let them know their faithfulness is seen.

Scripture also reminds us to honor those who lead and care for us spiritually, including 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 and 1 Timothy 5:17. 

For additional resources on church hurt, burnout, emotional health, and leadership, visit Care to Change or listen to previous episodes of the Care to Change podcast. 

Forgiveness is difficult in any painful relationship. But what does forgiveness look like when the hurt involves abuse? And can you forgive someone while still maintaining boundaries, requiring accountability, and choosing safety?

In this episode, April Bordeau is joined by Care to Change coach Sherry Follett and “Lynn,” a mother whose daughter experienced domestic abuse. Lynn shares the impact abuse had not only on her daughter, but on their entire family, and the ongoing struggle of forgiving someone who caused significant harm. 

Together, they explore the complexity of abuse, why leaving is rarely as simple as it appears from the outside, and why forgiveness should never be confused with excusing harmful behavior or restoring unsafe relationships. 

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

•  How abuse can be emotional, verbal, psychological, financial, spiritual, sexual, or physical 
•  Why recognizing and naming abuse is an important part of healing 
•  Common barriers that make leaving an abusive relationship difficult 
•  Why forgiveness is often a process rather than a one-time decision 
•  What forgiveness does not mean: forgetting, excusing, trusting again, removing consequences, or minimizing what happened 
•  Why forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same thing 
•  How healthy boundaries and limited access can coexist with forgiveness 
•  The grief that accompanies the loss of trust, safety, relationships, and the future you thought you would have 
•  Why family members may move through forgiveness at very different speeds 
•  How abuse creates a ripple effect throughout an entire family  
•  Resources that can help survivors and their families move toward safety and healing 

One of the most important reminders from this conversation is that forgiveness does not mean giving someone continued access to you. It does not remove responsibility or consequences. Instead, forgiveness can become a choice to release yourself from remaining emotionally chained to what happened, even when the feelings take much longer to follow. 

If you are experiencing abuse or questioning whether a relationship is abusive, you do not have to navigate it alone. Seek support from a qualified professional or domestic violence organization. Safety comes first, and healing is possible. 

Resources: 

• Domestic violence hotline number(s) —  Text 88788 or call 800-799-SAFE, or locally call 317-745-1496.
• Sheltering Wings - for shelter and resources
• Leslie Vernick — The Emotionally Destructive Marriage and The Emotionally Destructive Relationship
• Natalie Hoffman — Is It Me? Making Sense of Your Confusing Marriage
• Lysa TerKeurst — Forgiving What You Can’t Forget

If you are struggling with forgiveness after being deeply hurt, Care to Change is here to walk alongside you with compassion and competent care. 

Hard conversations are part of every meaningful relationship. But when we avoid them, emotions can build until a conversation that could have created understanding instead becomes reactive, overwhelming, or damaging. Done well, difficult conversations can actually leave us feeling more heard, understood, and connected. 

In this episode, Jared Jones talks with Brittany Gipson, Director of Clinical Services and counselor at Care to Change, about how to approach difficult conversations in ways that protect relationships rather than burn bridges. 

You’ll hear about:

•  Why avoiding difficult conversations often makes them harder over time 
•  How your family of origin influences the way you handle conflict 
•  Why self-awareness and emotional regulation matter before the conversation even begins 
•  How to identify what the conversation is really about 
•  Why preparation can help you enter a difficult conversation with greater confidence 
•  How to choose the right time and setting 
•  The importance of active listening, validation, and “I” statements 
•  How to recognize your own nonverbal cues and emotional activation 
•  What to do when a conversation becomes emotionally charged 
•  Why taking a break doesn’t mean abandoning the conversation 
•  How to check whether the other person actually heard what you intended to communicate 
•  The importance of repair, follow-up, and reconnecting afterward  

Brittany and Jared also offer an important reminder: repair matters more than perfection. The goal of a hard conversation isn’t to convince, control, criticize, or change another person. It’s to communicate honestly while approaching the relationship with curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to listen. 

When people feel safe, heard, and respected, difficult conversations can become opportunities to strengthen trust rather than destroy it. And like any skill, the more we practice healthy communication, the more natural it becomes. 

If difficult conversations or relationship challenges are leaving you feeling stuck, the counselors at Care to Change are here to help. Visit Care to Change to learn more about counseling and resources designed to help you build healthier relationships.

The school year can quickly become a blur of homework, practices, activities, packed schedules, and pressure. But what children often need most isn’t another activity or achievement. They need a home that provides stability, connection, and safety. 

In this episode, Mac Zambrano talks with therapist Teresa Haskins about the power of family rhythms and how the routines, relationships, boundaries, and faith practices we build at home can support a child’s emotional and mental health throughout the school year.

You’ll hear about:

•  Why predictability and consistency help children feel safe 
•  Daily, weekly, seasonal, and faith rhythms that strengthen families 
•  Signs your family may be “off tempo” and simply surviving 
•  Why a parent’s own emotional regulation affects the emotional safety of the home 
•  How to validate a child’s emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them 
•  Simple ways busy parents can create meaningful moments of connection 
•  Why sleep, healthy routines, opportunities to de-stress, and celebrations matter 
•  How family rhythms naturally change as children grow 
•  Why modeling faith may be even more important than talking about it 
•  How to recognize when your family’s pace has become too fast or overcommitted 
•  What to do when your family gets “off tempo” 

Teresa offers an important reminder: every family’s rhythm will look different. Rather than comparing your family to what you see around you, consider what kind of family you want to create and intentionally build rhythms that support that vision. 

And when the rhythm gets disrupted, as it inevitably will, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s learning how to find your way back.

Your children don’t need a perfect schedule or a perfect parent. They need caring adults who are present, consistent, and willing to keep showing up.

Care to Change is here to help, if and when you are ready. 

Back-to-school season brings new routines, expectations, friendships, activities, and pressures. Some stress is normal, but how can parents tell when their child is adjusting and when something deeper may be going on? 

In this episode, Mac Zambrano talks with Jared Jones about the warning signs parents should pay attention to and four important needs that help kids and teens thrive: structure, engagement, nurture, and challenge.

You’ll hear about:

•  How to tell the difference between normal back-to-school stress and a developing mental health concern 
•  Changes in mood, behavior, sleep, relationships, and daily functioning that may signal a child is struggling 
•  Why predictable routines and expectations help kids feel safe 
•  Better questions to ask instead of simply, “How was school?” 
•  Why timing and genuine presence matter when trying to get kids to open up 
•  How to validate difficult emotions without reinforcing avoidance 
•  Why kids need both nurture and opportunities to do hard things 
•  How parents can help children develop confidence through challenge, failure, and growth 
•  When it may be time to involve a teacher, counselor, mentor, or mental health professional 
•  How faith and trusted community can provide perspective and support during difficult seasons 

The goal isn’t to eliminate every uncomfortable emotion or difficult experience. It’s to notice changes, stay curious, remain connected, and create a home where kids know they can bring what they’re experiencing.

As Mac summarizes: structure communicates safety, engagement communicates “I see you,” nurture communicates love, and challenge communicates “I believe you can do hard things.” 

If you’re noticing changes in your child that are lasting, intensifying, or interfering with everyday life, you don’t have to wait for a crisis to reach out. Care to Change is here to help you determine what comes next.

Teachers, coaches, and mentors influence far more than academics or athletic performance. The way they encourage, challenge, correct, and respond to mistakes can shape how kids see themselves for years to come.

In this episode, Mac Zambrano talks with John Crane about how trusted adults can build confidence, create healthy expectations, respond well to mistakes, and remind kids that performance matters, but performance does not define them. 

You’ll hear about:

• Why teachers, coaches, and mentors can have such a significant influence on a child’s mental and emotional health
• Why sports can become a “laboratory for life”
• How to separate a child’s identity from their performance
• The difference between healthy challenge and unhealthy performance pressure
• Why consistency and honesty build trust with kids and teens
• How favoritism can quietly undermine a team’s culture
• Why encouragement is especially important when correction is necessary
• How an adult’s apology can build rather than diminish credibility
• Ways parents, teachers, and coaches can work together instead of against one another
• The value of giving parents and coaches time to cool down before addressing conflict
• How adults can help kids set their own goals and navigate the difficult moments involved in reaching them, and
• Why the conversations that seem ordinary today may be remembered by a child decades from now

Kids may forget the score or assignment, but they rarely forget the adult who saw them, believed in them, and helped them through a difficult season. 

Need support for a child, teen, family, or the people you lead? Care to Change is here to help. Visit the Care to Change website to connect with our team, explore resources, or learn more about how we support individuals, families, schools, churches, and organizations. 

As a new school year begins, parents often find themselves balancing excitement, stress, and uncertainty. In this episode, April Bordeau sits down with Dr Scott Wyndham, Superintendent of Avon Community School Corporation, to discuss practical ways parents can help children thrive academically, emotionally, and socially throughout the school year. Drawing from his experience as an educator, superintendent, and father, Scott shares thoughtful, encouraging advice that every parent can apply, regardless of their child’s age. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why routines and consistent structure help children feel safe and prepared to learn.
• How a strong partnership between parents and teachers positively impacts student success.
• The importance of coaching older students toward independence instead of solving every problem for them.
• Warning signs that may indicate a child is struggling with their mental health, and when parents should take a closer look.
• Practical ways parents can reduce back-to-school anxiety without unintentionally increasing it.
• How allowing children to experience age-appropriate struggles builds resilience and confidence.
• Why encouraging teachers and expressing gratitude strengthens the home-school partnership.

Key Takeaways

• Build routines before school starts, especially healthy sleep habits.
• Introduce yourself to your child’s teacher early instead of waiting until a problem arises.
• Help older students practice advocating for themselves before stepping in as a parent.
• Watch for significant changes in behavior or withdrawal across multiple areas of your child’s life.
• Encourage your child with confidence rather than passing along your own anxiety.
• Give children opportunities to struggle, problem-solve, and recover from setbacks.
• Thank your child’s teachers. Small expressions of appreciation make a lasting impact.
• Slow down and enjoy this season. The days may feel long, but the years truly are short. 

Resources Mentioned

• If your child needs professional counseling, Care to Change offers compassionate, evidence-based mental health services for children, teens, and families.

Learn more at www.caretochange.org

Connect with Care to Change

If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to the Care to Change Podcast and share it with another parent, educator, or caregiver preparing for the school year.