CXMH: On Faith & Mental Health

By Robert Vore & Dr. Holly Oxhandler

Religion & Spirituality Christianity

What's CXMH: On Faith & Mental Health about?

Hosts Robert Vore & Steve Austin discuss the intersection of Christianity and mental health. Guests include pastors, ministry workers, mental health professionals, and more.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

109 - Teens, Stress, & Mind...

09.21.2020

This week we're joined by Gina Biegel, LMFT, an expert in working with teens related to stress. We talk about the challenges today's teens are facing (preCOVID and now), why she recommends mindfulness, some practical ways for teens to cope ...

CXMH: On Faith & Mental Health episodes:

09.21.2020 109 - Teens, Stress, & Mindfulness (feat. Gina Biegel) This week we're joined by Gina Biegel, LMFT, an expert in working with teens related to stress. We talk about the challenges today's teens are facing (preCOVID and now), why she recommends mindfulness, some practical ways for teens to cope ...
09.14.2020 108 - Balanced Working Moms (feat. Dr. Amber Thornton) We're kicking off Season 5 with Dr. Amber Thornton, founder of Balanced Working Mama. We talk with Dr. Thornton about a the challenges workings moms face (both pre-COVID and now), why those persist despite changing views, and ways to keep ...
09.07.2020 Welcome to Season 5! We’re back! Robert and Holly return to your ears to talk about how their summers went, what they’ve learned, and what to look forward to in Season 5.
06.15.2020 Summer 2020! Robert and Holly reflect on Season 4, talk about taking the summer off, and set some goals for the next few months. We’ll see you in the fall for Season 5! Full show notes available here (https://cxmhpodcast.com/show-notes/2020/06/15/summer-2020).
06.08.2020 107 - Why Small Changes Are the Key to Changing Your Brain (feat. Dr. Alex Korb) It’s our last interview of Season 4! We’re glad to be joined by Dr. Alex Korb, a neuroscientist and author of The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time. We talk ...
06.01.2020 Recast - Putting the Revolution Back In Racial Reconciliation (feat. Austin Channing Brown) Instead of the episode we had scheduled for this week, we wanted to amplify voices of those doing important work around racial justice. As a result, we’re rereleasing our interview with Austin Channing Brown from 2018. In the show notes ...
05.25.2020 106 - Rumi, Personal Healing, & Fighting Injustice with Love (feat. Melody Moezzi) This week we’re joined by Melody Moezzi, author of the new book The Rumi Prescription: How an Ancient Mystic Poet Changed My Modern Manic Life. She talks with us about Rumi, her experiences with a bipolar diagnosis, the challenges between ...
05.18.2020 105 - Moving Beyond Types & Into Transformation (feat. Chris Heuertz) This week, Chris Heuertz is back! Chris talks with us about his new book The Enneagram of Belonging and walks us through how to go beyond just types and move into finding transformation. In the intro, Robert & Holly talk ...
05.18.2020 105 - Moving Beyond Types & Into Transformation (feat. Chris Heuertz) This week, Chris Heuertz is back! Chris talks with us about his new book The Enneagram of Belonging and walks us through how to go beyond just types and move into finding transformation. In the intro, Robert & Holly talk ...
05.11.2020 104 - Being Present to Ourselves & Our Stories (feat. K.J. Ramsey) How do we give up on ‘hiding in hurry,’ opting instead to be present to our bodies and our stories? Therapist and author K.J. Ramsey joins us to talk about her new book This Too Shall Last, her own story, ...
05.04.2020 103 - How We Move Through Suffering (feat. Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren & Sara Showalter Van Tongeren) What do we do when faced with suffering (either our own or someone else’s)? Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren and Sara Showalter Van Tongeren (authors of the new book The Courage to Suffer) join us to talk about existential questions, facing ...
04.27.2020 102 - Communication as Relationship-Building (feat. Dr. Heather Thompson Day) How do we communicate well? Do the same principles apply to settings like one-on-one, preaching, writing, or posting online? We talk with communication expert Dr. Heather Thompson Day about all of that and more! (Communication is really about listening! Why ...
04.20.2020 101 - Building a Sound Relationship (feat. Dr. Rod Hetzel & Dr. Susan Matlock-Hetzel) This week, we’re joined by relationship experts Dr. Rod Hetzel & Dr. Susan Matlock-Hetzel who talk us through the Gottman Institute’s Sound Relationship House Theory. They explain how to build trust and commitment in your marriage or partnership, offering ideas ...
04.13.2020 100 - Balancing Working from Home with Intentional Family Time (feat. Dr. Karen Melton & Dr. Sara Perry) For many of us, we’re trying to figure out working from home while balancing family needs for the same time. To help talk us through some practical tips and ideas, we brought on two guests: Dr. Karen Melton (an expert ...
04.07.2020 99 - Mindful Practices for Rekindling Your Faith (feat. Steve Wiens) This week, we’re joined by Steve Wiens to talk about his new book Shining like the Sun: Seven Mindful Practices for Rekindling Your Faith. He talks about using practices like attentiveness, simplicity, and rhythm to find the Divine, as well ...
03.31.2020 98 - Thinking About Sick Systems, Caring for Sick People (feat. David Finnegan-Hosey) Today we talk with David Finnegan-Hosey, a college chaplain who’s written about his experience with inpatient treatment for Bipolar Disorder. We hear about that experience and then take a deep dive into his latest book, Grace Is A Pre-Existing Condition: ...
03.23.2020 Checking In: How Are We Doing? This episode is different from anything we’ve done on CXMH before: it’s an episode just checking in with Robert & Holly to see how we’re doing amidst the chaos of the current moment. This conversation is less as professionals and ...
03.17.2020 97 - Navigating Uncertainty During the COVID-19 Crisis (feat. Dr. Inna Khazan) We know it’s a time of massive uncertainty and anxiety right now, no matter where you are. Dr. Inna Khazan joins us this week to talk about 5 steps for navigating uncertainty and the discomfort that comes with it.
03.02.2020 96 - Waking Up, How We Numb Our Pain, & Embodying Our Faith (feat. Seth Haines) Seth Haines is back! In our continuation of last week’s conversation we talk about things like waking up to our coping mechanisms and living an embodied faith. In the intro, Robert & Holly talk about Lent and what foods they ...
02.24.2020 95 - 3 Shapes of Pain & What Divine Love Has to Say (feat. Seth Haines) We’re joined this week by Seth Haines, author of the new book The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life. He tells us his story of realizing he had a drinking problem and finding sobriety ...
02.17.2020 94 - Resurrecting Hope & Ordinary Losses (feat. Stephanie Lobdell) Today, we’re joined by Stephanie Lobdell to talk about ordinary losses and what resurrection has to tell us about those things. We talk about being a woman in ministry, Stephanie’s mental health diagnoses, facing the death of your expected future, ...
02.10.2020 93 - Using the Enneagram & Neuroscience for Practical Growth (feat. Dr. Jerome Lubbe) We loved last week’s episode with Dr. Jerome Lubbe so much we invited him back right away! Jerome stops back by to talk about ways to use the Enneagram for practical growth, ideas for how to care for ourselves better, ...
02.03.2020 92 - Neuroscience, Faith, Identity, the Enneagram, & Self-Care (feat. Dr. Jerome Lubbe) Have you ever wondered how neuroscience intersects with faith, or how they both intersect with the Enneagram? We talk with Dr. Jerome Lubbe about that, the neurotheology of self-care, identity formation, and much more. In the intro, Robert & Holly ...
01.27.2020 91 - Spiritual Bypassing (feat. Dr. Jesse Fox) What is Spiritual Bypassing? We talk with Dr. Jesse Fox about his work in this area, what it looks like to use spirituality as a resource (or as a method of avoidance), offering unhelpful platitudes vs. helpful responses, and more. ...
01.13.2020 90 - Small Beginnings, Other People's Stories, & Being Made to Make (feat. Morgan Harper Nichols) This week, artist and internet phenomenon Morgan Harper Nichols stops by the show. We talk about small beginnings, finding inspiration in the day-to-day, hearing other people’s stories, creativity, and how her artwork reflects faith & mental health. Morgan also shares ...
01.06.2020 89 - Trying Softer, Self Compassion, & Moving from Survival to Joy (feat. Aundi Kolber) It’s 2020! Robert & Holly talk about New Year’s intentions in the intro, and then chat with trauma therapist Aundi Kolber about her new book Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and ...
12.23.2019 Happy Holidays 2019! Grab a mug of hot cocoa and snuggle up with a blanket, it’s time for a fireside chat with Robert & Holly! Your hosts get together to share listener-submitted traditions, talk about ways we’re reflecting on 2019, and what’s ahead ...
12.16.2019 88 - Practical Tools for Mental Health Ministry (feat. Joe Padilla) Joe Padilla (co-founder of Mental Health Grace Alliance) joins us to talk about the practicalities of ministering to people’s mental health within a faith community. We get asked a ton about resources for small groups, trainings, etc. to help equip ...
12.10.2019 87 - Getting the Rest You Actually Need (feat. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith) Have you ever wondered why you’re still tired if you’re getting enough sleep? How do we know if we’re actually even resting? Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith stops by the show to tell us about 7 different types of rest and how ...
11.25.2019 86 - Grieving During the Holidays (feat. Lanta Carroll) It’s the holiday season, which can be both joyful & hard. We’re joined by Lanta Carroll, a counselor & pastor, to talk about grieving during this season. We talk about why it’s so complicated, some ideas for your own grief, ...
11.18.2019 85 - Why & How Should Therapists Talk About Faith? (feat. Dr. Cassandra Vieten) Should mental health professionals ask about clients’s spiritual & religious beliefs? Today’s guest says ‘yes.’ Dr. Cassandra Vieten stops by to talk about her new book Spiritual and Religious Competencies in Clinical Practice: Guidelines for Psychotherapists and Mental Health Professionals ...
11.04.2019 84 - Faith, Media, & Living Our Theology (feat. Dr. Angela Gorrell) What role do things like social media, streaming content, and other new media play in shaping our faith lives? How do we have productive conversations about it? Is this even worth considering? Rev. Dr. Angela Gorrell (author of Always On: ...
10.21.2019 83 - How Can Faith Communities & Human Service Providers Collaborate? (feat. Dave Eckert) This week we talk with Dave Eckert, a pastor, social worker, and director of Intersect (an initiative to train, consult and collaborate with human services providers and faith communities). Dave describes 6 key assets to this kind of work, going ...
10.15.2019 82 - Hospitality, Loneliness, & Inviting People In (feat. Leslie Verner) Are we living in especially lonely times? What does ‘hospitality’ mean? How could extending invitations change the way we live? We’re joined by Leslie Verner, author of Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness to talk about ...
10.07.2019 81 - Closing the Chasm Between Spirituality & Treatment (feat. Dr. David Rosmarin) This week, we’re joined by Dr. David Rosmarin to talk about integrating spiritual beliefs into treatment, navigating the distrust between faith & mental health, and more.
09.30.2019 80 - Music & Ministry (feat. Rivers & Robots) Have you ever wondered about our intro/outro music? Great news: we got together with the guys behind Rivers & Robots to learn more about their music, their ministry, and how they take care of their mental health while keeping so ...
09.23.2019 79 - Hunger, Mental Health, & Working Together for Justice (feat. Jeremy Everett) How does hunger impact mental health? How widespread is food insecurity across the United States? We’re joined by Jeremy Everett, founder of the Texas Hunger Initiative and author of the new book, I Was Hungry: Cultivating Common Ground to End ...
09.16.2019 78 - Reimagining Missions from the Inside Out (feat. Ryan Kuja) In the intro, Robert & Holly talk about the recent suicide deaths of pastor Jarrid Wilson & Gregory Eells. In the interview, we’re joined by Ryan Kuja to talk about the ways we should prepare better for missions. Ryan talks ...
09.09.2019 Welcome to Season 4. We’re back! (not the dinosaur movie, although that’s one of Robert’s favorites).We kick off Season 4 of CXMH with the two of us (Robert & Holly) talking about our time off, what we learned about rest, and looking ahead at ...
06.24.2019 Summer 2019! In this episode with just Robert & Holly, they (we?) talk about why we take the summer off, what our hopes are for the time away, and what books we’re planning on reading during the next few months.Things we mention ...
05.28.2019 Recast - Self-Image, Parenting, & Learning to Love Ourselves As We Are (feat. Hillary McBride) In a new intro, Robert admits that he has no idea how to rest and Holly tells us all about her recent travels. Then, we recast our 2018 interview with Hillary McBride about self-image, passing narratives on to our children, ...
05.20.2019 77 - Mental Health in Latinx Culture (feat. Yesenia Reta) We’re joined by Yesenia Reta, LCSW, who practices as a Christian therapist in Florida. She talks about how she views faith & mental health working together, how growing up in a Mexican family shaped her view of mental health, and ...
05.13.2019 76 - The Narratives We Believe (& Why They Matter) This week, Robert & Holly talk about one of Robert’s favorite topics: narratives! What they are, why it matters what we believe about ourselves and the world around us, how to notice them, and more.
05.06.2019 75 - Children's Mental Health (feat. Dr. Stephen Grcevich) The first week of May is Children’s Mental Health Week, and to celebrate we’ve got the second part of our conversation with Dr. Stephen Grcevich! We cover a lot of ground including things to look for in children, the medicating ...
04.29.2019 74 - How Do We Make Our Churches Inclusive for Mental Health? (feat. Dr. Stephen Grcevich) In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Stephen Grcevich (founder of Key Ministry and author of Mental Health and the Church) to talk about how we can make our churches & ministries more inclusive to those encountering mental health struggles ...
04.15.2019 73 - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (feat. Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale) This week, we’re joined by Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale to talk about her personal journey with OCD, what OCD is (and isn’t), and what types of things to be looking for in OCD treatment.
04.09.2019 72 - Mentoring, Leading, & Empowering Others Do you lead others in some capacity? (Hint: the answer is yes). This week, Holly and Robert talk about mentoring both formal and informal, the way we can lead others through our actions, and why empowering those coming behind us ...
04.01.2019 71 - What if We're Called to a Ministry of Weakness? (feat. Alia Joy) Today, we’re joined by author Alia Joy to talk about weakness and finding God in all we lack. We talk about imposter syndrome, false ideas of God, the fluency of hope, poverty, not fitting in, bipolar disorder, and much much ...
03.25.2019 70 - Teens, Anxiety, & Self-Esteem (feat. Lisa Schab) We’ve all seen the headlines in the past few years: adolescents seem to be wrestling with more anxiety than ever before. In this episode, we’re joined by Lisa Schab, LCSW who has written tons of mental health workbooks for teens. ...
03.18.2019 69 - A Personal Journey into Social Work (feat. Kelsey Moffatt) It only took a year, but the timing has worked out to air the last of the guest hosted episodes from last Spring! In this episode, Holly talks with Kelsey Moffatt, who (at the time) was a social work student ...

Older episodes