There’s a difference between knowing how to do Storywork and becoming the kind of person who can truly be present with someone else’s story. In this episode of the ReStory Podcast, Chris Bruno and Tracy Johnson sit down with Cathy Loerzel, co-founder of the Allender Center, author, and Storywork coach, to talk about what a coach carries into the room before a single question is asked: their presence, self-awareness, humility, and unfinished story. Together, they unpack the power differential between coach and client, why expertise can become something we hide behind, and how learning to be comfortable as a beginner can actually create more space for genuine connection and healing. Cathy also shares how slowing down, becoming more rooted, and learning to be present in her own life changed the way she shows up for others, offering a deeper look at what it means to move from simply knowing Storywork to being formed as a Storywork coach.

If you’re a Storywork coach, ethics and formation are part of the work too, and our Code of Ethics certification is a foundational step toward practicing with greater awareness, humility, and care, while the Storywork Coaching Collective offers ongoing community, training, and support for practitioners who want to keep growing in this work: https://www.restory.life/storywork-coaching-collective

Visit www.restory.life for more info!

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Doing meaningful work with people can be deeply rewarding, but it can also become surprisingly isolating. In this episode of the ReStory Podcast, Chris Bruno and Tracy Johnson sit down with Storywork coach Jeremy Williamson to explore what changes when a practitioner chooses to do this work in community rather than inside their own silo. Jeremy shares how supervision, camaraderie, and being known by people who understand his story have helped him show up more fully for his clients, while the conversation also gets honest about shame, fear, perfectionism, and the temptation to believe we should have it all together. Together, they unpack why ethical Storywork coaching requires more than good skills, including community, reflection, shared wisdom, and the courage to let other people see where we are still growing. Jeremy also shares the story behind his upcoming book, That's Not My Name, a reflection on wounds, false names, rebellion, hope, and finding our way home to who we actually are, releasing November 5.

Learn more about Jeremy Williamson’s That's Not My Name, releasing November 5, and connect with the Storywork Coaching Collective for community, training, supervision, and continued growth in Storywork coaching: https://www.restory.life/storywork-coaching-collective

Learn more about ReStory at www.restory.life.

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Storywork has been part of Chris Bruno and Tracy Johnson’s work for years, long before there was a name for it. In this first episode of the relaunched ReStory Podcast, Chris and Tracy share the winding stories that brought them into this work and eventually brought them together at ReStory. They talk about the power of approaching the human heart through story, what happens when we sit deeply with another person’s story, and why our own stories are always part of the work too. They also explore why Storywork coaches need more than skills alone, including ongoing training, ethical guidance, community, and spaces where they can be known and supported. The conversation sets the foundation for a podcast created to encourage Storywork coaches and others who find themselves holding the stories of people around them.

For those wanting to grow in Storywork coaching alongside others doing this work, the Storywork Coaching Collective is a space for continued learning, connection, and support: https://www.restory.life/storywork-coaching-collective

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In this episode of ReStory Podcast, let's hear some insights from Sheila Wray Gregoire, an advocate for healthier evangelical teachings on sex and marriage. Gregoire discusses her journey from a mommy blogger to challenging evangelical teachings through her research with 7,000 evangelical women, showcased in her book 'She Deserves Better: Raising Girls to Resist Toxic Teachings on Sex, Self, and Speaking Up.' The conversation covers the impact of purity culture on women's sexual health, self-esteem, and the excessive responsibilities it places on them, advocating for a significant shift towards teachings that respect women's agency and value. Gregoire's work, including her website BareMarriage.com and related podcast, aims to change the evangelical conversation about marriage and sex.

00:00 Introduction to Purity Culture and Its Impact
00:32 Exploring the Voices Behind the Movement
01:55 Sheila Wray Gregoire's Journey and Insights
05:42 Unveiling the Harms of Purity Culture
11:08 The Surprising Correlations: Periods, Talking, and Abuse
17:46 Consent, Sexual Abuse, and the Purity Culture
31:52 Addressing Modesty and Its Consequences

Learn more about ReStory at www.restory.life.
Listen to our webinar on Remnants of Purity Culture at www.restory.life/webinars.
Learn more about Sheila at www.baremarriage.com.

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What happens when the messages we were given about purity, sexuality, and masculinity follow us long after we’ve grown up? In this conversation, Michael Krommendyk sits down with Zachary Wagner, author of Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality, to unpack the ways purity culture shaped how many Christian men understood their bodies, desires, faith, and relationships. Zachary shares from his own story of carrying shame into marriage and discovering that following the “rules” did not automatically lead to the healthy, fulfilling sex life he had been promised. Together, they explore the voices of women who have challenged these patterns, the ways men have also been harmed and dehumanized, and the responsibility men have to grow beyond entitlement and immaturity. They also talk about what younger men and women may need to hear instead: that their bodies are good, sexuality is part of being human, and growing into maturity is a process marked by kindness, compassion, and Christlikeness.

Learn more about ReStory at www.restory.life.
Listen to our webinar on Remnants of Purity Culture at www.restory.life/webinars.
Learn more about Zachary Wagner and his new book, Non-Toxic Masculinity at https://www.zacharycwagner.com/

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What happens when our adult children begin revisiting the parts of their childhood that still hurt, and we realize we may be part of that story? Chris and Beth talk honestly about what it means for parents to acknowledge where they missed the mark, listen without becoming defensive, and make room for their child’s experience. They explore the tension of knowing we cannot undo the impact of our failures, while still choosing empathy, humility, and grace as we move toward a different kind of relationship. And as these conversations reach beyond one family, they open the possibility of breaking generational patterns and creating space for healing that can carry into the generations that come after us.

Learn more about Storied Parenting and the Bruno's approach:

Fierce & Lovely
Fierce & Lovely Mini-Courses
Fierce & Lovely Turkey History Tour
Restoration Project

Books on Trauma:

My Grandmother's Hands
The Body Keeps the Score
The Relational Soul
The Wounded Heart

Find us at www.restory.life
Learn More about ReStory® HERE.

Follow ReStory Counseling on our socials!
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Facebook: ReStory Counseling
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How does our own story around sexuality shape the way we talk to our kids about theirs? Chris and Beth explore what it looks like to move beyond fear, silence, and the “don’ts” of purity culture and create more honest, age-appropriate conversations with our children. They unpack why the sex talk is really a thousand conversations over time, from naming bodies accurately to helping our kids understand sexuality as something God designed and something they can learn to navigate with wisdom and honor. Along the way, they invite parents to look at their own stories first, so they can approach these conversations with greater intention, openness, and freedom.

Learn more about Storied Parenting and the Bruno's approach:

Fierce & Lovely
Fierce & Lovely Mini-Courses
Fierce & Lovely Podcast
Restoration Project
Sex 101
Christian Counseling Center for Sexual Health and Trauma with Andrew Bauman

Find us at www.restory.life
Learn More about ReStory® HERE.

Follow ReStory Counseling on our socials!
Instagram: @storyrestored
Facebook: ReStory Counseling
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What if parenting isn’t about creating the “right” child, but discovering the masterpiece God has already made? Chris and Beth unpack how shifting from a mindset of correction and perfectionism to a story-informed lens can change the way we see our kids, especially in the moments when their behavior is difficult. They explore Proverbs 22:6 and the Hebrew word "chanak", offering a picture of parenting as awakening our children to who they were created to be and the glory already woven into their stories. It’s a freeing shift that can change the way we respond to our kids, helping them see not just what they need to work on, but the goodness, beauty, and God-given story already within them.

Learn more about Storied Parenting and the Bruno's approach:

Fierce & Lovely
Fierce & Lovely Mini-Courses
Fierce & Lovely Podcast
Restoration Project
No Regrets

Find us at www.restory.life
Learn More about ReStory® HERE.

Follow ReStory Counseling on our socials!
Instagram: @storyrestored
Facebook: ReStory Counseling
LinkedIn: ReStory Counseling
YouTube: ReStory Counseling

Parenting has a way of bringing parts of our own story to the surface, sometimes in moments we never expected. Chris and Beth explore how our childhood experiences, triggers, and unresolved stories can quietly shape the way we respond to our children. They unpack five stages of that journey, from being unaware and curious to processing, empathy, and vulnerability, showing how growing in awareness can create more space for connection and intentional parenting. Because when we learn to offer empathy to the younger versions of ourselves, we can begin offering that same empathy to our children and create the kind of trust, safety, and connection we long for in our relationships with them.
 
Learn more about Storied Parenting and the Bruno's approach:

Fierce & Lovely
Fierce & Lovely Mini-Courses
Restoration Project
No Regrets

Find us at www.restory.life
Learn More about ReStory® HERE.

Follow ReStory Counseling on our socials!
Instagram: @storyrestored
Facebook: ReStory Counseling
LinkedIn: ReStory Counseling
YouTube: ReStory Counseling

There is something deeply moving about being looked at with genuine delight, the kind of face that makes us feel safe enough to stop protecting ourselves. Chris and Beth close their series on the Aaronic Blessing by exploring what it means for God to make His face shine on us, connecting the image to delight, grace, and our deep longing to be truly seen and beheld. They reflect on the prodigal son, the shining face of Moses, and the ways a lack of that kind of delight can shape our experiences of loneliness, anxiety, and disconnection. As they imagine what it means to live under the shining face of God, they invite us to notice and seek out those same faces of delight around us.

Find us at www.restory.life
Learn More about ReStory® HERE.

Follow ReStory Counseling on our socials!
Instagram: @storyrestored
Facebook: ReStory Counseling
LinkedIn: ReStory Counseling
YouTube: ReStory Counseling