E108: Participant Interview: Derek Pham

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant speak with Derek Pham about his experience with Restore Small Groups. Derek shares how the eight week program played an integral part in his mental health journey as he seeked support and a sense of community and home. He also discusses Seth's role in getting him to join a small group.

“Y’all, can I just say, Derek is epically festive in every way, and that’s one of the things that I really love about him. When I think of life and energy and fun, I definitely think of Derek.” -Anna [05:49]

“I never thought I could laugh in my story. I don’t want to get dark or weird but to be crying over some of the heaviest shares and then to also be joking around and laughing, there’s just an authenticity and a gift there that I never thought was possible.” -Derek [09:48]

“That’s the healing part of what happens in a group. You said it so well, Derek. There’s no one trying to fix or even remark in some ways for the most part after what I say. People just simply witness it and listen, and that holding of my pain–that’s simply holding, that’s it–is what is really miraculous even.” -Seth [13:11]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:04] Intro

[01:23] This week’s guest

[03:04] Why he joined Restore Small Groups

[06:13] First night vs last night

[09:03] This is my story

[15:44] The group experience

[19:16] Just show up and see what happens

[22:14] Rapid fire questions

[26:11] Outro

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant talk about the six hallmarks of healthy relationships, based on Dr. Patrick Carnes’ book, “Don't Call It Love.” Healthy relationships are essential for personal and relational growth. The three hosts unpack each hallmark discussed in Dr. Carnes’ book and discuss why they are important.

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant speak with Susan Davenport, After Breast Cancer (ABC) Program Director at YMCA of Middle Tennessee. Susan shares her very moving story about asking God to help her invest her suffering from breast cancer to help other survivors find wholeness. She talks about how Scott Reall’s books inspired the curriculum they use in the ABC Program and the impact it provides for a much deeper level of healing.

“I think pain a lot of times also turns people the other direction, so I think this speaks clearly about the softness of your heart and how you allow this to shape you in a beautiful way.” -Seth [07:37]

“And I love to see how the work that we’re doing here at Restore and the work that you’re doing at the Y through ABC, they compliment each other so beautifully.” -Anna [16:08]

“Beautiful, beautiful things happen inside these small groups.” -Susan [26:13]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:05] Intro

[00:51] About this week’s guest

[01:38] The strongest person in this gym

[05:43] Investing her suffering into a mission of support

[08:12] About ABC Program

[11:35] The community’s contribution to shared healing

[13:38] Journey to Wholeness and its impact

[19:37] Leading with faith boldly and gently

[22:02] Stories from the small groups

[26:30] Don’t be afraid to feel your feelings

[27:48] Contact Susan and learn more about ABC

[29:15] Outro

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

Contact Susan

Website: YMCA of Middle Tennessee

Website: After Breast Cancer Program

Scott Reall’s Books:

Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing

Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment

Journey to Living with Courage: Freedom from Fear

Journey to Healthy Living: Freedom from Body Image and Food Issues

Journey to a Life of Significance: Freedom from Low Self-Esteem

E105: Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from Restore Small Groups! In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant reflect on the holiday by sharing their most meaningful Thanksgiving traditions and what they are most grateful for this year.

“I’ve enjoyed Thanksgiving more at this time in my life really than when I was really little.” -Scott [03:24]

“We’re going away and we are going to just write a new story. Because sometimes holidays are hard and make you more sad than glad, and so we are changing the narrative and doing something new.” -Anna [05:16]

“Also, I’m just grateful for the ways in which I have challenged myself this year and risked things and found new capacities for myself.” -Seth [08:01]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:05] Intro

[00:53] Meaningful Thanksgiving traditions

[05:38] Most grateful for this year

[09:06] Outro

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant discuss the highlights of Week 2 from their flagship program, Journey to Freedom, based on Scott’s book, “Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing.” This week centers around the concept of true hope, redefining our understanding of hope and its transformative power that is foundational for change.

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

Scott Reall’s Books:

Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing

Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment

Journey to Living with Courage: Freedom from Fear

Journey to Healthy Living: Freedom from Body Image and Food Issues

Journey to a Life of Significance: Freedom from Low Self-Esteem

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant speak with Matt Jefferson about his experience with Restore Small Groups. Even though he has participated in several group and become a facilitator, Matt takes us back to his first group and how it felt liberating and organic to share about himself. He also shares how participating in a small group of functional strangers helped him get into a stronger, more stable place.

“A verbal processor if I ever saw one.” -Anna [10:26]

“I don’t think Group fixes the problems. I think it gives you a chance to figure out what needs focus and attention and how to do it in an appropriate way to make your life more fulfilled.” -Matt [21:55]

“It’s hard to see or access certain parts of yourself without other people.” -Seth [22:24]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:05] Intro

[01:19] About this week’s guest

[04:08] Connecting with Restore Small Groups

[08:00] Recalling that first group

[13:44] In a stronger, more stable place

[18:27] How the group helped his process

[23:34] A secret in plain sight

[28:33] Rapid fire questions

[33:27] Outro

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant talk about the differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset and how understanding these ideas can impact your personal growth, your capacity for resilience and influence your overall well being. They draw insights from the founder of these ideas, psychologist Carol Dweck and her groundbreaking research, to discuss how shifting your mindset opens up new possibilities for you life and why they’re so crucial for personal growth.

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant start exploring Scott’s book, “Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing,” that they used for their flagship eight-week process. Each week, they discuss what you can expect from the eight-week process in a Small Group and what’s at the heart of Journey to Freedom. This week, they start with how to step out of contemplating change of who you want to become and move into real action by taking an honest look at your life.

“Because it doesn’t matter what stage of life we go through or if things are going well, eventually there will be struggles. Or there’s parts of our life that if they got better, we would live better. So Journey to Freedom would really benefit anyone, but what it does, I think, its greatest gift, is it really does move people out of contemplation.” -Scott [06:43]

“I think that’s one of the huge values of the process that we’re offering is we’re creating this space and normalizing, it's ok to say anything that is happening in your interior world and relating it to what’s happening on the outside, right? It’s that process of integration.” -Anna [10:10]

“This is a support group, but it’s also a group process. We’re leading people through the process to a new place as they’re unpacking their story. And we talk about how we focus on a solution versus focusing on a problem.” -Seth [16:17]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:05] Intro

[01:28] The heart of Journey to Freedom

[08:48] The value of the eight-week process

[11:23] The importance of welcome and safety

[15:40] Our foundations for change

[20:27] Emotion is always present

[24:02] Our process of transformation

[29:45] Personal stories of transformation

[37:06] Outro

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

Scott Reall’s Books:

Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing

Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment

Journey to Living with Courage: Freedom from Fear

Journey to Healthy Living: Freedom from Body Image and Food Issues

Journey to a Life of Significance: Freedom from Low Self-Esteem

Today, we celebrate a monumental milestone: our hundredth episode of Searching Inward! This achievement reflects the dedication and consistency of our team and the unwavering support of our listeners over the years. Thank you for being part of this journey with us as we look forward to many more episodes to come!

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant speak with Karen Lopez about her journey with Restore Small Groups. Karen shares how joining a small group helped her navigate a transitional point in life with a new job, a new career in a new city.

“I really resonated and what you were saying, I felt emotional listening to you, because it was really beautiful. You said you were committed to being honest, and you absolutely were.” -Seth [14:03]

“You’re articulating so beautifully, I feel like, just the magic and the miracle of what happens in Small Group. There’s obviously a huge shift between when you walk in first night and when you walk out Week Eight.” -Anna [17:23]

“I still think of myself as ill-equipped and underprepared and unable, and at a certain point, if I’m going to make an impact in the places that I am and I want to be in, that doesn’t serve me going forward, like those feelings of doubt and insecurity.” -Karen [20:17]

TIMESTAMPS

[00:05] Intro

[01:05] This week's guest

[05:25] A transitional point in life

[09:46] The experience in a small group

[17:21] Getting past the invisible wall

[22:53] Examples of newfound confidence

[27:33] A communal experience of growth and healing

[30:02] Dealing with pandora’s box

[34:35] Rapid fire questions

[38:37] Outro

Follow and Contact

Facebook: Restore Small Groups

Instagram: @restoresmallgroups

YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast

Website: restoresmallgroups.org