What does emotional maturity actually look like for a Christian?

In this episode of Soul Sense, Dr. David Pendergrass—pastor, biblical scholar, counselor, author, and leadership consultant—joins Mark to explore what Scripture teaches about emotions, anger, grief, and spiritual maturity.

David explains how Christians can listen to their emotions without assuming every feeling tells the truth. They discuss the difference between experiencing an emotion and responding to it, how past wounds shape our reactions, and why emotional maturity is an essential part of discipleship.

The conversation goes deep into anger: when it points to genuine injustice, when it protects deeper emotions like fear or grief, what Jesus' anger teaches us, and how to respond without becoming destructive or bitter.

They also explore unresolved grief, why Christians need spaces where sadness is welcome, and how bringing buried wounds into safe relationships can open the door to healing.

Finally, David challenges the idea that biblical knowledge automatically produces spiritual maturity. What might change if churches treated emotional and relational maturity as essential parts of following Jesus?

TIMESTAMPS
00:05 — Introducing Dr. David Pendergrass
00:52 — David's journey to ministry and biblical studies
05:23 — What does the Bible teach about emotions?
06:53 — Emotions as information, not commands
09:28 — "Don't trust your feelings; listen to your feelings"
10:06 — Anger, righteousness, and bitterness
15:43 — Why anger can become our "one tool in the toolbox"
18:01 — Looking beneath anger for grief and fear
19:33 — Did Jesus get angry?
23:37 — Anger vs. expressions of anger
27:07 — What to do when emotions take over
28:10 — The pause: breathe, identify, label, choose
29:45 — Healthy boundaries and loving responses
34:07 — Frustration tolerance and Christian maturity
35:38 — Meekness as controlled strength
39:00 — Unresolved grief and why it matters
41:43 — Creating safety for buried grief
46:00 — "Weeping with those who weep"
48:32 — Welcoming the full range of human emotion
49:06 — Spiritual maturity and emotional maturity
51:15 — Why knowing Jesus' commands isn't always enough
53:52 — Creating churches where grief and struggle are welcome
55:11 — Emotions as gifts that can lead us toward God
55:53 — David's books and resources
56:43 — Closing thoughts

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What if burnout isn’t simply a problem of having too much to do—but a nervous system that has learned to find safety in doing, performing, pleasing, or staying in control?

In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark Verkler talks with Rochelle Walsh, LCSW, founder of Joyful and Present, about the connection between faith, neuroscience, trauma, and the nervous system. They explore why highly capable people can struggle to rest, why knowing what we “should” do doesn’t always change how our bodies respond to stress, and how our early experiences can shape the patterns we carry into adulthood.

Rochelle and Mark discuss performance-based safety, the inner critic, shame and guilt, parentification, EMDR and complex trauma, spiritual formation, co-regulation, relationships, and what it looks like to retrain the nervous system for greater safety, rest, connection, and presence.

The goal isn’t to become less capable or productive. It’s to learn how to live and serve from a place of safety and freedom rather than fear and survival.

Rochelle Walsh, LCSW, is the founder of Joyful and Present, where she helps Christian women address burnout and overwhelm through the intersection of faith, neuroscience, and emotional health.

Learn more about Rochelle and Joyful and Present: joyfulandpresent.com

For more information about Samaritan’s Well Counseling and our resources, visit samaritanswell.com or email [email protected].

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What if the Christian life isn’t about becoming “good enough,” but learning to experience how deeply God already loves and delights in you?

In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark sits down with Dr. Bill Senyard, author of Good Enough Christian, Good Enough Parent, and Before the Couch. Bill explores why Christians can believe the gospel intellectually yet struggle to actually experience God’s love. Drawing from Scripture, neuroscience, attachment theory, and decades of counseling and ministry, he discusses shame, trauma, the Holy Spirit, awe and wonder, parenting, marriage, and the “dancing Father.”

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’ve repented enough, whether God is disappointed in you, or whether you’re really “good enough,” this conversation offers a different way of seeing the gospel.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Introduction to Dr. Bill Senyard
01:03 — Why “Good Enough” Christianity?
02:41 — Seven Hindrances to Experiencing God’s Love
05:01 — Why We All Have “Daddy Issues”
05:54 — The Forgotten Member of the Trinity: The Holy Spirit
07:03 — How Our Brains Protect Us From Love
09:20 — Experiencing God’s Delight
13:13 — The Prodigal Son & the Dancing Father
15:24 — What We Miss About the Gospel
16:42 — Awe, Wonder & the Mystery of God
20:57 — Thomas, Doubt & Experiencing Jesus
27:50 — The “Simple and Poetic Gospel”
29:09 — A Prayer for Experiencing God’s Love
31:25 — The Power of the Gospel to Rewire Us
33:29 — Experiencing Christ’s Love in Marriage
35:18 — The Father & Son Who Laugh and Dance
36:33 — Does God’s Delight Enable Sin?
37:50 — The Holy Spirit’s Role in Experiencing God’s Love
42:07 — Good Enough Parent & Helping Teens Know They Are Loved
47:19 — Experiencing God’s Delight in Marriage
50:24 — Before the Couch: When Marriage Needs a Miracle
51:53 — “God Does His Best Work With Dead Things”
52:46 — Bill’s Resources
54:06 — Final Thoughts

📚 BOOKS DISCUSSED
Good Enough Christian
Good Enough Parent
Before the Couch

Find Dr. Bill Senyard’s resources at gospel-app.com.

For counseling and resources, visit samaritanswell.com or email [email protected].

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What if silence isn’t the absence of God—but the place where we learn to recognize His presence?

In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark sits down with Dr. Joshua Knabb, board-certified clinical psychologist, professor, researcher, author, and therapist, to explore Christian meditation, contemplation, stillness, and rest.

Drawing from Scripture, the Desert Christian tradition, Christian mysticism, Compassion-Focused Therapy, and research on Christian meditation, Dr. Knabb explores how ancient Christian practices can help us respond to anxiety, rumination, distraction, and our constantly connected culture.

They discuss the difference between meditation and contemplation, why we shouldn’t try to force distracting thoughts away, how to cultivate stillness, and how the Jesus Prayer—“Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”—can help us surrender worry and rest in God's loving presence.

Dr. Knabb also shares a deeply personal story about learning to associate silence with abandonment and how discovering silence as the presence of God opened up a new experience of rest.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — When silence feels like God's absence
01:09 — Why Dr. Knabb began studying Christian meditation
03:45 — The Desert Christians and the psychology of stillness
06:01 — Hesychia: stillness, silence, and concentration
09:34 — The danger, drive, and contentment systems
14:15 — The Cloud of Unknowing and Christian contemplation
16:08 — Meditation vs. contemplation
20:25 — Rumination and getting stuck in our thoughts
22:08 — Shifting attention instead of fighting thoughts
23:26 — What to do when your mind wanders during prayer
25:14 — A thousand opportunities to return to God's presence
27:22 — Watchfulness and the snow globe metaphor
29:44 — How contemplation can change your whole day
30:25 — Fruit of the Spirit meditation
33:52 — What does it mean to “enter into rest”?
34:01 — Smartphones, distraction, and the drive system
35:29 — When silence becomes frightening
36:14 — Discovering silence as God's presence
39:21 — “Be still” as laying down our weapons
41:10 — Christian contemplation and chronic worry
42:54 — Worry as an illusion of control
43:19 — What is “loving silence”?
43:30 — Resting in God's enduring love
45:13 — God's love that nourishes and cherishes
46:52 — The Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me”
47:33 — Jesus as the one who soothes our wounds
48:21 — Using the Jesus Prayer throughout the day
49:39 — Finding Dr. Knabb's work

Learn more about Dr. Joshua Knabb: joshuaknabb.com

For counseling and resources: samaritanswell.com

Follow Soul Sense and Samaritan’s Well Counseling for more conversations about faith, emotional health, relationships, and spiritual formation.

What if the patterns you’ve come to see as “just who I am” are actually trauma responses your brain learned for survival?

In this episode of SoulSense, Mark sits down with Dr. Deborah Gold, author of Wired for Redemption, to explore trauma, neuroscience, Scripture, and Christian healing. Dr. Gold draws on nearly 30 years of trauma work to explore how trauma can shape identity, relationships, thought patterns, and our ability to trust and hope.

They discuss Peter, Thomas, the woman at the well, Joshua and Caleb, neuroplasticity, taking thoughts captive, gratitude, and the process of renewing the mind.

They also discuss Neil Anderson’s Who I Am in Christ declarations and the importance of repeatedly speaking biblical truth over ourselves:

• I am a child of God.
• I am accepted, forgiven, and no longer condemned.
• I am chosen and loved by God.
• I belong to Christ.
• I am God’s workmanship, created for a purpose.
• I am not defined by my past or my trauma.
• I have been given power, love, and a sound mind.
• God calls me by name.
• My identity is found in Christ, not in what happened to me.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
02:15 – Trauma wires us for survival; God wired us for redemption
07:30 – Peter, the charcoal fire, and trauma
14:10 – Thomas and the fear of hoping again
24:00 – When trauma becomes mistaken for identity
30:00 – “Name it to tame it”
33:00 – Speaking truth and biblical declarations
36:30 – Neil Anderson’s Who I Am in Christ
42:00 – Trauma recovery and reprocessing
49:00 – Neuroplasticity and renewal
55:00 – Gratitude and repeated practices
58:00 – Trauma, shame, and the Garden of Eden
1:04:00 – Why unhealthy relationships can feel familiar
1:08:00 – Israel, trauma, and learning to trust
1:12:00 – Joshua and Caleb: fear and identity
1:15:00 – Jesus restores dignity before demanding performance
1:18:00 – No condemnation and the woman at the well
1:24:00 – Healing through small, repeated practices
1:27:00 – Power, love, and a sound mind
1:30:00 – Final encouragement

📖 Dr. Deborah Gold — Wired for Redemption
https://drdebgold.com

For counseling and resources:
https://samaritanswell.com

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#SoulSense #TraumaHealing #ChristianCounseling #ChristianMentalHealth #Neuroplasticity #TraumaRecovery #FaithAndMentalHealth #WiredForRedemption #IdentityInChrist #RenewYourMind

In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark Verkler and Carolyn Dunegan explore the progression of addiction—from recreational use to problematic use, dependence, and addiction. Drawing from decades of experience in chemical dependency treatment, Carolyn explains how addiction affects relationships, identity, priorities, and spiritual life.

They discuss denial, comparison, isolation, secrecy, withdrawal, and why recovery requires community, humility, honesty, and bringing what is hidden “into the light.” From a Christian perspective, they explore how addiction can become a stronghold that competes with relationships, community, and allegiance to God.

The episode also offers practical guidance for anyone concerned about their own substance use or the addiction of someone they love.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Introduction
01:29 — The Stages of Addiction
03:32 — Recreational vs. Problematic Use
06:23 — Emotional & Physical Dependence
08:20 — Relational Consequences
10:06 — How Addiction Changes Your Social Life
12:44 — When the Substance Becomes a Relationship
14:01 — Addiction as an Idol
16:24 — The Double Life of Addiction
18:18 — Why Functioning Doesn’t Mean Healthy
19:12 — Denial & Comparison
22:12 — The Absence of Consequences Isn’t Permission
23:39 — The Later Stages of Addiction
26:23 — Isolation & Addiction
27:43 — Understanding Withdrawal
29:08 — What Early Sobriety Feels Like
30:19 — Why Community Matters
31:06 — Why Therapy Alone May Not Be Enough
32:19 — Secrecy, Shame & Control
35:00 — Coming Into the Light
35:27 — 1 John 1 & Walking in the Light
36:20 — Honesty, Humility & Recovery
40:14 — Isolation, Pride & Being Known
41:20 — The Brutality of Addiction’s End Stages
43:11 — The First Step Toward Recovery
45:06 — Next Episode: Addiction & the Family
47:23 — Humility, Grace & Freedom
48:08 — Closing

For counseling and resources: samaritanswell.com

Free Guide: Christian Emotional Health Guide
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#SoulSense #AddictionRecovery #ChristianCounseling #Recovery #MentalHealth #FaithAndMentalHealth

In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark sits down with Rose Ann Forte, international bestselling author, addiction and behavioral habits specialist, and creator of the Choose Freedom® Program.

Rose Ann shares her journey from alcohol addiction to freedom and explores how neuroscience, Scripture, and spiritual transformation work together to help people break free from harmful thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

They discuss habit formation, shame, accountability, renewing the mind, overcoming temptation, and practical tools for lasting change — including Rose Ann’s L.I.E. method: Look, Intercept, Explore.

Learn more about Rose Ann and Choose Freedom:
https://choosefreedom.today

Books:
• The Plans He Has for Me
• Prepare to Quit

00:00 Introduction
00:47 Rose Ann’s addiction journey
06:03 Alcohol, deception, and renewing the mind
10:32 How habits form in the brain
17:30 Creating new neural pathways
20:24 The L.I.E. method
21:52 Shame, church culture, and addiction
27:08 Romans 12:2 and transformation
35:19 Encouragement for those struggling
38:17 Choose Freedom resources

#AddictionRecovery #ChristianCounseling #MentalHealth #FaithAndMentalHealth #Neuroscience #SoulSense #SamaritansWellCounseling

For counseling resources, visit samaritanswell.com.

What if the biggest obstacle to healing isn't your circumstances—but what you believe about yourself?

In this episode of the Soul Sense Podcast, Mark Verkler sits down with author and speaker Tom Anderson for an honest conversation about moving from fear, shame, and striving into the freedom of living as God's beloved son or daughter.

Drawing from more than 50 years of marriage, counseling, and personal transformation, Tom shares how God reshaped his identity through seasons of struggle, wilderness, and faith. Together they explore why so many Christians wrestle with shame, why healing often takes time, and how the gospel changes the way we see ourselves.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why God often gives a promise before the trial
• The difference between living as a fearful servant and a beloved child
• How toxic shame keeps us stuck
• Why healing begins by believing what God has already accomplished
• Three practical ways to remain rooted in God's love
• How relationships expose—and help heal—our brokenness
• What it means to live from God's acceptance instead of striving to earn it

Guest: Tom Anderson
Website: https://tomanderson.in

Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:13 Meet Tom Anderson
00:53 Eight Difficult Years of Marriage
03:00 God's Word in the Wilderness
05:10 Why God Tests His Promises
07:00 Living as a Beloved Son or Daughter
11:54 From Fearful Servant to Beloved Child
16:25 Understanding Toxic Shame
22:27 Three Ways to Remain in God's Love
26:05 From Self-Focus to Loving Others
30:05 Overcoming Condemnation
34:45 Where to Begin When You Feel Like You're Failing God
37:10 A Common Misconception About Healing
40:10 Final Encouragement
40:54 Tom's Books & Resources
42:26 Closing Thoughts

If this episode encouraged you, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and share it with someone who could use this message.

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Steve Rotermund spent 13 years trying to save his wife from addiction while quietly falling apart himself. As a pastor, he preached freedom while hiding his own codependency and shame — until it cost him his church and his faith. This is his story: the collapse, the counselor who called out his codependency in one session, and the journey back to God and himself. Steve now leads Walk Right Community, a faith-based space for spouses and partners of people battling addiction.

00:00 Introduction to Steve Rotermund and Walk Right Community 00:58 Steve's childhood: abandonment, abuse, and growing up "not good enough" 02:13 Feeling called to ministry through Promise Keepers 02:58 Discovering his wife's addiction to pain medication 03:52 Moving to Columbus, Ohio and getting pulled back into church 05:00 Becoming a children's pastor while hiding his wife's relapse 06:23 Living a double life: ministry on the outside, chaos at home 09:07 Starting a new church to escape the shame 10:00 The breaking point in front of the congregation 11:13 Walking away from the church and from God 11:27 Two years of trying to fix everything alone 12:53 The counselor who called him "part of the problem" 14:03 Steve's definition of codependency and being "the savior" 16:36 Tracing the roots of his shame back to childhood 21:01 Learning he was still living like an "adopted son" in Christ 22:04 Seven years of untangling identity from codependency 24:12 How the devil keeps people stuck without transformation 27:46 What Steve would tell spouses carrying shame for someone else's addiction 30:39 The vision behind Walk Right Community 34:07 Learning it's not his job to fix people 36:03 The moment he had to forgive himself 39:15 Two truths Steve wishes someone had told him sooner 41:44 Why kids are watching the sober parent, not the addict 45:51 Steve's message of hope and freedom 47:00 Where to find Walk Right Community and Reclaiming Your Identity

Learn more: partnersofaddicts.com Podcast: Reclaiming Your Identity

👍🔔 If this touched your heart, like, subscribe, and share. Comment below to let us know what hit home. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps us keep bringing meaningful conversations to light.

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In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark Verkler talks with Dr. Katherine Lanning—occupational therapist, founder of Transformed for Life, and host of the Transformed for Life Podcast.

Katherine shares her journey from striving for health in her own strength to finding lasting healing through Christ. Together, they discuss the connection between faith, identity, daily habits, and holistic wellness, along with Katherine's biblical framework for transformation that helps people move from burnout and anxiety toward lasting wholeness.

If you're looking for healthier rhythms, deeper spiritual growth, or hope in the middle of overwhelm, this conversation offers practical, Christ-centered encouragement.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Katherine's journey into occupational therapy
03:43 What occupational therapy really is
09:43 Overcoming burnout, anxiety, and overwhelm
12:35 Building healthy routines
16:23 Katherine's faith and healing journey
24:13 The 9 steps to transformation in Christ
35:56 Resources: book, workbook, and podcast
38:22 Turning pain into purpose
39:32 Final encouragement

Connect with Dr. Katherine Lanning: https://www.transformedforlife.net/

Learn more about Samaritan's Well Counseling: https://samaritanswell.com