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

📚 Free Guide: Christian Emotional Health
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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

In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark Verkler sits down with author, coach, and teacher Tony Stoltzfus to explore how God transforms us through relationship with Jesus—not just through discipline, effort, or trying harder.Tony shares his journey from being driven by self-discipline and performance to discovering the freedom of grace, learning to encounter Jesus in the middle of suffering, and finding a deeper way to read Scripture through imagination and experience.Tony also shares powerful stories of betrayal, loss, forgiveness, and how God can redeem even the deepest wounds.If you are walking through a difficult season, feeling stuck in performance, or longing for a deeper relationship with Jesus, this conversation offers hope and practical ways to meet God in the middle of your story.📚 Learn more about Tony Stoltzfus: https://www.HeavenExperience.netTake a mind-bending journey of imagination into eternity with the book, Heaven: Experience the Extraordinary. If your picture of heaven is a little sketchy, this book invites you to a full-on immersion in The Beautiful Land, where gravity is optional, mistakes are impossible, and God is far, far better than you ever hoped or imagined.The website directs listeners to the book, includes outlines for hosting a book study group or bookclub, and invites participants to partner with us in distributing 2000 FREE books to seekers and the suffering.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome to SoulSense & Introducing Tony Stoltzfus00:37 Experiencing Scripture beyond information02:03 Researching the world of Jesus03:40 Tony’s journey from discipline to grace06:02 Meeting God through life circumstances07:10 Learning to receive God’s love10:26 Discovering a deeper vision of heaven12:50 Experiencing heaven and God’s restoration14:32 How God redeems painful stories19:15 The power of forgiveness that lasts into eternity23:04 Why we need imagination when reading Scripture24:00 Seeing the Bible through first-century eyes28:41 Faith as action, not just belief31:52 Taking steps of faith when God calls34:16 Meeting Jesus in grief and trauma39:13 Learning to have a conversational prayer life42:00 Questions for Jesus app43:23 Finding God in valley seasons45:22 Surrendering control and allowing God to transform us47:30 Joining God where He is already working48:17 How to connect with Tony Stoltzfus49:50 Closing thoughts from SoulSense#ChristianPodcast #SpiritualGrowth #Jesus #Faith #Healing #TraumaHealing #MentalHealth #ChristianCounseling #BibleStudy #Grace #SoulCare👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. We'd love to hear what part of this episode hit home for you — comment below or send us a message! Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light. We also value your feedback — please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.For more information on counseling and resources visit samaritanswell.com or email us at [email protected]. ✅ Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallaSLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc🎁 Learn Keys to Christian Emotional Health in this Free Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide🗞️ Join Our Newsletteer: https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428eMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlight | License code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLhttps://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-need | License code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT

What if the things you thought were flaws, failures, or weaknesses were actually wounds that needed healing?In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark sits down with Danielle Bernock, trauma-informed coach, author, and founder of 4F Media, to talk about her journey from surviving deep childhood trauma to discovering healing, identity, and connection.Danielle shares how she spent years carrying trauma without having language for it, how discovering the concept of trauma changed everything, and how God met her in the places of shame, self-contempt, and spiritual wounds.Danielle’s story is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, shame does not get the final word, and we were created to live connected — with God, ourselves, and others.📖 Learn more about Danielle Bernock:https://www.daniellebernock.com🕰️ Timestamps00:00 – Discovering trauma: “That’s what you call that?”00:36 – Welcome to Soul Sense with Danielle Bernock01:12 – Danielle’s journey and Emerging with Wings01:38 – Growing up with trauma without knowing it was trauma02:19 – The moment Danielle discovered language for her pain02:52 – Shame, self-blame, and the impact of trauma03:21 – Discovering childhood emotional neglect04:10 – How well-meaning parents can unintentionally create wounds05:07 – Healing without blame: grieving, forgiveness, and truth06:30 – Spiritual trauma, religious trauma, and church hurt07:02 – Repairing relationships and finding connection08:22 – The danger of suppressing emotions09:30 – Learning emotional intelligence and caring for the soul10:00 – Balancing mind, will, and emotions11:27 – Learning to operate emotions with skill12:15 – Danielle’s journey through church hurt13:33 – Understanding the difference between spiritual trauma, religious trauma, and church hurt14:40 – Becoming a relationship repair specialist15:47 – Healing self-contempt and discovering personal value16:10 – Moving from self-hatred to loving yourself17:30 – Discovering the love of God after spiritual trauma19:45 – The childhood church experience that shaped Danielle’s wounds20:17 – Finding God’s presence in the middle of trauma22:21 – When God brings healing through truth and revelation23:32 – Introducing Hungry for More25:03 – Why humans are hungry for connection27:11 – How trauma can distort our search for connection28:02 – A powerful story about childhood emotional neglect and human value29:50 – Finding the nourishment our souls actually need30:21 – Connection with God, ourselves, and others31:00 – Designed for connection: God’s original intention32:30 – The “separation gospel” versus God’s desire to be with us34:46 – Rethinking the prodigal son: the goodness of the Father37:02 – Performance-based religion versus heart transformation38:02 – What Danielle hopes readers find in Hungry for More39:38 – Hope for those who feel stuck or broken40:00 – Danielle’s invitation to read Emerging with Wings41:10 – Closing thoughts and encouragement👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. We'd love to hear what part of this episode hit home for you — comment below or send us a message! Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light. We also value your feedback — please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.For more information on counseling and resources visit samaritanswell.com or email us at [email protected]. 🎁 Learn Keys to Christian Emotional Health in this Free Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide🗞️ Join Our Newsletteer: https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428eMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlight | License code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLhttps://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-need | License code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT