Sparking Wholeness

Erin Kerry sits down with Chuck DeGroat, licensed therapist, spiritual director, and professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary. They talk about his new book, Who You’re Becoming: The Slow and Courageous Work of Cultivating Character in a Narcissistic Age. Together, they discuss:

* why our culture values platform over character

* the rise of “faux vulnerability”

* the “storm” and “fog” states of a dysregulated nervous system

* how compulsive habits form

* dopamine-seeking and scrolling

* why the habits we’re ashamed of often started as protection

You’ll also learn:

* why the Greek word behind “be perfect” in Matthew 5:48 points to wholeness, not flawless behavior

* how years of ignored stress landed Chuck in the hospital with a septic gallbladder at 42

* why true resilience means a wider window of tolerance, not toughing it out

Whether you’re stuck in patterns you can’t explain, worn out from trying to be the “perfect” Christian, ignoring signals from your body, or wondering why change feels so slow, this conversation offers compassion for your story and hope for who you’re becoming.

Links Mentioned:

* Who You’re Becoming by Chuck DeGroat (releases October 20, 2026)

* Chuck’s website: chuckdegroat.net

* The Soul Care Collaborative: soulcarecollaborative.com

* Chuck’s Substack: Sit with Chuck

* Chuck on Instagram: @chuckdegroat

* Join Erin’s email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Did you know that spotting for days before your period, pain around ovulation, or anxiety that shows up at the same point every month can all be clues about what your hormones need?

Host Erin Kerry sits down with registered nurse, functional hormone coach, and author Andrea Jones to go back to the basics of the menstrual cycle, the conversation most of us never got growing up. Together, they discuss what a healthy cycle and period actually look like, what spotting can signal, how the brain, gut, and ovaries communicate, the roles of estrogen and progesterone across the month, why histamine can drive ovulation pain, bloating, reflux, and mood shifts, blood work vs. DUTCH testing, and what hormonal birth control does to the brain-ovary connection.

You’ll also learn why progesterone acts as a calming buffer for your nervous system, why “common” symptoms aren’t the same as optimal function, and the simple daily foundations that support hormone detox, including water, fiber, minerals, and daily bowel movements.

LInks Mentioned:

* Andrea’s website: abundantwellnesswithandrea.com

* Andrea on Instagram: @abundantwellnesswithandrea

* Andrea’s podcast: From Surviving to Thriving: The Abundant Wellness Podcast

* DUTCH Complete hormone test

* Mira at-home hormone monitor

* Preorder Erin’s new book, Kitchen Therapy: erinbkerry.com/kitchen-therapy

*Erin's courses: https://erinbkerry.com

* Join Erin’s email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Host Erin Kerry sits down with Lynnelle Peters, host of the Knowing Motherhood Podcast and author of But First Honesty, to talk about her journey through birth trauma, pregnancy loss, and a postpartum mental health crisis.

Together, they discuss why Lynnelle struggled with postpartum OCD in silence for nine months, how anxiety she'd carried since childhood set the stage for that season, the link between hormone imbalance, stress, and the nervous system, why emotional suppression is a real stressor on the body, what biblical lament actually looks like, how to prepare for the postpartum season, and why protecting your mind from news and social media is good stewardship.

You'll also learn why being angry is not the same as sinning, how our view of God can be shaped by the authority figures from our childhood, and why the healing you want may not be the healing you need most.

Links Mentioned:

* Lynnelle Peters website: lynnellepeters.com

* Instagram: @lynnellepeters

* But First Honesty by Lynnelle Peters: https://www.lynnellepeters.com/book

* Knowing Motherhood Podcast

* Join Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Host Erin Kerry sits down with Dr. Leigh Richardson, a licensed professional counselor with a PhD in psychology and the founder of the Brain Performance Center in Dallas, to unpack what happens when the brain becomes depleted.

Together, they discuss what causes brain depletion, why stress and uncertainty make it so hard to decide and follow through, the four pillars of brain capital, how everyday "micro-crises" pile up, why sleep matters so much for brain recovery, and Leigh's new book, The Depleted Brain.

You'll also learn why a depleted brain is a capacity problem and not a personal failure, how a simple 90-second pause can help reset your nervous system, and how to build a brain health plan for your whole family using Leigh's four S's: strength, stretch, support, and significance.

Whether you're navigating perimenopause brain fog, running on empty as a busy mom, carrying the weight of constant decisions at work, or wondering if you'll ever feel as sharp as you used to, this conversation offers hope that your brain can refuel, and practical steps to start rebuilding your capacity today.

Links Mentioned:

•       Dr. Leigh Richardson: drleighrichardson.com

•       The Brain Performance Center: thebrainperformancecenter.com

•       The Depleted Brain waitlist (99-cent ebook on October 7): https://braincapitalbook.com/waitlist-page

•       Join Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Erin’s website: erinbkerry.com

Host Erin Kerry sits down with Nicole Langman, a therapist, speaker, and author of This Isn't the Story I Wanted: Grieving the Life You Lost and Trusting the God Who Stays, to explore the concept of non-death grief. Together, they discuss the losses we rarely name as grief, the "casserole code" and why some losses get community support while others don't, the loss of stress resilience in perimenopause, shame and the comparison game, spiritual bypassing versus genuine faith-filled support, the difference between over-identifying with a wound and minimizing it, and practical tools for processing grief in the middle of an ordinary day.

You'll also learn why naming a loss out loud is the first courageous step toward healing it, how blood sugar and protein intake directly affect your capacity to process grief, and two simple physical tools — a grounding scent and a floor-to-standing movement — that calm the amygdala in real time.

Whether you're grieving a relationship, a season of your body changing, a dream that didn't happen the way you expected, or you've simply never had language for a loss that doesn't fit the usual mold, this conversation offers permission to name it, and practical, faith-rooted ways to move through it without shame.

Links Mentioned:

* Nicole Langman's website: nicolelangman.com (free 5-day devotional available there)

* This Isn't the Story I Wanted: Grieving the Life You Lost and Trusting the God Who Stays

* You Are Wanted: Reclaiming the Truth of Who You Are

* Sparking Wholeness mailing list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

This Episode Is Sponsored by Lovebug Probiotics at www.lovebug.com

If you've listened to Sparking Wholeness for a while, you know gut health comes up a lot — because supporting whole-body wellness means paying attention to the microbiome, too.

This episode is brought to you by Lovebug Probiotics, a mom-founded probiotic brand offering science-backed options for the whole family.

Lovebug's story began after co-founder Ashley Harris received broad-spectrum antibiotics during the birth of her son, Hudson. That experience led her to start learning more about the gut microbiome and ultimately inspired Lovebug.

Today, Lovebug offers probiotics for different ages and stages of family life, with options for babies, toddlers, kids, women, and adults. Their products are designed to support digestive and immune health as a simple addition to an everyday wellness routine.*

Erin had the opportunity to personally try Immune Support Probiotic and the kids’ Little Ones. She especially liked the fact that the immune support blend contains zinc and echinacea because that has made a difference in her seasonal sniffles.

Because supporting your health doesn't have to mean chasing perfection or adding another complicated wellness routine. Sometimes it's about finding simple, sustainable ways to support your body consistently.

Ready to find the right Lovebug for you or your family?

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These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Host Erin Kerry sits down with Dr. Ann Saffi Biasetti, a transpersonal psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, and certified yoga therapist, and author of Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm, to explore what it actually means to reconnect with your body after years of disconnection. Together, they discuss the disembodied culture most of us grew up in, why interoception (the ability to sense what's happening inside your own body) is a skill that can be relearned, the difference between hunger and "food noise," what GLP-1 medications might be doing to the body's natural hunger and desire signals, why menopause is a high-risk window for eating disorder resurgence, and how body disconnection often starts as a protective response, not a flaw.

You'll also learn why "everyone has their own choice" isn't the whole story when it comes to GLP-1 medications and body autonomy, how saying yes when you mean no shows up physically in the body, and why true nervous system regulation has more to do with finding your voice than staying calm.

Whether you've struggled with body image, disordered eating, chronic illness, or simply feel disconnected from your own body after years of pushing through, this conversation offers a compassionate, research-based path back to trusting yourself again.

Links Mentioned:

* Ann Saffi Biasetti's book: Your Body Never Meant You Any Harm (Shambhala Publications) — Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or request at your local bookstore

* Ann's website: An Embodied Life: anembodiedlife.com

* Ann's Befriending Your Body program: https://www.befriendingyourbodyprogram.com/

* Erin's mailing list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

* Erin’s website: erinbkerry.com

Did you know a normal lab result and an optimal one are not the same thing, and that gap might be why you still don't feel like yourself?

In this episode, host Erin Kerry sits down with Jordan Potts, a nurse practitioner specializing in women's hormones, metabolism, and gut health, to unpack the most common perimenopause myths keeping women stuck and dismissed. Together, they discuss why "normal" labs don't rule out perimenopause, how early symptoms can start in your mid-to-late 30s, the outdated research still shaping hormone therapy conversations today, testosterone's role in women's health, vaginal estrogen safety after breast cancer, and why anxiety medication is often prescribed before anyone checks hormones at all.

You'll also learn why the Women's Health Initiative study that shaped decades of HRT fear was more biased than most providers realize, how progesterone decline can show up as sudden anxiety or racing thoughts with no history of anxiety at all, and why birth control and bioidentical hormone therapy are not interchangeable, even when providers say they are.

Whether you've been told your labs are fine and still don't feel right, you're in your late 30s or 40s wondering if this could really be perimenopause already, you've been prescribed an SSRI without anyone mentioning your hormones, or you're trying to figure out if HRT is worth exploring for you, this conversation offers real clarity and permission to ask better questions at your next appointment.

Links Mentioned:

* Jordan Potts / Graceful Health and Wellness — gracefulhealthandwellness.com

* Graceful Health and Wellness on Facebook and Instagram

* Join Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

* Nutrition for Perimenopause course (use code PERI20 for $20 off): https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/nutrition-for-perimenopause

In this solo episode, host Erin Kerry breaks down why "normal" on a standard lab report isn't the same thing as optimal, and why that gap might be the missing piece in your own health story. She shares her own years of hearing "everything looks fine" from doctors (including being told to simply lose weight and exercise more) while knowing in her gut that something wasn't right. Erin walks through what a standard reference range is actually built to catch (disease, not dysfunction), why fasting insulin can reveal blood sugar trouble years ahead of a diagnosis, and which markers already sitting on your basic bloodwork (like total protein, globulin, alkaline phosphatase, hemoglobin, MCV, CO2, and anion gap( can point toward gut and B-vitamin issues most providers never flag.

You'll also hear why ferritin, CRP, magnesium, and B12 deserve a second look, why running labs and interpreting labs are two completely different skills, and how a borderline B12 can quietly explain the brain fog or low mood no one's connected to your bloodwork. Erin closes with a reminder that stewarding our bodies well starts with actually knowing their condition, not just glancing at a piece of paper.

Whether you've been told "everything looks normal" and still don't feel like yourself, you're tired of vague answers from a seven-minute appointment, or you just want to understand your own labs better, this episode gives you a new lens to bring into your next doctor's visit.

Key Topics:

* The difference between a "normal" reference range and an optimal range

* Why standard labs are built to diagnose disease, not flag early dysfunction

* Fasting insulin as an early marker for type 2 diabetes risk

* What total protein, globulin, and alkaline phosphatase reveal about gut health

* Hemoglobin as a nutrient-absorption marker (not just iron)

* MCV, CO2, and anion gap as B-vitamin utilization markers

* Why ferritin, CRP, magnesium, and B12 are worth a second look

* Why primary care providers aren't trained to read labs through a nutrition lens

* Running labs vs. interpreting labs — two different skills

* Proverbs 27:23 and stewarding the body well

* What to do when your labs are normal but you still don't feel like yourself

Links Mentioned

* Free download: Optimal Lab Guide (Mood & Mental Health Lab Guide) https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/mood-and-mental-health-lab-guide

* Erin's full course (code WELCOME10 for $10 off) and coaching info: https://erinbkerry.com

In this episode, host Erin Kerry sits down with David Thomas, executive director of Daystar Counseling in Nashville, and co-author (with Sissy Goff) of the new book Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience, to unpack why so many kids today feel less capable than ever, and what parents can actually do about it. Together, they discuss the accelerated pace of modern childhood, the real difference between confidence and happiness, "language inflation" and how over-labeling normal struggles as trauma or toxic can backfire, where the gentle parenting movement may have overcorrected, why boundaries create security rather than take it away, and how faith fits into raising resilient kids.

You'll also learn the "three C's" framework, coping, competence, and challenge, that defines capability, why calling every hard season "trauma" can take language away from people who've experienced real trauma, and a simple two-question exercise to spot where you might be doing too much for your kids.

Whether you're in a tough season with your own child, wondering if you've swung too far into "gentle everything," parenting kids anywhere from toddlerhood through young adulthood, or just want to raise kids who believe in their own capability, this conversation offers grounded, faith-informed wisdom for the long road of parenting.

Links Mentioned:

David Thomas & Sissy Goff's book: Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience

Companion workbook: I Am Capable

Raising Boys and Girls podcast

raisingboysandgirls.com

Erin's mailing list: Erin’s mailing list:

https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list

Erin's courses: erinbkerry.com

In this episode, host Erin Kerry sits down with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, licensed therapist, certified school psychologist, and bestselling author of the upcoming book The Dysregulated Kid, to unpack why regulating the nervous system has to come before behavior change, therapy, or medication can actually work. Together, they discuss why the DSM-5 checklist approach often misses the real root cause, the difference between an overstimulated and understimulated nervous system, how chronic stress builds up in what Dr. Roseann calls a “stress cup,” the risk of misdiagnosing OCD as ADHD, why breathwork is one of the fastest ways to shift from a stressed to a calm state, the concept of co-regulation and why a parent's nervous system state transfers to their child, device and screen time boundaries, and the “love pause” technique for responding instead of reacting.

You'll also learn why so many women who've already tried therapy, supplements, and functional labs still feel like something's missing, how small moments of regulation throughout the day work like compound interest for your nervous system, and why being “eighty percent regulated” is a more realistic parenting goal than perfection.

Whether you're a parent trying to understand a child's big emotional reactions, someone who has done “all the right things” and still doesn't feel like themselves, a woman navigating the hormonal shifts of postpartum or perimenopause, or someone who grew up in a dysregulated household and wants to break the pattern, this conversation offers a clear, practical starting point: regulate first, then everything else has a chance to work.

Links Mentioned:

Dr. Roseann's website: drroseann.com

The Dysregulated Kid (pre-order for exclusive bonuses): dysregulatedkid.com

Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list