Speak Out Loud

Eating disorders are complex and severe mental health conditions characterized by disturbed eating habits, distorted body weight, and shape perceptions. People of all genders, ages, and backgrounds can be affected. Among the many variations of eating disorders, recovery from an eating disorder is a challenging journey that requires time, support, and patience.

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Authors mentioned in the episode: John Eldredge and Dan Allender

 Order Stacee's newest book: You Are Worth Saving

What do you do when you come to the end of your rope - when you come to end of your own capacity to make life work apart from God?

A shared experience and connection bring Doug and special guest, Morgan Snyder of Become Good Soil and Wild at Heart, together for a conversation about carrying hope for a spouse in a mental health crisis. Even more, though, this conversation focuses on us and how the most difficult experiences can reveal our broken places but also open a doorway for God to begin to heal and grow us into men better equipped to love and strive for those God has entrusted to our care.

For men, and also for women, for those who struggle with mental health and for those who love and support them, there's something for everyone in this episode. Special thanks to Morgan for so freely giving of his time, experience, wisdom and love for God and others in this episode!

You can learn more about Morgan, the Become Good Soil podcast, and the resources he offers at becomegoodsoil.com. His book, Becoming a King: The Path to Restoring the Heart of a Man, was published in 2020 and can be found most places books are sold. As Morgan mentions in this episode, you can access resources for the Becoming a King retreat at becomingakingretreat.com.

You can learn more about Doug and Stacee Goetzinger and their mental illness recovery journey at their website, speakoutloud.me, including information on Stacee's book, You Are Worth Saving, speaking resources, and access to all episodes of The Speak Out Loud podcast. The Speak Out Loud podcast is sharing hope and encouragement for those who struggle with mental illness and for those who love and support them.

Let's experience hope together!

Recovery is not a straight-line story.  In this episode recorded on their wedding anniversary, Stacee and Doug talk about rough beginnings in their marriage, the ups and downs, mistakes, failures, and also progress and hope in their lengthy mental illness journey, and how God met them at each point along the way.  We invite you to listen to today's episode as Stacee and Doug share about desperation, resilience, experiencing hope, and about the faithfulness of God in the deepest struggles with mental illness.   

This is not a straight-line story, but the good news is that God doesn't need straight lines to restore, rebuild and create beauty out your deepest hurts, brokenness and mess.  

The Speak Out Loud podcast and Speak Out Loud resources are sharing hope and encouragement for those who struggle with mental health and for those who love and support them.

We'd love for you to learn more about Speak Out Loud - you can visit www.speakoutloud.me and follow on Instagram and Facebook @speakoutloud.me.

Let's experience hope together!  

Borderline Personality Disorder  - a painful and often misunderstood diagnosis.  Often born out of intense and/or lengthy experiences of trauma and lack of secure attachment, for those who suffer, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be a source of great pain, fear, and mental and emotional instability.  For those who love someone struggling with BPD, it can feel like there's a "hole in the bucket," draining away the energy, trust and love they've poured into their relationship with the one they love.

In this episode, frequent guest and friend, Phoebe Barron (LPC) interviews Stacee about her diagnosis and struggle with Borderline Personality Disorder and the daily mental and emotional turmoil, exhaustion, and loneliness it creates.  Doug provides some lessons learned through the years of Stacee and their family living with this diagnosis along with professional information and insights from Phoebe's perspective as a LPC.  

There's no one we'd trust to help guide this deeply vulnerable conversation than Phoebe.  For those walking a journey with BPD and for those who love them, you will connect with this conversation and Stacee's experience, you will grow in empathy and compassion for those who suffer, and you'll hear from Stacee and Phoebe how there is hope, hope even in spite of the pain and struggle Borderline Personality Disorder creates.  

Phoebe Barron is a LPC and a practicing therapist in greater Oklahoma City - you can find her online at phoebebarron.com and on Instagram @phoebekate.

Learn more about Stacee and Doug and all things Speak Out Loud at www.speakoutloud.me.  You can follow Stacee on Instagram and Facebook @speakoutloud.me.

We are so thankful and excited to begin our 3rd year of the Speak Out Loud podcast!!!  This episode is a bit of a look back and also a look ahead - whether you've been a faithful listener or are new to the Speak Out Loud podcast, you are not alone in the struggle with mental health.  

After many years of struggling with the silence and isolation created by mental illness, we are privileged to "speak out loud' of the faithfulness of God in this journey and to share hope and encouragement for those who struggle with mental illness and for those who love and support them.

As we look ahead, we invite you to join us for upcoming episodes which include a deep and vulnerable discussion with friend and LPC Phoebe Barron about Borderline Personality Disorder, an interview focused particularly for families and loved ones of someone struggling with an eating disorder, a special interview with guest Morgan Snyder, founder of Become Good Soil and the author of the book, Becoming a King,  and an insider's view of the struggle with depression.  

 We invite you on this journey for 2023 - let's experience hope together!

In this episode, Stacee and Doug interview Susie Gurley, host and creator of the "Just a Mom Podcast."  Sharing from her own family's journey of a child struggling with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation,  Susie launched the "Just a Mom Podcast" in the Fall of 2022 to encourage and help parents with children of all ages struggling with mental illness.   Susie weaves her personal insights and family's story into each of her episodes while also interviewing other parents and experts in the field of mental health.  Susie is bringing hope and encouragement to Moms and Dads as they carry hope and help a child navigating the hard, uncertain, and fearful world of mental illness.  

Stacee and Doug visit with Susie about lessons she and her husband have learned through their family's journey, look back on things they wish they might have done differently but also highlight things they can see now they did right.  Susie also shares their son's inspirational story of the impact he is making for thousands of young people in the Kansas City area through the You Matter Festival each year.  

Whatever struggle you, a child, or a loved one may be facing, you'll be encouraged by Susie's authenticity, her vulnerability, and the courage and resilience of a Mom to do whatever it takes to help their child find help and hope.  

Mental illness is isolating for those who struggle and also for those who love and support them.  You are not alone in your journey - we need each other and the community the "Just a Mom" and "Speak Out Loud" podcasts bring.

You can find the "Just a Mom Podcast" wherever you listen to podcasts or visit thejustamompodcast.com.

You can learn more about Stacee and Doug and their mission to share hope and encouragement for those who struggle with mental illness and for those who love and support them at speakoutloud.me.

This was probably our hardest episode to record yet.  For Stacee, this topic and story is deeply vulnerable, personal, painful and still tough to talk about.

In this episode Doug interviews both Stacee and friend and LPC Deanna James on the topic of cutting and self-harm.  Stacee has written a chapter in her book, You Are Worth Saving, on cutting, but this hour+ episode is the most in depth she has publicly spoken about her personal struggle with cutting and self-harm.  Along with Stacee's personal experience and insight, LPC Deanna James brings professional knowledge, insight and guidance for those who may struggle with self-harm and for parents, loved ones and friends of someone who struggles.  

In this episode, Stacee and Deanna help to bring light to the following topics and questions:

*Is there a connection between self-harm and suicide?

*Signs to look for that may indicate a loved one or friend is struggling with cutting or other forms of self-harm

*How to start a conversation with someone you care about who may be struggling with self-harm

*Why some turn to self-harm as part of their mental illness journey

*Creating boundaries and safe-guards for a child or loved-one who struggles with cutting or other forms of self-harm

*How someone struggling with hurting themselves can begin to find help and some steps they can begin to take even before meeting with a therapist

*Hope and encouragement for those facing this battle and for those who love them

We recognize this conversation and topic can be triggering for individuals struggling with self-harm,  Stacee and Deanna navigate their personal and professional experience with this struggle with honest and vulnerable conversation without providing graphic or triggering content.  Self-harm thrives in secrecy and shame, and its power is greatly weakened once it's brought into the light.  Hope and help are available and possible for those struggling with self-harm.

**For anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, call 988 for immediate help.

To learn more about Deanna and her practice, visit DeannaJamescounseling.com.

You can connect with Stacee and Doug and learn more their mental illness and recovery journey and their mission to bring hope to those struggling with mental health and to those who love and support them by visiting at www.speakoutloud.me

In this episode, Stacee and Doug interview longtime friend, Dr. Brenda Elledge, of Elledge Counseling Associates located in the DFW metroplex.  This is Brenda's second visit to the Speak Out Loud podcast - you can find her first interview with Stacee on Doug on the topic of how/when to seek counseling at SOL episode #17.  For several decades, Brenda and her team have guided thousands of people to find  hope and help for their mental health and emotional lives.  Brenda recently received her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and has a passion for helping others develop their skills to professionally serve those struggling with mental health.  For many years, Dr. Elledge has also been an adjunct professor at her, Stacee and Doug's alma mater, Dallas Baptist University.  

Stacee and Doug visit with Brenda about the connections between mental health and mental illness and several key practices people can make a part of their lives to maintain and improve their mental health.  When a mental health struggle turns into a crisis, Brenda shares the initial steps she takes to help patients and those who love them find hope when hope feels lost.  Stacee and Doug share about the pain, confusion, and fear from their own experience of being in the depths of a mental health crisis and, from those hard-learned lessons, what do to, what not to do, and how, with the help of family, friends and professional counseling,  hope and life could be found out of that pit.  

God has not promised a life free of trouble, but He does promise you can overcome whatever you or a loved one are facing through him.  "Take heart! I have overcome the world!" (Jesus - John 16:33)  

To connect with Dr. Elledge and her practice, visit www.elledgecounseling.com

To learn more about Stacee and Doug and their message of hope for those struggling with mental health and for those who love and support them, visit www.speakoutloud.me.      

Troy and Amy Jackson join Stacee and Doug to share a vulnerable conversation about parenting children struggling with mental health. Depression and anxiety are skyrocketing for children and teens today like never before.  When a mental illness crisis occurs, parents and families can feel lost, overwhelmed, exhausted, and not know where to turn for help.  

Today's guests know and understand because they've been there and are still on that journey.  Out of the depths of personal experience,  Troy and Amy share encouragement, hope, and some hard-learned lessons for other parents loving, guiding, and fighting the good fight for a child struggling with the pain of mental illness.  

Troy and Amy are the talk openly about building resilience, navigating the fine lines between discipline and mental health care, and the fears, the weariness, and the stress which mental illness brings into a home.  Troy and Amy also share about the importance of supporting each other in the journey, guiding children through doubts of faith and God, and living each day with hope.   

Parents with children struggling with mental health and those who love and care for someone on this journey will connect with Troy and Amy's story, be encouraged that you are not alone in this struggle, and be invited to experience God's deep love for those who experience mental illness.  

If you have a child, spouse, loved one or friend struggling with mental illness, you are not alone.  We invite you to listen as we continue to build a community of hope for those who struggle with mental illness and for those who love and support them. 

Have you ever wondered if your story matters?  Does God see your struggle with mental health and the pain it brings to your life?  Can you trust him with your hurt, your mental health, and to give you hope?

In this episode, Stacee and Doug interview friend, Bible teacher, and ministry leader Vickey Banks about finding hope even in the most difficult seasons of life.   Out of a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a passion for helping others connect the Bible to their everyday lives, Vickey visits with Stacee and Doug about God's immense love for those who struggle with mental health and the hope He can provide.  

For many, mental illness creates feelings of loneliness, isolation, and questions if anyone really understands or knows the depths of the hurt and struggle. Vickey shares with vulnerability about her own experience of feeling overwhelmed with loss, grief, and a sense of hopelessness and how God spoke to her words of hope and life through the Bible to bring a renewed mental peace and happiness back into her life.

If you've struggled to connect with the Bible or have wondered if reading the Bible is for you, Vickey shares practical ideas and tools on how to begin reading the Bible  and to find ways to apply it to your life.  She also shares with Stacee and Doug some surprises which the Bible might offer those struggling with their mental health and trying to hang onto hope. 

Vickey Banks is passionate about helping women connect the dots between God’s Word and their everyday lives. As an author, Bible study teacher, inspirational speaker and disciple-maker, she loves serving as Women’s Ministry Director at Council Road Baptist Church, as a LifeWay Women’s Ministry Trainer and as a member of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s Women’s Leadership Team. She has written or is a contributing author to a large number of books, devotional Bibles, ministry guides, magazines and blogs, as well as Bible study and discipleship curriculum. Vickey has a degree in Interpersonal Communication and is currently pursuing a Master of Biblical Studies. She loves sailing with her husband, celebrating her people, travel, and getting lost in a good story.

You can find Vickey's book, Sharing His Secrets, Intimate Insights from the Women who Knew Jesus, at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576738930?tag=randohouseinc11082-20

You can learn more about hosts Stacee and Doug and all things Speak Out Loud at www.speakoutloud.me.

The  Speak Out Loud podcast is bringing hope and encouragement to those who struggle with mental health and for those who love and support them.