With You in the Weeds: Where Faith Meets Mental Health

By With You in the WeedsHealth & Fitness Mental Health Religion & Spirituality Christianity

With You in the Weeds: Where Faith Meets Mental Health episodes

April 23, 2025 Parenting in a Blended Family
**Have you heard the news? With You in the Weeds has been nominated for “Best Local Podcast” in Inside Columbia magazine’s “Best of Columbia” contest! You can help us win by voting today and EVERY DAY through April 30th. Here’s the link to cast your vote and thanks so much for your support!**

In this heartfelt episode of With You in the Weeds, Austin Conner chats with Chris and Amanda Horn about the ups and downs of parenting in a blended family. As part of the Parenting in the Weeds series, they share their experiences raising three kids across multiple households, offering honest insights and practical tips for navigating co-parenting, conflict, and building strong family bonds. Whether you’re in a blended family or know someone who is, this conversation brings hope and encouragement for the journey.

You may be able to relate as Chris and Amanda describe their blended family life as challenging, sacrificial, and yet strengthening, as they emphasize the process of growth through hardships.

In any blended family, there will be trade-offs: logistical and emotional challenges balanced by the joy of their kids’ growing sibling bonds. They have learned to embrace the chaos, keep co-parenting communication open and accept discomfort while trusting that God is in control, even in the toughest seasons life brings.

If you want to remember what you learned in this episode, and didn’t have time to take notes while listening, subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com to receive our weekly episode summary and to find our library of resources on all the topics we cover.
Your reviews and ratings help us reach more people so please leave a review and a 5-star rating!
41 min
April 16, 2025Managing Sibling Conflict
**We are honored to be nominated for “Best Local Podcast” in Inside Columbia magazine’s “Best of Columbia” contest! You can help us win by voting today and EVERY DAY through April 30th. Here’s the link to cast your vote and thanks so much for your support!**

In this episode of our “Parenting in the Weeds” series, Austin Connor and Shay Roush tackle the universal challenge of sibling conflict. Whether you're dealing with daily squabbles between young kids, quiet resentment among teens, or lingering rivalries into adulthood, this episode offers practical insights and strategies to manage conflict effectively.

Conflict amongst siblings is real and spans all ages: from fights over toys and screen time with young kids to resentment over perceived favoritism among teens or adults. The goal isn’t to eliminate conflict entirely but to manage it, acknowledging its presence and working toward healthier relationships.

Shay and Austin discuss the 3 main causes of sibling conflict, as well as 5 practical solutions to handle it including:
Connect with each child individually
Delight, celebrate, and laugh together as a family
Avoid comparing your children
Set patterns of reconciliation, apologizing, and forgiveness
Be proactive about end-of-life matters and money

The biggest takeaway from this episode is that “Your children may be competitive and compete with each other, but they should never have to compete for your love.”
If you want to remember what you learned in this episode, and didn’t have time to take notes while listening, subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com to receive our weekly episode summary and to find our library of resources on all the topics we cover.

Your reviews and ratings help us reach more people so please leave a review and a 5-star rating!

If this conversation resonates with you, share it with a friend and join the WYITW community on IG & FB @withyouintheweeds.com.
40 min
April 09, 2025Loving the Kid You Have, Not the Kid You Want
**Exciting news! With You in the Weeds has been nominated for “Best Local Podcast” in Inside Columbia magazine’s “Best of Columbia” contest! You can help us win by voting TODAY and EVERY DAY through April 30th. Here’s the link to cast your vote and thanks so much for your support!**

Welcome back to our Parenting in the Weeds series! In this episode, we dive into a common parenting trap - the temptation to control your child rather than love them for who they are. While this desire often comes from a good place, such as wanting them to be successful or safe, it can lead to unintended harm.

Listen in as John, Lynn and Shay explore the ways parents try to mold their kids in their own image instead of fostering their unique God-given design.

You will learn about three common parenting traps - the Perfection Trap, the Mini-Me Trap, and the Take Care of Me Trap - as well as how to break free from them by focusing on the true goal of parenting.

Key Takeaways:
The Goal of Parenting:
Helping children develop character qualities and the skills necessary to meet the demands of life.
Supporting their unique design and pointing them toward Jesus.
Modeling love and guidance without trying to control their every outcome.
Three Parenting Traps:
The Perfection Trap: Expecting children to meet impossible standards can lead to anxiety, fear, and struggles with self-worth.
The Mini-Me Trap: Trying to live out unfulfilled dreams through your child instead of embracing their individuality can lead to rebellion.
The Take Care of Me Trap: Relying on children for emotional support rather than allowing them to develop independence can hinder your child’s emotional maturity.
How You Can Break Free of These Traps:
Acknowledge that your child is not yours to control - they belong to God.
Recognize when fear, ego, or personal baggage drives parenting decisions.
Give children space to grow, make mistakes, and develop their own faith and identity.
Trust that God is working in your child's life, even when they take unexpected paths.

Be encouraged that even if you recognize yourself in any of these traps, you're not alone! Parenting is a journey of learning, adjusting, and leaning into God’s grace.
Book recommendation: Men of Courage by Larry Crabb
50 min
April 02, 2025Parenting Wars: “Gentle Parenting” vs. “Tough Love”
**Exciting news! With You in the Weeds has been nominated for “Best Local Podcast” in Inside Columbia magazine’s “Best of Columbia” contest! You can help us win by voting TODAY and EVERY DAY through April 30th. Here’s the link to cast your vote and thanks so much for your support!**

Welcome to our brand-new series, Parenting in the Weeds! This series is dedicated to parents who feel tired, confused, or frustrated - because let's be honest, parenting isn't just hard; sometimes, it feels impossible. In this episode, we dive into the challenges of parenting today and explore the tension between two popular approaches: gentle parenting and tough love parenting.

John, Lynn and Austin discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each and introduce a balanced framework - love and limits - that can help parents find a more effective and sustainable way to raise their children. Whether you're a parent or someone who interacts with kids in any capacity, there's something in this episode for you!

Here’s what we cover:
Understanding the extremes:
Gentle Parenting: Focuses on emotional attunement, empathy, and attachment but can sometimes lack necessary boundaries.
Tough Love Parenting: Emphasizes structure, discipline, and authority but can sometimes be overly rigid and emotionally distant.
A Better Way – Love and Limits:
Parenting is about balancing emotional connection and boundaries.
Parenting the way God parents us means we are offering love while providing guidance.
Structure without relationship leads to rebellion, and unchecked emotions can create chaos.
Practical Parenting Takeaways:
Reflect on whether your parenting leans too heavily on love or limits and make adjustments, tailoring your approach to each child’s unique needs.
If you default to tough love, ask for feedback from your kids, acknowledge any past mistakes, and be willing to apologize.
If you lean towards gentle parenting, start setting and enforcing boundaries - even if your child protests at first.
Be prepared for the extinction burst - behavior may initially escalate when limits are introduced but will stabilize over time.
The truth is that parenting is challenging, but the good news is that you're not alone! God sees and cares about where you are in your parenting journey, and he is with you in the weeds of parenting.

Recommended Resources:
Parenting from the Inside Out – Dan Siegel
The Connected Parent – Karen Purvis & Lisa Qualls
Boundaries with Kids – Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

If you want to remember what you learned in this episode, subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com to receive our weekly episode summary and to find our library of resources on all the topics we cover.

Your reviews and ratings help us reach more people so please leave a review and a 5-star rating!

If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who needs encouragement in their own healing journey and join the WYITW community on IG & FB @withyouintheweeds.com.
47 min
March 26, 2025How Do I Know When I've Healed From Trauma?
In the final episode of our Surviving and Thriving After Trauma series, hosts Lynn Roush, LPC, John Tinnin, MDiv, MFT and Austin Conner, MDiv, PLPC reflect on the key takeaways from the series and answer listener-submitted questions about trauma, healing, and resilience.
This series was dedicated to helping you define trauma, understand its impacts, and begin the journey toward healing. Not only have we learned from the many trauma survivors we’ve interviewed, we have also come to see the powerful presence of Jesus in the face of suffering.
These are the listener questions we tackle in this episode:
Are some traumas worse than others?
What should you say (or not say) to someone who has experienced trauma?
What skills do I need to work through trauma in my life and help others?
How do I know when I’ve healed from trauma?
The key takeaways we want you to remember are:
Trauma impacts every aspect of your being—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Healing is a journey, not a one-time event. You may never feel "fully healed," but you can experience post-traumatic growth and resilience.
The presence of a safe, understanding person can be one of the most powerful tools in trauma recovery.
Scripture provides deep comfort, but timing and approach matter when offering biblical encouragement.
Healing includes recognizing the reality of trauma, holding responsible parties accountable, and embracing God’s sustaining grace.
Resources to help you on your healing journey:
On the Threshold of Hope – Diane Langberg
Safe People – Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
Your Emotional Dashboard (Our very first episode!)
"In this world, you will have tribulations. But take heart, I have overcome the world." John 16:33
If you want to remember what you learned in this episode, and didn’t have time to take notes while listening, subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com to receive our weekly episode summary and to find our library of resources on all the topics we cover.
Your reviews and ratings help us reach more people so please leave a review and a 5-star rating!
If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who needs encouragement in their own healing journey and join the WYITW community on IG & FB @withyouintheweeds.com.
48 min
March 19, 2025Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma with Gina Birkemeier
As we near the end of our “Surviving and Thriving After Trauma” series we are covering the essential topic of generational trauma - a hidden force that shapes our beliefs, relationships, and sense of self. Our guest, Gina Birkemeier, a licensed professional counselor, author, and trauma specialist, joins us to explore how trauma patterns are passed down through generations and what it takes to break free.
Key takeaways in this episode:
The impact of inherited trauma and how it shapes your perceptions.
How to recognize patterns like shame and control, and the way dysfunction gets passed down through families.
What it takes to break the cycle and how to create a new, healthy legacy.
Why forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation and how it leads to freedom.
How you can shift family narratives and transform future generations.
In this interview with Austin, Gina shares personal insights from her book, Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Dysfunction and Trauma to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy, offering both hope and practical guidance for those ready to stand up against the forceful current of generational dysfunction.
To learn more you can visit ginabirkemeier.com or find Gina on Instagram @myoutloudvoice for more great content on this topic.
If you want to remember what you learned in this episode, and didn’t have time to take notes while listening, subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com to receive our weekly episode summary and to find our library of resources on all the topics we cover.
Your reviews and ratings help us reach more people so please leave a review and a 5-star rating!
If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who needs encouragement in their own healing journey and join the WYITW community on IG & FB @WithYouInTheWeeds
43 min
March 12, 2025The Trauma of Child Loss
In this deeply moving episode, John Tinnin sits down with Kari Kaczan, author of A Light in Momentary Affliction, to discuss the profound grief of losing a child and the journey of navigating trauma through faith. Kari shares her heartbreaking yet hope-filled story of her son Christopher’s diagnosis with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare and terminal disease, and the emotional and spiritual challenges that followed.
With raw honesty, Kari recounts the moments of shock, despair, and wrestling with God as she walked through the unimaginable pain of watching her son slowly lose his abilities. She opens up about the loneliness of grief, the difficulty of making impossible medical decisions, and the isolating reality of being part of a “club no one wants to join.”
Yet, in the midst of deep sorrow, Kari found an anchor in her faith. She speaks about the power of surrender, choosing to bring Jesus into her pain, and how lament became her path to healing. The conversation touches on depression, emotional numbness, and the ways grief affects relationships, but ultimately points to the hope and presence of Christ in suffering.
Listen as John and Kari discuss:
The devastating reality of receiving a terminal diagnosis for a child.
How grief unfolds in layers—both the “big” loss and the small, compounding ones.
The challenge of making medical decisions when no clear path exists.
The emotional and relational impact of loss, including isolation and changes in friendships.
Why faith is not just a cliché but a sustaining force in the darkest moments.
The importance of honest, unfiltered prayers—even if they include shouting at God.
Check out the book A Light in Momentary Affliction by Kari Kaczan to learn more about how bringing Jesus into suffering can transform the way we endure pain.
Your reviews and ratings help us reach more people so please leave a review and a 5-star rating!
Connect with us on social media and sign up for our weekly newsletter:
Instagram: @WithYouInTheWeeds
Facebook: WithYouInTheWeeds
Website: WithYouInTheWeeds.com
1 hr 1 min
March 05, 2025The Trauma of Betrayal & Infidelity
“Sit down. I’ve got to tell you something…” What follows might be your worst nightmare as your spouse confesses their betrayal and infidelity.
Matthew & Joanna Raabsmith have lived through this themselves, and now they work with couples who are trying to rebuild their relationship after trust has been shattered. They have 15+ years of theological and counseling experience helping couples repair the damage that betrayal creates.
When you listen you’ll get a front row seat of what happens when couples first confess, what their ongoing counseling sessions look like, signs of growth (or lack of growth), and how you know when trust is being restored.
Whether you’ve experienced the trauma of betrayal, or you know someone/a couple who has, you’ll be thankful you took the time to listen to Matthew & Joanna.
You can check out their book Building True Intimacy: Creating a Connection That Stands the Test of Time or their website for free resources and to learn more.
Connect with us!
Instagram: @WithYouInTheWeeds
Facebook: WithYouInTheWeeds
Website: WithYouInTheWeeds.com

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55 min
February 26, 2025The Trauma of Racism with Pastor Derwin Gray
Can the deep pain and division of racism ever be healed? And does the Christian faith play any role in the work of racial reconciliation?
Pastor Derwin Gray believes that if we rightly understand the message of grace through Jesus, we will see the image of God across all races and cultures, and embrace and promote a culture of love instead of a culture of hate.
In this special episode Pastor Derwin Gray of Transformation Church has a discussion with Shay and Lynn about the history of racism in America, its lasting impact, and the current need for ongoing reconciliation. Derwin’s book, How to Heal Our Racial Divide, proposes that “racial reconciliation is God’s idea”, and that the church should be a place that “isn’t colorblind, but color-blessed.”
This conversation covers topics like:
The significance of Martin Luther King Jr. and his powerful writings
The challenge of overcoming indifference and opposition to reconciliation
How racial trauma manifests in different generations
Teaching people to be "unoffendable in the gospel"
Encouragement for Christians to extend grace in difficult conversations.
Although the church should be a natural place for racial healing to occur, the reality is that barriers such as pride, fear, power and economics often prevent the church from taking the risk to love others when the cost seems too high. We appreciate Pastor Gray’s passion and insights on this important topic, as he calls us to see the beauty of diversity as part of God’s design and highlights the role we can play in helping people heal from racial trauma through empathy, compassion and understanding.
If you enjoy listening to With You in the Weeds we’d love to hear from you! You can email us at [email protected] or leave us a review. For more great content from the team you can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds.
46 min
February 19, 2025 The Trauma of War
The residual trauma from war can have a lasting impact on veterans and their families. No one knows this better than Dan and Jo Slawski, founders of Guardian Hills Veterans Healing Center.
When Dan’s father returned from his service in World War II, he struggled to cope with the mental and emotional stress of post-war trauma. Dan experienced his father’s outbursts of rage and occasional disappearances as confusing and disruptive to family life. That didn’t deter Dan from joining the Air Force after college to help pay for his medical school, which was a positive life change for Dan and his wife Jo.
Since that time, Dan’s active military service as well as his experience caring for orthopedic patients opened his eyes to the post-traumatic stress that veterans live with every day. After hearing many stories from POW’s, veterans and family members living with veterans who were suffering both physically and mentally, Dan and Jo knew their calling was to help veterans be restored to health and wholeness.
In this eye-opening episode, Shay Roush interviews Dan and Jo to discuss their work with Guardian Hills Veterans Healing Center, a facility dedicated to helping veterans recover from the physical, emotional, and relational injuries they often face after service. Located in the beautiful country of northern Missouri, Guardian Hills provides resources and support for veterans struggling with trauma, including post-traumatic stress (PTS) and moral injury.
Many veterans don’t experience their first impact of post-traumatic stress until 11 years after service, and they often don’t have access to the resources needed for them to process the memories or stressors associated with their time in active duty. Their emotional and physical injuries are distressing, debilitating, and often lead to suicide as an alarming 17 veterans a day die by suicide around the country.
You will be inspired and encouraged as you hear the Slawskis' vision for Guardian Hills, and the transformations that are occuring in veterans lives on a daily basis (as captured in this video).
If you or someone you love could benefit from the services offered at Guardian Hills or you want to learn more about the programs and educational therapies they offer, visit the Guardian Hills website where you can also purchase tickets for the upcoming annual banquet and auction on Saturday, March 8th at Cooper’s Ridge Event Center.
For information about housing for veterans in Columbia, Missouri visit the Welcome Home website to learn about their vision for ending homelessness for veterans in our community.
If you enjoy listening to With You in the Weeds we’d love to hear from you! You can email us at [email protected] or leave us a review. For more great content from the team you can subscribe to our newsletter at withyouintheweeds.com and follow us on Instagram @withyouintheweeds.
45 min

About With You in the Weeds: Where Faith Meets Mental Health

From the publisher's feed

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, difficult relationships, or wondering how your faith connects to your mental health? With You in the Weeds is a faith-based mental health podcast hosted by a team of licensed counselors and pastors who weekly help real people navigate the hardships of life.