Out of the Dark with Mandisa & Laura Williams

Aren't we done yet? At year 2, most people are worn out and weary. Isolation has taken a toll on most of the population, especially our young ones. Anxiety and depression are at an all-time high and suicide rates have skyrocketed. What are ways we can all help reduce some of these horrific outcomes? Click here to purchase Mandisa's new book, "Out of the Dark" Adrienne Camp's new book "As For Me" is available now at LifeWay.com/asforme.

Uncontrollable circumstances can sometimes be some of the most difficult trauma to work with. Examples of this include living in poverty, the death of a parent or sibling, a parent or sibling with a chronic illness, and even being a pastor's kid can create a feeling of "it is what it is" when it comes to dealing with life. Listen in for some thoughts on how this might have shaped the adult you have become. Adrienne Camp's new book "As For Me" is available now at LifeWay.com/asforme. Click here to purchase Mandisa's new book, "Out of the Dark"

If you have ever wondered why you struggle even though you had the "perfect childhood", then this episode is for you. Sometimes, what looks like perfect childhood on the outside isn't so perfect when we break it down. In these situations, we look at rearranging how you view you childhood so that it might more accurately portray what you actually experienced as a child.  Click here to purchase Mandisa's new book, "Out of the Dark" Adrienne Camp's new book "As For Me" is available now at LifeWay.com/asforme.

How do you feel about this word? For many people, this word carries a ton of negativity. In this episode, we will get to the root of the word, why it might feel negative and why we actually need it in order to feel emotionally balanced. Adrienne Camp's new book "As For Me" is available now at LifeWay.com/asforme.

Visiting family during the holidays might be one of the top stressors people experience. For some, it is tolerable and mildly fun, but for many people it is miserable. In this episode, we will discuss some resources to help make traveling to visit family more enjoyable.

You might be surprised to know that self-care actually has nothing to do with spas, shopping, or 5-star resorts. Self-care is actually the most basic thing you can do for yourself. We will discuss what self-care is and what it is NOT.

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all have feelings. Most people either don't feel at all or feel too much. In this episode, we will discuss the importance of recognizing feelings. We also talk about the importance of gratitude; not to negate our feelings but as a separate practice each day.

Mindfulness is a way of connecting with God and self. Part of the responsibility of a parent is to help children figure out what is going on with them--to connect with their bodies, their feelings, their ideas/opinions, likes, and dislikes. When you miss out on that as a kid, you owe it to yourself to spend time getting to know yourself. Mindfulness is a great way.

Our most vulnerable episode yet. Mandisa and Laura get personal with their views on medication in the area of mental health and tackle the stigma that you are not strong enough of a Christian if you have to rely on medication.

Mothering is one of the most challenging areas of our mental health. There is maybe no other job that you both feel worthless AND the weight of the world on your shoulders at the same time. We will talk about "mom-shame", the importance of recognizing the need for self-care, and much more.

Some of the most confident people can have some of the worst levels of esteem. In this episode we talk about the difference between confidence and esteem--whether we value ourselves from the outside or the inside.

Boundaries are an elusive concept that seem really easy to comprehend but really difficult to put in place. In this episode, we tackle why this is true. And we will discuss different types of boundaries and what gets in the way when we are trying to set and keep them.

This is one of our most valuable episodes. It is vital that we know the difference between shame and guilt in order to be able to discern between the enemy and the Holy Spirit. We will discuss some ways to tell the difference.

Whether you overeat or undereat, it generally comes from the same place. At the root, you have to value yourself in order to conisider yoursself worth taking care of. Learn some practical ways to start taking care of your body.

Whew... our mental health journey can be a roller coaster. Our first episode of the new season tackles what it is like when our journey isn't as smooth as we thought it would be. It's actually more normal than you think.

How do I know when my child needs to see a counselor? Isn't it enough for me to ask the right questions? Does it mean I am a bad parent if my child needs counseling? These are only some of the questions that we will cover in this podcast. Children are not as resilient as you think and it is important to be tuned in to them and to yourself. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Can social media be a positive thing or is it always bad? Today we talk about healthy boundaries around social media and what to be on the lookout for as you scroll your favorite platform. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

There is a reason God devoted a whole book of the Bible on lament. It is hard and there is no way around it. Grief is something that we can put on the back burner but it will never really get processed until you go through it. Today we will talk about what that process looks like and how we can grieve in a healthy way. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

As children of God, we are created for relationship. We are meant to be in community with others. Today we talk about why this is important and how to build your own tribe. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Ever wonder why it's hard to view God in a certain light--as Father, as Brother, as a nurturer? A lot of this has to do with your relationship with your earthly caregivers. We will unpack how Mandisa and Laura have processed their view of God and why it matters in light of your story. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

This week, Mandisa and Laura talk about how hard the work of therapy is. We also talk about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and how it can aid in the healing of all kinds of trauma. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Listen in to hear how important story is to our mental health. In this episode, we will begin to unpack some of Laura's story and talk about how developmental and relational trauma will impact us in the present. It is necessary to go back in order to move forward. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Our most fun episode yet! Mandisa and Laura talk about the benefits of pets in regards to our mental health. Pets are hard work but they can have a positive effect on your being. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Listen in to hear how important story is to our mental health. In this episode, we will begin to unpack some of Mandisa's story and talk about how past sexual trauma will impact us in the present. It is necessary to go back in order to move forward. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

It's a basic need so why do we all have such a hard time with it? In this episode we will talk about the importance of sleep and how to get more of it! Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Mandisa and Laura introduce themselves and what this podcast is about. Listen in on what a counseling relationship is like, why perspective is not always helpful, and the two words a counselor should never use! Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

One of us got Covid! Listen in to find out who and what made healing so complicated. Have a friend who could benefit from today's topic? Share this episode and leave us a review. And make sure to subscribe now so you never miss a Wednesday episode.

Out of the Dark is a podcast about mental health in the body of Christ. As followers of Jesus, people are sometimes led to believe that if we struggle with anxiety, depression, addiction, identity, or the many other areas of our mental health that we are less of a Christian or are just not praying enough. In this podcast Mandisa and Laura will tackle the idea that, while Jesus IS enough, a relationship with a counselor can help heal wounds that will enhance your relationship with Jesus. They will cover specific topics related to mental health and offer resources to listeners to enhance your journey of personal growth. We can’t do it alone—we need to step out of the dark of shame and guilt and into the light of recovery and redemption. New episodes air Wednesday. Make sure to subscribe to you never miss an opportunity to step 'Out of the Dark'!