S3. E25. Anna Interview
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Welcome to Your Daily Bread podcast. I'm your host, Abbie Stasior, a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor. My prayer is that these bite-sized episodes will help you heal your relationship with food, improve body image, and ultimately help you grow closer to God. Now, I can't personally heal you, but I'm gonna be directing you to the one that can, and that is Jesus. Also disclaimer, I'm not a pastor, but a sister in Christ that's offering you some food for thought that you can take into your quiet time with the Lord as your daily bread. Let's dig in.
. Hello, hello, welcome back to Your Daily Bread podcast.
Y'all, I am so excited for today's episode. I am joined by a very special guest, Anna Adams, and she is an associate licensed counselor and the founder of Faith and Trust Counseling, a faith-based counseling practice in Alabama. Y'all, she drove all the way here, and she is passionate about helping people find healing, grow in their faith, and move towards the life God has for them.
Anna uses evidence-based counseling while [00:01:00] thoughtfully integrating Christian faith into her practice. Through her counseling and social media, Anna shares practical mental health tools, making conversations about faith and mental health simple, hopeful, and approachable. Anna, thank you so much for being here.
Yes, thank you so much for having me. I am very excited to be here, so thank you. You're welcome. Oh my gosh, of course. I am so pumped for this, and when I saw you come up on my
TikTok, number one, you truly are so friendly, so approachable, and you are breaking so many stigmas when it comes to mental health, and engaging in mental health as a Christian. Mm-hmm. I feel like you're really making it a safe space for people, and really fun, so I'm super excited to have you here. Thank you very much.
Yay. So tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started Faith and Trust Counseling. Yes. So, my name is Anna. I live in Troy, Alabama. And, you know, I always like to say just a few little fun facts about me. I love Disney, I love my dog and my family. So all that definitely keeps me busy. But I did start, Faith and Trust Counseling, late last year, so we're [00:02:00] about maybe seven months in, after I graduated with my degree in counseling.
Mm-hmm. People always ask, like, what made me decide on counseling, you know, to begin with, and I always kinda, laugh, and there wasn't really just this groundbreaking, moment. But through different life, circumstances and just experiences, really decided that I wanted to, one, be a counselor.
Mm-hmm. And then two, be a safe space where people can integrate their faith into the counseling process. Of course,, I do believe that without faith, , there's only so much healing that can really take place without Jesus in the room. Yeah. Amen. My goal for Faith and Trust Counseling is that it is a space where when clients want that, faith can absolutely be integrated.
And then I always like to share this, too, which there may or may not be people listening that, , care about this, but also, I did have the opportunity, , years ago to perform at Disney World as a character performer. Wow. And one- I can see that. Yes. Uh, and one of the, one of the characters I was able to perform as was Tinker Bell from Peter Pan.
Aw. So if you're familiar with the story, the, like, key [00:03:00] ingredients to fly- are faith, trust, and pixie dust. Oh. And so it definitely integrated that part of my life and, , faith into this, which is kind of how I just landed on that name. I love it. I am obsessed, and it just goes to show, like it makes me think of Ephesians 2:10, that we're God's masterpiece and He's created us to do good works that He planned long ago.
Mm-hmm. He has been weaving this beautiful story for you, so for you to have that aspect of your life and then go into counseling and to bring it all together with that name, like I absolutely love that. Yeah. That is so cool. We probably need a whole other podcast episode to talk about Disney. I'm very curious about all of that, but so cool.
So before we dive into your story, all of your tips, all the things that you do, let's pray. Yay. Father God, thank you so much for this day. Lord, thank you for providing Anna safe travels to be able to get here for this interview. Lord, thank you for going before us and paving the way for a transformative interview and an episode that sets the captives free and renews our mind.
Lord, we know that [00:04:00] when it's in view of your mercy and we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to you, that is our proper worship It is pleasing in your sight, and you can come in and renew our mind when we're no longer conforming to the patterns of this world, and we can test and approve what your good, pleasing, and perfect will is, Lord.
So I just pray that this episode gives people tangible tools to renew their mind and come to healing and wholeness through you, Lord. And I pray that this gives people confidence and clarity on whether they should continue with counseling, switch to a different counselor, start counseling, and that this just removes any shame, guilt, condemnation, any suspicions.
Lord, I just pray that this brings clarity and freedom and hope to every single listener, Lord. So I pray that everything that's said in this episode is not what we want to say, but it's what you want to say through us. Holy Spirit, have your way, and it's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Oh, I don't know why Romans 12:1-2 came to [00:05:00] mind, but I feel like- Mm-hmm
you do so much with renewing your mind and saying things differently, and that's actually the first video that I found of yours. Okay. Your, Oh Honey, Jesus Wouldn't Say That series- Yes ... that went completely viral. That was the first video that I found of yours. So when did that series come up or that...
I don't think it's a, necessarily a trend, but, - Mm-hmm ... but something that you started. When did that start, and, , what have you noticed with that resonating with people? Yeah, you know, I think , the one reason or one of the reasons why I wanted to start that series is because, you know, it comes to no one's surprise, , we all have so many different people and things speaking, into our life.
Mm-hmm. So whether it's good, friends and families and Christian leaders and mentors, which are, you know, good, or maybe it's all the social media videos we're consuming and just- Mm-hmm ... strangers on the internet or maybe even acquaintances in real life, we are constantly surrounded with so many different opinions and beliefs and just all this feedback from different people.
Yeah. [00:06:00] And again, even people who are well-intentioned, it might not always be what we need to hear. So it's always just so important, , at the end of the day to make sure that the thoughts and beliefs and opinions of other people and our own are always kinda fact-checked, if you will. Mm-hmm. , Which is why we all need to be asking the question, " , would Jesus really say that?"
, So it's just important to remember , we do have, the truth laid out for us. Mm-hmm. So we can, make sure that what we are believing and thinking matches up with the truth. Yeah, absolutely. Mm-hmm. I am always telling clients, I'm like, "Y'all need to be your own lawyer- Yes ... and checking everything."
Mm-hmm. We just let so many things through, but we need to be taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. Which , it's easier said than done. Right. It absolutely is. Yes. So what are the most common things that you hear that Christians, , are believing? What are the lies that you hear that are coming up that you're constantly having to reframe for them?
There's , of course, so many different, lies that, people believe. One of the biggest, I think, [00:07:00] trends that I have noticed, or at least the lies that kinda stick out, are kind of, the more cliches that some of us hear, , that like for example, God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers, or, , God put that person in your life or caused that trauma to, teach you a lesson.
Mm. Or, you know, that bad thing happened, and God caused it to happen so that he could use your story. And, , again, there's kinda some truth intertwined in some of , the phrases that people hear. , But kind of the theme with all of those, I guess, small lies are one of the biggest lies that I think are the most important to look at, and that's the lie that, God isn't actually good.
Mm. And so if there was only, you know, one lie that I think if we tackle, and I think it would just be so beneficial for us in so many different ways is, again, the lie that God isn't actually good. Mm. Yeah, and that's really at the root of it. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So if somebody believes one of those lies, where do you take them first?
Do you have a go-to scripture that you [00:08:00] normally take them to, or asking about their previous church experience, how they grew up, how they came to that thought? Where do you normally go? , So it depends. Now, with that lie, in particular, it's very important, Romans like 8:28. Mm. , , God works all things together for the good of, those who love him.
And so for, that in particular, I always try to, one, encourage people, yes, to go, read the Bible and see what it says. Mm-hmm. , But then I also do try to, just encourage people that God is good, and since he's just good, he can't do bad to you. He can't sin- Mm-hmm
against you. , He can't create bad things, but what he can do is use those, bad experiences and bad things to glorify him and, ultimately work together for your good. Mm-hmm. , And then whenever we want to go into this, I do have a practical kinda three-step thing to help people- Mm-hmm
renew their minds, which can help with a lot of the lies, that people- Yeah, absolutely ... people hear. I would love those tangible tips. Yeah. So with this, it's so funny. , I did not come up with , , this ingredient list, if you will. , But I [00:09:00] served years ago at my church in the kids ministry.
Mm-hmm. And this little three-step process was something that they always, taught all the kids in, you know, kids church. And it really, resonated with me in the moment, and even now can be very, very helpful for, of course, like, adults , , in their own lives. So the three-step process to, like, renewing your mind is. Step number one, catch it. Mm-hmm. , Meaning you have to catch the thought, and that honestly hangs up, a lot of people because if we're honest, life gets so busy. Yeah. And it is so easy to just be going through the hustle and the bustle of your life, and go days, weeks, even months without actually sitting with your feelings- Mm-hmm
and sitting with your thoughts, like actually noticing what you're thinking. Yeah. So that's definitely step number one, is to actually notice, okay, so what am I actually thinking? Mm-hmm. So that's where you catch the thought, and then you check the thought, meaning exactly what we talked about. You have to make sure the thought aligns, one, with the Bible.
And then two, that it just a- aligns with, reality. Like, what [00:10:00] is actually truthfully going on in the situation? 'Cause our brains do like to , make up things- Mm-hmm ... which makes, our anxieties and worries seem so much bigger. , So it's important that we check it, and then it's important that we change it.
Mm-hmm. And of course, this is where it is easier said than done. But I would seriously encourage whoever's listening, to not be discouraged and to really understand that it actually, is possible to change, our mind. We are called, in the Bible to renew our minds. Mm-hmm.
God definitely would not call us to that if he did not give us the ability to do it. Yeah. Amen. , Mm-hmm. It's very, , interesting. , There's one book that I really like, , by Jennie Allen called Get Out of Your Head. Mm. So if anyone is looking- Love Jennie Allen ... yes, if anyone's looking for a book about, taking your thoughts captive, that is a really good book- Mm-hmm
, To kinda dive into. But in the book, and of course I'm paraphrasing, , she probably has it worded and spelled out a lot- ... different or, a little bit different, but she talked about how she talked to different researchers and psychologists, , , studying for the book that she was writing, and what she [00:11:00] found was, , in our brain there's different neurons, and our neurons, whenever we think a thought, kinda jump from one cell to the other, and they create these pathways or- Mm-hmm
connections in our brain. And every time, we think a thought, it creates that connection, and over time, it makes it easier and easier to have that same thought, 'cause the connection's already made. Mm-hmm. And the connection is so, so strong. And, that can almost be a little discouraging, 'cause it's like, "Wow, I've been thinking the same thoughts for years?"
Right. Like, oh my gosh. I didn't even know I was thinking it. Right. Like, how am I- Mm-hmm ... gonna change it now? Yeah. , But where it became so encouraging was she found out that all it takes to start creating a new pathway was seven seconds of focus- Wow ... of thinking a new thought, and it is going to create a new pathway.
And so that- Wow ... is what I think people need to understand, is even if you have been, plagued by the same difficult thought patterns for a really long time, is it gonna take a lot of work? Yes. Mm-hmm ... are you gonna have to be intentional? Absolutely. But to change your thought, you really just need seven seconds at a time of swapping your [00:12:00] brain and literally thinking this new- Mm-hmm
God-honoring thought, and then over time, that old pathway will kind of wear down. Mm-hmm. And the new pathway with this new, better thought is going to be more prominent. Wow. And so that's how, we can renew our minds. We catch it, we check it, and then we change it. I love that. Mm-hmm. And that just gives us so much hope- Yes
that it is possible, especially for people that have had a lot of trauma and have been for years reinforcing such negative thoughts or lies- Mm-hmm ... you know, these ungodly beliefs that we've come into agreement with, this gives us so much hope that in just seven seconds you can start that process.
Mm-hmm. Yes. And I'm a very visual person, the way that I describe it to clients in this process of waiting that we need to have patience- Mm-hmm ... in this process of renewing our mind, is that you have to imagine that you've been driving down this road for so long, where now there are tire tracks and- Yes
the grass is laid down, like, everything's laid down, and it takes a while to now forge a new path. Mm-hmm. It's gonna take several times of repeating to [00:13:00] actually build another path, and it's also gonna take time for grass to grow over the path that you were driving down. Yes. That's a great picture. So to cover that, yeah.
Oh, thank you. Mm-hmm. Thank you, Holy Spirit. So good. So good. And I can see that with this, and I would be, obviously curious to get , your view on this, in your line of work, having people or asking people, "Hey, would Jesus actually say that?" , That a lot of this requires discipleship. Hmm.
And requires people actually getting in the word, optimizing their quiet time, talking with them about that so they can actually know who Jesus is and to understand the heart of God. So I'm just thinking about, like, how much of your conversations with people are talking about those tangible things of, okay, if you actually wanna renew your mind, then we actually have to get in the word more- Mm-hmm
to know what God says, 'cause you're gonna learn about God if you spend time with Him. Right. In your busy days, how can you spend more time with Him? Mm-hmm. Do you find that your work leans into that? Yeah. Absolutely. I honestly, in a lot of the counseling that I do, I love when I can be very practical.
Mm-hmm. [00:14:00] And of course it's important to, again, sit with your feelings and kinda go down , the rabbit holes to try to figure out why you're thinking these thoughts- Mm ... or why you're feeling these feelings. Like, that definitely has a place. Uh, however, I do think sometimes , just in life and in the counseling process, it can be easy to kind of stay there- Mm-hmm
uh, without taking the next step and actually, thinking like, "Okay, practically, how do I, one, renew my mind?" And then practically like, "What does it actually look like to spend more time with, Mm-hmm ... God in my day-to-day life?" Or, " What does it look like to actually pray?" Or, "I am a busy college student.
I have so many different things going on, like, what does it look like for me?" So yes, I mean, pretty regularly I definitely find myself having those very , practical conversations. That's good. , And one thing that of course it's great, , and it should be, hopefully a lot of people's goal to have intentional, quiet time, a time set aside where you can just focus on Jesus- Mm
whether that be worship, prayer, reading your word. And then also, there's still value, even if you are [00:15:00] crazy busy or maybe you're not in a season where you feel like you need to or should or can even prioritize that, you can also speak to Him in the very quick moments of, in your car from here to there, , in the shower.
There's always very practical ways that you can invite God into just small parts of your day. Yeah. And I've found that Jesus wants to be involved in all of those little moments. Yes. It's not too small for Him, and that reminds me of the woman who gave the two coins. Mm-hmm. And everybody else, all the Pharisees were giving from their wealth, from their reserves, from their abundance, but she donated and , gave the two coins.
That was all that she had. Right. Yeah. And I think that I work with so many busy moms that all they have is five minutes, or all they have is the car ride, or all they have is the shower. Right. They can talk to God, because that's just the season that they're in. Mm-hmm. God will always meet you there, and just give Him what you have.
And You might not have an abundance to give from, but that's honoring to him, and actually in that story it was more honoring Right ... for the woman to give- Absolutely ... what she had than everybody else [00:16:00] giving from their reserves. Yeah, so how would you advise people to know if the thought that they're having is coming from the Holy Spirit, and that's conviction- Mm-hmm
or something from the Holy Spirit, or if it's condemnation from the enemy? How do you know? Yes. I think this is such a great question. , And I like it so much because honestly I think it can be very tricky for a lot of people. Mm-hmm. , And I don't know if anyone can relate to this, but for me, for the longest time,, a lot of the maybe Christian influencers or speakers that I will see or social media videos, the way that people talk about conviction can be Honestly, it can make me second-guess because- Mm-hmm
it can, people can talk about conviction like it's just, oh, this, like, wonderful feeling. Like, "Oh, I just love when I'm feeling, you know, this conviction feeling, and I'm just so thankful in the moment." And of course, it's so important to be thankful for conviction. Mm-hmm. And it's so important , that we see value and we appreciate that God is correcting us.
But honestly, in the moment, conviction and the condemnation, they both can start out by just feeling like guilt. Mm. Which isn't a positive [00:17:00] feeling. Right. Um, you know, no one likes to feel guilty, but that really is how both of them start out, which again, is kinda why it can be so tricky- Mm-hmm ... is 'cause they can both feel similar in the beginning.
But where it's different is when you take that feeling of guilt, maybe , you know you messed up in a certain situation. Mm-hmm. You're gonna feel guilty, and that's a healthy emotion. But what is so good is when you take that guilt to Jesus, you don't get a permanent label of, " Oh, well, you messed up, and that's just who you are."
Mm-hmm. There's hope in the guilt, and you can walk away knowing that with Jesus, there's freedom. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And you don't have to maybe participate in the same behaviors anymore, or you can learn from the mistake that you made , and walk in a different way. So , that is conviction, is when there's hope attached to it.
Mm-hmm. That's good. Um, where condemnation sits is where you have that feeling of guilt. You don't take it to Jesus. You just kind of hide or sit with it, and then it turns into, "Oh, well, that's just, that's who you are. You might as well give up. You're never gonna change." And so I think that's the difference, , is what happens after the initial feeling of guilt.
[00:18:00] Mm, if there's hope there. Yes. Yeah. And at least in my life, I've noticed that the tone is different. Mm-hmm. When it's- Absolutely ... condemnation, it's very harsh. It's critical, putting myself down. I feel like a failure, and that's something that- Mm-hmm ... God would never say to me. Right. Jesus would not say that.
Yes, that's right. , And it's so funny, too, 'cause my husband feels the same way, and because I'm a dietician- Mm-hmm ... we talk a lot about, "Okay, what's God saying to you about your relationship with food?" And we'll be out to eat so often, and he's like, "Okay, the Lord just told me that was my last bite." And then sometimes he'll go back in for another, and he'll say, "Oh, the Lord just said to me, ' Manny.'"
And like, it's not a mean voice, but it's like- Right ... "Hey." Yes. Like, very gentle, very calm. Mm-hmm. But like, " I already told you this. Like, you need to put your fork down." Right, yes. Like, "You're good. You're stuffed now at this point." So yeah, like, , the tone tends to be different. Mm-hmm. That's what I've noticed, and , I love that you said that about hope.
Because it's not the end. I feel like the enemy always wants us to- Right ... like they- Yes, like it's not over It's over Like, yeah. Yes, and that he is going to [00:19:00] redeem. Mm-hmm. He's gonna make all things work together for our good. And I love that you pointed out, too, earlier that God did not cause these bad things to happen.
Right. I'm sure that's a conversation you're having with clients all the time that have been through- Mm-hmm ... unspeakable trauma, grief, horrible things that shouldn't happen Right ... if there's a good God, why do all of these bad things happen? Mm-hmm. I think that's the hardest question that we get asked as Christians.
Yes, absolutely. Yeah, yeah. So definitely, definitely hard to reconcile- Mm-hmm ... all of that. Yeah, that is definitely, like I said, one of the most, , common things. And again, what kind of can make it so difficult is, yeah, I mean, bad things do happen. Mm-hmm. And , there's just not a simple answer that is going to give the person who's hurting what they really need in the moment.
Mm-hmm. Like, there's nothing that I can say in the moment when, , a client is, like, asking me that, that can really heal them. So in those moments, what I think is just important is, one, that people recognize that when they are dealing with,, extreme just pain and hurt, and when they are questioning [00:20:00] God or maybe they're angry at God or disappointed because the bad things, do happen- Mm-hmm
like, it's okay. God's not mad. God wants you to bring all those feelings, to Him. Mm-hmm. Because ultimately, He, again, He's the only one that can take them and redeem them and heal you. And, so that's just what I think is so important is that as Christians, we don't have all the answers, but we- Mm-hmm
can point people to, to who does. Yeah. Amen. I always say, "I'm shepherding people to the Good Shepherd. I can't do anything for you." I love that. Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, and Jesus says, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." Mm-hmm. So I think if Jesus isn't at the center, , it's not going to be fruitful. Mm-hmm.
Yeah, you may see some change and some success, but I think full healing- Right ... the fullness of joy, full peace, and stuff that's lasting, it's just, it's not available to us when He's locked out of that. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So I don't know why therapy is so taboo in our- Yeah
society, but I think especially in the Christian space, we always hear, "Oh, just pray more. You don't need to go to therapy. You don't need- Mm-hmm ... to talk to somebody else. You need to talk to God." Yes. How do you reconcile that? Do you hear that a lot? Yes, I do hear that, [00:21:00] a good bit. Mm-hmm. I thankfully, praise God, I think it is getting, better, , , as a world.
I think people are coming around to - Mm-hmm ... to the idea. So if someone is kind of in that situation where maybe they've thought about counseling or therapy and they're not sure, one, I would, first, I do wanna say , if you are, a Christian and looking to potentially go to a counselor, it is so, so important to find a Christian counselor.
Mm-hmm. Someone who, can bring faith into the conversation or at least have similar values that can talk to you about your values and your faith. Mm-hmm. , That is definitely very important, so I would 100% recommend finding a Christian counselor, ' I would argue it could even do damage to go to someone who's not.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Um, but when you do go to a Christian counselor, if your faith is important to you, I think there can be so much good and, God-honoring work , that can be done. One thing that I would just encourage people
with is one, you asking for help is not a lack of faith, but really, [00:22:00] especially if it's something that you've been battling with or thinking about for a long time, you taking that step and going to counseling can actually be a step of faith. Mm-hmm. And, in the Bible, we're, we are called to do life together.
Like, we're never called to just go and be alone. Like, we're called to, confess our sins and talk to each other. And so, , i think it can be comparable, going to a Christian counselor, I think that could even be comparable to, going to a friend or a Christian leader or Christian mentor or pastor or family member.
Again, I think it's comparable, but I do also, , of course believe that there can be a lot of benefits to going to a trained Christian counselor who's, trained and has gone to school to kinda- Mm-hmm ... have and navigate through some pretty challenging situations. Yeah. Amen. Mm-hmm.
Before I came to Christ, I was in secular therapy, and as I was working with her, I was coming to Christ. Mm-hmm. And I was starting to read the Bible, and she was very open for me to, to talk about it. I don't know what she believed. She never disclosed, which is- Mm ... you know, probably a good thing or professional- Yeah
from a therapist. But she was very open Mm ... for me talking [00:23:00] about it and my faith and me questioning things. That's when I was living in New York City. Then when I moved here to Tennessee for my schooling, I couldn't see her 'cause it was out of state, so I had to- Right.
Yeah ... had to switch. I was seeing this other Christian therapist. It, he was a different denomination. I actually think he was Christian now that I'm thinking about it. I'm like, " Is that?" Mm-hmm. I don't know. There was something- Yeah ... anyway, wasn't a good fit And then , I started seeing a Christian therapist, but I found with her, and maybe these two, like this man and then this woman, it wasn't the right fit.
Hmm. But I found that she put on her profile that she was Christian, and I could talk about my faith all day, Right ... and I certainly did. I talk a lot. But, she was not giving me any feedback. Mm-hmm. She did not give me any scriptures like, "Oh, you should look here," or she just wasn't very affirming.
It was a lot of, "Well, how do you feel about that? What do you feel like the Lord's revealing to you?" Right, yeah. And it didn't feel like this dialogue going back and forth. It felt like I was talking about my faith, and even though she was Christian, there was still this wall. Right. So then I had a couple sessions with her.
I was like, "Eh, there's just something that's not-" Mm-hmm ... [00:24:00] it's not helpful. Then I ended up switching to a biblical counselor. So technically she was not a licensed therapist. She was a biblical counselor. Yes. And I mean, we were talking about the Bible all day every day. Mm-hmm. You know? And, it felt like more of a dialogue, and I think she had that freedom because she wasn't a licensed therapist.
Are there certain restrictions that you have with talking about the Bible and being able to engage? So it can depend. Mm-hmm ... probably one on, your state where you're practicing. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. And then also the practice that you're in. , Thankfully, so I am in private practice, which gives me as far as like I don't answer to an agency, I am the practice.
Mm-hmm. So I do have a little bit more autonomy, , in that regard. And then with my clients, that's something that we talk about in like their intake paperwork is, where are you in your faith? Is faith important to you? So we talk about it upfront. Mm-hmm. And when a client says, "Yes, my faith is important," or maybe they say, "It used to be important, but I'm kinda, , off track," then that does give me, , the permission to bring up faith whenever it is- Mm-hmm
[00:25:00] Appropriate. So it does take some, wisdom and discernment on when to, , bring it up, and I do talk about it more with some clients than I do others- Mm-hmm ... depending on what they need in that moment. But thankfully, I do have more, I guess, control on when I can bring those things up.
Yeah. And what I love, too, about just you sharing about all of like your counseling, I guess, journey- It's been a journey. , Yes. But it's so important because a lot of people will, and I mean rightfully so, they'll go to one counselor or, you know- Mm-hmm ... therapist, and it's not a good fit, and people can get so discouraged or just stay with the counselor even though, you know, even like you got like a better counselor, but you still felt like- Mm-hmm
something was missing. That's what's so important because really the number one indicator on whether counseling is going to actually be beneficial is not the, method or model that they use. Mm-hmm. It's not any of the, the details that you would maybe assume. It is- Is your counselor a good fit?
Mm-hmm. And that can mean, how they practice, but it can also be as simple as, like, personality, , or how they kind of interact with you. Like, do they give more feedback? Are they more [00:26:00] direct, or are they more of a sit back and let you talk kind of thing? Right. So it's so important, , yeah, that you just keep trying until you find a counselor that's a good fit for you.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. And the reason I went to that other woman was it wasn't BetterHelp. It was another app like that- Mm-hmm ... where you're kinda signing up with a service. It tends to be really affordable. My old employer, they, we got eight free sessions with- Mm-hmm ... with this other app, and I think that's where she was coming.
So there were probably regulations now that I think- Right ... about it- Mm-hmm ... because she was in this group. That's definitely, that's likely, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. So it was accessible because it was virtual, and I didn't have to go in, but then not accessible 'cause I couldn't really- Right, not a good fit
talk with her. Yeah. Right, yeah, yeah, not a good fit. So yeah, I appreciate you going through all of that, too. I imagine that you probably help people reconcile their church hurt too. Mm-hmm. Yes. Uh, that is pretty prevalent. Mm-hmm. Which really, I think that should be kind of no surprise, and church hurt can kinda, can vary.
Maybe it's something more common like, , gossip or hurt feelings, or maybe there is some, more just [00:27:00] serious trauma- Mm-hmm ... or, unhealthy leadership or manipulation, involved. So definitely the scope of, church hurt ranges in, , maybe seriousness.
Mm-hmm. But even, even maybe what someone would call less serious church hurt can definitely be very impactful in a negative way- Mm-hmm ... with someone's relationship, with God. And, again, , I think it should probably not surprise people because, say, for example, if someone grows up in church and they've been in church for, 20, 30 more years, chances are at some point you're gonna run into at least a little bit of church hurt.
Mm-hmm. 'Cause people are imperfect. Right. We're human. , Even people, yeah, even people- Mm-hmm ... in the church, they're not gonna get it right. And so, I do, I love , the opportunity to really speak to people, about that 'cause it, it's important. Yeah, yeah, you were hurt or, something didn't turn out the way you wanted , in the church or, maybe it was a really big hurting situation.
Mm-hmm. But ultimately, someone told me once, like, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water." Mm-hmm. Don't throw out what's really important, which is your relationship with God, because of certain people or [00:28:00] certain hurts that happened to you in the church or outside. Yeah. That's really good.
I think we do have to remember , that we are humans, we are imperfect, sinful people- Yes ... but we serve a perfect God. Yeah. And our relationship with Jesus is most important. And I like what you said, too. I don't think we need to, up and leave every church- Mm-hmm ... because of every offense. Now there are some real traumas and things.
Yes. Okay? Obviously gotta do what you have to do to get outta that situation. , But I find, especially in Nashville, there's more churches here per capita- Mm-hmm ... than there are anywhere else in the United States, and people are constantly church hopping. And one thing happens, and they're quickly switching- Yeah
to another church, and people are very- I would say flighty here, not everyone certainly. Right. But I think because also Nashville's a very transient city, people are coming in and out- Mm-hmm ... they're touring or going on tour, music city. There's just a lot that's going on here, and, , I find that some people are just, like, less rooted.
Mm-hmm. If that makes sense. Yeah. And so, people could experience an offense and then just up and leave, where actually that may be an opportunity where the Lord wants to [00:29:00] teach you about conflict resolution- Right, yeah ... about- Mm-hmm ... using your voice and advocating for yourself, or forgiveness and things like that.
So. Absolutely. Yeah. And I love what you post too. I feel like you, you've probably posted this several times, and it's always when I've needed to see it, that, you don't have to respond yes- Mm-hmm ... to the serve request the day before when they ask you. Yes. Yeah. You can say no. Those videos always get very , mixed comments.
Really? Yes. , Which I honestly, I love, because I think disagreement, even on social media, disagreement really can bring some good opportunity for good, dialogue- Mm-hmm ... where people can learn. , But that is something that I do think , is so important, and of course I am not saying, which are where the comments can get, where people are disagreeing.
I'm not saying it's not good to serve, and I'm not saying, , don't ever respond. Mm-hmm. But we should not let, feeling guilty for not responding or not being able to serve on a Sunday stop us from actually going to the service ourself and- Right ... hearing from God. So yes, I post that [00:30:00] reminder , Mm-hmm
a good multiple weekends, every now and again, 'cause I do think it's- Yeah, it's needed ... just an important reminder. ' Cause it is, it's so easy to let not only that- But so many different things just stop us from attending on a Sunday- Mm-hmm ... or keep us from, , spending our devotion, , time with the Lord.
, It's just so easy for anything to kind of take that place. Yeah, absolutely, and I feel like it would be really helpful to work with a Christian therapist as you're serving and getting involved in the church to make sure that you have healthy rhythms and you're- Mm-hmm ... not burning yourself out.
You're growing- Yes ... in boundaries and advocating for yourself, and serving well. And one thing I always had to keep checking my heart, the Lord had to always keep checking me- ... was making sure that I was always serving, , from a place where I'm doing this as worship unto him, not worship as unto the church I was going to.
Right. Mm-hmm. , I was the coordinator for our greeting team, so very front-facing- Mm-hmm ... leading a team of 50 or 60 people, and that can easily go to your head, when- Yeah ... you're leading so many people. Mm-hmm. You're front-facing, and, you know, you wanna represent the, dress your best, Yes
those sorts of things. Yes., So thinking, "Okay, what am I gonna [00:31:00] wear to church?" It becomes I'm spending more time thinking about what I'm wearing to church and how I'm doing my hair than getting my heart posture right. Like I'm spending more time doing that than- Yeah ... , getting myself right and thinking about the Lord at church.
Or serving so many services that I don't even attend- Mm-hmm ... myself. , I feel like it would be really helpful even if somebody already is in church, they're not in a crisis- Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Yeah ... but they just wanna grow spiritually. Mm-hmm. That's one thing I also, 'cause I, I am from Troy, Alabama, which is- Mm-hmm
a smaller town, so I do think maybe even the mental health stigma is a little bit more prominent in smaller towns. Mm-hmm. , Again, I think it's definitely getting better, which I'm so, thankful for, but there's still that stigma of, counseling just , in general. A little bit. And I think people, one thing that holds kind of people up is they do think you have to be in a crisis- Mm
or you have to be, crazy or just really, really struggling, like on your last leg before you reach out- Mm-hmm ... for a counselor. , But I talk about a lot that, yeah, I mean, if you're just going through a transition season or just have a few goals [00:32:00] coming up that you want to really work on , , and accomplish, or if you just have a few things in your life, a few different areas, maybe it is time management or, you know, maybe you struggle with conflict, just things like that.
They- Mm-hmm ... there's so many different uses and things that counseling can help with. And, it can be a long-term thing, but it can just be a, " Hey, I'm gonna come in, , for every other week for two or three months and learn these new skills- Mm-hmm ... , and, learn how to navigate this new church role I'm in."
It doesn't always have to be, " Oh, I'm really struggling." It can be, " Oh, I just have a few things I wanna work on." Yeah. Mm-hmm. Absolutely, and I find that when you're actually in a crisis and you need someone, you don't have the capacity to shop- Right ... around and find a therapist. Yes. You just need to already be established- Mm-hmm
and already be prepared. Yeah. Do you find that because you live in a smaller town and there is some stigma around mental health, that actually the faith-based integration that you have is helpful? Honestly, that has been , my story. And it's interesting, and again, I'm so very thankful that that has actually, I think, been a [00:33:00] benefit.
That's good. Because when I, was first, when the idea first, came up and I was talking with different, maybe even counseling professionals or just other people in the community, some of the response was like, " Oh," like, "with faith in the name, like are you worried that you're gonna kinda scare people away?"
Mm. And it has completely been the opposite, Mm-hmm ... and this is such a great thing as well, but even people Who would not really consider themselves to be very, like, faith, I guess, heavy or again, maybe they grew up in church, but it's not something that they're kind of active in right now.
Mm-hmm. You know, they will reach out, and they will be so open with that, and I've just seen so many beautiful conversations, again, from not only people looking for a Christian counselor, where that was very important to them, but also I think it's even a draw for people who faith isn't very important to them necessarily right now, or they don't think it is.
Mm-hmm. , But I mean, that's even gotten them in the door too. So I , definitely think it's been a benefit. That's awesome. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I feel like it would legitimize your business- Mm-hmm ... and what you're trying to do in the Christian community. Yes. [00:34:00] And that's really the people you're trying to attract anyway.
Right. So that's so good. How would you describe your integration, like a faith-based approach to counseling? So when people ask about- counseling and faith, I think that maybe the assumption is that it can be challenging to integrate it together. Mm-hmm. But what's so just important, I think, to remember is that, God created us.
He created everything. He created our brain and our- Mm-hmm ... emotions and, you feelings and the people. Like, he literally created psychology and science and created, the counseling kind of process. So it really is integrated pretty simply because, I mean, God can be integrated into everything.
Mm-hmm. And it's so interesting, even , , when we think about, , renewing your mind, that's one of the counseling practices or kind of theories that comes to mind is a very common one, , called CBT, but- Mm-hmm ... cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is exactly what we talked about earlier when we talked about renewing our mind.
Mm-hmm. So it's so just really, for me, interesting because really everything that I have learned and studied and [00:35:00] used in a counseling way can easily be found even just throughout the Scripture. Yeah, and I find that with nutrition, too. Mm-hmm. There's so many things that we see that different scientific studies have proven that Scripture's been saying for Right, yes
for so many years, and God created it, and he started it. But now we're just starting to see it- Mm-hmm ... with the science, or now we're just starting to believe it because a a study- Right, yes ... showed it. So I'm sure that that's the same for you. And I find that that is really helpful for clients to say, when they ask me, "How do I eat?
Is this food okay?" Or, "What do you think about this?" Whatever they're struggling with, to say, "Okay, here's what the evidence shows. Here's my, dietitian answer, and here's my Christian answer." Mm-hmm. And I almost give them both, like, "Here's what the science says- That's awesome ... and here's how scripture backs that up."
Mm-hmm. And it adds an extra incentive and extra layer for them, , when they see like, oh, this isn't just something that science shows, but God's been saying this all along, or- Right ... he created it. I see this a lot. The biggest pushback that I get is, , people do not wanna eat breakfast. Mm-hmm. They hate breakfast.[00:36:00]
And they're like, "I'm not hungry in the morning." Mm-hmm. "I'm not used to eating breakfast." I'm like, " Just because your body has now adapted to not- Right ... sending you hunger cues in the morning, why would it waste calories when it knows it's not gonna get fed? Just 'cause it's adapted to not expecting food at that time doesn't mean that you don't need fuel at that time."
Mm-hmm. And I talk about all the different things that are going on from a physiological standpoint with, you know, it drives up cortisol. You have lower blood sugar, all of these things, you know, brain fog. , It can really disrupt your hormones if you're not eating breakfast, really going into the whole science of it.
But then, - It's like people, "Yeah, yeah, okay, I can see I need to eat breakfast." But then when I say, " And also if we go to John 21, verses 1 through 14, Jesus demonstrates eating breakfast with his disciples." Mm-hmm. "And it was a balanced breakfast. It was fish and bread after he performed another fish-catching miracle," then I'm telling you, they're like, " Okay, I'm willing to eat breakfast."
Wow, okay. Mm-hmm. So it really makes a difference. Do you see that too when you are giving the scripture? Is it, like, people are more willing to try different coping skills or- Yes ... open to things? Yeah. Yeah, 'cause then at that point, I [00:37:00] mean, yeah, you're right, and it's not just the science, but it's also, the Bible.
Mm-hmm. And with that, it's so interesting because it's almost, at that point it's like, okay, so, I've told you the science part or the count- the psychology part. I've told you the, the Christian, answer. Mm-hmm. So it's like, all right, so at this point Either you believe the Bible or you don't,
yeah. So it's like, and that honestly, I'll use that, that a lot, and again, it's of course easier said than, than done when it actually comes to living it out. But it does, it can be just a very, like aha moment, like oh my gosh, like yeah, like I do believe the Bible. Mm-hmm. So now I do need to live this out.
Wow. Wow, and like it talks about that in Proverbs 4:20-23, that we have to get the scriptures from our head into our heart. Mm-hmm. And that's where it said we need to guard our heart, for everything we do flows from it. And, and that is a process to get to where it's like, "Yeah, yeah, I know that scripture," to like, ooh, you receive that into your heart enough where your actions- Mm-hmm
flow from that place, and I feel like that's what you're doing with the counseling- Mm-hmm ... that you provide, is helping people get like from their head to their heart, where they're having- Yeah ... those [00:38:00] revelations. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And one thing that the Lord said to me last summer was He said, "Abby, I have you in the ministry of reconciliation," and I feel like this is the same for you as it talks about, I believe it's in Hebrews, that we're all in the ministry of reconciliation as believers and trying to shepherd people to the Good Shepherd.
, But especially us as practitioners, like the Lord said to me, like, "Through helping people heal their relationship with food, you're reconciling them back to Me." Mm-hmm. "It's not about the food, it's something deeper. They need Me." Mm-hmm. And I feel like with you, that's also the same. Mm-hmm. That whatever people are going through, they need Jesus at the center of that.
Whatever they're searching for, whatever healing they need, Jesus will provide that. Right. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's beautiful, honestly. So good. So yeah, what would you say to someone that feels like they have to earn God's love, God's approval, God's acceptance? That's something that I see a lot with the clients that I work with, is they feel like they need to eat perfectly, have the perfect body, check all the boxes, perfect hour-long quiet time.
Mm-hmm. Do all of these things so that they [00:39:00] can earn right standing with God, they can be acceptable in society, earn approval, be desirable. What would you say to someone that constantly feels like they have to earn God's love? First I would, just acknowledge that it is, like you mentioned, just such a kinda common thing.
Mm-hmm. You know? It's a very human thing to feel that way. And so again, you know, there shouldn't be shame or anything like that attached , to that once you kinda recognize it, but again, that's definitely a good place to start is recognizing, okay, I am trying to earn the love of God or people or, whoever it is through all the things I'm trying to check off.
But then, I mean, I would, again, just encourage, like, did Jesus say that? Mm-hmm. And we see that He definitely didn't. And ultimately, I talk about this a lot too, just with clients and even just, , friends and family, but ultimately there's only so much encouragement that, , I can say, as in there's only, there's a limited impact.
So it's like I can tell you over and over that God is, , proud of you and He loves you exactly how you are. Mm-hmm. And even better, He wants to help you [00:40:00] continue to grow and, look more like Jesus. Mm-hmm. So you don't have to earn His love. He's already, given it to you. But ultimately, the only way for it to really be settled in your heart and in your spirit so that you can live it out is to kinda wrestle it out with God.
Mm-hmm. And that takes kind of unfortunately, 'cause there's not just this magical thing we can do, but it does just take, I think, a lot of intentionality in the Word, in worship, in prayer, and just , through life experience. , He wants to remind everyone that , He loves you and you don't have to earn it.
Yeah. And that He already died for it. Right. Like, He did all of the work and we can just receive. Mm-hmm. And it's really hard for us to receive. Yes. I think especially as women, we don't, we don't want to. We feel like we don't deserve it. But we do. And yeah, I think that that's so good. Yeah. And if someone feels like they're really stuck in anxiety, shame, discouragement, how would you help them?
With that, and again, ultimately, you do have to point, people back to the one who can actually help. Mm-hmm ... but a big part really is acknowledging that the [00:41:00] anxieties and the worries and the disappointment, like, all of that is, again, just so, so human. Mm-hmm. And again, you don't have to...
'Cause I know \, the immediate kind of response that we,\ want to do once we feel that way, is we want to kind of hide from it- Mm-hmm ... or we feel like God is going to be mad that we are anxious, or, \ we feel like we can't take anything negative to him. \, But again, I mean, he died not only so we could go, not only so after we live here and die, we can, go to heaven, and one day he he gives us this new Earth, , not only for that, but, like, Jesus died for us to have an abundant life here- Mm-hmm
on Earth, like, today. Yes. And so it is just so important, again, to know that , it's human, and it's okay to feel those things, and at the same time, we can continue , looking to God, 'cause we know that he does have a good plan- Mm-hmm ... for us. Amen. Amen. Are there certain scriptures that you normally point people to when you say, like, "Oh, Jesus wouldn't say that"?
Are there certain things in the Gospels- Mm-hmm ... where you kind of recap those? I love when I'm able to, , just [00:42:00] like you did earlier, when there's certain, stories that's just very applicable to- Mm-hmm ... their, their situation. A verse that, , a lot of us know is the Jeremiah 29, 11- Mm-hmm
, Which does, state that God has a great and,, just wonderful plan for us, a plan for hope , and a future. And what I also point people to is after that verse, the thought... Like, God isn't done speaking. He's, continuing to speak in the verses, , after that where he says that...
And I think it really gives us a big perspective or another look on what the promise of the hope and the future actually is. Mm-hmm. And it continues to talk about how- We will, you know, come to God and call on Him and pray to Him, and He'll listen to us. Mm-hmm. And then it continues on and, you know, it, it says that we will seek Him and find Him when we seek Him with all of our heart, and it reiterates that.
Like, "God, I will be found by [00:43:00] you." Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And I think that is what can, you know, for a lot of these things, what can be so helpful for people is to almost kind of just encourage everyone to just zoom out, because like we've talked about earlier, this life is not gonna be perfect, and even when you do the counseling and you, um, you know, bring everything to God, there's still gonna be days where you're facing worries or anxieties or disappointments, because again, this world is broken.
Mm-hmm. But at the end of the day, we can always go back, you know, to that promise that God does have a good, a hope, and a, a future for us, and ultimately, that really is ... We have a God that loves us enough to listen to us and loves us enough to- Yeah ... you know, be with us and, and reveal Himself to us fully, which is ultimately- Yeah
the, the best thing that could ever happen. Amen. Yeah, I think when we think about that Jesus came to us- Mm-hmm ... and chose to dwell within us and never be separated again, it, [00:44:00] it does create that secure attachment. Mm-hmm. And to not just think, "Yeah, He has good- Yeah ... plans for me," but "No, He hears me, and I'm going to find Him.
He's going to find me. He's pursuing me all the days of my life. I may be going through all of these horrible things in my life, my circumstances are really uncertain, but He's walking with me in this." Mm-hmm. Um, I just, it's such a comfort. Yeah. Yeah. So good. Are there any other things that we didn't talk about today that you feel like would be important for listeners to hear?
You know, I do. I think we hit a good many. I had a few things that I was like, "Okay, I definitely wanna talk about these today." And I think we did a really good job. You know, ultimately, if I ... And y- you know, we've even hit on this, but a lot of these things do sound, you know ... And some were practical, and, and some were just kind of principles or whatever that we talked about today.
Mm-hmm. And a lot of it does, you know, sound good, and a lot of it, like we said, it's easier said than done. But, you know, just for those listening, it, it is possible. It's possible to [00:45:00] renew your mind. Mm-hmm. It's possible to, you know, actually live out the truth and, and check your thoughts and, and all of those things.
But ultimately, again, there's only so much that I can say, and even, you know, a good counselor can say. Like, ultimately- You're going to have to be intentional and bring whatever it is at the feet of Jesus- Mm-hmm ... because that really is where, um, the real healing can, can take place. Yeah. Amen. Amen. That's so good.
Well, how can people work with you? Do you only work with people that are in Alabama or- Yes ... other states as well, and where can people find you? Yes, a great question. So, um, yes, I can only see clients in the state of Alabama. As far as social media, TikTok is a great place, anna.faithandtrust, and, Instagram is faithandtrust.counseling. If you are in Alabama and, want to work with me, you can go to my website, which is [00:46:00] faithandtrustcounseling.com, and complete a contact form, and then I will reach out from there.
Perfect. Thank you so much, Anna. I really appreciate- Thank you so much for having me ... all of your wisdom. Oh my gosh, of course, all of your wisdom, and I just know that this is gonna be really fruitful for people, so thank you so much. Thank you. thank you for tuning in to this week's episode of Your Daily Bread Podcast. Now, if anything about this episode resonated with you, I wanna encourage you to send it to three sisters in Christ who may also wanna steward their bodies better.
I read every comment, every review of the show, and I love hearing your testimonies and how the Holy Spirit is meeting you through these episodes. And if you haven't left a review yet, I wanna encourage you to do so 'cause it truly does help the show grow and it. Ultimately benefits the kingdom. And if you need any personalized support with your nutrition and your relationship with food or your body image, head to the show notes and you'll see all the different ways to work with me.
See you next week.
