While modern psychiatry has improved many patients’ quality of life, it falls short in addressing their relational and spiritual needs? Can we draw on theological wisdom and scientific evidence to reframe our understanding of mental health care?

Dr. Warren Kinghorn is a psychiatrist and theological ethicist whose work centers on the role of religious communities in caring for persons with mental health problems. He is jointly appointed to the faculties of Duke Divinity School and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of Duke University Medical Center, and practices psychiatry at the Durham VA Medical Center.

Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here.

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"Freedom appears very nearly the only value about which people still agree unanimously," says Jacques Philippe in his little book, Interior Freedom. But how does freedom connect to happiness, love, and our life with God and others?

These are the questions this little firecracker of a book examines, and that we talk about in this two-part series.

We look at the difference between "freedom from" and "freedom for", the ideas of locus of control, the constraints of everyday life, and what "inner freedom" might mean, and what it doesn't mean.

Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here.

Stay Connected:

• NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.
• Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources.
• Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Instead of pretending to have it all together or insisting that you’re the problem, do you long to see more Christian leaders be honest about their own faith struggles? What benefit could there be to having a front-row seat to the moments that leaders choose to trust in God, even when it’s hard to believe?

Today we have Mandy Smith, pastor and award-winning author and speaker—and also a great friend—with us to talk about this very thing.We are talking about her newest book, Confessions of an Amateur Saint: The Christian Leader’s Journey from Self-Sufficiency to Reliance on God.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:27 Mandy Smith's New Book
03:16 The Journey of Writing
05:23 The Role of Joy and Creativity in Ministry
07:59 Attachment and Dependence on God
11:48 Confessions and Vulnerability
14:54 The Importance of Connection and Openness
16:57 Spiritual Warfare and Pruning
25:41 Solidarity with Christ's Sacrifices
29:07 The Role of Vulnerability in Leadership
32:14 The Power of Shared Struggles
36:58 The Structure and Purpose of the Book
43:29 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here.

Stay Connected:

• NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.
• Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources.
• Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).