Relationship Prescriptions with Dr. Carol

Behaviors matter. Sexual behaviors matter! But focusing most on behaviors leads to "trying harder" and failing, and stops short of addressing the deep heart changes needed for lasting transformation. In this episode Dr. Carol shares the core part of her message given at the Sexual Integrity Leadership Summit. This message shows how the "problem" is less of a sex problem and more of an intimacy problem. And she addresses God's plan for intimacy as the solution, and what you can do about it. Check out our free download A 5-Part Prescription for Sexual Healing – God's Way Some of the ministries offering small groups to support you in growing in sexual wholeness: Pure Desire Ministries, Be Broken Ministries, SHE Recovery, and Living Without Lust. Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. You can leave her a confidential message here.

Marriage always takes work. But what happens when mental health struggles get added to the mix? How can both partners experience intimacy and goodness when things get messy? In this eyeopening episode Dr. Carol talks with founder and president of The Veritas Creative, Jon Seidl and his wife, Brett, a business owner and interior designer. Jon lives with significant mental health diagnoses. However, in this conversation the couple discus how their marriage has not only survived but thrived, and how those in the body of Christ can help those challenged with mental illness. Connect with Jon Seidl at The Veritas Creative, his website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram Connect with Brett Seidl on her interior design website Find Jon's books Finding Rest: A Survivor's Guide to Navigating the Valleys of Anxiety, Faith, and Life and Finding Rest Guiding Workbook: An Invitation to Go Deeper For personal help with mental health or marriage challenges, check out these courses from Dr. Carol Ministries: - Defeat Your Fear and Anxiety - Fully Alive Marriage Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! Leave her a confidential message here.

Loss is always possible when you love. But when emotional bankruptcy and loss happen repeatedly, regaining intimacy and love has even more challenges. In today's episode Dr. Carol talks with Rachel Faulkner Brown who describes herself as emotionally bankrupt during her first two marriages which both ended in death and grief. Hear how she found freedom, healing, true intimacy, and love again, and how she is now leveraging her story in helping thousands of hurting women. Connect with Rachel Faulkner Brown at Be Still Ministries and Never Alone Widows, or Facebook or Instagram. Get her Father's House Study, and enter promo code DrCarol25 for 25% off!! If you're walking through grief, you'll appreciate this 30-day email series The Christian's Journey Through Grief Dr. Carol loves to hear from you; you can leave her a confidential message here

Behaviors matter. Sexual behaviors matter. But at least as if not more important are the underlying matters of the heart, such as broken needs for intimacy, isolation, and believing lies about the world, self, and God. Maria Nistri, Dr. Carol's guest on the podcast today, serves as executive director of Exchange Ministries. Here she shares her story of what she describes as "struggle and victory over same-sex attractions" and the role that an intimate daily relationship with Jesus has played in her journey. Find out more about Exchange Ministries on their website. Check out our 5-Part Prescription for Sexual Healing – God's Way You can leave me a confidential message here.

Many in the Christian church see singleness as a condition of deficit, focused on what a single person doesn't have. The culture and ministries of many churches give the subliminal message that marriage and children are a higher spiritual state than singleness. That's not a Biblical - or a historically Christian perspective. Listen as Dr. Carol talks with Dr. Dani Treweek, author, adjunct professor, and ordained Anglican deacon, about the meaning of singleness. This conversation "goes there" - about a theology of singleness, struggles have with intimacy, loneliness, and sex, and what singleness can and should mean for the body of Christ. Connect with Dr. Dani Treweek on her website, Facebook, or Twitter. Find her book The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church Check out Dr. Carol's article Feeling on the Outside as a Single Christian Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! Leave her a confidential message here.

Why does it matter that God created humans as sexual beings? What does that tell us about ourselves, and more importantly about God? How do we make sense of all the harm sex/sexuality has brought to many people in light of what God originally intended to be good? In this deep and encouraging conversation Dr. Carol talks with John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, about bringing what God reveals in Scripture about these topics into this cultural moment even when it brings controversy. Find more about the Colson Center for Christian Worldview Check out the article Sex as Sacred: What a Twitter Maelstrom Reveals About Us Find John Stonestreet on Facebook or Twitter My podcast episode with Joshua Butler: How God's Vision for Sex Challenge's Today's Culture Check out this 5-Part Prescription for Sexual Healing – God's Way You can get in touch with me personally by leaving a confidential message here.

We hear from many of you asking questions about difficult situations involving sexuality, relationships, and intimacy. In this episode Dr. Carol addresses a number of your questions around these challenging issues. Issues she addresses include sexual betrayal in marriage, shame around masturbation, struggles to break free from pornography, and long-standing disconnect around sexual intimacy between husband and wife. Check these resources Dr. Carol mentioned: Ways to Pray About Your Troubled Marriage Free download 5-part Prescription for Sexual Healing–God's Way Online course Fully Alive Marriage Dr. Carol loves to hear from you. Leave a question or confidential message here.

Happily ever after - does that even happen? Not for most couples. Beyond behaviors (which matter), what do you do with the messed-up, hijacked, and broken matters of the heart when a marriage is wounded? Bob and Dannah Gresh are both ministry leaders and authors in their own rights. But in this vulnerable episode they talk with Dr. Carol about the process God used to redeem their own wounded marriage and what that looked like for both of their hearts. Check out the Happily Even After podcast. Find Dannah Gresh on her website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Connect with Bob and Dannah's organizations True Girl and Born to be Brave Find Dannah's book Happily Even After: Let God Redeem Your Marriage Check out Dr. Carol's article Pornography and Your Christian Marriage Check out our online course Fully Alive Marriage You can leave Dr. Carol a confidential message here.

What's the big deal about sex? Why does God care? What does God's original vision around sex say about Him and His design and plans for us? Dr. Carol talks with Joshua Ryan Butler, author and pastor, about seeing God's vision for sex as a window into God's story of redemption, and a validating guide to living with authentic love in a changing culture. Some of these ideas may sound controversial. Listen through the lens of seeking to understand what God has had in mind from the beginning. Check out Joshua Ryan Butler on his website, Twitter, or Instagram. Find Josh's book Beautiful Union: How God's Vision for Sex Points Us to the Good, Unlocks the True, and (Sort of) Explains Everything Do you need to address your sexual story? Our Sexpectations course can help you do that. Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! You can connect with Dr. Carol confidentially here.

Both culture and the church in recent years have seen too many examples of male sexuality gone wrong. But what's the alternative? In this provocative episode Dr. Carol's talks with writer, research, and ordained minister Zachary Wagner, as he critiques purity culture, shares his vulnerable story, and offers a view of non-toxic Christian masculinity. Connect with Zachary Wagner on his website or Twitter. Find Zach's book Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality Check out Dr. Carol's article When the Church Hurts a Woman's Relationship with God Dr. Carol loves to hear from you! Leave a confidential comment here.