What if your sleepless nights weren't something to fight — but an invitation to connect with God?In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Benjamin Long, a dual board-certified sleep medicine physician and pediatrician, to explore the science and spirituality of sleep. Dr. Ben walks us through his "Sleepless Night Rules," the surprising connection between REM sleep and mental health, why you are not a machine, and how the Christian faith offers a uniquely powerful framework for finding rest.Whether you're a clock-watcher, a midnight mechanic, or just someone who can't turn their brain off at night — this conversation is for you.Topics covered:- The stages of sleep and why they matter- How anxiety and the illusion of control wreck your sleep- Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)- Sleep medications — what you should actually know- How to see the night as sacred space📖 Check out Dr. Ben's book, Sleep Habits Journal: Practices, Prayers, and Devotions to Ease Your Sleepless Nights at 👉 https://www.sleephabitsjournal.com/👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light.Thanks for joining us for this podcast! For more information on counseling, resources, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcWe also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT

In this episode, we sit down with legendary musician and arranger Fletch Wiley to hear his incredible journey from drug addiction to redemption through Christ. Fletch shares stories from his remarkable career working with icons like Andre Crouch, Diana Ross, and Doc Severinsen, starting from his days at UNT's famous One O'Clock Lab Band.From getting saved in a Tulsa hotel room in 1971 to traveling the world sharing the gospel through music, Fletch's testimony is a powerful reminder that God doesn't play fair—and that's exactly what we need. He talks about his time as Andre Crouch's trumpet player, producing the hit children's album "Music Machine," and his current ministry traveling the globe with his wife Catherine.Whether you're a musician, someone struggling with addiction, or just looking for an honest story of God's transforming power, this conversation will encourage you.📖 Get Fletch's book "God Doesn't Play Fair (And That's a Good Thing)":https://www.amazon.com/dp/1961194449?ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VWVW8XCDGJKZ1JXNFRRN👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light.Thanks for joining us for this podcast! For more information on counseling, resources, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcWe also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT

What if the key to a stronger relationship isn't avoiding conflict—but learning how to do it right?In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Lisa Gray shares game-changing insights from her 20+ years working with high-conflict couples and those navigating chronic illness. Lisa breaks down why most couples fail at conflict (hint: it's all about timing), introduces her powerful three-step process for healthy disagreements, and explains how chronic illness can actually deepen intimacy when approached with empathy and communication.Key Takeaways:• Why you should never fight when you're already mad• The three-step conflict process: Setup, Listen, Problem-Solve• How to separate listening from solution-finding• Navigating grief, guilt, and resentment in chronic illness• The difference between healthy guilt and toxic guilt• Why thriving is possible even in the hardest circumstancesAbout Lisa Gray:Lisa Gray is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in high-conflict couples and relationships impacted by chronic illness and chronic pain. She's the author of Healthy Conflict, Happy Couple and Thriving in a Relationship When You Have Chronic Illness.Connect with Lisa:Website: lisagraymft.comBooks & Resources: https://lisagrayauthor.com/Instagram: @lisagraymft#RelationshipAdvice #MarriageTherapy #HealthyConflict #ChronicIllness #CouplesTherapy #ConflictResolution #MarriageCounseling #RelationshipGoals #ChronicPain #LisaGray 👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light.Thanks for joining us for this podcast! For more information on counseling, resources, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcWe also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT

Struggling with debt, anxiety, or shame around money? You're not alone. In this honest conversation, Heather Day shares her personal journey from financial chaos to freedom—and it wasn't about finding a quick fix.Heather and her husband Robert found themselves drowning in debt in their mid-20s. What changed everything wasn't a magic solution, but a parking lot prayer and a willingness to let God reveal what wasn't like Him in their financial habits.In this episode, we discuss:-How to surrender your finances to the Holy Spirit (and what that actually means)-Why budgeting tactics fail without heart change-The connection between the fruit of the Spirit and how we handle money-Practical steps to overcome financial anxiety and shame-How gratitude rewires our brains and changes our relationship with money-Why community matters when fighting financial bondageHeather's book "Money and the Spirit" offers a different approach to financial freedom—one that starts with humility, surrender, and recognizing that God wants to be involved in every area of our lives, including our bank accounts.Guest: Heather Day, Author & Communications Specialist at Barnabas FoundationConnect with Heather:https://heatherday.net/Get the Book:"Money and the Spirit: Surrendering Our Finances to the work of the Holy Spirit" - Available wherever books are sold👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light.#EndOfLife #Faith #Grief #Hospice #DeathDoula #Sobriety #Healing #SpiritualJourney #HopeThanks for joining us for this podcast! For more information on counseling, resources, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcWe also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT

What does it take to transform death from your greatest fear into your sacred calling?In this deeply moving conversation, certified end-of-life doula Gina Economopoulos shares her extraordinary journey from bartender to nun to helping others transition peacefully from this life to the next. After watching her mother die at age 23 without faith or hope—an experience she describes as "pure hell"—Gina embarked on a spiritual odyssey that would eventually lead her to discover her true calling.Gina opens up about:• The moment she realized she could help others die with dignity and peace• What happens at the bedside when heaven "opens up" • Why Mother Teresa's words on dignity shaped her entire ministry• Her 12 years in the convent and what led to her unexpected departure• Losing her fiancé one month before their wedding and finding sobriety• The power of presence over perfect words when someone is dying• Stories of peaceful deaths and bedside conversions• Why hearing is the last sense to go—and what to say in those final momentsThis isn't just about death—it's about discovering that the kingdom of heaven is within us right now, and that sometimes our deepest wounds become our greatest gifts to others.Connect with Gina:Website: https://www.ginaecon.com/Book: "Shake The Dust Off Your Feet and Walk: Faith, Sobriety, Self-Discovery, and Healing - A Memoir" (Available on Amazon)📖 Download a FREE chapter of Gina's book at https://www.ginaecon.com/---👍🔔 If this conversation touched your heart, please like, subscribe, and share. Your support helps us bring more meaningful conversations to light.#EndOfLife #Faith #Grief #Hospice #DeathDoula #Sobriety #Healing #SpiritualJourney #HopeThanks for joining us for this podcast! For more information on counseling, resources, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcWe also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT

In this powerful conversation, Stacey Womack, founder and executive director of Abuse Recovery Ministry Services (ARMS), shares her 28 years of experience helping abuse survivors and those who use abusive behaviors.

Stacey discusses:

- Why churches struggle to address domestic abuse (and often become the least helpful resource)

- The 8 forms of abuse beyond physical violence—including the "worst" form victims identify

- How power and control dynamics differ from normal conflict- The dangerous misconception that couples counseling can fix abusive relationships- Why knowledge alone doesn't create change—and what does

- Her year-long intervention program that teaches men to "love like Jesus loves"

- The critical importance of safety planning and why leaving is the most dangerous time

- How women's health deteriorates under chronic abuse—and can recover after leavingStacey challenges common church teachings about submission, reveals why male victims face unique barriers, and explains why their programs remain free after nearly three decades.

Resources mentioned:

- Website: abuserecovery.org

- Book: "On the Front Lines of Abuse: Strategies for the Faith Community"

- Programs: Her Journey (recovery for women), intervention programs for men and womenCritical stats: 1 in 3 women experience domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking by an intimate partner. 75% of homicides happen after separation.If you or someone you know needs support, visit abuserecovery.org for free, confidential resources.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on faith, mental health, doubt, and spiritual formation.👍 Like, comment, and share with someone who’s wrestling but still searching.

Thanks for joining us for this podcast! For more information on counseling, resources, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org.

What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!

Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

We also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guide

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In this powerful and honest conversation, host Mark sits down with Constance Hastings, author of The Trouble With Jesus: Considerations Before You Walk Away. Together, they explore why Jesus has always been “troubling,” why doubt is not the enemy of faith, and how authentic belief often grows in tension, struggle, and unanswered questions.Constance shares her deeply personal journey—from growing up on the margins of church culture, to discovering faith as a child, to years of ministry as a mental health counselor—and how God led her to write a book especially for skeptics, doubters, and those wounded by church experiences.In this episode, we talk about:-Why doubt can be a doorway to deeper faith-How Jesus disrupts comfort, control, and expectations-Healing from church hurt without walking away from Christ-The difference between spiritual conviction and emotional harm-Why Jesus refused to be a “divine fixer”-What it means to say, “Lord, I believe—help my unbelief”If you’ve ever struggled with faith, felt offended by Jesus’ teachings, wrestled with unanswered questions, or wondered whether it’s possible to stay anchored in Christ when everything feels uncertain—this conversation is for you.📘 Learn more about Constance Hastings and her book:Visit www.constancehastings.com to read her companion blog, explore doubting voices in the Gospels, and receive a 20% discount on The Trouble With Jesus.🛒 Prefer supporting local bookstores? Constance encourages purchasing through your local shop as a way to spark meaningful conversations about faith.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on faith, mental health, doubt, and spiritual formation.👍 Like, comment, and share with someone who’s wrestling but still searching.

Join us on this episode of SoulSense as we welcome Dan Parr, broadcaster, voice artist, and the creator and narrator of the Easy-to-Understand Read Bible (EUR). Over the last four years, Dan has rewritten, published, and recorded all 66 books of the Bible in a contemporary, thought-for-thought translation designed to make Scripture clear, accessible, and understandable for modern readers.In this conversation, we explore:* How Dan felt called to this incredible project* The challenges and joys of translating and narrating the entire Bible* How faith and obedience shaped his journey* Practical tips for listening to or reading the EUR Bible* How making Scripture accessible can deepen your relationship with GodLinks & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:* Easy to Understand, Read Bible on Audible: https://www.audible.com/author/Dan-Parr/B0C9H1C21Q* Stream the EUR Bible 24/7: [https://www.mytunerradio.com](https://www.mytunerradio.com) (search “Holy Bible Easy to Understand Read Version”)* Dan’s voiceover website: [https://parrdanmevoices.com](https://parrdanmevoices.com)Whether you’re a lifelong Bible reader or just beginning, this episode offers inspiration, practical insights, and a fresh way to experience God’s Word.Thanks for joining us for this podcast! If you benefited from this video, please like, subscribe, and send it to a friend who might enjoy it. For more information on counseling, resources, workshops, newsletters, and more, go to samaritanswell.com​. You can also email us questions to cover on the podcast at info@samaritanswell.org. What part of this episode hit home for you? Comment below or email us: we would love to hear from you!Stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallasLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pcNever miss an episode of our podcast! Subscribe now and stay updated with our latest teachings. We also value your feedback, so please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Free Relationship "Talk Time" Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/talk-time-guideMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/featherlightLicense code: GAUXTZHWAYJROEFLMusic from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/all-i-needLicense code: LQFV9XYEQIWRJLNT