Are you a man who loves Jesus but still feels stuck, frustrated, numb, or wrestling with anger you just can’t shake with the people you care about most? Many Christian men carry unhealed pain, trauma, and childhood wounds that quietly shape their marriage, relationships, and faith. What looks like anger, withdrawal, or conflict in marriage is often rooted in deeper shame, family of origin wounds, or unresolved church hurt. If you’ve ever wondered why your best intentions in marriage, parenting, and friendships get hijacked by pain you can’t see or name, this episode will help you understand why, and what real healing and emotional maturity actually look like. In this powerful conversation on the Stand Up Dude Podcast, hosts Tim Bisagno and Pedro LaTorre sit down with licensed marriage and family therapist Shelli Norvell to talk about trauma, men’s mental health, spiritual formation, and honesty in marriage. Shelli shares how vulnerability, empathy, boundaries, and accountability become the pathway to recovery from codependency, toxic relationships, shame, depression, and broken self-worth. Shelli’s story is raw and remarkable. She went from childhood abuse and self-destruction to recovery, resilience, and faith-filled healing. Through radical honesty, grace, forgiveness, and therapy, she now helps people confront pain, rebuild self-worth, and experience real transformation in their marriages, relationships, and walk with Jesus. 👉 Never Miss An Episode: Get our newsletter – https://missionxmission.eo.page/sud-newsletter 👉 Support Stand Up Dude & Mission X Mission: http://MissionXMission.org/donate What You’ll Experience in This Episode: • How unhealed pain and childhood wounds can quietly shape (and sabotage) your closest relationships, faith, and view of yourself—even if you “do all the right things” • The gripping true story of Shelli’s journey: abuse, secrecy, spiritual confusion, marriage, brokenness, divorce, attempted suicide, and finding God in the darkest depths (00:00) • Why bravado and religious performance are empty substitutes for emotional and spiritual honesty—and how radical truth-telling opens the door to healing and genuine connection • Tools for moving from victimhood and shame into ownership, courage, and hope (even after catastrophic failure, betrayal, or addiction) • How to recognize, name, and process the “stuck trauma” in your life (and why that matters for real freedom, peace, and lasting change) • What women actually want to see in Christian husbands—and how softening, confession, and humility can restore marriages and families • Why “grace begets grace,” and the secret to breaking the cycle of judgment, numbness, and critical spirit in your home or church This episode is for YOU if: You long to be a better husband, dad, or friend but feel blocked by old patterns or unspoken pain You grew up with faith but are disappointed, angry, or “deconstructed” by church hurt or trauma You’re afraid of being truly honest with yourself, God, or the people who matter most You want to end shame’s rule over your life and break generational cycles for good This is NOT another “try harder” or “do better” pep talk. This is an invitation—to step into the light, start new stories, and let God finish what He began. As Shelli powerfully declares, “You already are all those things. The Great I Am is already in you.” It’s time to LIVE that truth. RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED: • Shelli Norvell – Find more of Shelli’s story, therapy resources, and contact info: https://ShelliNorvell.com • The Encounter Training – Deep-dive spiritual/emotional healing for men & women: https://thecountertraining.com • Free guides for Christian masculinity, marriage, and emotional health: https://standupdude.com/be-more 📣 Take Action: Like, subscribe, and SHARE this episode with a man, friend, or spouse who needs genuine hope and breakthrough. Comment your biggest takeaway or question below—we want to hear YOUR story. Reach out for help. Find ONE person. Start your healing with truth. ⚡️ Connect With Us: • Email: dudes@standupdude.com • Website: https://standupdude.com/ • Instagram: instagram.com/standupdudeofficial • Facebook: facebook.com/standupdude • All Links & Resources: https://linktr.ee/standupdude Thank you for being part of the Stand Up Dude brotherhood. You were made for freedom, wholeness, and legacy—let’s pursue it together, for the Kingdom, our families, and the world. 🔗 Share the Show: All links & socials: https://linktr.ee/standupdude Theme Music: “Prodigal” by Arrows in Exile — https://open.spotify.com/track/0Qbpjwsb1Z9XuES9yqKQoz?si=8deed3f6cd2548cf Feeling alone or stuck? You’re not. Watch, share, and ignite your healing & calling with us—RIGHT NOW. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-stand-up-dude-podcast--6143975/support.
