The Christian Women's Journey to Healing & Identity in Christ | Faith-Based Emotional Healing

Melissa Chan, PhD | Christian Emotional Healing Coach
  • 5.0 (2)
  • CHRISTIANITY

Real Emotions, Real Healing, Real Jesus. You were created for more than survival - you were made to live free, whole, and deeply connected to God. But when life leaves us unseen, stuck, or spiritually disconnected, it’s easy to forget who we are in Christ and start building our identity on the wrong things. In The Christian Women’s Journey to Healing & Identity in Christ, Christian Emotional Healing Coach Melissa Chan, PhD, together with her good friend and co-host Jasmine Barcia, walk with you through the process of healing from past wounds, breaking unhealthy cycles, and confronting negative self-beliefs - so you can live with confidence, freedom, and deep intimacy with God, yourself, and the people you love. Through biblical truths, raw personal stories, and trauma-informed heart-work, you’ll learn how to release shame, rewrite the narratives you’ve carried for too long, and embrace the secure, unshakable identity God gave you. Whether you’re navigating low self-esteem, relational struggles, church hurt, spiritual burnout, or cycles you can’t seem to break - this is your space to heal, grow, and reclaim who you truly are in Christ. 👉 Hit subscribe and take the journey with us!

  1. JAN 22

    I stopped doing quiet time the "right way" (and how God met me in my ADHD struggles)

    Send us a text You start every January with a Bible reading plan. Three weeks later, you're drowning in Leviticus and beating yourself up for failing again. Sound familiar? If you've ever wondered what's wrong with your brain, why you can't stay consistent with spiritual practices, or if God is disappointed in you for struggling so much, this episode is for you. In this vulnerable conversation, I share my journey of getting diagnosed with ADHD this year and how it completely transformed my relationship with God. No more performing. No more forcing formulas that were never designed for how my brain works. Just freedom to meet God in ways that actually honor how He made me. In this episode, we talk about: Why consistency in traditional spiritual disciplines feel impossible for ADHD brainsThe shame and guilt cycle that keeps you stuckHow my ADHD diagnosis was actually an answered prayerWhat it looks like to do quiet time differently every single day (and why that's okay)Practical ways to connect with God when your brain craves noveltyHow to let go of external expectations and lean into your intimate relationship with GodWhy struggling doesn't mean something is wrong with you spirituallyWhether you're officially diagnosed with ADHD or just deeply relate to these struggles, there's freedom waiting for you. Your brain isn't the problem. The expectations are. BITTERSWEET NEWS: This is our last episode with co-host Jasmine Barcia for this season as she enters a new season of calling 🥺 We're so grateful for the journey we've shared together ❤️ 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    39 min

  2. JAN 7

    Why trying harder for God keeps you stuck in shame and burnout

    Send us a text Have you ever felt like you're one missed prayer away from disappointing God completely? If you've spent days obsessing over whether an intrusive thought means you've lost your salvation, or if you confess the same sin repeatedly because you're terrified you didn't "mean it enough,” you might be struggling with religious scrupulosity. This form of OCD can come off as strong spiritual devotion, but underneath, you're drowning in fear, guilt, and the exhausting work of trying to earn a love that's already yours. In this episode, I'm sharing my own story of spiritual burnout when God called me to intercession from 2-3 AM every night until I physically crashed, and what I learned about the difference between conviction and condemnation. You'll discover why "trying harder" only reinforces the obsessive cycle, how to recognize if you're experiencing religious OCD, and the counterintuitive path to freedom: learning to rest in God's grace instead of performing for His approval. This is Christian emotional healing that honors both your faith and your mental health. If you're exhausted from walking on eggshells with God, this conversation will meet you with the warmth, truth, and Christian encouragement you've been desperate for. 👉 Ready to process your emotions God's way? Grab my FREE 3-day mini-course "From Triggered to Anchored" (link below) and discover how to move from fear to freedom in Christ. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    31 min

  3. 12/31/2025

    Intrusive thoughts & religious OCD (scrupulosity): When doing all the right Christian things makes it worse

    Send us a text When the intrusive thoughts won't stop. When prayer becomes compulsion. When you're doing everything "right" and still drowning. This is one of those episodes where we go there... to the places most Christians are afraid to talk about. My co-host Jasmine shares her raw, unfiltered journey through intrusive thoughts so dark and perverse that she couldn't even be around children. Pedophilic imagery. Sexual thoughts. The kind of thoughts that made her question her salvation, her character, and whether God could possibly still love her. And here's the kicker... she was doing everything right. Praying. Fasting. Deliverance conferences. Scripture all over her walls. But the intrusive thoughts wouldn't stop. What we cover: The difference between intrusive thoughts and sin (spoiler: they're not the same)Religious scrupulosity: when spiritual disciplines and practices become compulsions that keep you trappedWhy your brain attaches intrusive thoughts to what you love mostThe moment God asked Jasmine to stop striving and what happened nextHow rest (not more effort) became the pathway to freedomThe dangerous assumption that your thoughts = your characterThis isn't about tips to think more positively or trying harder. This is about a God who's more interested in you understanding His love than in you performing your way to freedom. If you've ever felt tormented by your own mind, isolated in shame, or exhausted from doing all the "right Christian things" with no relief... this one's for you. Your intrusive thoughts are not who you are. They're not sin. And they don't disqualify you from God's nearness. Resources mentioned: Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy for OCD If you're struggling with intrusive thoughts or OCD, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional who specializes in OCD treatment. You don't have to walk this alone. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    32 min

  4. 12/17/2025

    What does following Jesus actually look like when you're clinically depressed?

    Send us a text What does following Jesus actually look like when you're clinically depressed? Not the "had a rough week" kind of down... the kind where getting out of bed feels impossible, joy feels foreign, and even praying feels like too much. In this raw and honest episode, I'm sharing my own battle with major depressive disorder, and what I've learned about faith when everything feels heavy. In this episode: Why "just choose joy" isn't helpful (and what actually is)What happened when I couldn't get out of bed for 3 daysHow God's response shattered everything I believed about my worthWhy you can have faith AND depression at the same timePractical tools that kept me tethered to Jesus in the darkest seasonsThe truth: Depression doesn't disqualify you from God's love. You're not failing at faith. You're human, and you're fighting a battle most people can't see. 🆘 Crisis Resources: If you're struggling with thoughts of suicide: Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) 💬 What's kept you connected to Jesus when it felt impossible? Share your story in the comments! 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    29 min

  5. 11/20/2025

    Why Rest Feels Like Failure (And the Lie That's Keeping You Stuck)

    Send us a text Why does rest feel so wrong when God designed it for our good? In this episode, I'm getting raw about my unhealthy relationship with rest and the breakdown that changed everything. If you've ever felt guilty for taking a break or exhausted from performing even your faith, this one's for you. In this episode, we talk about... The lies we believe: "Rest is a luxury I can't afford""If I rest, everything will fall apart""I need to perform rest correctly"The pivotal moments: Jasmine's shift from constant improvement to God's invitation to "dream, sit, and play"My fast food parking lot meltdown when God said "you've passed the test"Choosing resting over a Sunday service and finding God thereWhy rest doesn't work when we do all the "right" activities: The heart shift vs. behavior changeSitting with uncomfortable emotions (guilt, shame, fear)How rest is where we actually get to know GodPlus practical reflection questions to uncover what's blocking your rest. Key quotes: "My worth has nothing to do with what I can produce. Rest does not take away from work." "Rest and joy are tied together. You can't separate them." "Fun is not childish, fun is childlike. God wants us to have childlike faith." 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    44 min

  6. 11/12/2025

    I thought I was failing at healing, but here’s what God showed me

    Send us a text If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “Why am I STILL struggling with this?” - this conversation is for you. We open up about the heartbreak of feeling like we're back at square one in our healing process and the surprising ways God meets us there. We explore what real healing looks like when it’s messy, cyclical, and slower than we expected... and how the Holy Spirit gently leads us through the process with compassion, not condemnation. During this episode, we unpack: The myth that healing should always be moving forwardWhat to do when old coping tools stop workingHow to recognize growth even in the middle of triggersWhy nervous system takes longer to heal than the mindHow to reframe setbacks as God’s invitations to deeper freedomThis episode will help you breathe again, release the pressure to “get it right,” and recognize that you’re not failing. You're simply in the healing process. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    44 min

  7. 10/30/2025

    Does God still love me if I don't read my Bible today?

    Send us a text Have you ever felt afraid that if you stopped doing... stopped reading your Bible, stopped serving, stopped performing... that God might love you a little less? You’re not alone. In this raw and honest conversation, we unpack the deep-rooted lie that love must be earned... a lie many of us first learned in childhood, and one that still shapes how we relate to God today. Together, we explore how trauma, performance, and perfectionism condition our brains to equate doing with being loved and how the gospel, neuroscience, and the gentle heart of Jesus invite us into something different. We talk about: Why unworthiness feels “true” in your body (and how to gently rewire it)How spiritual disciplines can become performance and how to return to intimacyThe science of neuroplasticity and renewing your mind in ChristWhat it means to rest in love that doesn’t have to be earnedIf you’ve ever wondered, “Does God still love me if I don’t do X, Y, or Z?” this episode will meet you in that question and remind you that love was never something you had to earn. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    43 min

  8. 10/24/2025

    The loneliness no one talks about in church: How to keep the faith when it still hurts

    Send us a text What do you do when you love Jesus, show up for community, and still feel alone?In this episode, we talk about the loneliness no one wants to name - the ache of feeling unseen in a place that’s meant to feel like family. We explore the paradox of being faithful yet still feeling forgotten, the ache of longing for connection that never quite lands, and the quiet grief of realizing that even in church, the very place meant for belonging, you can still feel alone. Sometimes loneliness comes from unhealed places or misplaced hopes. Other times, it’s simply the ache of being human in a broken world... living in the “already but not yet” of God’s Kingdom where love is real but not yet whole. Together, we’ll unpack: The difference between wounds that isolate you and the waiting that shapes youHow to hold your heart open to people when it’s easier to shut downWhat it means to keep your faith alive when you still have unmet needs in communityIf you’ve ever felt, “Why do I feel so alone here?”  this conversation is for you. You’re not faithless for feeling lonely. You’re simply human, longing for the home your heart was made for. 🎙️ Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss future episodes. 🎁 Sign up for my FREE mini-course on how to process your emotions God's way - without shutting down or spiraling. 📞 Book a FREE discovery call to explore 1:1 coaching with me! 📧 Join my weekly newsletter "Holy Unraveling" for Christian emotional healing encouragement in your inbox. ▶️ Follow me on Instagram @melchanity and Youtube @melissachancoaching for more encouragement and resources.

    42 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Real Emotions, Real Healing, Real Jesus. You were created for more than survival - you were made to live free, whole, and deeply connected to God. But when life leaves us unseen, stuck, or spiritually disconnected, it’s easy to forget who we are in Christ and start building our identity on the wrong things. In The Christian Women’s Journey to Healing & Identity in Christ, Christian Emotional Healing Coach Melissa Chan, PhD, together with her good friend and co-host Jasmine Barcia, walk with you through the process of healing from past wounds, breaking unhealthy cycles, and confronting negative self-beliefs - so you can live with confidence, freedom, and deep intimacy with God, yourself, and the people you love. Through biblical truths, raw personal stories, and trauma-informed heart-work, you’ll learn how to release shame, rewrite the narratives you’ve carried for too long, and embrace the secure, unshakable identity God gave you. Whether you’re navigating low self-esteem, relational struggles, church hurt, spiritual burnout, or cycles you can’t seem to break - this is your space to heal, grow, and reclaim who you truly are in Christ. 👉 Hit subscribe and take the journey with us!

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