Searching Inward Restore Small Groups

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant continue to explore one of Scott’s books, “Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment,” and focus on the second chapter about anger–one of the stages of grief. They discuss our relationship with anger, the benefits of it during this stage and how to work through it.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:05] Intro
[01:20] Stages of grief
[05:02] Benefits of anger
[09:25] Reality hits
[15:10] Wrong expectations
[19:58] Resentment and regret
[23:53] The role of forgiveness
[27:43] How to work through anger
[33:35] Final thoughts
Follow and Contact
Facebook: Restore Small Groups
Instagram: @restoresmallgroups
YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast
Website: restoresmallgroups.org
Scott Reall’s Books:
Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing
Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment
Journey to Living with Courage: Freedom from Fear
Journey to Healthy Living: Freedom from Body Image and Food Issues
Journey to a Life of Significance: Freedom from Low Self-Esteem

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall and George Stull speak with Heather Lefebvre, a licensed psychotherapist who focuses on marriage and family therapy. Heather previously worked for Restore Small Groups over a decade ago, where her and her husband, Steven, were essential in the development and growth of the organization. She shares her journey with Small Groups and how it inspired her to transition into the mental health field.
“If I’m sitting there with a therapist, I want to know that they’ve been down this road too. ‘Cause you and I say you can’t lead somebody out of the desert if you’ve never been in the desert. And so, Heather’s been in the desert.” -Scott [04:31]

“Group is always a tethering point of I am not alone. I am not the only one who struggles. I cannot process in my head alone and think that that is going to help me challenge belief systems, challenge my neural pathways. Like that’s not enough. I really need to go and be around, be in community, be with people who are also fighting the good fight, who are also continually seeing life as a growth opportunity.” -Heather [14:34]

“So friends, when your therapist is encouraging you to move to a more vulnerable place, trust them. They really do understand how we can grow and how we can heal.” - George [21:07]

TIMESTAMPS
[00:05] Intro
[01:19] This week’s guest, Heather
[05:05] How Heather came to love Restore Small Groups
[11:30] Transitioning to the mental health field
[12:48] The value of individual therapy and small groups
[17:26] Vulnerability is healthy to our growth
[21:19] Why Small Groups are beneficial
[25:21] How neurobiology influences her therapy approach
[33:46] Recommended helpful practices
[37:36] We are good enough
[41:17] Heather’s website and final words
Follow and Contact
Facebook: Restore Small Groups
Instagram: @restoresmallgroups
YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast
Website: restoresmallgroups.org
Heather’s Website: mytherapistheather.com

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant speak with Mike “L.A. Mike” Rada about his experience with Restore Small Groups. Mike shares how feeling lost mentally, physically and spiritually after a pretty bad case of COVID-19 inspired him to join a Small Group. He takes the host through his journey that quickly evolved into sharing vulnerably.
“It allowed me to let myself be vulnerable for once, and it was a very welcoming group of people. It was strange for me, but then it also felt great. It gave me a chance to let my guard down.” -Mike [09:11]

“I think it’s a really great description of some of the magic of what happens in a group. Where we meet one another is in our humanity first.” -Seth [11:06]

“I think you articulated well though. Like it was a catalyst for you to maybe connect your inner world and your outer world in a more honest way with the people in your life.” -Anna [15:52]

TIMESTAMPS
[00:05] Intro
[00:28] Today’s guest, Mike
[01:54] What drew him to Restore Small Groups
[05:43] His first and last days
[11:36] Sharing vulnerably
[14:50] Something that had an impact on Mike
[18:32] Why recommend Small Groups to others?
[20:46] Lighting round
Follow and Contact
Facebook: Restore Small Groups
Instagram: @restoresmallgroups
YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast
Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Scott Reall, George Stull, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant talk about vulnerability. They explore what this means in the context of mental and emotional well-being and break down the myths about it. Listen as they share strategies for leaning into our vulnerability and embracing authenticity.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:05] Intro
[01:19] Defining vulnerability
[03:21] Myths about vulnerability
[09:12] “I don’t do vulnerability”
[14:34] Can’t go it alone
[16:48] What is vulnerability
[22:09] Within the framework of relationships
[32:46] Takeaways and strategies 
[38:30] Four feeling questions
Follow and Contact
Facebook: Restore Small Groups
Instagram: @restoresmallgroups
YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast
Website: restoresmallgroups.org

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, George Stull, Seth Abram and Anna Bryant speak with Jason Adam Miller, a pastor at South Bend City Church and author of the book, When The World Breaks: The Surprising Hope and Subversive Promises in the Teachings of Jesus. Jason is a helpful voice in bringing mental, well-being and faith together in such a meaningful way, so he discusses how to find hope where there’s suffering and struggle. He shares his church’s mantras and recommended practices when the hard stuff happens such as welcoming emptiness.
“When faith works until it doesn’t at a particular time in your life, like when you encounter some kind of experience and the faith we were given, sometimes it doesn't work, and you can do one of two things: you can entirely chuck faith or you can open up to maybe a new way of understanding your faith. It could be more hopeful.” -George [05:59]

“Often failure’s the best thing, right? Like whether you’re practicing a musical instrument or spiritual practice, you come to the limit of your capacity and that’s actually the liminal space where something really powerful can happen. But if you’re afraid to fail, you’ll never let yourself go there.” -Jason [16:05]

“God created each of us so incredibly uniquely. I mean, you’ve never seen two apples that look exactly alike. Like they all have very different dimensions, different qualities, and that’s what God intended for humanity. That we’re all unique. Like no two pieces of any kind of produce are identical, but anything you get coming out of a factory will be 100% identical all the time. And when we’re driven to become a carbon copy of something that we were never created to be, I just think it’s very beautiful that you’re creating this space for people to be fully human, fully unique, fully who they are.” -Anna [18:47]

“I think a lot of times people make this misconception that surrender is a passive thing, especially spiritual kind of surrender, when I think returning to the breath is an act of surrender. That I’m letting go, but it’s a deep trust that there’s something holding me while I’m experiencing this.” -Seth [24:38]

TIMESTAMPS
[00:03] Intro
[00:24] This week’s guest, Jason Adam Miller
[02:30] What opens Jason’s heart to faith and mental health
[07:31] Letting grieve consume and losing your faith
[13:16] His church’s mantras
[19:36] Recommended practices
[25:06] Misconceptions of mental health and faith
[27:27] Welcoming emptiness
[33:48] How to contact Jason
[36:02] One final message from Jason
Follow and Contact
Facebook: Restore Small Groups
Instagram: @restoresmallgroups
YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast
Website: restoresmallgroups.org
Jason Adam Miller
Web: jasonadammiller.com
IG: @jasonadammiller
Pod: South Bend City Church Podcast
Book: When The World Breaks: The Surprising Hope and Subversive Promises in the Teachings of Jesus

In this episode of the Searching Inward Podcast, Seth Abram, Scott Reall and Anna Bryant do implement the third of their four styles of episodes in this new season by talking about curriculum. They explore one of Scott’s books, “Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment,” and talk about grief and loss. Scott explains how our whole life is nothing but a journey of losing things, and nothing stays the same. The three hosts discuss how people interpret grief and loss and the different types of grief and loss as there are more than death or divorce.
“Unless we’re taught how to deal with loss, most of us aren’t going to move into processing it, which is the grief, which is allowing ourselves to feel the loss.” -Seth [09:13]

“We need to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, and normalize that life isn’t always comfortable. And be ok with that.” -Anna [13:24]

“We cannot make a new beginning if I’m still holding on and stuck in the past.” -Scott [33:48] 

TIMESTAMPS
[00:04] Intro
[01:11] The inspiration for the book
[03:33] Cultural misconceptions
[06:39] To complete communications
[08:06] The difference between loss and grief
[15:07] Different types of losses we grapple with
[32:23] Final words from the hosts
Follow and Contact
Facebook: Restore Small Groups
Instagram: @restoresmallgroups
YouTube: Searching Inward Podcast
Website: restoresmallgroups.org
Scott Reall’s Books:
Journey to Freedom: Your Start to a Lifetime of Hope, Health, and Healing
Journey to a New Beginning after Loss: Freedom from the Pain of Grief and Disappointment
Journey to Living with Courage: Freedom from Fear
Journey to Healthy Living: Freedom from Body Image and Food Issues
Journey to a Life of Significance: Freedom from Low Self-Esteem