Dysregulated Faith

Sandra Littlejohn

Our podcast is for people at the intersection of faith and neuroscience. We talk about the impact dysregulation on our relationships with God and each other. 

Episodes

  1. 08/27/2025

    Episode 7 – Frenzy: Doing More to Feel Safe

    The frenzy response is overactivity in overdrive—overworking, overcommitting, and over-preparing to try to keep danger or disapproval at bay. In Luke 10, Martha is “worried and upset about many things,” missing the peace available at Jesus’ feet. We’ll discuss how this pattern keeps us from true rest and how God calls us out of frantic striving into grounded presence. You’ll hear: The nervous system dynamics behind over-busynessHow frenzy can mask fear and insecurityPractices for slowing down and anchoring yourself in God’s loveConnect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    8 min

  2. 08/27/2025

    Episode 6 – Flop: When Your Body Shuts Down

    The flop response is the body’s way of conserving energy when stress feels overwhelming—collapsing, withdrawing, or going numb to survive. Early in Esther’s story, she hides her identity and avoids taking action, even when called to courage. We’ll look at how her hesitance mirrors our own moments of shutdown and how God meets us in stillness, giving us the strength to act when the time is right. You’ll hear: How flop is a protective, not lazy, responseWhy shutdown often follows long-term fear or pressureHow God can use even hesitant steps for His purposesConnect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    9 min

  3. 08/27/2025

    Episode 5 – Fawn: Pleasing to Keep the Peace

    The fawn response is a survival strategy that seeks safety by appeasing others—staying agreeable, meeting expectations, and avoiding conflict at all costs. In the parable of the prodigal son, the older brother does everything “right” but is quietly resentful, longing for recognition. We’ll explore how this reflects a nervous system wired for harmony over honesty, and how God invites us into connection that’s rooted in truth, not performance. You’ll hear: Signs of the fawn response and why it’s often mistaken for virtueHow the older brother’s resentment reveals the hidden cost of appeasementSteps toward authentic relationship with God and others without losing yourselfConnect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    8 min

  4. 08/27/2025

    Episode 4 – Freeze: When Fear Stops You in Your Tracks

    In Dysregulated Faith, we explore what it’s like to love Jesus while living with a nervous system that’s often in survival mode. I’m Sandra Littlejohn—parenting coach, writer, neurodivergent mom—and in this series, we’re reframing the six core stress responses as remarkable survival strategies, not spiritual failures. Today’s focus is Freeze: that paralyzing stillness when neither fight nor flight feels possible. Through the story of Gideon in Judges 6, we’ll see how God meets frozen hearts with patience, peace, and presence. You’ll hear: Why freeze is a nervous system’s way of keeping us safe when action feels impossibleHow Gideon’s hesitance reveals both fear and God’s unhurried compassionThe way God calls us “mighty” even when we’re hiding, doubting, or unsureWhy healing can start with trembling, imperfect stepsIf you’ve ever gone blank in a hard moment, stalled on a decision, or felt ashamed for “not moving fast enough,” this episode offers a reminder: God isn’t frustrated with your freeze—He waits, He speaks peace, and He calls you forward at your own pace. Connect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    8 min

  5. 08/27/2025

    Episode 3 – Flee: When Running Feels Like the Only Option

    In Dysregulated Faith, we’re talking about what it means to follow Jesus while living with a nervous system that’s often on high alert. I’m Sandra Littlejohn—parenting coach, writer, neurodivergent mom—and in this series, we’re unpacking the six core stress responses as survival strategies, not spiritual shortcomings. Today’s focus is Flee: the instinct to escape danger, avoid confrontation, or get out before things get worse. We’ll look at the ways “fleeing” can show up in our lives—sometimes in obvious ways, sometimes in subtle patterns—and what Scripture reveals about people who ran when the pressure rose. You’ll hear: Why fleeing isn’t always cowardice, but often a nervous system’s best attempt to keep us safeHow fear and avoidance can show up in faith communitiesHow Jesus meets us with gentleness, even when we’re ready to boltIf you’ve ever avoided a hard conversation, changed paths to escape pressure, or felt shame for “quitting” too soon, this episode offers understanding and a path toward regulated, purposeful presence. Connect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    8 min

  6. 08/27/2025

    Episode 2 – Fight: When Fear Meets Faith

    Welcome to Dysregulated Faith—a space for those who love Jesus but find themselves stuck in survival mode. I’m Sandra Littlejohn: parenting coach, writer, neurodivergent mom, and someone who understands what it’s like to follow Christ with a constantly buzzing nervous system. In this first series, we explore the six core stress responses—fight, flee, freeze, fawn, flop, and frenzy—not as moral failings, but as remarkable survival strategies our bodies use to protect us. Today, we begin with Fight: that instinctive push to confront a perceived threat. Through the story of Peter in John 18, we’ll unpack how the fight response shows up in our lives—not as rebellion, but as a nervous system doing its job. You’ll hear: How Peter’s reaction in the Garden of Gethsemane reflects a body in survival modeThe difference between Jesus’ calm, regulated presence and Peter’s reactive defenseWhy dysregulation isn’t disobedience, and how understanding your body’s responses can bring compassion to your faith journeyIf you’ve ever lashed out, spoken sharply, or gone on the defensive before you could think—this episode is for you. We’ll talk about how to recognize what’s happening underneath the reaction, and how Jesus invites us into healing without shame. Connect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    8 min
  7. Season 1 Introduction

    08/27/2025

    Season 1 Introduction

    In this series of Dysregulated Faith, Sandra Littlejohn explores how six biblical characters—each caught in moments of intense pressure—exhibit the full range of human stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, fawn, flop, and frenzy. Through a trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming lens, we examine how they can speak directly to our nervous systems today. Connect with Sandra: Email: sandra@dysregulatedfaith.com Website: DysregulatedFaith.com Instagram: @dysregulatedfaith Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? Your words help others find a faith space where bodies, brains, and beliefs can breathe.

    1 min
  • 7 Episodes

About

Our podcast is for people at the intersection of faith and neuroscience. We talk about the impact dysregulation on our relationships with God and each other. 

Information

  • Creator
    Sandra Littlejohn
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sandra Littlejohn
  • Show Website
    Dysregulated Faith