Mental Health Matters for Christians

Christine Sneeringer
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Christianity
  • Weekly

Mental Health Matters for Christians is a podcast that creates a safe, honest space where faith and mental health intersect. Hosted by Christine Sneeringer, the show explores real struggles that many Christians face—but often feel unable to talk about—like anxiety, depression, identity, trauma, and shame. With a warm, conversational tone, each episode invites listeners to step out of isolation and into truth, reminding them they are not alone and that their struggles do not disqualify their faith. Through powerful conversations, the podcast features guests who share their personal stories of brokenness, healing, and transformation. From testimonies of overcoming addiction and trauma to navigating complex questions around identity and purpose, each story points back to the hope and restoration found in Christ. These authentic interviews offer encouragement and practical insight for listeners who are seeking clarity, freedom, and deeper healing. The show also equips listeners with tools they can apply in everyday life—blending biblical truth with emotional awareness and practical wisdom. Rather than choosing between faith and mental health, Mental Health Matters for Christians helps bridge the gap, showing how the two can work together. Whether it’s learning how to process emotions, set healthy boundaries, or renew the mind, each episode aims to move listeners toward wholeness. Ultimately, this podcast is about transformation from the inside out. It’s for anyone who loves God but still wrestles, feels stuck, but longs for deeper peace and more freedom. Mental Health Matters for Christians reminds listeners that healing is possible, growth is intentional, and mental health truly matters—not just in the world, but in the life of every believer.

  1. 2d ago

    How to Stop Clinging to People and Over Attaching

    Why do we get so attached to certain people? Why do we feel jealous, rejected, or insecure when someone doesn't give us the attention or affection we crave? And how can we break free from unhealthy emotional attachments without shutting ourselves off from relationships altogether?In this episode of Mental Health Matters for Christians, Christine Sneeringer and Christian therapist Tim Long explore the roots of emotional dependency, clinginess, and fear of rejection and what it takes to develop healthier, more secure relationships.Christine shares her personal journey of overcoming unhealthy emotional attachments, including how unmet childhood emotional needs contributed to patterns of possessiveness, insecurity, and over-attachment. Tim offers therapeutic insights into attachment styles, emotional needs, and the difference between healthy connection and unhealthy dependency.Together, they discuss practical steps toward emotional freedom, the importance of cultivating multiple healthy friendships, and how faith in Christ can help us find security without expecting another person to meet all our emotional needs.TOPICS DISCUSSED- Why we become overly attached to certain people- How childhood wounds and unmet emotional needs influence adult relationships- Signs of emotional dependency, including jealousy, possessiveness, and fear of rejection- Why expecting one person to meet all your emotional needs damages relationships- How to recognize unhealthy attachment patterns and begin breaking free- Why grief and loneliness can be part of establishing healthier boundaries- How to stop interpreting every disappointment as personal rejection- The importance of developing friendships, community, and healthy emotional intimacy- Why building secure relationships requires vulnerability, patience, and time- How finding your security in Christ helps you love others without clinging to them#EmotionalDependency #AnxiousAttachment #ChristianMentalHealth

    How to Stop Clinging to People and Over Attaching

  2. Oct 29

    Ep32 My LGBT Child Came Out and I Made Every Mistake as a Christian Mom

    Ep32 of Mental Health Matters for Christians When Melinda Patrick's daughter revealed she was experiencing same-sex attraction, Melinda thought she knew how to respond as a Christian mother. But fear, panic, and a desperate need to control the situation nearly cost her the relationship with her daughter. Today, Melinda openly admits she got so much wrong.In this deeply personal conversation, Melinda shares the mistakes she made, the painful lessons God taught her, and how she learned to replace fear and control with humility, grace, and trust. As an author, speaker, and host of The Bridge Between Us podcast, Melinda now helps Christian parents navigate difficult conversations about sexuality, faith, and family relationships. Whether you're parenting an LGBT-identifying child, navigating a strained relationship with an adult child, or struggling to surrender someone you love to God, this conversation offers encouragement and practical wisdom. TOPICS DISCUSSED • How Melinda responded when her daughter came out • The mistakes that pushed her daughter away • Why fear can lead parents to become controlling • Learning to listen instead of trying to fix • Caring for your own emotional and spiritual health • Balancing biblical truth with grace and love • Setting healthy boundaries with adult children • What to do when your child becomes estranged • Trusting God when prayers seem unanswered • Finding joy and purpose while waiting for change CONNECT WITH MELINDA Website: https://melindapatrick.org Podcast: The Bridge Between Us Melinda's Book: The Daring Rescue: Joining Jesus Christ In His Pursuit of Your LGBTQ-Identified Child's Heart https://a.co/d/0b2trw1K CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction: Meet Melinda Patrick 04:52 When My Daughter Revealed Her Same-Sex Attraction 06:40 The Mistakes I Made as a Christian Mom 08:44 My First Mistake: Not Listening 12:07 What Parents Should Say When Their Child Comes Out 17:15 How Fear and Control Pushed My Daughter Away 18:16 Why Parents Must Care for Their Own Emotional Health 24:04 Learning to Surrender and Trust God 26:52 Balancing Biblical Truth With Grace 29:14 Parenting Mistakes That Push Children Away 34:35 Setting Healthy Boundaries With Adult Children 39:58 When Your Child Cuts Off Communication 47:51 Finding Joy When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered 53:06 Lessons From the Prodigal Son and Finding Hope

    Ep32 My LGBT Child Came Out and I Made Every Mistake as a Christian Mom

  3. Oct 20

    Ep 31 I Looked for My Identity in All the Wrong Places

    For 45 years, Melissa Jean Rod believed she knew who her father was—until a shocking discovery in an old military document revealed otherwise. What followed was a two-year search involving DNA testing, family secrets, unanswered questions, and an unexpected dream that Melissa believes was a gift from God. In this deeply personal conversation, Melissa shares how growing up with feelings of rejection and abandonment shaped her sense of identity and self-worth. As she searched for her biological father, she began to discover something even more profound: her identity wasn't determined by her earthly father's absence, her mother's secrets, or the circumstances of her birth. Through her relationship with Jesus Christ, she found healing, forgiveness, and a deeper understanding of the Father heart of God. TOPICS DISCUSSED Growing up with feelings of rejection and abandonment The shocking discovery about her father's identity at age 45 Her mother's secret and the painful search for answers DNA testing and the search for her biological father An extraordinary dream about the father she never knew How father wounds can shape identity and self-worth Forgiving her mother and finding emotional healing Discovering her true identity in Christ and the Father heart of God Contact Melissa: https://melissajeanrod.com/ Melissa's book: The Daddy Files https://a.co/d/0gz0SIUc

    Ep 31 I Looked for My Identity in All the Wrong Places

  4. Oct 14

    Ep 30 I Quit Ministry Over My Secret Sex Addiction

    Ep30 of Mental Health Matters for Christians What happens when a pastor loves God but hides a sex addiction he can’t stop? Nate Larkin, founder of the Samson Society, joins Christine for an honest conversation about pornography, sex addiction, shame, and recovery. Nate shares how his secret life led him to leave ministry, threatened his marriage, and eventually brought him into a community where he could be honest and experience acceptance. His story explores the cost of hiding and the hope found through grace, connection, and asking for help. TOPICS DISCUSSED - Growing up as a preacher’s kid and feeling pressure to appear perfect. - Early exposure to pornography and the cycle of guilt, secrecy, and shame. - Why marriage and becoming a pastor didn’t resolve his addiction. - The escalation from pornography to sexual acting out. - Leaving ministry while continuing to hide his struggle. - His wife’s ultimatum and the turning point that led him to seek help. - Overcoming the fear of walking into a recovery meeting. - Experiencing honesty, safety, and acceptance in a recovery community. - Discovering a kinder understanding of God and learning to bring his real self into relationships. - How recovery affected his marriage, children, and friendships. - The origins of the Samson Society and its support for Christian men. - Why recovery involves ongoing honesty and connection. - Childhood grief, his mother’s death by suicide, and the impact of religious perfectionism. - Learning to accept help through therapy and community. 🔹 Connect with Nate https://www.samsonsociety.com Nate's book: Samson and the Pirate Monks https://a.co/d/09cQAiGE 🔹 Connect with Christine https://www.worthycreations.org/ RESOURCES MENTIONED - The Samson Society - Alcoholics Anonymous, commonly known as the Big Book - Pure Desire Ministries https://puredesire.org #NateLarkin #AddictionRecovery #ChristianMentalHealth

    Ep 30 I Quit Ministry Over My Secret Sex Addiction

  5. Oct 6

    Ep29 Psychology or Discipleship: Do We Have to Choose?

    Ep29 of Mental Health Matters for Christians Can psychology and biblical discipleship work together—or do Christians have to choose? In this conversation, Christine sits down with Christian therapist Tim Long to explore why psychology has become such a controversial subject in parts of the church. They discuss the legitimate concerns Christians may have about secular psychology, while also examining what can be lost when psychology and counseling are rejected altogether. CA-7 Discipleship v Psychology … Tim explains why biblical discipleship should provide the foundation and lens through which Christians understand themselves and the world, while psychological insights can still help us understand trauma, anxiety, relationships, emotions and patterns of behavior. They also discuss the danger of allowing psychology to replace the gospel—and the opposite danger of treating the Bible as if it were simply a therapy handbook. Key Highlights- Why some Christians distrust secular psychology- How psychology can help give language to emotions, trauma and suffering- Why biblical discipleship should remain the foundation for Christian healing and growth- The danger of using psychology as a replacement for the gospel- Why the Bible shouldn't be treated simply as a counseling or therapy handbook- Counseling vs. discipleship for anxiety, addiction, trauma, grief and relationship struggles- How Christians can “eat the meat and spit out the bones” when evaluating psychological ideas 🔹 Connect with Tim• Website: https://www.kainoschristiantherapy.com/🔹 Connect with Christine• Website: https://www.worthycreations.org/

    Ep29 Psychology or Discipleship: Do We Have to Choose?

  6. Sep 29

    Ep28 Abuse, Sex Addiction & Discovering the Father Heart of God

    Mike Caven grew up in a home marked by violence, rejection and sexual abuse—experiences that left deep wounds of shame and fueled years of sexual brokenness and addiction. Even after coming to faith, Mike discovered that following Jesus didn't make those wounds disappear overnight. In this conversation, Mike shares his journey through porn and sex addiction, same-sex attraction, and the long process of emotional and spiritual healing. Along the way, he began to discover the Father heart of God and recognize God's fingerprints throughout his story. Mike also shares why healing isn't always instantaneous—and how forgiveness, trusted relationships, counseling and walking with God became important parts of his journey. TOPICS DISCUSSED • Growing up with an abusive and volatile father • Childhood sexual abuse and its lasting impact • Same-sex attraction, shame and sexual addiction • Pornography and the deeper needs beneath sexual brokenness • Discovering the Father heart of God • Why trust can go deeper than accountability • Forgiveness, counseling and the process of healing • Why healing doesn't always happen instantly • Recognizing God's fingerprints in a painful story 🔹 Connect with Mike https://restorepurity.com Mike's book: The Choice and the Challenge https://a.co/d/0hG94edM 🔹 Connect with Christine https://www.worthycreations.org/

    Ep28 Abuse, Sex Addiction & Discovering the Father Heart of God

  7. Sep 15

    Ep26 Her Husband Hid a Sex Addiction Behind Their “Perfect” Christian Marriage

    Ep 26 of Mental Health Matters for Christians Podcast For years, Priscilla Fretwell believed she had the life she had always wanted: a loving husband, five children, a beautiful home, church involvement, and what appeared to be a strong Christian marriage. But behind that picture-perfect life, her husband Phil was hiding a decades-long struggle with pornography and sexual addiction—one that eventually crossed the boundaries of their marriage. In this deeply candid conversation, Priscilla shares the wife’s side of betrayal—the anger, grief, denial, and devastating loss of trust, but also the difficult journey toward healing. She explains why recovery eventually required more than simply fixing Phil’s behavior: they had to confront the emotional and spiritual disconnection that had existed beneath the surface of their marriage and begin dealing with their own wounds. Today, Priscilla and Phil help other couples discover that even after profound betrayal, brokenness does not have to be the end of the story. TOPICS DISCUSSED - Pornography and sex addiction in marriage - Betrayal and broken trust - The pressure of the “perfect” Christian marriage - Emotional and spiritual disconnection - Anger, grief, fear, and denial after disclosure - Personal responsibility and healing - Confession, honesty, and rebuilding intimacy - Marriage recovery after sexual betrayal 🔹 Connect with Priscilla and Phil https://www.savagemarriageministries.com/ Priscilla and Phil's book: Savage Marriage https://a.co/d/00rBalRT 🔹 Connect with Christine https://www.worthycreations.org/ #betrayal #pornaddictionrecovery

    Ep26 Her Husband Hid a Sex Addiction Behind Their “Perfect” Christian Marriage

  8. Sep 8

    Ep25 He Hid a Secret Sexual Addiction from His Wife for 28 Years

    For 28 years, Phil Fretwell hid a secret sexual addiction from his wife, Priscilla—even while teaching Bible studies and serving as a leader in his church. What began with pornography in childhood eventually escalated, all while Phil maintained the outward appearance of a devoted Christian husband, father, and leader. In this deeply candid conversation, Phil shares what was underneath his double life: a longing for affirmation, fear of rejection, pride, and an inability to experience genuine intimacy. He explains why counseling alone didn't end the secrecy—and what finally happened 28 years into his marriage that forced him to bring everything into the light. Phil also shares what happened after he confessed everything to Priscilla, why he believes “disclosure day is every day,” and how radical honesty, humility, prayer, and spiritual intimacy helped them rebuild a marriage that could easily have ended. Today, Phil and Priscilla use their story to help other couples find hope and healing through Savage Marriage. TOPICS DISCUSSED • How childhood wounds and his father’s abandonment shaped Phil’s need for affirmation • How pornography became a source of comfort and eventually a secret sexual addiction • How Phil maintained a double life while teaching the Bible and serving as a church leader • What finally forced Phil to tell his wife the truth after 28 years • What happened when Priscilla learned the full extent of his betrayal • Why Phil says “disclosure day is every day” and transparency must become a way of life • How Phil and Priscilla rebuilt trust, emotional and spiritual intimacy, and their marriage 🔹 Connect with Phil https://www.savagemarriageministries.com/ Phil's book: Savage Marriage https://a.co/d/00rBalRT CHAPTERS 00:00 Phil Fretwell’s Story: Living a Double Life 02:17 His Father Leaves—and Pornography Enters His Life 10:29 His Wife Discovers the First Secret 12:10 Honest Isn’t Enough: Being Open and Transparent 15:33 Hiding Sexual Addiction While Leading in Church 21:14 What Was Really Driving the Addiction? 31:06 The Moment 28 Years of Secrets Began to Unravel 32:43 Why Counseling and Accountability Hadn’t Set Him Free 37:25 Telling His Wife the Whole Truth 38:25 “Disclosure Day Is Every Day” 48:17 How They Rebuilt Their Marriage and Created Savage Marriage 🔹 Connect with Christine https://www.worthycreations.org/ #sexaddiction #pornaddictionrecovery

    Ep25 He Hid a Secret Sexual Addiction from His Wife for 28 Years
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Mental Health Matters for Christians is a podcast that creates a safe, honest space where faith and mental health intersect. Hosted by Christine Sneeringer, the show explores real struggles that many Christians face—but often feel unable to talk about—like anxiety, depression, identity, trauma, and shame. With a warm, conversational tone, each episode invites listeners to step out of isolation and into truth, reminding them they are not alone and that their struggles do not disqualify their faith. Through powerful conversations, the podcast features guests who share their personal stories of brokenness, healing, and transformation. From testimonies of overcoming addiction and trauma to navigating complex questions around identity and purpose, each story points back to the hope and restoration found in Christ. These authentic interviews offer encouragement and practical insight for listeners who are seeking clarity, freedom, and deeper healing. The show also equips listeners with tools they can apply in everyday life—blending biblical truth with emotional awareness and practical wisdom. Rather than choosing between faith and mental health, Mental Health Matters for Christians helps bridge the gap, showing how the two can work together. Whether it’s learning how to process emotions, set healthy boundaries, or renew the mind, each episode aims to move listeners toward wholeness. Ultimately, this podcast is about transformation from the inside out. It’s for anyone who loves God but still wrestles, feels stuck, but longs for deeper peace and more freedom. Mental Health Matters for Christians reminds listeners that healing is possible, growth is intentional, and mental health truly matters—not just in the world, but in the life of every believer.

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