Deeper By Design

Dr. Trevor Hislop

Most of us want deeper connection—but we don’t always know how to build it, protect it, or repair it when it breaks. Deeper by Design is a podcast that brings together theology and the science of human connection to help you move from good intentions to real, lasting change. It’s hosted by Dr. Trevor Hislop—an author and sought-after speaker, a marriage and family therapist, and a former pastor—whose work sits at the intersection of spiritual formation and relational healing. With years of clinical experience and ministry leadership, Dr. Trevor has helped couples, families, and leaders understand the patterns that keep them stuck—and practice the skills that create emotional safety, rebuild trust, and deepen connection. Each episode explores the questions beneath the questions: Why do we repeat the same cycles? What actually creates secure connection? What makes repair possible after conflict, distance, or disappointment? You’ll get a blend of Dr. Trevor’s practical teaching and conversations with influential thinkers and leaders across theology, psychology, neuroscience, leadership, and wellness—all aimed at helping you experience deeper connection with God, yourself, and the people you love. Whether you’re navigating marriage, parenting, friendships, team dynamics, or community life, this show will give you language, tools, and hope you can put into practice right away—where theology meets the science and practice of connection.

Episodes

  1. 2d ago

    Episode 4: The Marriage You Build Every Day: Small Choices That Shape Lasting Love with Julie B.

    In this episode of The Deeper by Design Podcast, Dr. Trevor Hislop sits down with Julie Baumgardner, a marriage and family educator, speaker, and host of Marriage on the Daily with Julie B. Julie brings decades of experience helping couples build stronger, healthier marriages through faith-based, research-informed relationship education. In this conversation, she shares how her personal story, her parents’ divorce, and her own 37-year marriage to Jay have shaped her passion for helping couples strengthen their relationship before they end up “in the ditch.” Together, Trevor and Julie explore why strong marriages are built through daily choices, honest conversations, emotional safety, spiritual grounding, and intentional rhythms of connection. They talk about the importance of the first ten years of marriage, how couples can normalize struggle without normalizing disconnection, and why conflict is not something to avoid—but something to approach with humility, curiosity, and care. Julie also shares practical tools for couples, including the importance of “attacking the issue” instead of attacking each other and her four points of connectedness for building connection throughout the day. This episode is for couples who want to build a stronger foundation, navigate conflict with more wisdom, and practice lasting love on the daily. Trevor and Julie discuss why prevention matters in marriage and relationship education, how early pain can become part of a deeper calling, why the first ten years of marriage are so foundational, how faith shapes the way we see and love our spouse, how emotional safety creates space for hard conversations, and the importance of curiosity, humility, and repair. You can connect with Julie Baumgardner through Marriage on the Daily with Julie B., available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts. You can also learn more at https://marriageonthedaily.com. Learn more about Dr. Trevor Hislop, The Deeper by Design Podcast, Renovi Relational Therapy, marriage intensives, leadership care, and additional resources at https://trevorhislop.com. The Deeper by Design Podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Spotify. New episodes release every Tuesday.

  2. Aug 18

    Episode 3: The Map of Deeper Connection: Understanding the Six Dimensions of Relationship

    Episode 3: The Map of Deeper Connection: Understanding the Six Dimensions of Relationship In this episode of The Deeper by Design Podcast, Dr. Trevor Hislop introduces one of the foundational tools behind his clinical and relational work: The Relational Funnel. The Relational Funnel helps us understand the six dimensions of connection and why relationships often move from more surface-level connection toward deeper, more vulnerable connection. It also highlights one of the most important realities of relational health: connection continues with the presence of safety, and protection happens in the absence of safety. Trevor explains why the funnel has become a signature part of his work and how it helped shape the development of Renovi Relational Therapy. He also connects the framework to the heart of Deeper by Design: we are designed by God for deep connection, and we can design deeper connection through intentional practice. In this episode, we explore: Why the Relational Funnel is part of the Deeper by Design logoHow connection deepens through six interconnected dimensionsWhy emotional safety is essential for deeper vulnerabilityThe difference between surface-level connection and deeper relational intimacyHow protection shows up when safety is missingWhy not every relationship is meant to move to the deepest levelHow to reflect on where connection is strongest and where it feels limited The six dimensions of the Relational Funnel are: Physical — shared presenceExperiential — shared experienceIntellectual — shared thoughts, ideas, and opinionsEmotional — shared feelings, fears, and longingsSpiritual — shared meaning, values, and purposeAspirational — shared hopes, dreams, and future This episode is for anyone who wants to better understand relational depth, emotional safety, connection, attachment, communication, spiritual formation, leadership health, marriage, family systems, and the patterns that help relationships move from protection toward connection. View the Relational Funnel visual: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/a237334b-8e7b-4c39-a748-589804f62337/downloads/1e079d42-19a4-4f4a-837c-629ec7f4a5c7/Relationa%20Funnel.png?ver=1786409540334 Learn more about Dr. Trevor Hislop, Renovi Relational Therapy, and additional resources at: trevorhislop.com

  3. Aug 11

    Episode 2: Communication Styles, Connection, and the PATHS Framework with Jason VanRuler

    Episode 2: Communication Styles, Connection, and the PATHS Framework with Jason VanRuler Why do we communicate the way we do—and why do our best intentions sometimes still lead to misunderstanding, conflict, or disconnection? In this episode of The Deeper by Design Podcast, Dr. Trevor Hislop sits down with therapist, author, coach, and speaker Jason VanRuler to talk about his new book on communication styles and the PATHS framework. Together, Trevor and Jason explore how communication is about more than words. Our communication is shaped by our personality, story, needs, fears, stress responses, and desire for connection. When we understand our natural communication style, we can begin to recognize the patterns that help us connect and the patterns that may unintentionally create distance. This conversation is for anyone who wants to grow in self-awareness, communicate with more clarity and empathy, and build deeper, healthier relationships at home, at work, in leadership, in friendship, and in everyday life. In this episode, we explore: Why communication is often about what is happening beneath the surfaceThe five PATHS communication stylesHow our strengths can shift under pressureThe needs and motivations behind the way we communicateHow to move from reaction to intentional connectionPractical ways to communicate with greater honesty, empathy, and clarity If you have ever thought, “Why do we keep misunderstanding each other?” or “I wish I knew how to say this better,” this episode will help you name what is happening and take a more intentional next step toward connection. Learn more about Jason VanRuler and his resources at jasonvr.com. Learn more about Dr. Trevor Hislop, The Deeper by Design Podcast, and additional resources at trevorhislop.com.

  4. Aug 4

    Episode 1: Introduction

    Deeper by Design Podcast | Faith, Relationship Science, Emotional Health, Attachment, and Deeper Connection Welcome to the first episode of The Deeper by Design Podcast with Dr. Trevor Hislop — where faith meets the science and practice of connection. In this opening episode, Trevor introduces the heart of the podcast, shares part of his personal and professional story, and casts a clear vision for where it is going. The central message is simple: we are designed by God for deep connection, and we can design deeper connection with others through intentional practice. This episode explores why “everything is relational” — our faith, identity, emotional health, relationships, leadership, patterns, pain, and healing. Trevor also offers a brief teaching on how relational conflict often reveals deeper needs, protective patterns, and the invitation to move from protection toward connection. In this episode, we explore: Why we are designed by God for deep connectionHow deeper connection can be built through intentional practiceWhy relationship struggles are often patterns, not just problemsThe movement from protection to connectionHow faith, psychology, attachment science, and emotional health work togetherWhat to expect from future episodes of The Deeper by Design Podcast If you are interested in relationships, emotional health, spiritual formation, attachment science, marriage and family therapy, leadership health, communication, repair, and practical tools for building deeper connection, this podcast is for you. Learn more, access resources, and connect with Trevor at: trevorhislop.com Subscribe for future episodes of The Deeper by Design Podcast — conversations and teaching designed to help you build deeper, healthier, more honest, and more secure connections. #DeeperByDesign #TrevorHislop #RelationshipHealth #FaithAndPsychology #EmotionalHealth #AttachmentScience #SpiritualFormation #Connection #MarriageAndFamilyTherapy #RelationalHealth

About

Most of us want deeper connection—but we don’t always know how to build it, protect it, or repair it when it breaks. Deeper by Design is a podcast that brings together theology and the science of human connection to help you move from good intentions to real, lasting change. It’s hosted by Dr. Trevor Hislop—an author and sought-after speaker, a marriage and family therapist, and a former pastor—whose work sits at the intersection of spiritual formation and relational healing. With years of clinical experience and ministry leadership, Dr. Trevor has helped couples, families, and leaders understand the patterns that keep them stuck—and practice the skills that create emotional safety, rebuild trust, and deepen connection. Each episode explores the questions beneath the questions: Why do we repeat the same cycles? What actually creates secure connection? What makes repair possible after conflict, distance, or disappointment? You’ll get a blend of Dr. Trevor’s practical teaching and conversations with influential thinkers and leaders across theology, psychology, neuroscience, leadership, and wellness—all aimed at helping you experience deeper connection with God, yourself, and the people you love. Whether you’re navigating marriage, parenting, friendships, team dynamics, or community life, this show will give you language, tools, and hope you can put into practice right away—where theology meets the science and practice of connection.

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