Ep 89 - Have you ever returned to a substance, thought pattern, emotional response, or behavior you promised yourself you would change and immediately thought, "I did it again"? In this episode, Rose Ann Forte and therapist Aliza Prokop explore how shame keeps us stuck by turning a painful choice or experience into a verdict about who we are.

Aliza describes shame as a self-evaluation that leaves us feeling unworthy or inadequate. She explains how trauma, negative self-talk, social comparison, and unresolved pain can contribute to hiding and keep us returning to familiar patterns that temporarily offer relief.

Drawing from her experience as a certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy specialist, Aliza shares why understanding what happened to us can replace blame with compassion. But compassion does not remove responsibility. As Aliza says:

"What happened to you isn't your fault. The healing is your responsibility."

Rose Ann and Aliza also discuss why learning how the brain responds to trauma can restore hope, why safe and supportive relationships are essential, and how prayer, Scripture, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and repeated practice can help us interrupt the shame cycle.

Romans 8:1 reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Romans 12:2 reminds us that transformation happens through the renewal of our minds. "I did it again" does not have to be the end of our story.

In this episode:

• What shame is and how it attacks our identity
• Why social comparison can deepen shame
• How trauma and unresolved pain influence negative self-talk
• Why shame makes healing and change more difficult
• The difference between compassion and making excuses
• Why supportive relationships and qualified professional care matter
• How understanding the brain can replace hopelessness with hope
• Why renewing the mind requires testing, repetition, and practice
• How faith and the Holy Spirit help us discern the next right step

Learn more about Aliza:

Aliza M. Prokop Counseling Services:
https://ampcounseling.com/

The AMPcast with Aliza M. Prokop:
https://ampcounseling.com/podcast/

Choose Freedom resources:

Choose Freedom Program, providers, and coaching:
https://choosefreedom.today/directory/

Transformed by His Promises:
https://choosefreedom.today/books/transformed-by-his-promises/

Prepare to Quit:
https://choosefreedom.today/books/prepare-to-quit/

The Plans He Has For Me:
https://choosefreedom.today/books/the-plans-he-has-for-me/

Explore the Say Goodbye and Imagine podcast:
https://choosefreedom.today/podcast/

#ChristianPodcast #ShameAndHealing #FaithAndMentalHealth #TraumaHealing #RenewYourMind #ChooseFreedom