When a son or daughter is caught in addiction, parents often discover that the loving responses that worked in earlier years are no longer effective. In this week's episode, Kim and Michelle Humphrey return to share what happened after they found support through PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones). As they connected with other parents facing similar struggles, they began to realize they were not alone. That simple truth became a turning point in their journey. Through PAL, they gained a deeper understanding of addiction and learned that healthy parental love often looks different when a teen or adult child is dependent on drugs.

As Kim and Michelle grew in wisdom, support, and encouragement, they began to heal even while their sons continued to struggle. Instead of being controlled by fear, guilt, and isolation, they learned how to establish healthier responses and trust God with what they could not control. Dawn began to break through the darkness. Today, Kim serves as Executive Director of PAL, and together he and Michelle help other families find the same hope and healing they experienced. Their story is a powerful reminder that parents can move toward health and freedom, even in the midst of a loved one's addiction.

Connect with Kim and Michelle:

https://palforward.palgroup.org/who-is-pal/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/229449267401069/

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

Many parents faithfully love, guide, and invest in their children, yet still find themselves facing challenges they never imagined. My guests for this and next week's podcast episodes, Kim and Michelle Humphrey, were devoted Christian parents who taught their two sons about Jesus, stayed actively involved in church, and warned them about the dangers of drugs. Kim served as a police officer, Michelle as a stay-at-home mom, and together they worked hard to create a loving home. Nothing could have prepared them for the heartbreak of watching both of their sons struggle with drug addiction.

As their sons' addictions deepened, Kim and Michelle experienced not only grief and fear, but also isolation. Others blamed them, and they blamed themselves. Despite doing everything they knew to help, they often felt helpless and alone. Then they discovered PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones), a support group that connected them with other parents walking a similar road. For the first time in years, they found understanding, encouragement, and hope. Their story offers comfort and strength to any parent carrying the burden of a child's destructive choices.

Connect with Kim and Michelle:

https://palforward.palgroup.org/who-is-pal/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/229449267401069/

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

When I scheduled these two podcast episodes with my husband, Chuck Sedgwick, I didn't realize the second episode would release during the week of our 44th wedding anniversary. Looking back, we have so much to celebrate because of God's faithfulness to His promises. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion, and our marriage stands as a testimony to that truth. Through the years, Christ has done more in our lives than we could have imagined, bringing healing, growth, and restoration step by step.

In this episode, Chuck shares how God transformed the shame narrative he carried through the gift of trusted friendships with brothers in Christ. As he began building safe and healthy relationships, he slowly came to believe that he was worthy of love, connection, and belonging. Those friendships helped him see himself more accurately and challenged the deep feelings of inadequacy he had long believed. I have had the privilege of watching this healing unfold firsthand, and I believe Chuck's story will deeply encourage anyone longing for freedom from shame and the healing power of authentic Christian community.

Scripture mentioned:

2 Peter 3:18

Romans 5:1

Hebrews 4:1

Ephesians 2:1-4

Colossians 1:27

Proverbs 3:5

Psalm 34:8

Psalm 27:10

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

I have been deeply blessed by the many guests who have courageously shared their stories on this podcast, but these next two episodes are especially meaningful to me. My husband of 44 years, Chuck Sedgwick, joins me to share part of his own healing journey as we continue this series on God's Tools for Healing Shame. Though I did not witness the struggles of his childhood firsthand, I experienced the impact those early wounds had on his life, just as he experienced the effects of mine. I have also had the privilege of watching God faithfully restore him step by step through the years.

In this week's episode, Chuck opens up about growing up with a father who was emotionally and physically absent for much of his childhood. Without a healthy model of manhood or connection, he was left searching for identity and direction. Everything began to change when he came to know Jesus as a teenager. Through Christ, Chuck discovered love, belonging, and a new path forward. His story is a beautiful reminder that God meets us in our broken places and patiently brings healing and growth over time.

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

Tina Slaughter returns this week to share how God led her out of the exhausting cycle of perfectionism and performance and into the beauty of living in His presence. After years of striving to earn approval and value through achievement, Tina longed for something deeper. She wanted true intimacy with God. Through slow and intentional steps of spending time with Him, her relationship with the Lord began to grow in ways that transformed her heart and mind.

In this episode, Tina talks about how a wilderness season deepened her dependence on God and awakened in her a passion for His presence. What began as a desire for freedom became a lifestyle of closeness with Him, often spending hours in prayer and communion with God each morning. Now Tina shares that hope and encouragement with others, helping them discover the peace, purpose, and joy that come from walking closely with the Lord.

Connect with Tina:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tina.slaughter.2025

Tina's book, The Nearness of God

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

Performance and perfectionism can look admirable on the outside, but they often hide a deep longing for approval, belonging, and worth. My guest for this and next week's episodes is author, teacher, and Christian life coach Tina Slaughter, who shares how this pattern shaped her life from a young age. As a high achiever, Tina believed that if she could just get everything right, she would finally feel secure and accepted. Instead, the pressure to perform left her feeling alone, unknown, and driven by shame.

When Tina came to the end of herself, she did something different. She surrendered. In this episode, she shares how God gently began to earn her trust, teaching her to release striving and rest in His love. Through that process, she discovered that freedom was not found in perfection, but in allowing God to meet the deepest needs of her heart. Her story is a powerful invitation to step out of performance and into the peace that comes from trusting Him.

Connect with Tina:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tina.slaughter.2025

Tina's book, The Nearness of God

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

Terrie Tollerson returns this week to continue sharing her powerful story of healing after escaping an abusive marriage to a pastor. She describes her experience as living through an "unnatural disaster," one that brought deep destruction to her life and the lives of her children. After fleeing to safety, recovery did not happen overnight. It was a long and difficult journey marked by survival, grief, and the slow rebuilding of what had been broken.

Through that process, God began to restore Terrie's soul. The very Scriptures that had once been distorted and used against her became a source of truth, comfort, and life. As she spent time in God's Word, she came to understand His true heart for her and discovered that she was cherished and cared for by Him. Today, Terrie shares that same hope with other women who have experienced their own "unnatural disasters," pointing them to the healing power of God's truth.

Connect with Terrie:
www.terrietollerson.com

Facebook: Unseen No More

Instagram: @TerrieTollerson

TikTok: @terrie.tollerson

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.

My guest for this and next week's podcast episodes is author, teacher, and soon-to-be podcaster Terrie Tollerson. Terrie came to faith in Jesus at a young age and later met the man she believed she would serve alongside in ministry. After marrying a pastor, she looked forward to building a life centered on Christ. But soon after the wedding, the reality of his sexual addiction surfaced. What she had learned from Scripture as a child became twisted through his manipulation, leaving her confused, trapped, and unsure of what it truly meant to be a faithful Christian wife and mother.

As the abuse and addiction escalated, Terrie carried deep shame, believing she was somehow responsible for her husband's behavior. With no clear place to turn, she endured increasing harm until she made the courageous decision to escape with her children to find safety. In this episode, Terrie begins to share her story with honesty and vulnerability. Her journey reveals the devastating impact of spiritual distortion and the first steps of trusting God to begin again.

Connect with Terrie:
www.terrietollerson.com

Facebook: Unseen No More

Instagram: @TerrieTollerson

TikTok: @terrie.tollerson

To inquire about counseling, email Louise at Louise@louisesedgwick.com.