Lynne Babbitt has personal experience as a step-family child and parent. As a licensed counselor and life coach, she used her experience and gained more insights by working with other step families who needed to find peace for their lives. Lynne discusses the following considerations for step-parents: the decision-maker and advice-giver roles, expectations, boundaries, and Biblical support.

Lynne Babbitt, M.A., is a Christian coach, speaker, writer, and editor. She earned degrees in psychology and counseling from Liberty University, with a minor in Bible. Lynne’s journey through widowhood, divorce, single parenting, and stepfamilies now fuels a fabulous, godly marriage—and a passion to help other individuals and relationships thrive. Lynne candidly shares with humility and humor her own hard-learned lessons, so others can learn from her hard way instead of their own. She and her renowned artist husband live in both Virginia and Rhode Island so they can enjoy their nine children and four grandchildren.

Join the conversation about this episode by leaving your comments and sharing the episode. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Please email Caroline at caroline@carolinescooper.com if you have questions or suggestions, or if you are interested in being interviewed on the program.

Caroline S. Cooper is a writer, speaker, podcast/YouTube host, and mental health support group leader whose mission is to offer encouragement for life in a complicated world. Her ministry name is Mental Health Connect.

Contact the Nationwide (USA) Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline: CALL or TEXT 988 if you are in a crisis or need information to assist someone else in a crisis. Or, CHAT at 988.lifeline.org

Please post your questions, comments, or suggestions and don’t forget to subscribe! Join the conversation on mental health and faith!

Website – https://www.carolinescooper.com/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MentalHealthAndFaith

Podcast – https://mental-health-and-faith.blubrry.net/

Facebook Mental Health Connect – https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSueCooper

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/carolinescooperauthor/

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Amazon Author Page – Caroline S. Cooper on Amazon Books

Lynne Babbitt shares the wisdom she gained as a single parent at two different times in her life. As a licensed counselor and life coach, she used her experience and gained more insights by working with other single parents who needed to find peace for their lives. Lynne offers practical tips for prioritizing self-care, communicating with a co-parent, and dating while children are still in the home.

Lynne Babbitt, M.A., is a Christian coach, speaker, writer, and editor. She earned degrees in psychology and counseling from Liberty University, with a minor in Bible. Lynne’s journey through widowhood, divorce, single parenting, and stepfamilies now fuels a fabulous, godly marriage—and a passion to help other individuals and relationships thrive. Lynne candidly shares with humility and humor her own hard-learned lessons, so others can learn from her hard way instead of their own. She and her renowned artist husband live in both Virginia and Rhode Island so they can enjoy their nine children and four grandchildren.

Join the conversation about this episode by leaving your comments and sharing the episode. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Please email Caroline at caroline@carolinescooper.com if you have questions or suggestions, or if you are interested in being interviewed on the program.

Caroline S. Cooper is a writer, speaker, podcast/YouTube host, and mental health support group leader whose mission is to offer encouragement for life in a complicated world. Her ministry name is Mental Health Connect.

Contact the Nationwide (USA) Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline: CALL or TEXT 988 if you are in a crisis or need information to assist someone else in a crisis. Or, CHAT at 988.lifeline.org

Please post your questions, comments, or suggestions and don’t forget to subscribe! Join the conversation on mental health and faith!

Website – https://www.carolinescooper.com/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MentalHealthAndFaith

Podcast – https://mental-health-and-faith.blubrry.net/

Facebook Mental Health Connect – https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSueCooper

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/carolinescooperauthor/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/carolinesuecooper/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinescooper/

Amazon Author Page – Caroline S. Cooper on Amazon Books

Jeremy Smith is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) in Ohio. In this episode, he first provides information about the challenges faced by many individuals in the caring profession. Jeremy also introduces the audience to ACES, which stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences.

In the second half of the episode, Jeremy provides practical suggestions for pastors, ministry leaders, and others in how to care for their own needs, church staff, and others in the church or other organizations. Jeremy highlighted an important resources that can help. Click on the image below to read more about Shepherding Towards A Healthy Ministry.

https://churchandmentalhealth.com/product/shepherding-towards-a-healthy-ministry/

Join the conversation about this episode by leaving your comments and sharing the episode. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Please email Caroline at caroline@carolinescooper.com if you have questions or suggestions, or if you are interested in being interviewed on the program.

Caroline S. Cooper is a writer, speaker, podcast/YouTube host, and mental health support group leader whose mission is to offer encouragement for life in a complicated world. Her ministry name is Mental Health Connect.

Contact the Nationwide (USA) Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline: CALL or TEXT 988 if you are in a crisis or need information to assist someone else in a crisis. Or, CHAT at 988.lifeline.org

Please post your questions, comments, or suggestions and don’t forget to subscribe! Join the conversation on mental health and faith!

Website – https://www.carolinescooper.com/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MentalHealthAndFaith

Podcast – https://mental-health-and-faith.blubrry.net/

Facebook Mental Health Connect – https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSueCooper

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/carolinescooperauthor/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/carolinesuecooper/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinescooper/

Amazon Author Page – Caroline S. Cooper on Amazon Books

Jeremy Smith is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) in Ohio. In this episode he shares general information about therapy and the different modalities (types of therapeutic approaches) that one may experience during a therapy session. As an integrationist, Jeremy draws from the strengths of various therapy models to find what will work best for his clients. Solution-Based Brief Therapy is a preferred approach Jeremy uses to focus on finding a solution to an immediate need.

To learn more about these therapies, click on the names below to reach a description.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Motivational Interiewing

Solution-Based Brief Therapy

https://churchandmentalhealth.com/product/99-self-care-techniques-for-christians/

Join the conversation about this episode by leaving your comments and sharing the episode. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Please email Caroline at caroline@carolinescooper.com if you have questions or suggestions, or if you are interested in being interviewed on the program.

Caroline S. Cooper is a writer, speaker, podcast/YouTube host, and mental health support group leader whose mission is to offer encouragement for life in a complicated world. Her ministry name is Mental Health Connect.

Contact the Nationwide (USA) Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline: CALL or TEXT 988 if you are in a crisis or need information to assist someone else in a crisis. Or, CHAT at 988.lifeline.org

Please post your questions, comments, or suggestions and don’t forget to subscribe! Join the conversation on mental health and faith!

Website – https://www.carolinescooper.com/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MentalHealthAndFaith

Podcast – https://mental-health-and-faith.blubrry.net/

Facebook Mental Health Connect – https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSueCooper

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/carolinescooperauthor/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/carolinesuecooper/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinescooper/

Amazon Author Page – Caroline S. Cooper on Amazon Books

In his new book, And the Sea Was No More, Dave Nienhuis shares his journey of trauma to healing using stories in the biblical text. Dave says, “I wrote this book for me. I needed to discover a faith language that could account for the reality of meaningless suffering. That language was revealed to me in the story of Scripture. And now I want to pass it over to others.” In this compelling interview and discussion Dave shares the contrast between darkness and “the deep,” and contrasts the need to ask “why” with the better question of “how.” The Bible contains the answers.

And the Sea Was No More will be released on September 22, 2026. Find it on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

Amazon Listing

Publisher Site

Dave Nienhuis is professor of New Testament studies at Seattle Pacific Seminary. He has authored and edited several books. To learn more about Dave, visit his substack page and website.

https://beyondtheshallows.substack.com/

https://davenienhuis.com/

Join the conversation about this episode by leaving your comments and sharing the episode. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Please email Caroline at caroline@carolinescooper.com if you have questions or suggestions, or if you are interested in being interviewed on the program.

Caroline S. Cooper is a writer, speaker, podcast/YouTube host, and mental health support group leader whose mission is to offer encouragement for life in a complicated world. Her ministry name is Mental Health Connect.

Contact the Nationwide (USA) Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline: CALL or TEXT 988 if you are in a crisis or need information to assist someone else in a crisis. Or, CHAT at 988.lifeline.org

Please post your questions, comments, or suggestions and don’t forget to subscribe! Join the conversation on mental health and faith!

Website – https://www.carolinescooper.com/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MentalHealthAndFaith

Podcast – https://mental-health-and-faith.blubrry.net/

Facebook Mental Health Connect – https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSueCooper

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/carolinescooperauthor/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/carolinesuecooper/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinescooper/

Amazon Author Page – Caroline S. Cooper on Amazon Books

Inspired by a poster at a psychiatric treatment ce2nter, the two episodes on “detour thinking” will explore the cognitive distortions and relevant scriptures.

A cognitive distortion can be defined as a distorted thought or cognitive distortion is an exaggerated pattern of thought that’s not based on facts. It consequently leads you to view things more negatively than they really are. In other words, cognitive distortions are your mind convincing you to believe negative2 things about yourself and your world that are not necessarily true.

Detour Thinking (Cognitive Distortions) – Part 1

1. All or Nothing – Ezekiel 18:25, 29
2. Justification – Luke 14:18-20
3. Center of the Universe – Matthew 6:33
4. Jumping to Conclusions – Matthew 7:1-2
5. Catastrophizing – Amos 6:3

Detour Thinking (Cognitive Distortions) – Part 2

1. Mental Filtering – Matthew 7:3-5
2. Victim Stance – Jeremiah 45:2-3
3. Instant Gratification – Isaiah 40:31
4. Personalization – Ecclesiastes 1:2
5. Power Play – Proverbs 28:26 (The Message)

Contact the Nationwide (USA) Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline: CALL or TEXT 988 if you are in a crisis or need information to assist someone else in a crisis. Or, CHAT at 988.lifeline.org

Join the conversation by leaving your comments or emailing Caroline at caroline@carolinescooper.com. Caroline S. Cooper is a writer, speaker, podcast/YouTube host, and mental health support group leader whose mission is to offer encouragement for life in a complicated world. Her ministry name is Mental Health Connect. Please email Caroline if you have questions or suggestions, or if you are interested in being interviewed on the program.

Please post your questions, comments, or suggestions and don’t forget to subscribe! Join the conversation on mental health and faith!

Website – https://www.carolinescooper.com/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MentalHealthAndFaith

Podcast – https://mental-health-and-faith.blubrry.net/

Facebook Mental Health Connect – https://www.facebook.com/CarolineSueCooper

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/carolinescooperauthor/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/carolinesuecooper/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinescooper/

Amazon Author Page – Caroline S. Cooper on Amazon Books