What if the season that feels like it’s breaking you is actually the one God is using to rebuild you?

In this episode of The Confident Woman Podcast, Rachel Brooks sits down with Christine Marie, known as the Cortisol Coach. Christine is a Christian entrepreneur, certified biblical mindset coach, bestselling author, podcast host, and leader of a community of more than 420,000 women.

After years of fostering 77 children, adopting two, and caring for family members through serious illness, Christine’s body began showing the effects of chronic stress through fibromyalgia, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, and burnout.

Together, Rachel and Christine explore the connection between stress, grief, caregiving, faith, and healing. They discuss what happens when you spend years caring for everyone else without stopping to consider what you’re carrying, what it’s costing you, and what God may be asking you to release.

Rachel also shares her own experiences with loss, identity shifts, and forgiveness during difficult seasons. This conversation is for the woman who feels overwhelmed, exhausted, and ready to discover a healthier way forward.

What You’ll Hear:

• How caregiving impacted Christine’s health and healing journey
• Why a performance mindset can keep you stuck in burnout
• The connection between cortisol, stress, and emotional burdens
• Why grief includes more than death and can involve seasons, roles, and identities
• The challenge of being a caregiver who never pauses to grieve
• How to simplify life and listen for God’s direction

Scripture for the Soul:

“Jesus wept.” — John 11:35

Key Quotes:

“Grief isn’t just something traumatic like losing a loved one. Grief is the constant evolution and letting go of what once was so that you can make room to embrace what is still to come.” — Rachel Brooks

“For us to grow, we gotta let go.” — Christine Marie

“The more is never found externally. The more is gained through our perseverance, our suffering, our losses.” — Christine Marie

“Everything we do, there’s a cost. Is it worth it?” — Christine Marie

“Who we are and whose we are is not found in what we do, but in who we be.” — Rachel Brooks

Your Next Step:

Ready to do the deeper work? → I Am… Becoming — rebuild your identity from the inside out: iamrachelbrooks.com/iam-becoming

Support your body's stress response, energy, and focus as you do it: → Beneve: iamrachelbrooks.com/beneve

Connect with Christine Marie:

Instagram: @cortisol_coach

Podcast: Cortisol Coach — available on all podcast platforms

Podcast: What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting

Connect with Rachel Brooks:

Website: iamrachelbrooks.com

Instagram: instagram.com/iamrachelbrooks

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/iamrachelbrooks

Podcast: iamrachelbrooks.com/podcast

Subscribe: iamrachelbrooks.com/subscribe