Podcast Summary: Therapy and Theology

Episode: S10 E6 | Tools To Fight Anxiety and Better Your Mental Health
Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Lysa TerKeurst
Guests: Rebecca Maxwell (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist), Shay Hill (Proverbs 31 Ministries)

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Lysa TerKeurst is joined by therapist Rebecca Maxwell and co-host Shay Hill to explore practical tools for managing anxiety and improving mental health, especially during difficult seasons such as unwanted divorce. Blending biblical wisdom with therapeutic strategies, the conversation is candid, compassionate, and packed with actionable steps to foster healing and resilience.

Key Discussion Points

Integrating Faith and Psychology

• Faith and psychology are not at odds. Rebecca highlights that many therapeutic practices draw on biblical principles, and Christians need a strong scriptural foundation to navigate the mental health conversation (04:11).
  • “For too long, the church has kind of kept these conversations outside of the church and now the world is really talking about mental health. And so the church really needs to get in the conversation… Research really just reveals a lot more about how the scripture is applicable and practical to our daily lives.” – Rebecca (04:11)
• The therapeutic technique of "cognitive restructuring" and the biblical concept of "one-anothering" (attachment) are discussed as examples of overlap.

The Power of Acceptance and Healing Cycles

• Healing requires acceptance. Lysa shares her counselor’s mantra:
  • "Mental health is a commitment to reality at all costs." – Jim Kress via Lysa (06:06)
• Acceptance is not linear – grief and healing are cyclical; triggers can bring you back to past pain, even as you move forward (06:06–07:09).

Morning Rhythms to Ground the Mind

• Rebecca emphasizes the importance of a morning routine, suggesting:
  • Avoid starting the day on your phone.
  • Move your body, nourish yourself with good food (especially breakfast).
  • Set your mind "on things above" through scripture or prayer (07:09–08:32).
  • “Our gut is our second brain and really helps regulate our mood.” – Rebecca (07:52)
  • Using positive input in the mornings helps build a strong foundation for managing triggers throughout the day.

Journaling and Gratitude as Mental Health Tools

• Journaling creates neurological connections between brain and body; writing helps process both negative and positive thoughts (09:25).
  • “There is a neurological connection between our brain and our, like, writing... journaling is so important because when you are writing, you are kind of implanting something in your mind.” – Rebecca (09:25)
• Gratitude exercises: Even tiny acknowledgments (e.g., “I’m grateful that I’m breathing”) can powerfully shift perspective and anchor you to God’s presence (16:28–17:48).
  • Lysa shares, “I learned I didn't need to fake gratitude. I had to reduce my gratitude down to, 'I'm grateful that I'm breathing.' ... Just finding little tiny things to be grateful for reminded me that God is present in the small even when we feel like we can't see his work in the big things that we're facing.” (16:28–17:48)

The Necessity of Community and Vulnerability

• Don’t isolate yourself. Connection and vulnerability with trusted friends combat loneliness, a core issue for those experiencing divorce or loss (11:19–12:30).
  • “We are made to feel like we belong... the biggest problem in our country is loneliness that leads to despair.” – Rebecca (11:19)
• Lysa and Rebecca discuss the complexities that can arise in friendships after divorce, including feelings of betrayal and resistance to reconnecting, but highlight the essential role of community in healing (13:00–14:39).

Engaging with Scripture and Simplifying Spiritual Practices

• When it’s hard to engage with the Bible, Lysa encourages even minimal contact—reading a psalm, praying the name of Jesus, or simply being present with scripture (14:41–16:27).
  • “Sometimes when we feel like reading our Bible the least is when we actually need to pick it up the most.” – Lysa (15:04)
  • Praying scripture = praying God’s will.
  • It's okay if prayers are as simple as saying “Jesus” over and over.

Building Healthy Habits and Coping Mechanisms

• Lysa and Rebecca stress building healthy rhythms—spiritual, relational, and physical—before crisis hits, to have tools ready for difficult times (18:01–19:42).
  • "What we are doing now is setting the tone for what tools and habits and rhythms we will have at our disposal when we go through that thing." – Rebecca (18:01)

The Role of Boundaries in Mental Health

• Boundaries are not about pushing people away but about "holding ourselves together" and protecting our mental space (22:13–23:30).
  • "Boundaries are really just an effective communication tool to establish what is and is not okay in a relationship..." – Lysa (22:13)
  • Mind Boundaries: Protect what you allow in—thoughts, voices, influences (23:44–25:38).
  • Manage self-talk: "Do a lot more talking to yourself than listening to yourself." (25:38–26:13)
  • Replace empty affirmations with scriptural truth: "I'm beloved, I'm chosen, I'm not forgotten." (26:51)

Taking Thoughts Captive and Managing Mental Loops

• Lysa describes the danger of ruminating on painful memories or lies and the need to interrupt these cycles with truth.
  • “I can't control my first thought, but I can surely control my second thought. And what I do with that second thought is really important.” – Lysa (28:22)
  • Rebecca echoes the biblical principle: "Take your thoughts captive." (29:04–29:18)

Segment Focus: Tools to Fight Anxiety

[30:24 – 36:10]

Understanding Anxiety

• Anxiety is rooted in past regrets (“what if I had…”) and future fears (“what if...”). The antidote is grounding oneself in the present (30:24–32:15).
  • "Anxiety lives in the future and in the past. It lives in the what ifs... When we understand what anxiety is, and how it pulls us between two places... what would be a move that I can make? Be present." – Rebecca (30:24)

Practical Tools & Grounding Strategies

• Move your body: Walking helps reconnect mind and body.
• Breathing exercises: Bring immediate presence; even the act of focusing on your breath ties back to the spiritual (“Yahweh” as the breath of God) (32:15–32:27).
  • "Our body's always in the present... but our mind can be anywhere. If we can bring our mind and body back into connection... especially anxiety, the power of breathing. There's nothing more present than our breath." – Rebecca (31:50–32:22)
• Cold water/ice cubes: Physical sensation in the now stimulates the vagus nerve and can calm anxiety (32:57–33:11).
• Worship: Singing or speaking engages the nervous system and calms the body, integrating spiritual and physical healing (33:34–34:19).
  • “When we worship and our voice box is creating vibrations... those vibrations of worshiping really do connect the vagus nerve... Not only is that a spiritual exercise, but God hand designed our body so that it would physically calm us down.” – Lysa (33:34–34:19)

Highlights from Jesus and Your Mental Health (Rebecca's Book)

• Rebecca’s favorite: Exploring the science of how brain, mind, and nervous system interplay—modern neuroscience shows where “scripture got it right” (35:34–36:10).
• The book is recommended as a bridge for those unable to access counseling immediately.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Acceptance:
  • “Mental health is a commitment to reality at all costs.” – Jim Kress (via Lysa) [06:06]
• On Presence in Anxiety:
  • “When we first understand what anxiety is... where we find the best help and coping is to work on being present. ‘Be still and know that I am God.’” – Rebecca [30:24]
• On Journaling:
  • “There is a neurological connection between our brain and our... writing. When you are writing, you are kind of implanting something in your mind.” – Rebecca [09:25]
• On Boundaries and Thought Life:
  • “I can't control my first thought, but I can surely control my second thought.” – Lysa [28:22]
• On Scripture vs. Affirmations:
  • “What we have as Christians at our disposal is truth. So how much more impactful is, ‘this is how God sees me’ than kind of an empty affirmation.” – Rebecca [26:51]
• On Community:
  • “We are made to feel like we belong. And so I think... finding rhythms of meeting together and being in connection... is really, really important.” – Rebecca [11:19]

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• [04:11] – Integrating faith and psychology in therapy
• [06:06] – The importance of acceptance in healing
• [07:09] – Morning routines and foundational daily habits
• [09:25] – The science and power of journaling
• [14:41] – Scripture and spiritual rhythms through grief
• [18:01] – Preparing healthy coping mechanisms before crisis
• [22:13] – The role and practice of boundaries in mental health
• [25:38] – Managing self-talk and affirming scriptural truth
• [30:24] – Understanding and combating anxiety
• [32:57] – Physical grounding techniques for anxiety (cold water, ice cubes)
• [33:34] – Worship, the nervous system, and the vagus nerve

Overall Tone

The episode is warm, supportive, and deeply rooted in both faith and practical psychological wisdom. There is open acknowledgment of struggle, complexity, and imperfection, balanced by hope and the invitation to take manageable, meaningful steps toward healing.

For Further Action

• Rebecca Maxwell’s book, Jesus and Your Mental Health – recommended as a practical resource for those seeking faith-based, therapeutic tools.
• Previous episodes – Listeners are encouraged to revisit earlier teachings on "taking thoughts captive" for practical mental health frameworks.

This summary captures the heart and actionable insights of the episode, guiding listeners (and non-listeners) toward practical, faith-infused mental health tools to use in seasons of anxiety, trauma, or unwanted life change.