No one I know is 100% content with their body. Knowing that's the case, I wanted to give us a framework for processing living healing and whole in our bodies.

I could think of no one better to help us do this than one of my very favorite people, my mentor and boss, Lisa Whittle.

Lisa is the bestselling author of nine books and multiple Bible studies, including her latest, Body & Soul: A Biblical Look at the Whole Person God Created You To Be.

Join Lisa and I as we talk about:

• a theology of the body, and why that matters to our freedom and our peace
• common struggles we face in our bodies
• what it means to be made in the image of God
• how the incarnation of Christ impacts how we see our bodies
• avoiding body extremes
• honoring our bodies vs. idolizing them

LINKS

Connect with Lisa on Instagram

Get Session 1 of Body & Soul: A Biblical Look at the Whole Person God Created You To Be for free

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

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How do we live well in our bodies when we have experienced great loss in them?

We are continuing our conversations on living both healing and whole, living fully where we are, even as we are healing in different areas and ways. This week, we shift from our minds to our bodies with a dear friend of mine, Kendall Carver.

Kendall is a wife, mom, and leukemia survivor who lost her second daughter, Ellie, to her leukemia diagnosis.

Join Kendall and I as we talk about:

• what we know and don't know about battling cancer and grief as a mom
• places we get to experience healing, and the places where we are still waiting
• Kendall's advice for the early days of a diagnosis or grief
• the long process of healing
• accepting things we wish were different

LINKS

Connect with Kendall on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

Today's episode is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Lindsay McVety. Go back and grab part 1 before getting started with this episode!

With so much about trauma online these days, I wanted to give us some handles on what it looks like to be both healing and whole in our minds. I am in no way, shape, or form the expert on trauma, and that's why I brought in Dr. Lindsay!

Dr. Lindsay McVety is a professor and online director at Canada Christian College, Creative Pastor at The River Worship in Ontario, and has her doctorate in Traumatology. That's what I asked her to talk about with us.

Join Dr. Lindsay and I as we talk about:

• minimizing the impact of trauma
• coping strategies (We all have them! The question is are ours healthy)
• misconceptions about mental health and trauma in the Church
• bridging the gap between our mental and spiritual health

LINKS

Connect with Dr. Lindsay on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

With so much about trauma online these days, I wanted to give us some handles on what it looks like to be both healing and whole in our minds. I am in no way, shape, or form the expert on trauma, but I have a friend who is!

Dr. Lindsay McVety is a professor and online director at Canada Christian College, Creative Pastor at The River Worship in Ontario, and has her doctorate in Traumatology. That's what I asked her to talk about with us today as we kick off Season 3!

Join Dr. Lindsay and I as we talk about:

• defining trauma and triggers
• the impact of trauma on our minds and bodies
• the role of forgiveness and boundaries in our healing processes
• practical tips for having hard conversations
• building resilience in ourselves, our kids, and our communities

Dr. Lindsay and I had too much to talk about for just one episode, so be sure to join us next week for part 2 of this conversation!

LINKS

Connect with Dr. Lindsay on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

Whether you've been here from the jump or this is your first time tuning in, I'm so glad you're here!

The Bitter and the Sweet podcast is a show where we tell the truth about grief, joy, and the grace that covers it all.

In just 2 minutes, take a look back at where we've been in our first two seasons and where we are headed in season 3, living as people who are both healing and whole.

Season 3 kicks of June 3, 2025. Let's go!

If you've ever asked, "why me?" this episode is for you!

My friend Kimberly Haar has been there (me too!). Kim is a therapist and author who has the most incredible story, and you are not going to want to miss it!

Heads up: Kim's story includes assault and gun violence. She has experienced incredible healing and redemption, and I'm excited for you to get to hear it today.

Join Kim and I as we talk about:

• Kim's story of surviving a violent trauma
• Wanting to trust God but being afraid to
• Sharing your story honestly while protecting the privacy of others involved
• Misconceptions about healing
• Kim's recommendations for finding a therapist
• One shift Kim made in asking "why me?" that helped her move forward in the healing process

Healing is possible, even when we have experienced life's deepest hurts. Kim is living proof

LINKS

Connect with Kim on Instagram

Get your copy of Kim's book Healing from Life's Deepest Hurts: Reclaiming Your Life After Grief, Loss, or Trauma

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

I know you care about caring for vulnerable kids and families as much as I do, and with May being National Foster Care Month, there was no better time for this conversation!

This episode is all about caring for kids who are in foster care and the grown ups who care for them. Joining me for this conversation is a new friend of mine, Abbey Roberson.

Abbey is the Development Coordinator at Least of These Carolinas, an organization that exists to impact the lives of children in foster and kinship care.

Join Abbey and I as we talk about:

• the power of having one safe adult in a child's life
• what kids in foster care and the grown ups who care for them REALLY need
• what the Church does well in caring for kids in care and their families, and what we could do better (there's a stat Abbey shares that blew my mind!)
• the hard, important, often unseen work of social workers
• being willing to start small
• how God shows up for vulnerable kids and families, and how we can too

The Lord is a father to the fatherless, and He places the lonely in families. I'm so grateful to partner with Abbey today to learn more about how to reflect His heart better to vulnerable kids and families in our communities!

LINKS

Connect with Least of These Carolinas on Instagram

Visit the Least of These Carolinas website

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

May is mental health awareness month, and today, we are talking about mental health in motherhood. So many moms are suffering in silence, and joining me to break that silence today is my friend, Rachael Hunt Elmore.

Rachael is a licensed mental health counselor supervisor, expert speaker, and award winning author with over 20 years of experience in the counseling field.

Join Rachael and I as we talk about:

• the surprising impact of motherhood on our mental health
• recognizing postpartum depression (and other postpartum mental health issues) in ourselves and in moms we love
• the stigma of postpartum depression
• ways we can best support new moms
• how mental health impacts every aspect of our lives
• the science of self-care

Here's the truth about postpartum depression: there is hope, and it gets better. Rachael and I are living proof.

LINKS AND RESOURCES

If you are or think you may be suffering from PPD, please reach out to your healthcare provider.

Postpartum Depression Info from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists

Postpartum Support International

Connect with Rachael on Instagram

Get your copy of Rachael's book, A Mom is Born: Biblical Wisdom and Practical Advice for Taking Care of Yourself and Your New Baby

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram