Sunburnt Souls | Faith, Mental Health & Mayhem

From Addiction To Freedom

Addiction rarely starts as a plan. It starts as relief. Sean Bradley tells the truth about what alcohol and weed gave him at first: a quiet stomach, less anxiety, fewer social masks, and a break from the constant pressure of performing. Then he tells the other truth: the relief doesn’t stay relief. It becomes a pattern, and the pattern becomes a shrinking life. We talk about what pushed him toward Transformations, a hardcore therapeutic community rehab on the Gold Coast that is openly Christian and intentionally challenging. From there we get into the stuff that doesn’t magically disappear when you get sober. Sean shares how an addictive personality can shift into workaholism, burnout, scrolling, and obsessive thoughts, especially with ADHD and autism in the mix. We swap practical mental health strategies that actually fit real life: building routines that survive stress, using exercise as a stabilizer, avoiding dopamine-draining mornings, and staying connected to community through church and AA. We also talk candidly about medication and why some options can feel risky for people with an addiction history. Sean’s faith journey is just as intense. Catholic trauma made Jesus complicated for him, even while he felt sure God was real, so he went searching hard: reading, questioning the Trinity, exploring Islam, and even doing a 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat. That search leads to a deeper conversation about shame, guilt, and why so many people in addiction believe they’re too far gone for God.  If you want more conversations about faith and mental health that stay honest, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What part of Sean’s story felt most familiar to you? Check out www.lionzen.com.au [http://www.lionzen.com.au/] to see Sean's Business  If Sunburnt Souls has helped or blessed you in any way, can I ask a small favour? Would you consider telling someone about the podcast, reposting an episode link, or bringing it up over dinner with a mate sometime? Word of mouth is how this podcast spreads. We don’t have the budget for advertising, so every share genuinely helps more people discover the conversations we’re having around faith and mental health. 🙏 IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION Help us keep producing Christian mental health podcasts and resources that bring hope to listeners around the world and breaks the stigma in the Church. 👉 Donate [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/donate] to Sunburnt Souls. ALL DONATIONS OVER $2 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 🧠 NEW ONLINE COURSE: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health A 28-day, FREE journey to help you: * Embrace your identity in Jesus * Build life-giving spiritual rhythms * Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with honesty and grace 👉 Start your 28-day journey today [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/28-day-online-course] 📩 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox. 👉 Subscribe to the newsletter [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/subscribe-to-newsletter] ⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW Love this episode? Your review helps others discover faith-based mental health resources and find hope for their journey. * Listen and Rate on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182] * Listen & Rate on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5LkhiGyLpXqagsEkzz6PMz] Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories ...

Faith and Mental Health: A Christian GP Explains What Actually Works

Dr Afiniki Akanet sits down with us and names the thing many people feel but rarely say out loud: you can treat the body and still feel empty. From the first minutes, we dig into a whole-person view of mental health, where spirit, soul, and body interact, and where medication and therapy can be lifesaving without answering the deeper questions of meaning, hope, and purpose. If you have ever wondered how faith fits alongside a mental health diagnosis, this conversation brings clarity without shame or shortcuts. We talk about the difference between mental illness and mental well-being, and why that distinction gives people room to breathe. Dr Afiniki Akanet shares how spirituality can support mental well-being through community, practices that steady us, and a source of strength when life feels unbearable. She also describes what it looks like to bring faith into a real UK medical consultation with sensitivity, asking the right questions at the right time, and honouring patients who believe differently. Then the story widens. Dr Afiniki Akanet opens up about moving from Nigeria to the UK at 16, the reality of persecution in northern Nigeria, and the long path to becoming a doctor through financial setbacks, extra degrees, and starting over. We connect those experiences to resilience, to her “Happiness Over Stress” message rooted in boundaries and intentional living, and to her new book on Joseph, family dynamics, and perseverance. We close with a practical, faith-filled encouragement for anyone struggling: God is sovereign, healing is possible, and your hard season can still hold purpose. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review with the one line that stayed with you. What part of the conversation did you need most right now? If Sunburnt Souls has helped or blessed you in any way, can I ask a small favour? Would you consider telling someone about the podcast, reposting an episode link, or bringing it up over dinner with a mate sometime? Word of mouth is how this podcast spreads. We don’t have the budget for advertising, so every share genuinely helps more people discover the conversations we’re having around faith and mental health. 🙏 IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION Help us keep producing Christian mental health podcasts and resources that bring hope to listeners around the world and breaks the stigma in the Church. 👉 Donate [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/donate] to Sunburnt Souls. ALL DONATIONS OVER $2 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 🧠 NEW ONLINE COURSE: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health A 28-day, FREE journey to help you: * Embrace your identity in Jesus * Build life-giving spiritual rhythms * Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with honesty and grace 👉 Start your 28-day journey today [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/28-day-online-course] 📩 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox. 👉 Subscribe to the newsletter [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/subscribe-to-newsletter] ⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW Love this episode? Your review helps others discover faith-based mental health resources and find hope for their journey. * Listen and Rate on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182] * Listen & Rate on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5LkhiGyLpXqagsEkzz6PMz] Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories ...

Suffering, Anxiety and Christian Meditation | Finding Peace in Pain with Dr Joshua Knabb

Pain shows up whether we invite it or not and trying to outrun it usually makes it louder. I sit down with Dr. Joshua Nabb, a clinical psychologist and professor, to talk about what happens when suffering shatters your assumptions and forces bigger questions about faith, healing, and hope. Joshua shares his own story of early trauma, depression, and anxiety, plus the surprising role Christian therapy played in helping him name what hurt and start putting the pieces back together. We dig into a deeply biblical view of emotions that many churches still struggle to hold. Sadness, fear, and anxiety are not automatically spiritual failures. They can be signals that reveal what we value, what we have lost, and what we think is at risk. We talk about lament as a Christian mental health practice, including Psalm 88 and the honesty of the Psalms where the darkness does not neatly resolve. That honesty can be the start of freedom because it trains us to bring the whole truth into God’s presence. Then we get practical with Christian meditation and contemplative prayer that stay anchored to Scripture and the Christian tradition rather than borrowed spirituality. Joshua explains how to train attention with short Bible promises, how to work with intrusive thoughts without getting into a losing fight, and why the Jesus Prayer can feel like real time “soothing” instead of magical problem removal. We also address the “Is meditation New Age?” concern head on and point to the rich heritage of biblical meditation across Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant history. We close with what Joshua is researching next, including a Holy Spirit focused alternative to loving-kindness meditation built around the fruit of the Spirit, plus where to find his free guided practices and resources. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who is struggling, and leave a review so more people can find hope and tools that actually work. If Sunburnt Souls has helped or blessed you in any way, can I ask a small favour? Would you consider telling someone about the podcast, reposting an episode link, or bringing it up over dinner with a mate sometime? Word of mouth is how this podcast spreads. We don’t have the budget for advertising, so every share genuinely helps more people discover the conversations we’re having around faith and mental health. 🙏 IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION Help us keep producing Christian mental health podcasts and resources that bring hope to listeners around the world and breaks the stigma in the Church. 👉 Donate [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/donate] to Sunburnt Souls. ALL DONATIONS OVER $2 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 🧠 NEW ONLINE COURSE: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health A 28-day, FREE journey to help you: * Embrace your identity in Jesus * Build life-giving spiritual rhythms * Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with honesty and grace 👉 Start your 28-day journey today [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/28-day-online-course] 📩 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox. 👉 Subscribe to the newsletter [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/subscribe-to-newsletter] ⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW Love this episode? Your review helps others discover faith-based mental health resources and find hope for their journey. * Listen and Rate on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182] * Listen & Rate on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5LkhiGyLpXqagsEkzz6PMz] Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories ...

The Pressure to Be Perfect Is Killing Your Faith (Part 2) | Sarah Wiseman

In Part 2, the conversation goes deeper. Sarah Wiseman opens up about anxiety, depression, motherhood, and the reality of navigating mental health while trying to follow Jesus. From panic attacks to hormonal struggles like PMDD, this is the stuff most people don’t talk about — especially in church. We also talk about raising kids while you’re struggling, dealing with criticism, and why your weakness doesn’t disqualify you from being used by God. This is real faith — not filtered, not perfect. In this episode: *  Anxiety and depression in everyday life  *  Mental health during pregnancy and motherhood  *  PMDD and the hormonal side of mental illness  *  Raising kids while you’re struggling  *  Owning your mistakes and repairing relationships  *  Why weakness doesn’t disqualify you  *  Living with faith even when healing isn’t instant  A standout moment in this episode is the honesty around mental health — not hiding it, but bringing it into the light where God actually meets people  CONNECT Listen to more episodes: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182 [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182] Follow Sarah Wiseman:  https://www.instagram.com/sarah.a.wiseman/ [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.a.wiseman/] Listen to “Sit Down With Sarah”:  https://open.spotify.com/show/0LGxpsG9HXCtVjb5A0P1mR [https://open.spotify.com/show/0LGxpsG9HXCtVjb5A0P1mR] If Sunburnt Souls has helped or blessed you in any way, can I ask a small favour? Would you consider telling someone about the podcast, reposting an episode link, or bringing it up over dinner with a mate sometime? Word of mouth is how this podcast spreads. We don’t have the budget for advertising, so every share genuinely helps more people discover the conversations we’re having around faith and mental health. 🙏 IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION Help us keep producing Christian mental health podcasts and resources that bring hope to listeners around the world and breaks the stigma in the Church. 👉 Donate [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/donate] to Sunburnt Souls. ALL DONATIONS OVER $2 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 🧠 NEW ONLINE COURSE: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health A 28-day, FREE journey to help you: * Embrace your identity in Jesus * Build life-giving spiritual rhythms * Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with honesty and grace 👉 Start your 28-day journey today [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/28-day-online-course] 📩 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox. 👉 Subscribe to the newsletter [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/subscribe-to-newsletter] ⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW Love this episode? Your review helps others discover faith-based mental health resources and find hope for their journey. * Listen and Rate on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182] * Listen & Rate on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5LkhiGyLpXqagsEkzz6PMz] Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories ...

The Pressure to Be Perfect Is Killing Your Faith (Part 1) | Sarah Wiseman

She expected shame and found love instead. Sarah Wiseman joins us to talk about the kind of faith that doesn’t wait for you to get polished, cleaned up, or “qualified” before God shows up. We trace her story from being the responsible church kid to hitting a wall of heartbreak, addiction, and the party lifestyle, then walking back into church and realizing grace meets you while you’re still messy. If you’ve ever thought, “Once I fix this, then I’ll come back to God,” this conversation offers a different path. We also dig into the hard, modern reality of doing ministry while managing mental health. Sarah opens up about anxiety and depression, the sting of online criticism, and the exhausting pressure some Christians feel to sound perfect theologically. We talk about why weakness is not disqualifying, why one harsh comment can drown out a thousand kind ones, and why character matters more than influence. For anyone searching for a Christian mental health podcast that actually feels human, we keep it honest without turning it into despair. Then the discussion gets intensely practical: panic attacks in public, telling your kids “I’m anxious” instead of barking orders, and the complicated world of pregnancy mental health. Sarah shares her experience with prenatal anxiety and depression, PMDD, progesterone intolerance, and medication decisions while pregnant, plus the guilt and identity loss that can come with those seasons. We also talk about Scripture as a real support in the fight, while still making room for the seasons where you don’t have the strength to fight at all. If this helped you feel less alone, subscribe to Sunburn Souls, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find faith and mental health conversations like this. If Sunburnt Souls has helped or blessed you in any way, can I ask a small favour? Would you consider telling someone about the podcast, reposting an episode link, or bringing it up over dinner with a mate sometime? Word of mouth is how this podcast spreads. We don’t have the budget for advertising, so every share genuinely helps more people discover the conversations we’re having around faith and mental health. 🙏 IF YOU WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE MISSION Help us keep producing Christian mental health podcasts and resources that bring hope to listeners around the world and breaks the stigma in the Church. 👉 Donate [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/donate] to Sunburnt Souls. ALL DONATIONS OVER $2 ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. 🧠 NEW ONLINE COURSE: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health A 28-day, FREE journey to help you: * Embrace your identity in Jesus * Build life-giving spiritual rhythms * Navigate anxiety, depression, and burnout with honesty and grace 👉 Start your 28-day journey today [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/28-day-online-course] 📩 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY Get weekly encouragement, bonus podcast clips, and faith-informed mental health resources in your inbox. 👉 Subscribe to the newsletter [https://www.sunburntsouls.com/subscribe-to-newsletter] ⭐ LEAVE A REVIEW Love this episode? Your review helps others discover faith-based mental health resources and find hope for their journey. * Listen and Rate on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sunburnt-souls-a-christian-mental-health-podcast/id1728936182] * Listen & Rate on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/5LkhiGyLpXqagsEkzz6PMz] Sunburnt Souls is produced by Pretty Podcasts — a Christian mental health production where faith meets real life through stories ...