As we prepare to start the new year, many of us feel the need to slow down and take stock of where we’ve been. In this episode of A Better Way to Heal, faith-based therapist, Eleanor Brown (Elly) and her co-host Isamary (Isa) explore year-end reflection as a grounding practice that helps settle the mind, calm the body, and bring clarity before moving into a new season.

Rather than rehearsing regret or pushing ourselves toward unrealistic resolutions, this conversation offers a better way to start the new year, one rooted in grace, awareness, and whole-person healing through faith and therapy. Together, they walk through five meaningful ways to reflect on the past year, including noticing emotional growth, reviewing relationships and boundaries, understanding what supported or stressed your nervous system, and identifying what you’re ready to leave behind.

Elly also shares how faith, surrender, and stillness have shaped her own reflection process, including letting go of performance-driven expectations, shame-based stories, and trauma-informed control patterns. The episode closes with a gentle invitation to reflect through a whole-person lens using the seven dimensions of wellness and a preview of what’s coming next in Part 2 on Vision Casting.

Resource mentioned in this episode:
If you want a simple starting point as you reflect on the past year, Elly invites you to take the Shame Quiz on her website. It’s a short, free tool designed to help you understand how shame may be showing up in your life as you prepare to start the new year.

https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie

This episode is for anyone seeking a grounded, compassionate, faith-informed approach to year-end reflection, without pressure, perfectionism, or shame.

Connect with us on Social Media or Visit our website!

Website: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

Bookstore: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store

Healing from shame and walking into the new year shame-free is essential if we want to grow, heal, and move forward without being tethered to the past. In this solo episode, Eleanor Brown, a faith-based therapist and licensed professional counselor, explores how shame forms, how it shapes identity, and why releasing shame is a critical step before starting a new year with clarity and intention.

As a faith-based therapist, Eleanor explains how shame often develops through childhood trauma and emotional wounds, how it impacts emotional regulation, relationships, and faith, and why healing from shame is essential for whole-person healing. Drawing from trauma-informed therapy approaches, including EMDR, and a faith-meets-therapy perspective, this episode offers practical insight into recognizing shame-based beliefs and replacing them with grace and truth.

This episode is especially helpful for those seeking support from a faith-based therapist, navigating childhood trauma, or exploring online trauma counseling options while integrating faith into the healing process.

Key Takeaways:

• Shame shapes identity and keeps people stuck in the past
• Healing shame restores emotional regulation and nervous system balance
• Jesus consistently removes shame and restores belonging
• Childhood trauma often creates shame-based beliefs that persist into adulthood
• Identity work creates space for growth, healing, and forward movement
• Releasing shame allows us to approach the new year with clarity and grace

Notable Quotes:
“Shame is not my identity.”
“You are not what happened to you.”
“Healing shame changes the nervous system.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Shame Quiz - https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie
• EMDR therapy for shame and trauma healing

Connect with us on Social Media or Visit our website!

Website: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

Bookstore: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store

As the year winds down, many people sense that gentle nudge, "Something has to change". But knowing where to begin can feel overwhelming. Should you look for a therapist? A counselor? Does it matter? And what if your faith is part of your healing journey?

In this compassionate conversation, faith based therapist Eleanor Brown, LPC, and her co-host Isamary Nieves-Banks break down the real differences between a therapist and a counselor, how to choose the right support, and why asking for help takes courage not weakness. Isa brings honest questions from the layperson perspective, and Elly offers clear, grounded guidance as a therapist in Texas and Florida who integrates faith and emotional healing for those who want it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The simple difference between a therapist and a counselor
• How to choose a therapist who fits your story, your values, and your goals
• Why people hesitate to reach out and how shame and fear keep them stuck
• What Christian listeners often misunderstand about therapy and faith
• Biblical encouragement for seeking wisdom, support, and guidance
• Practical steps to help you find a therapist in Texas or Florida that feels right for you

Whether you’re exploring therapy for the first time, rebuilding after a hard season, or looking for faith based counseling support, this episode offers clarity, comfort, and a gentle next step.

Free Resource:
If you’re ready for a place to begin, download Elly’s Healing Starter Kit — a simple, faith-aware guide to grounding, resilience, and emotional clarity. Here's the link:

https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/healing-starter-kit

Looking for a faith-based path toward emotional healing?
Download Elly’s free A Better Way Guide, a 6-step BETTER Framework that blends faith and therapy to help you recognize emotional triggers, build resilience, and start healing from the inside out.
Start your journey today at eleanorbrowncounseling.com/a-better-way-guide-freebie.

Connect with us on Social Media or Visit our website!

Website: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/

Facebook URL: facebook.com/EleanorBrownCounseling/

Instagram URL: instagram.com/eleanorbrowncounseling/

Bookstore: eleanorbrowncounseling.com/store