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The Family Room

The Family Room

Written by: The Quest Atlanta
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 Airing on AM 1160 The Quest – Your Atlanta Catholic Radio.2018-2026, Atlanta Catholic Radio, the Quest Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Spirituality
Episodes
  • Where Have All The Fables Gone?

    Where Have All The Fables Gone?
    Jan 28 2026
    Guest: Sylvia Dorham, wife, mother, and author

    Stories teaching virtue and vice were foundational to most American children fifty years ago. Every family knew what you meant when you referenced “The boy who cried wolf” or “The tortoise and the hare.” They were called “fables.” Realizing these beautifully-teachable stories were being lost to current generations, Sylvia Dorham set out to recapture the wonder and awe our youngsters experience through creative storytelling that expresses a concrete truth.

    Using rhyme and rhythm to help children remember, Sylvia shares lessons learned by a group of fictionalized monks in a monastery. Certain tenants of Christianity we should transmit to our children, such as “God will provide” became the book, The Monks' Daily Bread. The Monks' Stormy Night helps youngsters understand God will not abandon them. The Monks Stand Guard introduces taking your thoughts captive; how many adults allow our thoughts to carry us down negative paths before we even realize it?

    The ubiquitous cell phone has been cleverly designed to entice idle minds, offering customized options based on our scrolling habits. These habits can become addictive. The early years are such a critical time of learning, and The Monk series will help guide children’s minds down healthier paths.

    Guest biography: Sylvia Dorham grew up Protestant and, while attending the Naval Academy, heard an upper-classman was becoming Catholic and set about to convert him. She was convinced his journey into the Catholic Church destined him to Hell. This man became her husband, and their story is one of beautiful submission through compromise and listening to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. As the parents of 10 children, both adoptive and natural, and three grandchildren, their journey through different duty stations around the world brought them to the Melkite Catholic Church. Sylvia’s husband, Elias, is now a Melkite Catholic priest and pastor of St. John Chrysostom Melkite Church in Atlanta.

    Resources:
    Sylvia Dorham’s books published by TAN Books
    Information about the Melkite Catholic Church
    St. John Chrysostom Melkite Catholic Church in Atlanta
    The Family Room "Forgivness in Marriage" episode with Fr. Elias Dorham
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    55 mins
  • Drama-Free Discipline

    Drama-Free Discipline
    Jan 21 2026
    Guest: Dr. Ray Guarendi, clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and national radio/television host

    It was a plea for parenting help from a colleague which took Dr. Ray Guarendi’s career down a trajectory that has become his trademark: common-sense wisdom combined with self-deprecating humor. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Ray has written more than 20 books that give practical, no-nonsense guidance that helps people cut through the confusion of daily life.

    His book, Drama-Free Discipline: Dr. Ray Coaches You to Parenting Success, lays out eighteen of the most common problems parents face with children between the ages of 2 and 18. As the father of 10 adopted children and with decades of hands-on clinical experience, Dr. Ray created humorous, believable scripts for each scenario, giving parents concrete examples of typical dialogue and ways to navigate these conversations down healthy paths. Understanding that each parent has different tolerance levels for specific behaviors, Dr. Ray gives parents techniques that complement one another rather than add to the chaos. No psychobabble. No gimmicks. Just clear communication.

    This book teaches parents how to diffuse sibling rivalries and settle incessant bickering, use “blackout” discipline to calmly establish authority, and build bedtime routines that actually bring peace. Parents learn to claim their rightful roles as calm, confident leaders in the home.

    Guest Biography: Dr. Ray's radio show, “The Doctor Is In,” can be heard on over 500 stations and SiriusXM® channel 130. His EWTN television series, “Living Right With Dr. Ray,” is in its 14th season and airs in 140 countries. Dr. Ray has given over 3,000 talks on various topics including parenting, marriage, family, and the Catholic faith. He captivates audiences with his compelling humor-laced presentations providing practical advice and proven techniques.

    Resources:
    Dr. Ray's website
    Dr. Ray's podcast episodes of The Doctor is In
    Books by Dr. Ray
    EWTN television series, Living Right With Dr. Ray
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    55 mins
  • Holistic Wellness Through a Catholic Lens

    Holistic Wellness Through a Catholic Lens
    Jan 14 2026
    Guest: Samantha Worthing, wife, mom, author, and nutritional therapist

    Pope St. John Paul II described the unique spiritual, emotional, and intellectual strengths inherent in women as the “feminine genius.” It is their innate desire to bring the world and the family together which drew Samantha Worthing and her co-authors into a collaboration to create an authentic integration of wellness and faith in our fast-paced world. They realized that as we journey through nature’s cycles, our human spirits yearn for the simplified life, nourishing the body and tending to the soul. The Ember Journal, a beloved seasonal print magazine for women which provides holistic wellness through a Catholic lens, became the springboard for their book, Feast Faith Flourish: Holistic Wellness in Light of Eternity.

    From the desire to integrate the cyclical nature of the Church and the liturgical seasons, Samantha calls Feast, Faith and Flourish a “retreat in print” composed of carefully selected reflections from nearly four years’ worth of favorite entries in The Ember Journal. In these exquisite pages, you will enjoy delicious recipes made with high-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients. Be uplifted by beautiful, full-color photos, original meditations on the great celebrations of the year, explorations on the mysteries of the Rosary, and inspiring quotes from the saints.

    Guest biography: Samantha Worthing is a wife and mom of three young children, nutritional therapy practitioner, photographer, plant lady, and lover of all things wild and free. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with a city yard packed full of every kind of flower and growing thing she can get her hands on.

    Resources:
    Feast, Faith, Flourish: Holistic Wellness in Light of Eternity, published by Sophia Institute Press
    The Ember Collective website
    The Ember Journal subscription
    The Ember App
    The Ember Collective Blog
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    55 mins
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