3 Steps to Process a Hard Emotion Without Spiraling

It's natural to worry about the people and situations you care about. But when does caring turn into overthinking, trying to control every outcome, and carrying responsibilities that were never yours to begin with? Maybe you're replaying conversations that haven't happened, worrying about decisions other people might make, or trying to figure out every possible way something could go wrong. In this episode, I'm talking about the difference between caring about tomorrow and trying to carry tomorrow today, what the Israelites' experience in the wilderness teaches us about trusting God's provision, and how to recognize what's actually yours to do when your mind keeps searching for answers you don't have yet.Your friend,JessicaThe Stop Spiraling Membership is NOW OPEN!Get ongoing faith-based mental health support, new monthly resources, and a supportive community for just $7/month (founding member rate) until November 16th. Join us today!Become a Member

Do you ever feel like you have to stay on top of everything because you're afraid of what might happen if you don't? Maybe you find yourself managing other people's emotions, planning for every possible outcome, or taking responsibility for things that aren't really yours to carry. Sometimes our need for control isn't about wanting things our way. It's about trying to protect ourselves from being hurt again. In this episode, I'm talking about why letting go of control can feel so difficult even when you genuinely want to trust God, how past experiences can shape your need for certainty, and the difference between being responsible for what's yours to do and trying to control what happens next.Your friend,JessicaThe Stop Spiraling Membership is NOW OPEN!Get ongoing faith-based mental health support, new monthly resources, and a supportive community for just $7/month (founding member rate) until November 16th. Join us today!Become a Member

Do you struggle to process difficult emotions without overthinking, shutting down, or feeling guilty for having them? As Christian women, we can sometimes feel pressure to handle our emotions perfectly, leaving us afraid to acknowledge what we're really feeling. In today's episode, I'm sharing three practical, biblical steps to help you acknowledge your emotions without judgment, understand what's underneath them, and respond in a healthy, God-honoring way without getting stuck in a spiral.Your friend, JessicaThe Stop Spiraling Membership is NOW OPEN! Get ongoing faith-based mental health support, new monthly resources, and a supportive community for just $7/month until November 16th. Join us today! Become a Member

Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the right things - following God, working on your thoughts, staying disciplined, and pushing forward - but still feel anxious, exhausted, or overwhelmed? Sometimes what looks like growth on the outside is actually a sign that we’ve gotten really good at ignoring what’s happening on the inside.In this episode, I'm talking about the pressure to keep going, why slowing down can feel so uncomfortable, and how to recognize when you’re pushing forward out of fear rather than freedom.Rooting for you,Jessica🤎 Next Step: The Stop Spiraling MembershipTired of feeling stuck in the same cycles of overthinking, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm?The Stop Spiraling Membership was created to give Christian women ongoing faith-based mental health support as they learn to navigate their thoughts, emotions, and life's challenges differently.Get new monthly resources, practical guidance, and a supportive community for just $10/month.JOIN THE STOP SPIRALING MEMBERSHIPThe information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.

Have you ever had a thought pop into your head that was so disturbing or out of character that you immediately wondered, “Why would I even think that?” Intrusive thoughts can feel incredibly real, and the more you try to analyze them, prove them wrong, or make them disappear, the harder they can be to shake. They can even leave you questioning what those thoughts say about you or your faith. In this episode, I'm talking about why intrusive thoughts keep coming back, why having an unwanted thought doesn’t mean it reflects who you are or what you believe, and how you can begin responding differently without feeling like you have to figure out or fight every thought that enters your mind.Rooting for you,Jessica🤎 Next Step: The Stop Spiraling MembershipTired of feeling stuck in the same cycles of overthinking, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm?The Stop Spiraling Membership was created to give Christian women ongoing faith-based mental health support as they learn to navigate their thoughts, emotions, and life's challenges differently.Get new monthly resources, practical guidance, and a supportive community for just $10/month.JOIN THE STOP SPIRALING MEMBERSHIPThe information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.

Do you ever tell yourself, “If I expect the worst, at least I won’t be disappointed”? When you’ve been through repeated disappointment or seasons where nothing seems to go right, preparing for the worst can start to feel like protection. But expecting pain doesn’t prevent it, and sometimes it means you’re carrying the weight of a future that hasn’t even happened yet. In this episode, I'm talking about why your mind may keep jumping to worst-case scenarios, the difference between preparing and trying to protect yourself through control, and how to come back to what’s true today while trusting God with the tomorrow you can’t predict.Rooting for you,JessicaWant help taking the next step?If this episode helped you recognize some of the thoughts, emotions, or patterns keeping you stuck, you don't have to stop with simply understanding what's happening. Here are two ways I can help you take the next step:1. Untangle Your Thoughts is my self-paced course designed to help Christian women understand what’s happening beneath their thoughts and emotions, identify the patterns keeping them stuck, and learn practical tools to begin responding differently all while keeping God at the center of the process.Inside, I walk you step-by-step through the process so you don't have to keep wondering, “Okay, but how do I actually change this?”→ Start Untangle Your Thoughts: Click here!2. Start 1:1 Christian Mental Health Coaching with Jessica. Sometimes you don't need more information you need someone to sit with you, help you slow everything down, and work through what is actually happening underneath your thoughts, emotions, and patterns.We'll look at what you're experiencing, uncover what's keeping you stuck, and work toward practical next steps that help you move forward with God.→ Book a free 20-minute consultation: Click here!Website: www.jessicahottle.comEmail: [email protected] information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.

Have you ever had a bad day or a big emotional reaction and immediately wondered what it says about your faith? Maybe you’re angry and think you shouldn’t be, anxious and tell yourself you need to trust God more, or disappointed and feel guilty because you know you’re supposed to be grateful. But having a difficult emotion doesn’t make you a bad Christian. In this episode, I'm talking about why we attach spiritual meaning to our emotions, how perfectionism and shame can make an already difficult feeling even heavier, and what it looks like to bring what you’re actually feeling to God instead of trying to clean it up first - because pain and surrender can exist at the same time.Rooting for you,Jessica🤎 Next Step: The Stop Spiraling MembershipTired of feeling stuck in the same cycles of overthinking, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm?The Stop Spiraling Membership was created to give Christian women ongoing faith-based mental health support as they learn to navigate their thoughts, emotions, and life's challenges differently.Get new monthly resources, practical guidance, and a supportive community for just $10/month.JOIN THE STOP SPIRALING MEMBERSHIPThe information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.

Be honest. Is there something you've done that you're still quietly requiring yourself to make up for, even after you've brought it to God? Even after you know, theologically, that you're forgiven? In this episode, I'm sitting with that tension and asking a question that might reframe everything: what if the goal isn't learning how to forgive yourself, but learning how to extend the same compassion toward yourself that God already has?  Rooting for you,Jessica🤎 Next Step: The Stop Spiraling MembershipTired of feeling stuck in the same cycles of overthinking, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm?The Stop Spiraling Membership was created to give Christian women ongoing faith-based mental health support as they learn to navigate their thoughts, emotions, and life's challenges differently.Get new monthly resources, practical guidance, and a supportive community for just $10/month.JOIN THE STOP SPIRALING MEMBERSHIPThe information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.

Sometimes life just keeps being hard. You're praying, you're trying, you're holding on to your faith, and it still feels like nothing is getting better. I've been sitting with friends in that place recently, and honestly, I've felt it myself too.In this episode, I'm having the real conversation about how to keep trusting God when you can't feel or see evidence that anything is shifting. I'm going to talk about self-reflection, what we actually believe about God underneath all of our theology, and why we are always one choice away from something changing, even when our circumstances aren't.  Rooting for you,Jessica🤎 Next Step: The Stop Spiraling MembershipTired of feeling stuck in the same cycles of overthinking, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm?The Stop Spiraling Membership was created to give Christian women ongoing faith-based mental health support as they learn to navigate their thoughts, emotions, and life's challenges differently.Get new monthly resources, practical guidance, and a supportive community for just $10/month.JOIN THE STOP SPIRALING MEMBERSHIPThe information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.

You can know what the Bible says about fear and still feel afraid. You can believe God is with you, trust His character, and genuinely want to have faith, and yet notice your body reacting as if something is threatening you. So what do we do with that? In this episode, I'm looking at what Scripture actually means when it says “fear not,” why fear doesn’t automatically mean you’re failing to trust God, and how your mind, body, and past experiences can all play a role in the way fear shows up. Instead of asking, “How do I stop being afraid?” let's get curious about what your fear may be responding to and learn how faith can meet you there.Rooting for you,JessicaWant help taking the next step?If this episode helped you recognize some of the thoughts, emotions, or patterns keeping you stuck, you don't have to stop with simply understanding what's happening. Here are two ways I can help you take the next step:1. Untangle Your Thoughts is my self-paced course designed to help Christian women understand what’s happening beneath their thoughts and emotions, identify the patterns keeping them stuck, and learn practical tools to begin responding differently all while keeping God at the center of the process.Inside, I walk you step-by-step through the process so you don't have to keep wondering, “Okay, but how do I actually change this?”→ Start Untangle Your Thoughts: Click here!2. Start 1:1 Christian Mental Health Coaching with Jessica. Sometimes you don't need more information you need someone to sit with you, help you slow everything down, and work through what is actually happening underneath your thoughts, emotions, and patterns.We'll look at what you're experiencing, uncover what's keeping you stuck, and work toward practical next steps that help you move forward with God.→ Book a free 20-minute consultation: Click here!Website: www.jessicahottle.comEmail: [email protected] information shared in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or clinical advice. While we discuss mental health topics, this is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.