What We Really Want: Conversations About Connection

55 | Chris McKenna: That's Just a Part of the Gig

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"The scariest thing about kids and tech isn’t just what they can find—it’s what can find them. Greg & Bobby sat down with Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes and president of Better Tech, to map a practical path through the chaos: clear relational scripts, layered technical guardrails, and a mindset that trades “set it and forget it” for steady, confident presence.Chris breaks the work into two buckets—relational and technical—and shows how the ratio shifts as kids grow. For little ones, lock down devices and avoid exposure; for teens, double down on agency and honest talk. We explore the five habits of a tech-ready home (you'll want to get to know these). Chris outlines layered protection—router, device, location, and app—and explains why your router is the most important device you own. If your teen already has social media, you’ll get “ridiculously direct” scripts for sextortion-proofing and an approach that invites confession without shame.We also touch on policy and the broader movement: how Better Tech equips classrooms and pushes for laws that protect kids and hold platforms accountable. You don’t need a computer science degree to lead your family well—you need small, consistent actions and language your kids can remember when it matters.#chrismckenna #protectyoungeyes #bettertech #delayistheway #families #parenting #childhoodtrauma #adolescenttrauma #digitalresponsibility #gospel #grace #awaken #awakenrecovery #awakenpodcast #whatwereallywant #wwrw #recovery #connection #conversationProtectYoungEyes.comThe Better Tech Project Support the showAwaken websiteRoots Retreat Men's IntensiveRoots Retreat Women's WorkshopAwaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

54 | Karrie Garcia: The Brain, The Body, & The Bible

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"Anytime we can encourage people in caring professions we love to do it! If you walk with, pastor, or counsel people going through hard times, this is a conversation you're going to want to hear.Karrie Garcia is a pastor, life coach, and author who inspires change in others by boldly sharing her journey to freedom. She has seen firsthand how God’s true redemptive purpose for our lives does not begin once we’re free from pain, rather it stems directly out of that pain.Since 2014, her nonprofit Freedom Movement has offered people the chance to process and heal on the road to freedom through offerings like workshops, certificate program and one-on-one coaching.By learning how spirituality and the body (particularly the brain & nervous system) are impacted by trauma, we can be more confident that the help we provide is truly helpful and addressing not only surface symptoms, but more importantly what's going on under the surface. Healing and freedom involve the brain, the body, and the Bible.#karriegarcia #freedom #freedommovement #freeandfullyalive #neuroscience #storywork #connection #counseling #caregivers #spirituality #growth #change #therapy #healing #trauma #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformationKarrie Garcia websiteFreedom Movement websiteFree & Fully Alive (Karrie's book on Amazon)Support the showAwaken websiteRoots Retreat Men's IntensiveRoots Retreat Women's WorkshopAwaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

53 | Steve Cuss: The Pros & Cons of Boat Stepping

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"It can be scary to examine spiritual messages we've heard all our lives, but it sometimes can also be the path to experiencing God more truly, deeply, and biblically. Steve Cuss is an author, speaker, and pastor who has a passion for understanding what drives Christians to feel anxiety, fear, and exhaustion about their faith & relationship with God. He has written books that examine the role anxiety plays in leadership (Managing Leadership Anxiety), and the troubling gaps we notice in our spirituality (The Expectation Gap).In an illuminating conversation, Steve talks about the importance of...Leaders and caregivers being spiritually and emotionally healthy.Realization that not every dramatic spiritual story is meant to be an exact template for exactly how all Christians should react.Understanding that self-condemnation about lack of spiritual progress actually keeps us stuck and frozen.Discovering gentle steps we can take to increase resilience and move in the directions we desire.#stevecuss #expectationgap #managingleadershipanxiety #humansized #spirituality #growth #change #curiosity #kindness #selftalk #spiritualpractices #therapy #healing #trauma #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformationSteveCussWords (Steve's website)Steve's books (Amazon)Five Steps to Christmas Sanity PDF (signup download) Support the showAwaken websiteRoots Retreat Men's IntensiveRoots Retreat Women's WorkshopAwaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

52 | Thaddeus Heffner: Christmas Trees and Therapy

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"It's December, and just like last year, we're giving you something extra for the holidays. Each week in December we'll release a new episode for you to enjoy! Please remember to follow/subscribe to the show, write a positive review, and share us with others. ALSO, if the show means something to you, please consider a financial gift to help us continue! (Link to give below)For the first December episode, we caught up with a friend who is both a therapist and a lover of Christmas! Thaddeus Heffner lives in Franklin TN, and has been practicing therapy there since 2009. Many of Thaddeus' clients are people who have also connected with Awaken.In addition to helping people, Thaddeus loves Christmas and he loves his community. A few years ago he and a friend started a Christmas tradition connected to the lighting of the Franklin Christmas tree. It has grown into something the people of Franklin look forward to each year. Thaddeus has even written a children's book about the tradition.We talk about Christmas, we talk about therapy, we talk about walking with people as they heal, grow, and begin to take agency and ownership over their own process. It's a rich conversation and we hope you'll be encouraged by it.Merry Christmas!#thaddeusheffner #franklinchristmastree #christmastraditions #beersandcheers #therapy #agency #trauma #healing #addiction #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformationFranklin Christmas Tree Facebook pageThe First Franklin Christmas Tree book (Amazon)Thaddeus Heffner’s therapist website Make a donation to Awaken (Thank you!) Support the showAwaken websiteRoots Retreat Men's IntensiveRoots Retreat Women's WorkshopAwaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)

51 | Sam Black: Safe People, Safe Places, Safe Process

"Send us a message! (questions, feedback, etc.)"It's critical for ministry leaders to understand their responsibility and opportunity to help people in their churches who are sexually struggling. That was a key theme in our rich conversation with Sam Black, Director of Recovery Education at Covenant Eyes. Sam explained that empathy plus action breaks porn’s grip, and how churches can become truly safe communities for strugglers and spouses. We talked about practical tools, trauma-informed insights, and a clear path toward allyship, healing, and prevention.Some of the themes from our conversation included...• Early exposure + repetition + pain = a common pathway into pornography.• Allyship and accessibility work better than traditional accountability.• How mind-body-spirit healing helps interrupt the addiction cycle.• What constitutes safe people in safe places with a safe process.• How church leaders often unintentionally add harm to betrayed spouses.• Sex (or more sex) is not the solution to porn use.• How to find available, practical, ready-to-use tools for pastors and leaders.• How healing it is when leaders  admit mistakes & repair ruptures.#samblack #covenanteyes #thehealingchurch #pornographyaddiction #therapy #healing #addiction #trauma #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformationCovenant Eyes websiteFive Stones pastor kit (FREE from Covenant Eyes)The Healing Church book (Amazon) Support the showAwaken websiteRoots Retreat Men's IntensiveRoots Retreat Women's WorkshopAwaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)