Learning to Fear Not with Keri Kitchen

How can we learn to fear not? Today's guest, Keri Kitchen, shares tools and insights to help those struggling with anxiety and worry.

Keri is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, former youth pastor, wife, and mom of 3 little boys on earth and a little girl in Heaven. She works to minister to Christian women through Every Day Incredible. www.everydayincredible.net. She gives much focus to overcoming anxiety and depression by learning to put on our spiritual armor and stand firm in the authority and identity we have as children of the Victorious King. The message God has given Keri blends a traditional counseling approach with what God's word says to support it.

Keri chose to address the issue of anxiety in her recent book because of the recurrence of the issue in scripture as well as in her counseling practice and personal experience.

She shares how we might be tempted to fear often but we don't have to give in because God has given us tools to overcome it. 

Kitchen notes the powerful impact seeing God's Word in action has had upon her mission and life. Her book shares a blend of clinical and personal experience to help readers battle anxious thoughts. Keri declares the value of clinical strategies as well as adding a deeper level of healing by applying scriptural truths. Kitchen emphasizes how scripture supports therapeutic practices like cognitive behavioral therapy.

We discuss how those in ministry could offer support to those struggling with anxiety. Keri also refutes the myth that dismisses anxiety as evidence someone simply lacks faith. A struggle does not condemn us as failures in our Christian faith. Facing a battle can grow our faith.

For those battling anxiety issues, Kitchens recommends the following:

• Coping skills, such as thought monitoring
• Relaxation techniques
• Identify symptoms and triggers
• Journal thoughts
• End each journal entry with a focus on God's truth

Keri shares her personal experience of journaling through the grief of losing her infant daughter. She notes how the process helped her, especially by stating God's goodness and faithfulness at the end of each entry. 

Kitchen emphasizes the need to surround ourselves with positive and healthy believers who will nurture healing and growth. We differentiate toxic and false positivity from declaring God's presence and truth when we don't feel it yet. 

Keri encourages listeners to listen to testimonies of those who have overcome similar struggles. She also recommends:

• reframe thoughts
• set healthy boundaries with negative individuals
• release resentment and bitterness

Kitchen states that learning to fear not is a process of growing more resilient to fear's triggers and temptations.

Get a copy of Keri's new book, listen to her podcast, and more at everydayincredible.net

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