In this powerful and deeply compassionate episode of the Thrive Today Podcast, host Natalie Born sits down with trauma-trained therapist and faith-based speaker Ciara Freeman to explore what healing truly looks like when faith and psychology work together. Ciara unpacks how unresolved trauma shapes our behaviors, relationships, and spiritual lives—and why avoiding pain often keeps us bound rather than free.
Through biblical wisdom, clinical insight, and personal experience, this conversation reframes healing as a courageous, intentional choice. From emotional regulation and nervous system awareness to surrender, discipleship, and renewed identity in Christ, this episode invites listeners to stop numbing, start noticing, and choose the hard road that leads to freedom, wholeness, and lasting transformation.
[00:00 – 03:00] Why Healing Is a Choice
- What Ciara means by “choosing your hard.”
- Why staying stuck can feel easier than healing.
- How avoidance quietly reinforces bondage.
[03:01 – 06:30] Trauma, the Nervous System, and Faith
- How trauma lives in the body—not just the mind.
- Understanding fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses.
- Why spiritual practices alone don’t always heal trauma.
[06:31 – 10:00] When Faith Is Used to Bypass Pain
- The difference between faith and emotional suppression.
- Why “just pray about it” can sometimes delay healing.
- How God works through both Scripture and science.
[10:01 – 13:30] Renewing the Mind Requires Safety
- Why regulation must come before transformation.
- How safety creates space for truth to land.
- What renewal looks like beyond positive thinking.
[13:31 – 17:00] Identity, Attachment, and Belonging
- How early attachment impacts adult relationships.
- Why trauma distorts our view of God and ourselves.
- Returning to identity as sons and daughters—not survivors.
[17:01 – 20:30] Discomfort as a Pathway to Freedom
- Why healing often feels harder before it feels lighter.
- The cost of numbing versus the cost of obedience.
- Choosing growth even when emotions resist.
[20:31 – 24:00] Integrating Healing into Daily Life
- Practical tools for emotional awareness and regulation.
- Creating rhythms that support nervous system health.
- Partnering with God in the healing process.
[24:01 – End] Hope, Freedom, and the Courage to Begin
- Why freedom is possible for everyone.
- Trusting God with the process—not just the outcome.
- An invitation to take the next faithful step.
Quotes ;
“Freedom doesn’t come from avoiding pain—it comes from facing it with God.” – Ciara Freeman
“Healing isn’t about fixing yourself; it’s about allowing truth and safety to meet.” – Ciara Freeman
“You can love God deeply and still need help healing your nervous system.” – Ciara Freeman
About the Guest: Ciara Freeman
Ciara Freeman is a trauma-trained therapist and faith-based speaker passionate about bridging the gap between psychology and Christianity. With over five years in private practice, she helps individuals experience emotional healing and spiritual restoration through a Biblical lens.
She is the author of Choose Your Hard: The Road That Leads from Bondage to Freedom, where she invites readers into honest, courageous healing that leads to lasting freedom. When she’s not counseling or leading worship, Ciara enjoys spending time near the water with her pup, Diego.
Guest Links
📘 Book: Choose Your Hard: The Road That Leads from Bondage to Freedom
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