What happens when deep trauma, spiritual experiences, and faith collide?

In this powerful episode of the Strong Tower Mental Health Podcast, Heidi sits down with Dusty May Taylor to share an honest and courageous story of survival, healing, and spiritual discernment.

Dusty opens up about her childhood trauma, dissociation, encounters with the occult, and the path that eventually led her to healing through therapy, faith, and deliverance. She also speaks candidly about her experiences within charismatic church spaces, including concerns about certain spiritual practices and the importance of biblical grounding and healthy Christian community.

This conversation explores the complex intersection of mental health, spiritual warfare, trauma recovery, and authentic faith. Dusty shares both the painful realities of her journey and the hope she has found through truth, forgiveness, and healing.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." ~ Psalm 34:18

Listeners will gain:

• Insight into trauma and dissociation from both psychological and spiritual perspectives
• Wisdom about spiritual discernment and faith after spiritual abuse
• Encouragement for those navigating healing after difficult church experiences
• Hope that deep trauma does not have the final word

If you or someone you love is processing trauma, faith questions, or spiritual experiences, this episode offers honest conversation, thoughtful reflection, and a reminder that healing is possible.

Dusty's Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DustyMayT

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

Schedule a FREE 15-minute clarity call: https://calendly.com/heidimortenson/15min

If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

Why do so many Christians know the right theology—but still struggle emotionally? We learned how to pray, serve, and believe… but not always how to regulate emotions, repair relationships, or set healthy boundaries.

In this episode, we explore five emotional skills that mark spiritually mature believers and why emotional maturity is essential for a healthy Christian life.

You'll learn how to:

• Recognize and process emotions without shame
• Stay rooted in Christ instead of hijacked by cultural noise
• Disagree with others without losing connection
• Set healthy boundaries without guilt

Spiritual maturity isn't just about belief—it's about growing up into Christ in every way.
"Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ." — Ephesians 4:15

Schedule a FREE 15-minute clarity call: https://calendly.com/heidimortenson/15min

· Join my mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t5u2y5

· If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

What if true healing isn't found in chasing spiritual experiences—but in deeply knowing Christ?

In this episode, Heidi sits down with Psychologist Dr. Anita Marchesani to explore her journey from charismatic Protestant spaces into the historic faith of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Together, they unpack spiritual discernment in a time when supernatural experiences are increasing—and often misunderstood. This conversation brings clarity to what's truly from God, and how humility, suffering, and surrender shape real transformation.

This conversation opens the door to important questions about how we interpret Scripture, pursue healing, and stay grounded in truth.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why discernment matters in spiritual experiences
• The risks of New Age influence in Christian spaces
• The deeper meaning of communion and early Church practices
• How true healing is formed through humility and surrender

"Be still, and know that I am God." — Psalm 46:10

Anita's Substack: https://substack.com/@thedranitagroup

Dr. Anita's book Be Still: https://www.amazon.com/Still-Uncovering-Achieving-Happiness-Wholeness/dp/0578226758

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

Join my mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t5u2y5

If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

What if spiritual maturity isn't measured by how powerful an encounter feels…
but by how we love the person right in front of us?

In this episode, Heidi shares a personal reflection on her faith being refined—learning to hold both the gifts of the Spirit and a deeper commitment to Scripture, discernment, and emotional health.

As conversations around revival, deliverance, and spiritual experiences continue to grow, there is an important question we must ask:

Are we missing the person right in front of us?
Are we overlooking the hurting in pursuit of the miraculous?

Through both a biblical and psychological lens, Heidi explores how true discernment is not just about recognizing truth—but expressing that truth through love.

Because healing doesn't just come through power.
It also comes through being seen, known, and safely held.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM THIS EPISODE

• A deeper understanding of hesed—God's steadfast, relational love
• How attachment and emotional safety reflect God's design for healing
• Discernment of when spirituality is bypassing pain vs. truly healing it
• A framework for integrating faith, mental health, and whole-person healing

"The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love (hesed) and faithfulness." — Exodus 34:6

Schedule a FREE 15-minute clarity call: https://calendly.com/heidimortenson/15min

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

· Release What Isn't Yours FREE Download: https://subscribepage.io/IAqSlk

· If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

What happens when someone deeply embedded in darkness encounters the real Jesus?

In this powerful episode, Heidi sits down with Riaan Swiegelaar, former co-founder and leader of the South African Satanic Church, who shares his radical transformation after encountering the love and truth of Christ.

Together, they unpack the difference between true discernment and a critical spirit, the dangers of counterfeit spiritual practices, and why many believers are missing the power of a genuine relationship with the Holy Spirit.

This conversation will challenge, stretch, and strengthen your understanding of authority, identity, and freedom in Christ—and remind you that Jesus is still delivering, healing, and transforming lives today.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." — John 8:32

What You'll Gain From This Episode

• How to discern between the Holy Spirit and counterfeit spiritual practices
• The difference between true discernment and a critical or religious spirit
• Why intimacy with God—not striving—develops spiritual authority
• A deeper understanding of deliverance and the role of Jesus (not human effort)
• How to walk in your identity and authority in Christ with clarity and confidence

Riaan's website: www.deliverance4me.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riaan_swiegelaar?igsh=eG5sNTE2dGE0bTUw

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

Are you carrying emotional or spiritual weight that may not actually belong to you?

In this episode, Heidi shares how to recognize and release burdens God never asked you to hold. If you're feeling overwhelmed by others' expectations, ministry pressures, or leadership responsibilities, this conversation will help you return to peace and clarity.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How to recognize the difference between compassion and responsibility
• Why your nervous system signals when you're carrying too much
• A biblical framework for releasing anxiety and emotional burdens
• How to refocus on your God-given assignment
• A simple spiritual practice to give your burdens back to God

As Scripture reminds us:

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." — 1 Peter 5:7

If this episode encourages you, be sure to subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find hope, healing, and clarity in their walk with God.

Schedule a FREE 15-minute clarity call: https://calendly.com/heidimortenson/15min

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

· Join my mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t5u2y5

· If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

How do you actually know when God is speaking?

Pam shares her personal story of walking with God through family dysfunction, deep loss, and healing, and how those experiences taught her to depend on the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Together Heidi and Pam explore four levels of listening—listening to, listening for, listening with, and listening in—and how these help believers grow in discerning God's voice in everyday life.

In this conversation you'll learn:

• How to recognize God's voice vs. your own thoughts
• How to identify the enemy's accusations and lies
• Why slowing down and listening before reacting matters spiritually
• How to test prophetic words and spiritual impressions
• Practical ways to grow in hearing God more clearly

Pam also leads listeners through a simple listening exercise and closes the episode by praying for those who want to grow in discerning God's voice.

John 10:27
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

Pam's website: Blueprintlife.com

Pam's book: https://www.amazon.com/Listen-hearing-vs-listening-God-Help-ebook/dp/B0DMZNDDQB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=225SUO0T93X8T&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6qRHbNDZcbbdwyV01QtBlg.X1n2hzWzcBcYuaOkzq1uj4r6sGsgIk5roSagfxaGo_I&dib_tag=se&keywords=pamela+mertz+listen+in&qid=1773573926&sprefix=pamela+mertz+listen+in%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-1

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

· Join my mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/t5u2y5

· If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!

What happens when deep faith collides with deep hurt?

In this powerful and nuanced conversation, Heidi Mortenson sits down with Jeremy Butros to explore his journey through church hurt, ministry trauma, and personal healing. Jeremy openly shares his experiences of childhood verbal abuse and the trauma he says he endured while working in ministry contexts connected to Bob Hartley and Shawn Bolz.

Rather than offering sensationalism or blame, this episode dives into the complexity of navigating spiritual leadership, boundary violations, forgiveness, and personal responsibility. Jeremy reflects on his time in high-level ministry environments—including working with Shawn Bolz—and the 2–3 year healing process that led him toward emotional integration, self-mastery, and spiritual maturity.

This conversation holds space for both pain and faith—offering wisdom for anyone wrestling with church-related trauma while longing to stay anchored in God.

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." ~Psalm 34:18

What You Will Gain

• An honest conversation about church hurt and ministry-related trauma
• Insight into trauma responses and long-term healing
• A balanced perspective on forgiveness, boundaries, and accountability
• Encouragement to pursue professional help alongside faith

Follow Jeremy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyButrous/videos

Find more about Heidi: www.heidimortensonlmft.com

If you are in crisis, help is available by call or text 1-800-273-8255 24/7. You can also visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You are loved!