The Thriving Family

​Welcome back to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. This is the space where family, faith, and culture intersect. In this second season, the theme is healing scars. You’ll hear sound bites on how to navigate relationships and experience restoration from brokenness. And we sat down with ministry leaders as well as followers of Christ who work in a variety of sectors – all who are passionate about the restorative work of our Heavenly Father.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast.We carry around a heart that is aching to be known and felt in a way that warms us from the distances we feel in our relationships. It’s a longing for that deep inner touch. And the closer we are in the relationship, the deeper the pangs of loneliness can be. Today’s episode, “Building Bridges in Intimate Loneliness,” was originally written by Tom Peters. Tom has been nurturing his passion for helping others for over 35 years. He holds a master's in Counselling Psychology. In addition to developing a private practice, Tom also is a practicing counselling supervisor and a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. He and his wife of 30 years are parents to two married daughters, one son, and they recently became grandparents. Just a note that this episode is written by Tom, but voiced by a guest.Episode notes:Hope Restored marriage intensiveshttp://www.hoperestoredcanada.ca/Navigating Conflict in Marriage digital booklethttps://info.focusonthefamily.ca/navigating-conflict-in-marriageFree, one-time consultation with a registered counsellor at Focus on the Family Canada over the phone. Give our head office a call at 1-800-661-9800 to request a consult.Support the podcast: https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/podcastgiving© 2020 Focus on the Family (Canada) Association. All rights reserved. 

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s bonus episode comes features a very special guest: Katie Leigh, the iconic voice behind Adventures in Odyssey character Connie Kendall! Katie has voiced a wide range of roles, and she's played the role of everybody's favorite teenager, Connie, for over 20 years - a part that strangely mirrors her own life. Katie attended the One Grand Party, a 2-day interactive event with two live performances last August at Focus on the Family’s headquarters in Colorado Springs when 6,000 fans celebrated episode one thousand of Adventures in Odyssey.Katie sat down with Kara Pippy, Focus on the Family Canada’s chief marketing officer, and they had a fascinating conversation about Katie’s work as a voice actor, what it’s like to be a believer in the entertainment industry, and what she has learned from her years as the voice of such a beloved resident of Whit’s End.Episode notes:Katie Leigh’s websitehttps://www.katieleigh.comFree, one-time consultation with a registered counsellor at Focus on the Family Canada over the phone. Give our head office a call at 1-800-661-9800 to request a consult.Support the podcast: https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/podcastgiving© 2025 Focus on the Family (Canada) Association. All rights reserved.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Yes, there are times where their questions may come at an inconvenient time, but a child’s desire for connection with their parent is a beautiful thing. Sometimes, the most important conversations are a two-way street. How can parents share their own mental and emotional health journeys authentically and appropriately with their children? How can they have honest conversations about their child’s grandparents or extended family in a way that’s honouring? In this final episode of season 1, you will discover how to do just that.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast.When there’s stress in a marriage, it impacts all areas of life. While some couples find a way through on their own, many feel stuck. So, what differentiates someone who stays simply to stave off defeat, and someone who desires to overcome the strife they feel and ultimately thrive in their marriage?Today’s episode, “3 Qualities Necessary for Overcoming Marital Distress,” was written by Tom Peters. Tom has been nurturing his passion for helping others for over 35 years. He holds a Masters in Counselling Psychology. In addition to developing a private practice, Tom also is a practicing counselling supervisor and a member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. He and his wife of 30 years are parents to two married daughters, one son, and they recently became grandparents. Just a note that this episode is written by Tom, but voiced by a guest.A very important disclaimer: This episode is not intended for spouses in an abusive marriage. Spouses in this situation need detailed, expert advice that deals specifically with abuse. If you would like to discuss your situation with one of our professional counsellors, please call 1.800.661.9800 to arrange a free, one-time consultation. 

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode is short and sweet, just like its subject. We put together a collection of insights from relationship experts about how to deepen love and strengthen communication in your marriage.A friendly reminder: Reference to the individuals quoted does not constitute a blanket endorsement of either the individuals’ external work or their respective organizations. 

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. For today’s episode, we have the extreme honour of introducing a powerful testimonial of hope being restored. Gary and Joy had been married for 37 years, but as time went on, they both felt increasingly alone in the relationship. When they became empty nesters, the problems in their marriage they’d been avoiding for years could no longer be ignored. Then they heard about Hope Restored, a marriage intensive program at Focus on the Family Canada. Since 2018, countless couples on the brink of divorce have attended Hope Restored intensives at our Canadian retreat centres. By working with our marriage counsellors in both group and private intensives, couples like Gary and Joy discovered newfound hope for their marriages. Now, let’s hear from Gary and Joy.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. If you’re a parent of a strong-willed child, this episode is for you. It’s packed with expert insights to help bring out the best in your strong-willed child by discovering their motivations and how to build on their many strengths.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Whether we realize it or not, the family we grew up in still impacts us today and it can be difficult to know how to create a family that thrives when we’re repeating unhealthy patterns of the past. Today’s episode dives into the meaning of our family of origin and how to navigate these intricate relationships. This is a massive topic, so if this episode sparks an interest to learn more, Focus on the Family Canada has created a free digital booklet that further explores this subject. It is free to you thanks to generous supporters of this ministry. 

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s special guest is Andrew Montgomery, who came to our Canadian office for a special visit from Focus on the Family’s U.S. headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO. As director of organizational development and communications, Andrew creates opportunities for Focus on the Family staff to grow in their knowledge, skills, and abilities in the workplace, and oversees the ministry’s employee communications. He has been with the ministry since 2000. Prior to his current role, he served as the organization’s director of public relations.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. They say silence is golden, but in the context of marriage, silence can be devastatingly painful.There’s a lot you can say about saying nothing. Since silence can be used both constructively and destructively in a relationship, it's important we understand what is going on behind the silence.Today’s episode, “Silent Storm: When Your Spouse Won’t Talk,” can help guide us through this challenging path. We’ll look at the negative sides of silence, how silence can be used for good, and how to decipher between good and bad silence in a marriage.  

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Today’s episode features Pastor Sam Owusu, who took the time to sit down for a truly encouraging conversation.

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. It’s natural for parents to step in and ensure our children will be okay. So, how do we balance that tightrope of protective parental instinct, and preventing our children from launching into adulthood?Today’s episode, “What to Do When Your Child Won’t Grow Up,” tackles these questions with love and care thanks to the wisdom of our in-house counsellors at Focus on the Family Canada. 

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Picture this: You and your friend are hanging out, talking like you always do, when suddenly, your friend is divulging serious stuff about their marriage. What should you say – and what should you not say – if you want to help your friend?Today’s episode can help guide us through this relational tightrope.  Just a note: Referrals to websites not produced by Focus on the Family Canada do not necessarily constitute blanket endorsement of the sites' content.  

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Boundaries, both personal and mutual, are expressions of our values. They enable us to build a healthy relationship by feeling safe and secure. But what do healthy boundaries look like in marriage? How do we set them, and how do we maintain them? Today’s episode, “How to Set Marriage-Strengthening Boundaries with Your Spouse,” comes from Vicki Hooper. Vicki Hooper is a Certified Clinical Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association, and holds a Masters in Education in School Counselling. She currently works as a marriage therapist with Focus on the Family Canada's Hope Restored marriage intensives. She also has an extensive background in teaching and ministry settings. Vicki and her husband, David, have been married over 25 years and are parents to two grown children. This is a big topic, so we’ve included a relevant resources in our show notes for this episode so you can continue learning and growing even after today’s episode ends. Understanding Healthy Boundaries PDF booklethttps://info.focusonthefamily.ca/understanding-healthy-boundaries-pdf Hope Restored marriage intensives https://hoperestoredcanada.ca/

Welcome to The Thriving Family, a Focus on the Family Canada podcast. Whether you’re engaged, newlywed, or have been married for years, you know that spouses come with attachments: in-laws. These relationships have the potential to offer support to the married couple, but the reality is many couples struggle with in-law dynamics. Similar to having a newborn child, there is no instruction manual for how to navigate the complexity of this particular relationship. What can you do, then, when your in-laws won’t let go? And how do you navigate this issue without creating a divide that feels too big to cross?This is a big topic, so we’ve included a relevant resources in our show notes for this episode so you can continue learning and growing even after today’s episode ends. 

In the first season of The Thriving Family podcast, we explore one of the most pressing topics that people ask us about – conflict and communication. Whether you need help in your marriage, as a parent, or in your relationships with loved ones, we want to help you with practical advice, real-life stories, and encouraging conversations.

Check out Focus on the Family Canada’s NEW podcast featuring authentic Canadian content, coming this June! This space – where faith, family, and culture intersect – will be available on our mobile app, website, and wherever you get your podcasts!