In this episode, I’m joined by Janice McWilliams, licensed therapist, spiritual director, and author of Restore My Soul: Reimagining Self-Care for a Sustainable Life. Janice offers a deeply grounded and compassionate approach to self-care — one modeled after the life of Jesus.

Together, we talk about what it means to care for your inner world in real time, moment by moment. True self-care, as Janice describes, isn’t about stepping away from our lives. It’s about learning to show up to our lives with more awareness and kindness. We explore how to:

• Cultivate awareness and compassion toward your thoughts


• Live well your emotions 


• Develop rhythms that restore your soul


•  Live a fulfilling life

Thought-provoking quotes:

“When we think of Psalm 23, we often picture rest after exhaustion, but I believe Jesus wants us to live before we collapse. He invites us to green pastures not just to recover, but to remain restored.” - Janice McWilliams

“It takes us about 45 to 90 seconds to experience an emotion from beginning to end if we’re not trying to stop it or repress it. So many people are afraid that if they start feeling something, they’ll have to hide away for a week. But really, it’s the avoidance that drains us.” - Janice McWilliams

“I want all of us to become so familiar with the voice of the Good Shepherd that we can distinguish it from every other voice in our minds. The Good Shepherd’s voice carries faith, hope, love, and peace—it doesn’t speak through worry, rumination, or despair. Those patterns might sound urgent or logical, but they aren’t the language of Jesus. His voice leads us toward gentleness and life, never toward self-condemnation or fear.” - Janice McWilliams

• Check out Janice's book Restore My Soul


• Explore Janice's free resources


• Get Faith & Feeling's weekly resource email


• Watch this episode on YouTube


• Grab a copy of my book Stop Saying I'm Fine


• Connect with me on my website 


• Find me on Instagram @__taylorjoy__ 

Key words:

Janice McWilliams, exhaustion, burnout, emotions, faith, vulnerability, emotional regulation, mental health, emotional health, personal growth, rest, spiritual formation, community, mindfulness, self-compassion, curiosity, emotional safety, self care, soul care, spiritual direction, therapy