Soul Sense with Mark Verkler

About Soul Sense with Mark Verkler

Most of us were never taught how faith and emotional health actually work together. Grief reshapes you. Trauma lingers. Anxiety lies. And loss doesn't just hurt — it fractures your relationships, your sense of self, and sometimes your faith. Soul Sense is for Christians who want Biblical wisdom, emotional healing, and honest conversation about the hard stuff. Hosted by Mark Verkler, LMFT and founder of Samaritan's Well — drawing on three decades of Christian counseling to explore what it really means to heal: spirit, mind, and body.

Publisher

Samaritan's Well

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Oct 2021

Latest episode

30 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

135 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Oct 2026

   The Three Sources of Depression (a Christian Perspective)

   Depression can have many layers. In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark explores three potential sources of depression through decades of counseling experience and biblical wisdom: 1. Unresolved grief — Losses we haven't fully acknowledged or mourned. 2. Anger turned inward — Unforgiveness toward others, ourselves, or God. 3. A spirit of heaviness — A spiritual perspective on depression explored through Isaiah 61 and James 4. Mark discusses the stages of grief, the power of presence, forgiveness, and finding freedom through faith. He also acknowledges the role of physiological factors in depression. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Why presence matters when someone is grieving 01:24 – Three sources of depression 02:02 – Source 1: Unresolved grief 04:45 – The five stages of grief 08:25 – The power of presence 08:59 – A pastor's story of walking through loss 11:04 – What do you still need to grieve? 13:20 – Source 2: Anger turned inward 14:20 – Job, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist 18:26 – Honesty, humility, and releasing offense 19:04 – Forgiving others and ourselves 21:07 – Confession, grace, and forgiveness 23:23 – Source 3: A spirit of heaviness 24:37 – Isaiah 61 and the garment of praise 25:26 – Submit to God and resist the devil 27:00 – Derek Prince's spiritual breakthrough 27:56 – The role of physiological factors 28:32 – Bringing the three sources together ABOUT SOUL SENSE Soul Sense is a podcast from Samaritan's Well Counseling in Richardson, Texas, exploring faith, emotional health, and the life of the soul through Scripture, psychology, neuroscience, and real-life stories. 🌐 Counseling and resources: https://samaritanswell.com (https://samaritanswell.com/) 📖 Free Christian Emotional Health Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide (https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide) 📬 Join our newsletter: https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428e (https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428e) FOLLOW SAMARITAN'S WELL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/ (https://www.instagram.com/samaritanswell/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallaS (https://www.facebook.com/samaritanswelldallaS) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/samaritan%E2%80%99s-well/) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling (https://www.tiktok.com/@samaritanswellcounseling) Subscribe for more conversations about faith, emotional health, relationships, and becoming whole people. #SoulSense #Depression #GriefAndHealing #FaithAndMentalHealth #ChristianCounseling

2. 

   16 Oct 2026

   When the Life You Imagined Falls Apart | Rachel Kerr Schneider

   When life takes an unexpected turn, how do you grieve, care for your family, and hold on to faith? Mark Verkler talks with author Rachel Kerr Schneider about losing her husband to ALS, parenting through grief, navigating addiction, and finding hope in God amid heartbreak. Rachel shares lessons on preparing children for loss, supporting loved ones through addiction and recovery, seeking community, and surrendering to God when life unfolds differently than expected. 📖 Books: The Widow Chose Red? My Journey with Jesus, John and ALS and The Boys, The Bible and The Battles 🌐 Connect with Rachel: https://www.spiritedprosperity.com/ (https://www.spiritedprosperity.com/) Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 03:06 Rachel’s story and family 10:43 John’s ALS diagnosis 13:14 Anticipatory grief and talking with children 24:21 Hospice and saying goodbye 30:33 Helping children process loss 36:11 Grief, risky behavior, and addiction 44:10 Rehab and parenting an adult child 47:18 Recovery, fatherhood, and hope 49:00 Prayer, friendship, and writing 51:11 Caring for your soul in a crisis 53:44 Surrendering to God through grief More resources Counseling: https://samaritanswell.com (https://samaritanswell.com/) Free Christian Emotional Health Guide: https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide (https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide) Newsletter: https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428e (https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428e) Subscribe to Soul Sense for conversations about faith, emotional health, and the life of the soul, combining biblical wisdom, psychology, neuroscience, and real-life stories. #SoulSense #GriefAndHealing #FaithAndMentalHealth #AddictionRecovery

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Caring for Aging Parents: How to Love Them While Learning to Let Go | Ingrid Hanson-Popp

   What happens when the roles begin to reverse, and the parents who cared for us begin to need our care? In this episode of Soul Sense, Mark talks with author Ingrid Hansen-Popp about Becoming an Orphan: A Caregiver’s Guide to Lovingly Letting Our Parents Go. They explore the emotional, practical, and spiritual realities of caring for aging parents—including dementia, difficult conversations, legal preparation, grief, and protecting a parent’s dignity. Ingrid also shares one of her biggest regrets: realizing that her mother didn’t primarily need another task completed—she simply wanted more time with her daughter. If you’re caring for an aging parent—or preparing for that season—this conversation offers practical wisdom and a reminder to slow down, listen, ask for help, and simply be present. Timestamps: 02:41 – How Becoming an Orphan began 07:27 – What caregivers are facing 10:24 – Preparing before a crisis 13:35 – Listening with your heart 16:56 – When parents resist help 18:44 – Difficult conversations about aging 21:20 – Protecting a parent’s dignity 22:01 – The emotional shift into caregiving 25:13 – The slow grief of dementia 26:32 – Why caregivers need support 28:02 – Why the book is called Becoming an Orphan 30:23 – Psalm 27:10 and God’s care 31:31 – Sorting through a parent’s belongings 33:48 – “You can always get rid of it later” 39:56 – The biggest lesson about loving and letting go 40:20 – Mom wanted more time, not another task 42:09 – You don’t have to do caregiving alone 43:38 – “Just go sit with Mom” 45:04 – Final thoughts Find Ingrid's resources here: https://www.droppedpencil.com/becoming-an-orphan For counseling and resources: samaritanswell.com Free Guide: Christian Emotional Health Guide https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide (https://samaritanswell.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/Christian-Emotional-Health-Guide) Join Our Newsletter: https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428e (https://samaritan-s-well-counseling.kit.com/0033ce428e)

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

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