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Thriving Beyond Belief with Cheryl Scruggs


Feb 11, 2022

Sandi Brown, the founder and president of the largest Christian radio ministry in St. Louis, JOY FM, bravely reached out to a local therapist in 2019 as she loved God but did not like herself. Brown vulnerably opened-up to Dr. Michelle Caulk and for the first time spoke out loud about her past trauma, abuse, and struggle with self-love. The new book Healing Out Loud: How to Embrace God’s Love When You Don’t Like Yourself by Brown and Dr. Caulk - assistant professor and director of clinical experiences at Huntington University – is a unique look at a one-year counseling journey from both sides of the couch: the client and the therapist.

For as long as she could remember, Brown had strong negative feelings towards herself. “I loved God, my family, and my job,” Brown said. “I was also intellectually aware of the love they had for me. But for some unknown reason, I still felt unloved and unlovable – and like a complete failure. I didn’t like myself and believed, in my own inner cave, that no one else did either.”

Healing Out Loud captures the insecurities that many women face and creates an accessible path for readers to overcome their vulnerabilities while using biblical principles. Each chapter includes a journal entry from Brown processing her healing journey, Brown’s reflections on that part of her story, and guided questions and reflections from Dr. Caulk centered around issues such as shame, grief, and fractured relationships.

A “Healing Map” created by Dr. Caulk is used as an outline throughout Healing Out Loud to guide the reader’s journey from processing inner pain to liking oneself, loving God, and restoring relationships

Sandi Brown is the founder and President of Gateway Creative Broadcasting in St. Louis. She leads two radio stations, 99.1 JOY FM and BOOST Radio, with a combined weekly reach of over 500,000. Sandi’s latest book is Healing Out Loud, and she’s also the author of the devotionals A Little More Peace and Choose Joy. Sandi currently serves as chairperson for Christian Music Broadcasters. Previously, she worked as a writer and producer for Focus on the Family.

Dr. Michelle Caulk, LPC is a graduate of Argosy University with an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling. Michelle also obtained her doctorate of philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision, and is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Experiences at Huntington University in Indiana. Michelle currently lives in Chesterfield, Missouri, with her husband Jason. Healing Out Loud is her first book.