In The Light with Dr. Anita Phillips

Please Review the Attachment

Relationships are challenging but romantic relationships can be EXTRA challenging! When it comes to dating and marriage questions, love is the answer! Literally. This week, Dr. Anita welcomes relationship expert Love McPherson back to In the Light. Love insists that “attachment styles” are key to deciphering the mixed messages that undermine healthy connections. She is here to teach us about each style and to help you identify yours. Knowing your attachment style will empower you to transform th...

Stay in the House

Speaker, teacher, pastor’s wife, and multiple-attempt suicide survivor Heather Palacios dedicates her life to helping those struggling against suicide. In this conversation with Dr. Anita, Heather shares what dark days have taught her about living in the light. Whether you have ever contemplated suicide or not, Heather’s wisdom will inspire you to celebrate each and every day you get to spend in the amazing body that was created to house one very unique person — YOU!

Safe Space

The mother-daughter relationship is powerful. When our relationship with our mother is healthy, it supports our emotional wellbeing in countless ways. When that relationship is broken, the emotional impact can be devastating. In this episode, Dr. Anita and her daughter, Olivia-Grace open up about the personality conflicts that threatened their relationship from the start, and the hard work they did to grow and turn things around. It’s never too early to heal and it’s never too late!

Thirty-Second Dance Party

In the Light Podcast is back and we are celebrating that! So many of us are feeling overwhelmed right now, so in this episode, Dr. Anita gives us a look at how she personally responds to challenges in her own life, while making room to celebrate the good stuff. This episode is packed with tools to increase your wellbeing–physically, emotionally, and spiritually–even under pressure and W.E. are here for it!

Programming Update

Still Waters Run Deep

Anxiety. Insecurity. Perfectionism. Nervousness. Each of these emotional experiences is a form of fear. We can change its name, but it exhausts us just the same. Are you ready to finally get some relief? In this episode, blending faith and mental health as only she can, Dr. Anita is speaking rest to the deep water of your soul! No matter where you are in the process of birthing the new thing God has for your life, let this teaching guide you to a place of peace.

No Passing Zone

Dr. Anita admits that she doesn’t love strength training, but she does love the lessons it teaches us about getting stronger emotionally and spiritually. Building strength is a process, and even though there are no short-cuts, most of us try to find one anyway! In this episode Dr. A delivers mega doses of truth about using “spiritual bypassing” to avoid emotional pain and the toll it takes on our faith and wellbeing. Don’t fall for it! Emotional honesty strengthens us spiritually. It’s hard work...

Don't Miss It!

In this hurried culture, where we pride ourselves on multitasking, Dr. Anita is slowing us down this week. Even when the world is pulling us in any direction except “here and now” she urges us to be present on purpose. Reflecting on the moments that she’s gotten right and times when she’s dropped the ball, Dr. Anita offers tips to make sure you don’t miss a moment of this incredible blessing called life!

The Trust Test

We’re leaning into the faith side of the faith and mental health conversation this week as Dr. Anita gets real about how hard it can be to consistently believe that God really does plan to give us the desires of our heart. Past disappointments can tempt us to sacrifice our dreams on the altar of anxiety we are saying no tothatself-sabotage! Listen in to learn how to evict anxietyfrom your prayer closet and rebuild your trust in God

You Are Here

Change IS possible, even if it doesn’t always seem that way. Whether you feel like giving up on achieving a change in your life or you’re looking for fresh insight as you chase your dreams, Dr. Anita is here to demystify the process of change. Turns out, there are only five steps between “here” and “there”. Grab your notebook and listen in to map your way to your next.

The Gift of Imperfection

This one is for the perfectionists! Displaying the kind of vulnerability that we love her for, Dr. Anita shares her story of recovery from perfectionism. From the childhood wound that started it all, to the freedom she is determined to maintain, Dr. A teaches us how the power of humility can break the chains of perfectionism and lead us into a life overflowing with unconditional love.

Autobiography

Sometimes we are completely out of touch with the weight our heart is carrying. Past trauma, the effects of the pandemic, stress, and bad news can really add up! Too often we try to compartmentalize our pain only to end up disconnected from our deepest truths. In this episode, Dr. Anita invites you to construct your autobiography. Connecting the dots between past experiences and present pain positions you for a powerful future!

The Power of Hope

Summer is in full swing at In the Light, so Dr. Anita is shaking things up! For this episode she decided to be her own guest and she’s talking about living a life empowered by hope. Whether you have let go of a dream, feel challenged by the idea of living out your purpose, or you’re just a little tired, Dr. Anita is here to deliver the fresh dose of determination that you need.

Let The Light In

This week, Dr. Anita sits down with Institutional Abuse expert, Dr. Wade Mullen to freely shine light into a very dark space: church abuse. Drawing from his personal experience, research, and work with faith communities, Dr. Mullen is sharing insights from his latest book – Something’s Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse and Freeing Yourself from Its Power. Listen in for the tools you need to call out abuse and support healing journeys.

Tales from the Darkside – Part II

Dr. Anita is back to share the conclusion of her conversation with chaplain, trauma survivor, author, and poet J.S. Park. The story of his decades long struggle with depression, the freedom he’s found in recovery and the elastic strength of his faith will stretch you in all the best ways! Darkness never wins...light always does.

Tales from the Darkside – Part I

This week, Dr. Anita sits down with poet and atheist-turned-chaplain, J.S. Park for a two-part interview, sure to leave you thinking more deeply about EVERYTHING. Drawing vulnerably from his experiences with childhood trauma, alcoholism, depression and the transformative love of God and armed with wisdom gleaned from hundreds of patients hovering at the edge of life, J.S. delivers the darkness-confounding light that we all need.

Press the Reset Button

It’s been a long time coming but here we are! FOR every area of your life that has been on pause, it’s finally time to PRESS RESET! In this episode, Dr. Anita is talking about what she is doing to press reset in her own life AND she’s chatting with THE Latasha Morrison who is an author and the founder of Be the Bridge. Listen in for advice on letting go, moving into your next, riding out the hard parts, and flourishing each and every day of your life!

Stay the Course

One year after the death of George Floyd, Dr. Anita sits down with Rev. Eugene Cho to explore the fragility of identity in a time of racial and religious upheaval. They are talking faith, racial righteousness, the richness of the AAPI community, and the power of diverse relationships to enrich our lives and enlarge our hearts. Justice work is hard work. We won’t give up, but weWILL take care ourselves spiritually AND emotionally. Wellness is non-negotiable!

Turn Up the Microphone

What do poetry, trauma, love, and the dark side of San Francisco’s streets have in common? Spoken word artist and author, Hosanna Wong! Hosanna is joining us In the Light this week to show us how the most fragile moments of her youth have been transformed to become the most powerful elements of her ministry and mission. This superwoman is out to save the world and she knows exactly how NOT to do it! Listen. Learn. Heal. Grow.Hosanna will leave you inspired to step up to the microphone that’s bee...

Worthy

In a world that seems to rush to rate and judge every aspect of who we are it’s easy to internalize the message that we can never be good enough.In this episode,Dr. Anita and Vivian Mabuni, founder of the AAPI women’s collective Someday Is Here, slow down to explore the forces that shape our self-esteem. Vivian’s vulnerability is sure to strengthen you in ways you didn’t even know you needed. Prepare to fully embrace how valuable and worthy you are. Hint:It’s a lot

Beautiful Things

Life is fragile in so many ways but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Fragility connects us to our vulnerabilities, but it also helps us to appreciate the most delicate and beautiful things in our lives. Join Dr. Anita as she sits down with her favorite guest and love of her life, Pastor Michael Phillips to explore identity, youth, vision, and faith. They are here to remind you that embracing fragility actually makes us strong!

Shalom

In the midst of seemingly endless chaos, is therestillan authentic way to experience truepeace?YES. It all hinges on knowing where peace can actually be found!Sit down with Dr. Anitaas she interviews millennial apologist, Yana Jenaywho opens up about how God’s sufficientgrace led her through the thornywords of an anxiety disorder to discover true Shalom

Comfort Food

We know we aren’t meant to live by bread alone but...why does it have to taste so good?!? If stress gets you all hot and buttered this episode is definitely for you! Dr. Anita is talking withWoman Wise Nutrition founder, Isabel Garza to glean some invaluable wisdom on how to take care of ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically. It’s time to let go of body ideals and diet drama. Your life is meant for more. Much more! Make room for the story that God is writing about YOU.

Don’t Force It

In a world that worships productivity, praises hustle culture, and equates exhaustion with success it can feel like achievement means sacrificing peace and wellness.Guess what? It’s a lie!Pastor Stephanie Ike joins Dr. Anita to reveal what it really means to live a completely focused life. Prepare to exchange your distractions for the satisfaction you’ve been chasing.PastorStephanie is teaching us a whole new way to live!

Spring Cleaning

When it comes to realizing our dreams it’s not always about what we need to do. Sometimes it’s about what we need to let goof.Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts is here to help us declutter our mental spaceby clearing the lies we’ve believed about our worth and tossing strategies no longer serving our growth.This episode is a“Personal Evolution 101”course so be sure to order the text book--“Woman Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears & Revolutionize Your Life” ,by SJR herself, is available everywhere on ...

A Courageous Finish

In this MEGAWATT episode of In the Light, Dr. Anita makes space for Christine Caine to be her entire brilliant, wise, high-energy, vulnerable, brave and compassionate self as they urge us all to use our voices courageously even when trauma, loss, and fear try to silence us AND—as if that wasn’t PLENTY—they treat us to a very personal reflection on their 2020viral conversation that changed the way so many of us view racial unity in the body of Christ.

Permission Granted

Nothing buries a dream faster than insecurity but we’re moving beyond fear and stepping into purpose. Join Dr. Anita as she invites Chrystal Evans Hurst to shine a light on what it means to dream courageously. Big dreams can seem so far away, but Chrystal is helping us realize that our purpose and dreams collide where our obedience and God’s provision meet. It’s never too early to begin and it’s never too late to start. Dreams never truly die. Give yourself permission to reawaken yours NOW!...

On Display

It's courageous to shine a light on your brokenness, and it’s so freeing! This weekPastorsJohnny & Jeni Baker, National Directors of Celebrate Recovery, are sharing ALL the messy wins in their battle with alcoholism and codependency AND we’re dedicating this episode toJohnny’s Dad — John Baker, Sr. (1948-2021) who founded Celebrate Recovery, and by keeping his own brokenness on display for 30 years straight, changed millions of lives. May we all live so honestly, love so much, and touch so m...

RUN!!

Every year, millions of women and girls are exploited by sex trafficking. Each story matters and Elsa Christie Marley is telling hers. Listen in as Dr. Anita and Elsa demolish stereotypes about the who, the where, and the how of this global crisis. Standing in the light of her truth, Elsa dispels darkness in our lives by recounting her escape AND uprooting the lingering rotten fruit of self-sabotage and toxic relationships. Get ready to receive the courage you need to break FREE and run for it!...

Free to Be

Fear can be a crippling force, but it doesn’t have to be. This episode features the indomitable C-Suite-occupying thought leader and author, Nona Jones, sharing her personal story of courageous confrontations with trauma, imposter syndrome, and insecurity. Join her and Dr. Anita as they uncover how to force fear to get its hands off of you at work, at church, at home...and even in the bedroom! You and me really are FREE to be you and me