In this poignant episode of Navigating a Broken Vessel, host Dave Harris sits down with longtime friend Melissa Barney to explore the often-overlooked perspective of the person behind the struggle.

Melissa shares her deeply personal journey as the spouse of Derek Barney, whose transformation from opioid addiction to becoming a professional therapist was featured in a previous episode. Melissa opens up about the isolation, fear, and sheer exhaustion of holding a family together while a loved one faces their darkest trials.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The loneliness of being a caregiver and the feeling of being forgotten by the community during a crisis.

• Why self-care is vital—yet seemingly impossible—when you are juggling the safety of your children and the survival of your spouse.

• How a timely blessing from a Church leader and a commitment to constant prayer provided the strength to endure.

• The healing that comes from the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program and realizing you are never as alone as you feel.

• Choosing a proactive path of discipleship and compassion rather than succumbing to anger or blame.

Melissa’s story is a testament to the refining power of trials and the incredible empathy that grows from surviving the fire. Whether you are currently in the middle of a trial or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a grounded, honest look at finding hope on the other side.

Connect with us:

• Website: navigatingabrokenvessel.com

• Social Media: Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @NavigatingABrokenVessel

• Email: Reach out to Dave at dave@navigatingabrokenvessel.com

Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional, and this should not be taken as any kind of medical advice. If you need assistance, I highly recommend working with mental health professionals. I use many myself.

In this episode of Navigating a Broken Vessel, host Dave Harris takes listeners on a deep dive into his personal ADHD world and what he calls "The Lazy Perfectionist."

Dave shares a story from his 6th grade days when he tried to woo a girl named "Sally" by telling her to "Shut up!" This funny and relatable anecdote sets the stage for a discussion on how perfectionism and a fear of failure can often lead to a mental paralysis that keeps us from taking the first step.

Throughout the episode, Dave explores:

• The Planning Trap: How over-planning can feel like progress while actually preventing action.

• Mental Paralysis: The feeling of being physically unable to start a task, even when you know it's important.

• Breaking the Cycle: Dave's practical strategy of focusing on just the very first step, like sitting in a chair or opening a computer.

• The Power of Medication: How understanding ADHD and using appropriate tools can help manage symptoms like rumination and procrastination.

Whether you struggle with ADHD yourself or just find yourself stuck in a cycle of planning without doing, this episode offers a humorous and insightful look at how to overcome the hurdles of your own mind.

Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional, and this should not be taken as any kind of medical advice. If you need assistance, I highly recommend working with mental health professionals. I use many myself.

For Kristi—known to some of her friends as "Cute as a Button"—a sudden, massive seizure was the beginning of a life-altering medical odyssey.

In this episode of Navigating a Broken Vessel, Dave Harris sits down with his long-time friend, Kristi, to discuss the terrifying discovery of a golf ball-sized brain tumor that had likely been growing since birth. Kristi opens up about the missing months of her life, the grueling process of learning to walk and catch a ball again, and the heavy mental toll of being "stuck in her head" while recovering at home.

It’s a story of survival, but more importantly, it’s a story of community. From envelopes of cash to a town-wide benefit dinner, Kristi shares how a "broken vessel" moment revealed the incredible strength of the people around her—and the new perspective she’s found while watching the sunrise over the Idaho mountains.

Join the conversation at www.navigatingabrokenvessel.com

Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional, and this should not be taken as any kind of medical advice. If you need assistance, I highly recommend working with mental health professionals. I use many myself.