Faith & Feels
Faith & Feels
Podcast Description
Faith & Feels is a podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of mental health specifically sexual brokenness and trauma, with a special focus on the Asian American faith-based community. Hosted by Rika Matoba Lopez, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), these episodes will cover interviews of ordinary people as well as professionals who share stories and lessons on struggles with love/sex/porn addiction and emotional/betrayal trauma.Whether you're looking for guidance, encouragement, or simply a space to feel seen and heard, Faith & Feels is here to create a safe environment where men and women alike can journey through healing and wholeness together. Our goal is to make tough conversations less taboo and to remind you that you are not alone.Join us as we explore topics often kept in the dark and work towards breaking cycles of shame and silence, with honesty, vulnerability, and hope.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast addresses themes of mental health, faith, and healing through a lens of sexual brokenness and trauma. Topics include love and sex addiction, emotional trauma, support within the church community, and the healing journey with example episodes like 'My Random Rambling Reflections' and 'Breaking Free from an Abusive Ex-Spouse with NPD'. It emphasizes open discussions on stigmatized issues and seeks to create a safe space for healing.
Faith & Feels is a podcast dedicated to exploring the intersection of mental health specifically sexual brokenness and trauma, with a special focus on the Asian American faith-based community. Hosted by Rika Matoba Lopez, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), these episodes will cover interviews of ordinary people as well as professionals who share stories and lessons on struggles with love/sex/porn addiction and emotional/betrayal trauma.
Whether you’re looking for guidance, encouragement, or simply a space to feel seen and heard, Faith & Feels is here to create a safe environment where men and women alike can journey through healing and wholeness together. Our goal is to make tough conversations less taboo and to remind you that you are not alone.
Join us as we explore topics often kept in the dark and work towards breaking cycles of shame and silence, with honesty, vulnerability, and hope.
(*Fully Updated Version from Episode 44)
In this eye opening and honest conversation, I’m joined by Kristen Whitmore and Pastor Wilson Wang from Renew Church on the SOLA Leaders Podcast to talk about a topic the Church often avoids — sex and love addiction.
Together, we explore the reality that many believers silently struggle with pornography, shame, and relational brokenness, and why creating safe, grace-filled spaces for these conversations is essential for true healing. I share my personal journey into becoming a therapist and how my own story shaped my passion for integrated healing — where faith, emotional health, and relationships come together.
In this episode, we unpack the difference between sexual addiction and love addiction, the deeper longing for connection and approval beneath these patterns, and the ripple effects pornography has on individuals, marriages, and mental health. We also talk about why accountability, community, and honest discipleship are key to recovery — and how the Church can move from silence to support.
Most importantly, this conversation is a reminder that no one is beyond hope. Freedom, transformation, and wholeness are possible when we step out of isolation and into the light. If you’ve ever felt stuck in shame, longed for deeper healing, or wondered how the Church can respond with both truth and compassion, this episode is for you.
*This episode belongs to Sola Network Leaders Podcast. For more info, visit www.sola.network.com
Recommendations:
Books:
“Beyond the Porn Phenomenon” by Barna Report
“Unwanted” by Jay Stringer
“Facing Love Addiction” by Pia Mellody
*Pixabay Music : “Viacheslavstarrostin”
Sound Bites:
“This podcast is for those who love Jesus.”
“We talk about sex and love addiction in the church.”
“Sex addiction is a hidden and prevalent sin.”
“Love addiction stems from abandonment.”
“We want to normalize these conversations.”
“We need accountability to fight this fight.”
“The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety, it’s connection.”
“There’s hope, there’s transformation available.”
“You are not alone in this struggle.”
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Faith in Fields
01:34 Exploring Sexual and Love Addiction
02:57 Rika’s Journey to Therapy
11:12 Understanding Love Addiction
13:54 Bringing Conversations to the Church
16:46 Creating Safe Spaces for Women
19:32 The Role of Accountability in Recovery
23:21 Engaging in Conversations about Sexual Addiction
28:09 Statistics on Sexual Addiction
31:17 The Damaging Effects of Pornography
34:11 The Importance of Connection in Recovery
39:37 Words of Hope for Ministry Leaders
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
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