Why Hope Isn't An Outcome, It's an Anchor

What if everything you’ve been taught about hope is backwards?
In this powerful episode of Hey Tabi, trauma therapist Tabitha Westbrook sits down with Dr. Jenny Bayless to talk about why hope isn’t an outcome you chase—but an anchor you hold onto when life feels unbearably heavy.

If you’ve ever felt betrayed by hope, overwhelmed by suffering, or exhausted by Christian clichés that make your pain feel minimized, this conversation is for you.

We dive deep into:
✨ Why survivors often shudder at the word “hope”
✨ The difference between wishful thinking and true, grounded hope
✨ How trauma, abuse, and betrayal shape your ability to hope
✨ Why hope requires touching pain—not ignoring it
✨ What the Bible actually means by hope
✨ How to rebuild your internal sense of safety, agency, and intuition
✨ Hope that doesn’t depend on outcomes, miracles, or circumstances
✨ How to walk with God when your world has fallen apart
✨ How clinicians can hold hope well for clients who cannot hold it yet

Dr. Bayless brings her expertise in trauma, spiritual integration, EMDR, and addiction recovery into a compassionate, soul-level conversation that survivors desperately need but rarely hear.

If you’ve been hurt by the church…
If you’ve prayed and fasted and still didn’t get the outcome you begged for…
If hope feels dangerous or even cruel…

You are not alone. And this episode is a gentle invitation back to a hope that doesn’t demand perfection, performance, or pretending.

0:00 Welcome And Guest Introduction
3:29 Defining Hope Beyond Outcomes
6:49 Touching Pain As The Path To Healing
13:11 When Prayers Don’t Change Circumstances
18:39 Agency, Divine Mystery, And Intuition
24:04 Nature, Nervous System, And Somatic Tools
28:54 Hope Holding Versus Hope Sourcing
33:29 Community, Boundaries, And Safer Churches
39:09 Reliable Behavior Over Time
44:39 Forgiveness, Reconciliation, And Repentance
49:49 Addiction, Abuse, And Coercive Control
55:24 Slowing Down To Discern Real Change
1:00:39 Paradox, Lament, And Daily Practices
1:03:34 Breath Prayer: Making All Things New
1:06:19 Closing And Resources

🎧 If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share to help others who need this information!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Order Tabi's book, Body & Soul, Healed & Whole: An Invitational Guide to Healthy Sexuality After Trauma, Abuse, and Coercive Control - https://www.tabithawestbrook.com/body... (links to all major retailers)

📩 Connect with Tabitha:
💻 Tabitha's Website - www.tabithawestbrook.com
📲 Tabitha's Instagram - www.instagram.com/tabithathecounselor
🎙️ Podcast Homepage - https://heytabi.buzzsprout.com

💻 The Journey & The Process Website - www.thejourneyandtheprocess.com
📲 The Journey & The Process Instagram - www.instagram.com/_tjatp

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel & watch podcast episodes there

🚨 Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and is intended for educational purposes only. If you're in crisis or need therapy, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.

Need to know how to find a great therapist? Read this... https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/h...