Being Human with Steve Cuss

In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss welcomes Australian family systems expert and author Jenny Brown to discuss her new book, The Parenting Paradox. Steve and Jenny weave together family systems theory, faith, and practical parenting wisdom. They explore how parents can reduce anxiety by focusing on their own growth rather than trying to fix their children. Key topics include managing reactivity, setting healthy boundaries, navigating social media challenges, and parenting adult children and grandchildren. Jenny emphasizes that parental success shouldn't be measured by a child's behavior, but by a parent's own principles and self-awareness. 

Episode Resources:


Jenny Brown’s The Parenting Paradox: Loving Our Children by Giving Them Space to Grow


Bowen Family Systems Theory’s Eight Concepts


Understanding Differentiation of Self


Tim Keller’s Counterfeit Gods


Australia bans social media for children under 16


Read Matthew 7:3–5 ESV

More From Jenny Brown:


Family Systems Institute


Jenny Brown’s Growing Yourself Up: How to bring your best to all of life's relationships


Parent Hope Project

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In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, married couple Matthew and Joanna Raabsmith share their personal journey through Matthew's sexual addiction and the betrayal it caused in their marriage. Joanna, a marriage and family therapist, describes how a class on shame and guilt led to Matthew's confession. Together, they discuss the importance of honesty, self-awareness, and understanding family-of-origin patterns in achieving healing. Now co-authors and ministry leaders, they help other couples rebuild trust and intimacy after betrayal, emphasizing curiosity over judgment and offering hope for lasting restoration.

Episode Resources:


Joanna & Matthew Raabsmith & Dan Drake’s Building True Intimacy: Creating a connection that stands the test of time


Explore the Raabsmith’s Intimacy Pyramid


Faithful & True workshops and intensives


More about Mark and Debbie Laaser


Explore Restoring the Soul and Michael Cusick


Explore RelateStrong at Pepperdine's Boone Center


What is The Murray Method's Trauma Egg

More From Matthew & Joanna Raabsmith:The Raabsmith’s website
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In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve and Clarissa Moll explore the concept of "life-giving habits" — intentional practices categorized into people, places, and activities that help reduce reactivity and deepen awareness of God's presence. Steve explains how building a personalized list of God-given pleasures, from micro-habits like holding a spouse's hand to larger experiences like fly fishing, transforms everyday moments into acts of worship and gratitude. The conversation highlights how these habits build resilience, support community, and transcend cultural boundaries, ultimately inviting listeners to recognize and receive God's gifts more intentionally.

Episode Resources:


Download Steve Cuss’s Life Giving List


Steve Cuss’s Managing Leadership Anxiety


G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy


Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV) 

More From Clarissa Moll:


Explore Clarissa Moll’s website


Read Clarissa Moll’s substack

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders

Capable Life Newsletter

Get the Assets & Liabilities pdf and the Life Giving List

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive

Capable Life Intensives
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In this episode of Being Human with Steve and Lisa Cuss, we recap the current series on family of origin, exploring how inherited patterns shape us spiritually and emotionally. Brain surgeon Dr. Lee Warren explains neuroplasticity and synaptic pruning, showing how early experiences wire the brain. Father-son duo Judson and Ryan Poling share their journey of breaking generational cycles, while Clarissa Moll discusses family roles and how upbringing shapes our view of God. Steve and Lisa weave in attachment theory, genograms, and parenting insights, offering a blend of neuroscience, personal storytelling, and faith-based wisdom to guide listeners toward healing and transformation.

Episode Resources:


Genograms in Practice Explainer (pdf)


Learn more about Attachment Theory


Listen to Prayer, Neuroscience, and the Presence of God with Strahan Coleman

More From Clarissa Moll:


Explore Clarissa Moll’s website


Read Clarissa Moll’s substack

More From Dr. Lee Warren:


Dr. Lee Warren’s The Life Changing Art of Self Brain Surgery


Listen to The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast

More From Judson & Ryan Poling:


Books by Judson Poling


Redwood Psychology


Judson Poling’s articles at The Crucible Project

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

Get the Communication Styles Guide

https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive

Capable Life Intensives

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In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, father and son Judson Poling, Ryan Poling explore masculinity, emotional health, and generational patterns. Judson, a Christian author and men's ministry leader, and Ryan, a clinical psychologist specializing in male identity, discuss why men struggle to access and express emotions, the socialization behind emotional suppression, and how unresolved family-of-origin patterns are passed down. They share personal reflections on their own relationship, including inherited strengths and liabilities, and emphasize that healing happens in community.
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