As we prepare to start the new year, many of us feel the need to slow down and take stock of where we’ve been. In this episode of A Better Way to Heal, faith-based therapist, Eleanor Brown (Elly) and her co-host Isamary (Isa) explore year-end reflection as a grounding practice that helps settle the mind, calm the body, and bring clarity before moving into a new season.

Rather than rehearsing regret or pushing ourselves toward unrealistic resolutions, this conversation offers a better way to start the new year, one rooted in grace, awareness, and whole-person healing through faith and therapy. Together, they walk through five meaningful ways to reflect on the past year, including noticing emotional growth, reviewing relationships and boundaries, understanding what supported or stressed your nervous system, and identifying what you’re ready to leave behind.

Elly also shares how faith, surrender, and stillness have shaped her own reflection process, including letting go of performance-driven expectations, shame-based stories, and trauma-informed control patterns. The episode closes with a gentle invitation to reflect through a whole-person lens using the seven dimensions of wellness and a preview of what’s coming next in Part 2 on Vision Casting.

Resource mentioned in this episode:
If you want a simple starting point as you reflect on the past year, Elly invites you to take the Shame Quiz on her website. It’s a short, free tool designed to help you understand how shame may be showing up in your life as you prepare to start the new year.

https://www.eleanorbrowncounseling.com/shame-quiz-freebie

This episode is for anyone seeking a grounded, compassionate, faith-informed approach to year-end reflection, without pressure, perfectionism, or shame.

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