Podcast · Health

Triggered and True

by Laura Duncan and Brian Freise · English · Health

If you feel emotionally overwhelmed, stuck in cycles of shame, blame, and judgment, or just exhausted from trying to fix yourself, this is a place to breathe. Triggered & True® is a podcast about emotional healing, grief, and self-compassion with Laura Duncan, creator of the Compassion Method

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 49 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 41 min

Your Anxiety Is Trying To Tell You Something (Ep. 1) — Extended Edition with Laura Duncan

What if your anxiety, panic, or depression isn't something you need to get rid of—but something you need to learn to listen to? In this Extended Edition of Winning the War for Your Heart, Laura Duncan shares what to listen for in Brian story as he recounts the night panic entered his life and the four words— “It’s as bad as it feels” —that became his first experience with real compassion. Laura returns at the end to go deeper into what it means to process emotional pain instead of pus...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Sep 2026 · 52 min
God Wants to Love You—So Why Do You Keep Pushing Him Away? | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 7)
What if emotional healing isn’t about fixing your pain — but discovering who you were created to be? In this episode of Winning the War for Your Heart, Brian Freise — author of Above All Else — sits down with Laura Duncan, creator of the Compassion Method and the person who walked Brian through his own healing journey. Together, they explore what happens when we stop trying to fix, suppress, or shame our pain and instead learn to bring compassion, comfort, and connection to what’s happening ...
E6 · 24 Sep 2026 · 54 min
How to Be Okay When Everything Around You Isn’t | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 6)
Your greatest superpower is learning to be okay when it's not okay all around you. In Episode 6 of Winning the War for Your Heart, Brian Freise — author of Above All Else — gives you the most practical tool in the Compassion Method arsenal: the Remote Control Exercise. Brian walks through the exact 5-step process he uses every time a trigger fires, the 3 tender emotions hiding underneath every reaction, and the moment he realized his rice-picking-up reflex was the same pattern running his ent...
19 Sep 2026 · 49 min
(Ep. 75) Is Any Condition Too Broken to Heal? OCD, Bipolar & Faith Questions
What if even the conditions that feel most hopeless, the ones you've been told no one can help, aren't the end of your story? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise open the mailbag for a wide-ranging round of listener questions, from mental health to matters of faith. It's an honest, compassionate conversation that meets people right where they're stuck and offers real hope without ever over-promising. They begin with a tender one: does the Compassion ...
E5 · 16 Sep 2026 · 31 min
The Most Powerful Force In The Universe | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 5)
Compassion is what love feels like in the trenches. In Episode 5 of Winning the War for Your Heart, Brian Freise — author of Above All Else — exposes the most misunderstood force in the universe. Brian breaks down the difference between pity and compassion, the brutal truth that enablement is not compassion (it's selfishness in disguise), and the Jesus story that wrecked his entire view of what it means to be tender. If you've ever dismissed compassion as soft, weak, or "not for real men" — E...
E4 · 9 Sep 2026 · 25 min
You're Not The Horrible Person You Might Think You Are (Like I Did). | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 4)
You're not the horrible person you think you are. In Episode 4 of Winning the War for Your Heart, Brian Freise — author of Above All Else — exposes the origins of shame and the prison it builds inside every human heart. Brian walks through the Genesis 3 moment when Adam and Eve's eyes were opened to a story of deficiency God never intended, the cosmic blame game that's been echoing through every family argument since, and the inside-out reframe that broke his own shame cycle: "No one or nothi...
E3 · 2 Sep 2026 · 27 min
You're Not Broken. You Were Never Broken. | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 3)
You're not broken. You were never broken. In Episode 3 of Winning the War for Your Heart, Brian Freise — author of Above All Else — shares the first words Laura Duncan said to him when he walked into her office asking to be fixed. Brian opens up about the 8-year-old photo exercise that cracked his heart open, the four core deficiencies he discovered in his own childhood, and the orphanage analogy that explains why so many Christians feel stuck despite knowing the truth of their new identity i...
E2 · 26 Aug 2026 · 27 min
Why Do I Do Stupid Things? The Brain Science Behind Your Triggers | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 2)
Why do we do the stupid things we do? And why, in the moment, does it feel so impossible to stop? In Episode 2 of Winning the War for Your Heart, Brian Freise shares the story of a Starbucks fight that he was afraid would end his marriage—and the surprising conversation with Laura that helped him understand what was really happening beneath his reaction. Brian explores what happens when your primal brain takes over, how to recognize when you're triggered, and why understanding your reactions ...
E1 · 24 Aug 2026 · 36 min
Your Anxiety Is Trying To Tell You Something | Winning The War For Your Heart (Ep. 1)
Welcome to Winning the War for Your Heart, a special series based on Brian Freise's book, Above All Else. What if your anxiety, panic, or depression isn't something you need to get rid of—but something you actually need to learn to listen to? In Episode 1, Brian tells the story of the night pain invaded his life in a way he could no longer ignore, numb, or outrun. Brian takes us back to November 2018, when panic walked into his life uninvited, the ER visit he was ashamed to make, and the mome...
15 Aug 2026 · 49 min
(Ep. 74) Feeling Stuck in Your Healing? You're Not as Stuck as You Think
What if feeling stuck, like you've slipped backward in your healing, isn't a sign the work has failed, but a sign it's finally you've grown more than you think? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese continue their series on how the Compassion Method brings biblical truths to life, this time turning to perseverance, and what to do when your emotional and spiritual growth feels like it's stalled. Brian talks openly about the very human urge to give up wh...
18 Jul 2026 · 45 min
(Ep. 73) Does God Even Hear Me? Why Prayer Feels So Hard
What if the reason prayer feels so difficult has less to do with your faith—and more to do with the wounds you've carried since childhood? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese continue their series on how the Compassion Method brings biblical truths to life by exploring prayer, forgiveness, loving your enemies, and other commands that often feel impossible to live out. Brian vulnerably shares a childhood memory that helped him understand why prayer ha...
20 Jun 2026 · 50 min
(Ep. 72) Why You Can't Force Emotional Growth: Shame, Self-Control & the Performance Trap
What if the Christian life was never meant to be about trying harder, but about healing deeply enough that love becomes natural? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese continue their conversation about faith and emotional healing by exploring one of the biggest misunderstandings in the Christian life: the difference between producing the fruit of the Spirit and trying to manufacture it through willpower. Using Galatians 5 as the foundation, Laura explai...
15 May 2026 · 1 hr
(Ep. 71) Why You Can’t Truly Love God if You Hate Yourself
What if the healing that's transforming your heart is more biblical than you've been led to believe? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese continue their conversation about common objections to the Compassion Method by addressing one of the biggest questions they hear from Christians: Is this process actually biblical? Laura shares her own faith journey and explains how her relationship with God shaped the development of the Compassion Method from the ...
17 Apr 2026 · 47 min
(Ep. 70) These 4 Beliefs Stop Emotional Healing (Objections to The Compassion Method)
What if the emotions you've spent your whole life trying to avoid are actually trying to help you heal? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese tackle one of the most common objections to the Compassion Method: "Shouldn't I ignore my feelings instead of paying attention to them?" Together, they unpack why so many of us fear our emotions, where that fear comes from, and why learning to feel your pain is essential to emotional healing—not a threat to...
20 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
(Ep. 69) Why Your Pain Is a Terrible Fuel Source (And What to Use Instead)
What if the questions you keep asking are actually pointing you toward the healing you've been looking for? In this special Q&A episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese answer listener questions about emotional healing, the Compassion Method, trauma, learning, and what it really looks like to grow when life feels overwhelming. From navigating new challenges and emotional triggers to understanding how the brain learns, Laura offers practical, compassionate gui...
20 Feb 2026 · 47 min
(Ep. 68) A Roadmap to True Freedom – Science, Stillness, and the Compassion Method
What if the freedom you're searching for isn't found by doing more, but by learning how to be still? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese explore what they call a roadmap to true freedom, weaving together neuroscience, emotional healing, the Compassion Method, and faith to show why lasting transformation begins with slowing down instead of striving harder. Laura explains that our brains are wired to stay busy, solve problems, and react automatically, ...
16 Jan 2026 · 53 min
(Ep. 67) Confidently being You: Turning Triggers into Tools for Growth and Freedom
What if the emotional trigger you're trying to avoid is actually the doorway to your healing? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese challenge one of the biggest misconceptions about emotional triggers: that they're something to fear or eliminate. Instead, they explain why triggers can become one of the greatest gifts in your emotional healing journey when you learn how to work with them instead of against them. Using the powerful picture of ridin...
22 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
(Ep. 66) Navigating the Emotional Minefield of the Holidays
What if the holidays don't have to be something you survive—but something you actually experience? In this special holiday episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese explore why Christmas and family gatherings can stir up so many emotional triggers—and how you can approach them with greater peace, awareness, and self-compassion. Rather than offering another list of holiday coping strategies, Laura explains how the Compassion Method helps you prepare from the inside...
21 Nov 2025 · 50 min
(Ep. 65) Rebuilding Trust from the Inside Out
What if the person you trust the least... is yourself? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese unpack one of the deepest roots beneath anxiety, relationship struggles, and emotional triggers: self-trust. They explore why betrayal by others often awakens something much older—and why healing begins by restoring trust in yourself before trying to rebuild trust with anyone else. Laura explains that many of us learned early in life not to trust our own ...
27 Oct 2025 · 15 min
Get To Know Triggered & True - A Compassion Method™ Podcast
What if the healing you've been looking for doesn't start with fixing yourself—but with finally understanding yourself? If you're new to Triggered & True, this is the perfect place to begin. In this special introduction episode, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Friese share what the podcast is all about, why emotional healing matters, and how the Compassion Method helps people move through emotional triggers, shame, anxiety, and pain without becoming trapped by them. Laura and Brian introdu...
17 Oct 2025 · 49 min
(Ep. 64) Uncovering Shame: Reclaiming Your True Self (Part 2)
What if the shame you've spent your whole life outrunning traces back to something as simple as being a sensitive kid who felt too small? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise follow up on their last conversation ("Uncovering Shame, Reclaiming Your True Self") by getting deeply personal — Brian opens up the actual roots of his own shame, and lets it be walked through in real time. It's a vulnerable, illustrative companion to the previous episode'...
19 Sep 2025 · 46 min
(Ep. 63) Uncovering Shame: Reclaiming Your True Self
What if there's a quiet virus running underneath everything — one that keeps the emotional healing from taking hold, and you don't even know it's there? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise go deep on the one thing that may block your healing more than anything else: shame. Brian compares it to a virus running low-grade on your operating system — slowing everything down, disrupting even your ability to absorb the Compassion Method — while you ke...
15 Aug 2025 · 45 min
(Ep. 62) Judging Yourself: The Hidden Root of Judging Others
What if the harsh way you judge other people is really a mirror of the way you quietly judge yourself? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise take on judgment — and the surprising place it comes from. Starting with Matthew 7 ("judge not, that you be not judged") and reading it with the word "condemn" in place of "judge," they draw a crucial distinction most of us blur: the difference between the everyday wise judgments we're meant to make and the ...
E61 · 18 Jul 2025 · 1 hr 32 min
(Ep. 61) How These Couples and Individuals Found Healing with The Compassion Method™
What if hearing real people tell you exactly how healing changed their lives is the encouragement you needed to believe it could change yours? In this very special episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise hand the microphone to the people who've lived it: brave graduates and students of the Compassion Method who share honest testimony from their own journeys. Each of them once had a "great awakening" moment — and each shares how discovering the method helpe...
20 Jun 2025 · 43 min
Ep. (60) The Connection Between Physical and Emotional Health
What if physical pain isn't just physical — what if it's quietly pressing on an emotional wound and making the whole thing feel a hundred times worse? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise explore a connection they'd only ever hinted at before: the deep link between physical and emotional health. The timing wasn't planned — within a single week of each other, both hosts had their first-ever surgeries, giving them fresh, firsthand material to work...
16 May 2025 · 1 hr 38 min
Ep. (59) The Remote-Control Exercise – Live Walkthrough with Myles and Lorilyn
What if the anxiety — or the shutdown — that's followed you for years isn't chasing you, but is a scared, lonely child trying to get your attention? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise continue their live walkthroughs of the remote control exercise with two brave volunteers, and the pairing is illuminating — because Laura takes two very different people down two very different paths to the same place. First, Miles from Sweden brings a trigger that's ...
18 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 34 min
Ep. (58) The Remote Control Exercise – Live Walkthrough with Mel and Brien
What if watching someone else navigate their emotional pain in real time could show you the way through your own? In this special episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise do something they've never done on the podcast before: walk real listeners through the remote control exercise live. Two brave volunteers each agreed to be a "guinea pig" — bringing a genuine, tender trigger and letting Laura guide them through it in real time, so you can hear the entire p...
21 Mar 2025 · 54 min
Ep. (57) The Art and Science of The Remote Control Exercise
What if the emotional reaction you've been fighting to control for twenty years could simply stop being a reaction at all? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise devote a full episode to the tool at the practical heart of the Compassion Method: the remote control exercise. They first introduced it back in Episode 6, but here they go deeper — into both the science of why it works and the art of doing it well — and issue an exciting invitation for a...
21 Feb 2025 · 45 min
Ep. (56) I Feel Like I Am Failing at This
What if the meltdown that made you feel like a failure is actually proof that the healing is working? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise get honest about a feeling every listener knows: "I feel like I'm failing at this." Whether you're brand new to the Compassion Method or 56 episodes deep, there will be moments — often right after some progress — when a huge triggered reaction leaves you embarrassed, ashamed, and certain you're doing it wrong...
20 Jan 2025 · 48 min
Ep. (55) The Knowledge of Good and Evil: The Root of All Pain
What if the exhausting question running under everything — Am I good enough? — is the very thing keeping you from freedom? In this episode of Triggered & True, Laura Duncan and co-host Brian Freise return to an idea they first explored back in Episode 9, prompted by a listener question: the knowledge of good and evil as the ultimate root of all pain, anxiety, and depression. It's a conversation that weaves Laura's Christian faith through the Compassion Method — and, as always, one t...

About Triggered and True

Triggered and True is a English health podcast from Laura Duncan and Brian Freise. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Laura Duncan and Brian Freise
Language: English
Category: Health
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 49 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1553371567

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