Whether podcast or video interviews, articles or book reviews, you’ll find Chris Coursey spreading joy and encouragement all over the internet!
For over 25 years, THRIVEtoday president Chris Coursey has been using the Life Model to work with families, communities and individuals with severe trauma. Learning brain science, creating brain-based exercises and working with Dr. Jim Wilder has brought clarity to effectively serve and equip people who are on a journey of growth and recovery.
Chris is passionate about giving support to counselors and teaching people how relational skills can be applied to the important work of walking with people so they reach their God-given potential. Whether you are a licensed counselor, coach, pastor, or lay minister, there are exciting implications for how we can more effectively use relational brain skills to help people heal, mature and grow.
Chris covers a relational skills topic every Monday with a new 10-minute episode on THRIVEtoday’s Relational Skills in Real Life podcast!
In this conversation, Megan and Chris explore the significance of joy in relationships, particularly in marriages. We discuss the four habits that can foster joy-filled marriages, emphasizing the importance of play, listening for emotions, appreciation, and nurturing a rhythm of connection. The discussion also delves into the neuroscience behind joy and how it can transform relationships, providing practical exercises for couples to implement in their daily lives. OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE
Have you been taught that all emotions except joy are bad? That you need to “count it all joy” in such a way that in your church or religious circles emotions were taught as bad or good, Christians don’t have big emotions like sadness, anger, or fear? Today is not a discussion like that!
Dr. Stephanie & Dan talk with Chris & Jen Coursey about REAL joy, and that joy is not a choice, and that joy does not mean denying or diminishing other emotions.
Elders are so important in building relationally healthy communities. Without them we are missing a key part and it’s nearly impossible. What is the role of elders in community? What does healthy community look like? How do we glean their wisdom?
Part 1 | E26 Growing into Elders
Part 2 | E27 When Elders Lead from Fear
Part 3 | E28 Elders as Gentle Protectors
Do you have a child who struggles with low-joy? Do you find yourself in the same boat? As Christians we know that JOY is a fruit of the Spirit–but why do so many of us still struggle with it? You’ll be amazed at the brain science behind joy and the hope there is in practical ways to increase and grow joy in yourself and your family.
Chris Coursey shares that God is glad to be with us! If we truly know that, it transforms not only us as individuals but all of our interactions with others. Those interactions are strengthened when we use the 19 relational skills that should be learned, but often aren’t, during infancy. Even if we missed that early learning opportunity, there is much hope. We can form new habits when we practice these skills throughout our life.
“Have you ever wondered what fear was doing to your brain? Are there times when you have felt like you were on a perpetual rollercoaster of hard days? Does it sometimes feel like your days, weeks, months blend together in a cacophony of disappointment, failure, fear, and stress?
Chris and Jennifer Coursey join Jennifer Pepito for an incredible and practical conversation about how to create more joy-filled lives.”
“Emotions we can’t manage tend to divide us rather than bring us together. So, how we manage our emotions is really important to our relationships.
Shawna shares how she reached the end of herself during a meeting with hospice just weeks before her dad died. Chris helps her to see what was happening at that moment and steps we all can take to stay relationally present even when we most want to eject.”
“Do you feel like you’re often focused on problems and operating out of fear of what may happen? Chris explains how joy can give families the strength to navigate difficulties and overcome fear. He shares a personal story of overcoming fear-based parenting and unpacks the first habit of raising joy-filled kids: attunement. Chris emphasizes that taking care of yourself nurtures your joy and directly benefits the entire family. Listen in and learn how to grow joy in your home!”
“If you have been following our podcasts for a bit, you know we are fans of Dr. Jim Wilder, and we talk about joy, group identity, and healthy correction often. Today, we have with us Chris Coursey, who has authored and co-authored several books on Joy using Wilder’s principles and theoretical foundations.”
Chris Coursey was being yelled at and humiliated in public and yet he was able to stay chill and help the person who was humiliating him. He shares how to teach our emotions to draw people in rather than push them away. Perry asks Chris how the Perry and Shawna Mornings team can resolve conflict when it happens.
Do you think anyone can be joyful – any time? Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey are students of the Bible and brain science, and they say it’s possible to be full of joy, no matter what our circumstances may be! Bring YOUR questions and learn 4 habits we need to practice to be joy-filled people!
Is joy the icing on the cake of life—or the fuel on which it runs? On this Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey dig deep into brain science to discover how to capture real joy for our lives. They believe you can build habits that fill your life with greater joy and satisfaction.
Learn about two essential brain developments that you need in order to live with joy. You’ll also learn about trauma and its impact on development as well as the pathway back to experience joy once again. Chris Coursey shares about the latest book he co-authored with Marcus Warner.
On ‘Mornings with Eric and Brigitte’, Chris Coursey, co-author of The 4 Habits of Joy-Filled People shows us how to build habits that fill our lives with greater joy and satisfaction by providing exercises and tools you can put into practice immediately.
Joy-filled kids know how to work for and wait for what is truly satisfying in life. Authors Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey share life habits to instill in emotionally mature kids.
In this 2-part conversation on the book The Joy Switch, Chris and Jen shares the incredible correlations between our brains and our joy.
We all want our homes to be filled with joy but do you know that joy-filled kids are not always happy kids? However, joy-filled children do know how to work and wait for what is best! Chris Coursey has been studying brain-based solutions that make relationships work and he will guide us in raising joyful children at every stage of development.
Could it be that we are not feeling connected with our loved ones because of the joy switch? Monday we begin the week talking about a simple switch in the brain that when deactivated can cause us to feel distant from those closest to us. Join this fascinating conversation with Chris Coursey, who will help us understand how to recognize when your brain’s joy switch is flipped, and how to take steps to restore your relational sweet-spot.
What separates happy marriages from miserable ones? Surprisingly, it’s not healthy communication or conflict resolution. It’s the size of the joy gap. Dr. Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey show how 15 minutes a day can transform your marriage. If it feels like years since you’ve really enjoyed your spouse’s company, don’t miss Chris Fabry Live.
In Episode 20 we are taking a look at what makes relationships work and what’s missing when they don’t. Chris and Jen Coursey of Thrive Today share 19 skills that are necessary for healthy relationships – skills we should get by age 4, but most of us missed them. Here’s good news: You can train your brain and learn them later in life! Join us for an enlightening and fun discussion on relationships.
44:21 | In this conversation, Megan and Chris explore the significance of joy in relationships, particularly in marriages. We discuss the four habits that can foster joy-filled marriages, emphasizing the importance of play, listening for emotions, appreciation, and nurturing a rhythm of connection. The discussion also delves into the neuroscience behind joy and how it can transform relationships, providing practical exercises for couples to implement in their daily lives.
42:37 | In this episode of This Lyric, That Truth podcast, Ceci interviews Chris Coursey, author of The Joy Switch. They discuss the importance of joy in personal growth and relationships, exploring how to identify and activate the ‘joy switch’ in our brains. Chris shares insights on navigating conflict, the power of curiosity and kindness, and practical steps to cultivate joy in our lives and environments. Ther conversation emphasizes that joy is not just a feeling but a relational experience that can be developed and strengthened over time.
31:45 | Enjoy this 30-minute podcast featuring Chris and Jen Coursey, as they speak with Marriage Initiative!
42:15 | One of the people that brought insight into living a life outside of striving, perfectionism and performance, was Chris Coursey. In this conversation, I share the moment Chris helped me work through something I was wrestling with in this area of feeling like I needed to always know the ‘right’ thing to do. This often turned into seasons of fear, overwhelm and burnout, leaving little room for joy and connection.
27:36 | Chris Coursey helps you better understand the role of joy in your marriage, your parenting, and your friendships. He’ll explore the joy center in your brain, so you can know how it works and how to keep it from turning off. As joy overflows into your relationships, you’ll be able to connect with others in healthy, thriving ways.
Starting at minute 40:14 | Chris shares a sermon on From Slavery to Sonship at The Why Church in Elk River, Minnesota.
39:21 | Joy can be illusive, but when we’re experiencing it, there’s nothing better. Joy is more than happy, which can be circumstantial. Joy is communal, joy is relational, joy gets us through the hard times, and we’re filled with joy in the great times. Do you want some more joy in your life? Listen in a learn how to cultivate a life full of joy!
Starting at minute 44:00 | Chris shares a sermon on Raising Spirit-filled Kids at the Beulah Missionary Church in Goshen, Indiana.
29:37 | Happiness can be fleeting, but joy is rooted in faith and our confidence in Jesus. On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey share the ABC (and D!) habits of raising joy-filled kids—attunement, building “bounce”, correcting with care, and developing disciplines relationally. By diving into each habit, they share how to strengthen your joy-bond with your child, even if you are a “low-joy” person. You’ll learn how to build and cultivate joy in your family.
13:30 | Daniel Fast Part 2 | Tim Johns interviews Chris Coursey.
17:56 | Daniel Fast Part 1 | Tim Johns interviews Chris Coursey.
29:03 | You’ve been married for a number of years, and you’re starting to feel distant from your spouse. You are experiencing a joy-gap! On this one-day Focus on the Family broadcast, Dr. Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey explain the brain science behind joy and offer easy, practical ways you can increase joy in your marriage by playing together, listening for emotion, appreciating your spouse daily, and nurturing a rhythm of rest. You’ll be inspired to pursue joy with your spouse!
Guest Feature | As featured on the San Antonio Marriage Initiative Blog after their video interview, this article goes through the history of Thrive Premier Training, and touches on the part of Chris and Jen’s story that helped the in-person training become so popular and successful.
Cosmopolitan Online | We were thrilled to find out that The 4 Habits of Joy-Filled Marriages book which Chris Coursey co-wrote with Marcus Warner was featured by Cosmopolitan magazine as the #2 must read book for married couples out of their top 15 picks! We are so excited to see the message of Joy getting out there and the world is starting to recognize its importance.
PUBLISHED: FEB 3, 2022
Interview Transcript | Learning practical relational skills helps us recover when things go wrong, keep relationships bigger than problems and stay on course. The foundational skill is learning to live relationally with our brain’s relational circuit engaged where we reflect our values rather than slip into “enemy mode” where people become problems to fix and we want to win rather than keep relationships intact.
Guest Blogger | Here’s a new blog post from Rev. Chris M. Coursey on how we can find joy even in the midst of painful feelings, hard emotions, and difficult challenges.
Our online courses are designed to give you the best of the science behind the relational skills AND the practice so you grow the skills. We offer a variety of course sizes and topics to meet you along your skill journey.
Mostly taught by Chris, learn more about our theory, practice, topical theory, and premier theory courses and implement habits that improve your relationships!
