The Fast From Noise: Women’s Mental Health in Lent w/ Dr. Robyn Middleton, PhD (Guest Co-Host Gavin McCort, RDN)

About this episode

The episode explores women's mental health during Lent, focusing on anxiety, burnout, and the restorative power of the Jesus Prayer.

In this episode of the Orthodox Health Podcast , Dr. Michael Christian is joined by guest co-host Gavin McCort, RDN, & Dr. Robyn Middleton, PhD to explore women’s mental health during Lent... covering anxiety, burnout, stress, perfectionism, distraction, & how the Jesus Prayer restores peace in a noisy, overstimulated world. It connects Orthodox spirituality with real-world mental health, including Robyn’s research on the Jesus Prayer, breathwork, vagus nerve stimulation, & heart rate variability (HRV), along with her journey from healthcare administration & communication studies into the Orthodox Church. Together, they unpack why Lent is not “wellness culture with incense,” but a season of repentance that exposes what is actually happening beneath the surface (mentally, physically, & spiritually). From smartphone addiction & scattered attention to productivity-driven identity & isolation, this conversation addresses the root causes of modern anxiety & how the Church offers real healing. Robyn shares how stepping away from social media, entering into the life of the Church, & approaching Orthodoxy as a hospital, helped her find greater peace…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Michael Kuhn

Guests: Gavin McCort, Dr. Robyn Middleton

Topics covered

• women's mental health
• Lent
• anxiety
• burnout
• Orthodox spirituality
• Jesus Prayer
• community

Keywords

• mental health
• Lent
• Jesus Prayer
• anxiety
• burnout
• vagus nerve stimulation
• heart rate variability
• Orthodoxy
• community
• social media

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Orthodox Health Podcast, Orthodox Church

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