Making Sense of Complex Problems

In this opening session audio talk, David Powlison explores how to wisely love and help people facing complex, life-consuming struggles often labeled by psychiatry. What goes into restoring and rebuilding a life? Speaking to counselors, caregivers, and anyone seeking to offer meaningful support, Powlison challenges the desire for quick fixes and emphasizes the need for deep compassion, patience, and enduring hope. He contrasts the “upstream” ideals of psychiatric theory with the real, messy lives of those “downstream” who suffer and seek help. Rather than promising easy solutions, Powlison invites listeners to offer something far more lasting: genuine kindness and truth grounded in the mercy of Christ. This session orients listeners to approach care not as a technical fix, but as a lifelong calling shaped by love, realism, and faith.