Published by Good Book Company on January 1, 2026
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life
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Pair biblical insight and psychological tools to better manage your thoughts and emotions as you seek to become more like Christ.
Apply biblical insights using tools from modern psychology to manage your thoughts and emotions.
Jesus calls Christians to live for him, but it’s hard! A tangle of distracting thoughts and painful emotions can trip us up and stop us from being the people we long to be.
Christian neuropsychologist Jo Johnson pairs biblical insight with the tools of psychology to offer a freeing way forward. Through her positive, practical, down-to-earth perspective, you will:
Better understand your inner life
Learn to manage your thoughts, memories, desires, and emotions
Combat overthinking and gain emotional resilience
Take charge of your behavior by applying psychological tools and techniques
Be encouraged to look to Jesus and rely on the help of the Spirit every dayDriven by the desire to become more like Christ, this book takes your inner struggles seriously while offering the hope of the gospel.
You will be encouraged to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, fixing your eyes on Jesus as you run the race (Hebrews 12:1)!
Each chapter concludes with action steps and prompts to worship.
Jo Johnson is a Christian psychologist, and in this book, she shares paradigm shifts and practical tips that can help people deal with difficult emotions and unhealthy thinking patterns. She encourages her readers to know that change is possible, and in the first chapters, she lays a foundation for understanding ourselves from a gospel perspective. She explains a biblical view of human nature, salvation, grace, and change, and she shows how the Bible and psychology work together to help us understand ourselves and feel less “stuck” in our negative thoughts and difficult emotions.
Johnson writes in a casual, conversational style, and her vulnerable sharing about her own mental mess can help people feel seen and supported. This book is engaging and easy to read, with short chapters and lots of practical insights. Each chapter concludes with some exercises to try, as well as a spiritual reflection section. Johnson suggests Bible verses to read, hymns to listen to, and things to pray about, all based on that chapter’s topic. With some of the practical exercises, I didn’t find the acronyms for them memorable, so I recommend taking notes on the steps.
This book is geared towards people dealing with garden variety problems. The advice is relevant to everyone, but people with more complex mental health issues or a history of trauma should know that this book mostly focuses on reactions to minor struggles in everyday life. This book introduces important concepts and can be helpful, but people with more serious issues should know that if the advice in this book doesn’t cut it, that isn’t a failure on their part. I wish that the author had recommended some additional resources in the book for people who need more intense help.
Disentangled: Taming Your Thoughts and Feelings to Live Freely for Jesus is a great book for Christians who feel a bit skeptical about psychology, but want to learn practical skills for better managing their thoughts and feelings. The author shows that instead of punishing yourself with self-blame or trying to think your way out of your problems, you can accept grace and take practical steps towards greater awareness, balance, and healing.