S9 Episode #7- When God Rewrites the Story with Phyllis Robertson Thomas

THE ONE WITH PHYLLIS ROBERTSON THOMAS

This week on The Collected Podcast, Jessica sits down with Phyllis Robertson Thomas, author of I Never Knew: Finding Healing and Renewal After Trauma, for a powerful conversation about redemption, resilience, and the life-changing grace of God. From a childhood marked by neglect, abuse, and instability to a remarkable journey of faith, healing, and discovering that Phil Robertson was her biological father, Phyllis shares how God faithfully rewrote her story in ways she never could have imagined. Drawing from her experience as both a nurse and licensed therapist, she offers practical wisdom on trauma, mental health, healthy coping strategies, and the beautiful integration of faith and science in the healing process. Whether you're carrying wounds from your past, wrestling with questions about identity, or longing to trust God more deeply, this episode is a hopeful reminder that no story is beyond God's redemption and that healing, freedom, and renewal are possible through His kindness and grace.

ABOUT PHYLLIS

Phyllis was born in Ruston, Louisiana, in 1975, where she excelled in school, loved to read, and attended church on her own. Phyllis had many ups and downs in her childhood and teen years until she found a family to live with and attended church with at the age of 14. At age 17, Phyllis moved to Missouri to be near her brother and sister. She finished high school, and she and Tony were married two weeks later. Tony and Phyllis have two children, Grant and Joel. Phyllis was a stay-at-home mom until their youngest, Joel, started Kindergarten. Back in Missouri, Phyllis attended Crowder College and earned her nursing degree. While in Managua, Nicaragua, Phyllis served as a missionary nurse and teacher. She also earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Fort Hays State University online. Phyllis completed her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Liberty University in 2024. She is a family telehealth therapist at the Center for Children and Families in Monroe, Louisiana, and is passionate about serving children from hard places. She's picked up painting as a form of self-care and to spend some quality time with Tony in the studio. 

In late 2019, Phyllis learned that her biological father was Duck Dynasty star and Duck Commander Phil Robertson. She and Tony lived next door to her dad and Miss Kay from 2020 until his death in 2025. They recently relocated to St. Louis MO to be closer to family and focus on being grandparents.

CONNECT WITH PHYLLIS:

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SHOW NOTES

Overcoming Childhood Challenges & Faith

Phyllis shared her challenging early years, which included neglect, abuse, and instability, but she chose to stay in school despite the difficult circumstances. She described struggling to see God as a competent father due to her experience caring for her father, who had a traumatic brain injury, making her a parentified child. Phyllis explained that while she understood the need for Jesus and salvation, it took her time to fully surrender to God for daily life.

Coping Strategies & A Biblical Perspectives

Phyllis discussed her book,  I Never Knew: Finding Healing and Renewal After Trauma, which draws from her experience as both a nurse and therapist to help readers understand how childhood coping strategies may no longer serve adults in different life situations. 

She explained that the book guides readers through her personal story while incorporating biblical principles and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help rewire thinking patterns and build trust in God as a loving provider. 

Phyllis emphasized that the book aims to help readers recognize thinking errors and develop new coping strategies to feel safe and trust in their relationships.

Mental Health Journey & Ministry

Phyllis shared her personal journey, including moving out at 14, getting married at 17, and later struggling with depression and postpartum depression while facing challenges in finding appropriate mental health care within her church community. She explained how these experiences led her to pursue psychiatric nursing and write a book about mental health, offering hope and healing through a Christian perspective. 

Phyllis also mentioned their time as missionaries in Nicaragua and the discovery of unexpected DNA test results that raised questions about family history and paternity.

Biological Family Discovery & Forgiveness

Phyllis shared her experience of discovering through an ancestry test that she had a different father than her sister, leading her to confront her mother who revealed Phil Robertson as her biological father. Phyllis described the revelation as shaking the foundation of her life but emphasized it as another opportunity for forgiveness, maintaining a curated relationship with her mother while setting appropriate boundaries. 

She decided to reach out to her father through Whites Ferry Road Church where he was an elder, sending a letter with photos and family details to the church rather than directly to his home.

Phyllis shared her story of reconnecting with her biological father, Phil Robertson, after attending a New Year's Eve service in Louisiana where she believed he was the preacher. After sending a letter to the church and arranging paternity testing, the results confirmed she was Phil Robertson's daughter, leading to a reconciliation with her father's family. 

Phyllis's experience inspired her to become a family therapist and write a book titled "I Never Knew" about finding her father and the healing power of God's grace.

Faith and Mental Health Journey

Phyllis shared her journey of healing and transformation, describing how God took broken pieces of her life and turned them into something beautiful.. She discussed learning to integrate faith with science in her mental health work, particularly through studying neuroscience and cognitive behavioral therapy, and emphasized how God's grace and kindness enable healing and transformation. 

Phyllis encouraged listeners that regardless of past wounds or struggles, there is hope for change through surrendering to God and allowing Him to rewrite one's story.

NEXT STEPS

Let’s Dig a little deeper together!

1. Identify a Coping Strategy That No Longer Serves You

Phyllis shared how childhood survival strategies can follow us into adulthood, even when they're no longer needed. Take a few minutes to reflect:

  • What behaviors helped you survive difficult seasons?

  • Are any of those patterns now creating distance in your relationship with God or others?

  • What healthier response might God be inviting you into?

Reflection Question: What am I still doing to stay "safe" that may actually be keeping me from experiencing freedom?

2. Invite God Into a Wounded Area of Your Story

Healing often begins by honestly acknowledging our pain. Spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal a place in your story where hurt, disappointment, or fear still lingers.

Read Psalm 34:18 and write down:

  • A wound you've carried

  • A lie you've believed because of that wound

  • A truth God says about you instead

Challenge: Share this with a trusted friend, mentor, counselor, or pastor.

Thank you, as always, for listening! Please remember that everything we do is funded by those who benefit from our ministry. Our ministry a 501(c)3, so your contribution is tax-deductible.

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  • The Collected Podcast is a production of Collected Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disciples of Jesus discover and live from their true identity in Christ, recognize and walk in their divine purpose within the Kingdom of God, and experience growth in their capacity for mature, healthy relationships.

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  • The Collected Podcast is produced by Jes French and edited by Jacob Early. Cover art designed by Ben Biondo.

Most Recent, Podcast Episodes, hope, InspirationJessica BiondorecentComment