Embodied Faith: on Relational Neuroscience, Spiritual Formation, and Faith

Does neurodiversity impact relational attachments? What does secure and insecure attachment look like for those who aren't neurotypical?In this episode of the Attachment to God podcast, hosts Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw are joined by Barbara Grant, a specialist in autism and neurodiverse couples coaching. They talk about how neurodiversity impacts relational attachments and spiritual practices, particularly in the context of secure and insecure attachment. Barbara Grant, holds a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy, a Certified Autism Specialist (IBCCES) and a certified Neurodiverse Couples Coach (AANE). She edited and is one of the authors of Uniquely Us: Gracefully Navigating the Maze of Neurodiverse Marriages and is the co-host of The Neurodiverse Couple's Coaches podcast. Dive deeper in our new book, Landscapes of the Soul: How the Science and Spirituality of Attachment Can Move You into Confident Faith, Courage, and Connection, and learn about our trainings and other resources at embodiedfaith.life.Stay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Scholars of the Apostle Paul have long debated the so-called center of Paul's theology, focusing on themes like justification by faith, reconciliation, union with Christ, and the apocalyptic triumph of God in Christ. But what if love really is the heart of the gospel that he preached?In this episode of the Attaching to God podcast, we welcome Nijay Gupta, the Julius R. Manti Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, to discuss his new book The Affections of Christ Jesus: Love at the Heart of Paul's Theology. Dr. Gupta elaborates on the crucial role of love in Paul's teachings and explores its connection to emotional theory and neuroscience. Gupta also touches upon his personal experiences with emotional well-being.Be sure to check out his podcast, Slow Theology: Simple Faith for Chaotic TimesDive deeper in our new book, Landscapes of the Soul: How the Science and Spirituality of Attachment Can Move You into Confident Faith, Courage, and Connection, and learn about our trainings and other resources at embodiedfaith.life.Stay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

In this episode of the Attaching to God podcast, hosts Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw welcome Steve Cuss. They delve into the nature of anxiety, different coping mechanisms, and how these dynamics affect relationships, including one's relationship with God. Steve highlights the importance of addressing reactivity, identifying false needs, and fostering supportive environments within leadership teams. The episode also touches on creating inclusive spaces for minorities in leadership and discusses Steve's future project of developing an anxiety assessment tool. The conversation is engaging and insightful, offering practical tips for leaders striving to create healthier, more resilient communities.Steve Cuss is the author of Managing Leadership Anxiety and The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God,  and also a columnist and host of Christianity Today's Being Human podcast. Steve founded Capable Life to help people lower anxiety, break stuck patterns and increase well being in the workplace, home place, and in your faith.00:00 Steve Cuss00:14 Introduction and Guest Introduction01:21 Formula One Fandom05:35 Steve's Background and Capable Life08:27 Understanding Anxiety and Relationships13:47 Differentiation and Attachment17:58 False Needs and Chronic Anxiety23:25 Coping Mechanisms and Insecurity23:46 Overconfidence and Pretense24:25 Trauma Chaplaincy and Self-Discovery26:19 Building Healthy Church Cultures27:09 Pursuing a Doctorate and Integration of Disciplines28:16 Understanding Protection and Pretense31:14 Addressing Organizational Anxiety33:37 Minority Experiences in Leadership38:53 Contagious Emotions and Jesus' Example42:05 Final Thoughts and Future PlansStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

We are all looking for a bit of relief. Some pain relief, relief from stress, the relief of getting the kids off to school or maybe to bed on time. But do we think of God's grace as the big relief?In this episode, we welcome back David Zahl, of Mockingbird Ministries. David introduces his new book titled The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World, which focuses on how God's grace is the ultimate relief we all seek in our stress-filled lives. They discuss various aspects of grace, including forgiveness, imputation, and surrender, and how these can alleviate the modern pressures of status anxiety and the demand for control. The conversation delves into the importance of recognizing suffering and offering consolation through the grace of God. David also shares insights on creating church communities that provide relief rather than additional burdens.00:00 Introduction: Seeking Relief00:39 Guest Introduction: David Zahl01:24 The Urgency of Grace02:56 Grace in a Pressure Cooker World06:11 Defining Grace: The Big Relief08:49 Forgiveness: Relief from Regret14:03 Imputation: Relief from Status Anxiety21:00 Surrender: Relief from Control27:09 Cultivating Communities of Relief30:10 Conclusion and FarewellStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Host Geoff Holsclaw engages with New York Times columnist and author Ross Douthat. They discuss the enduring relevance and shifting perceptions of religion in a scientific and secular age, driven by Douthat's book Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious. The conversation navigates the historical impact of new atheism, the existential malaise in youth culture, and a generational gap in religious knowledge. Douthat elaborates on his rationale for advocating religion not just for its therapeutic or social benefits but also for its intellectual robustness. Topics covered include the persistence of supernatural experiences, the case for commitment to established religions, and the importance of community and institutional structure in religious life. Douthat also shares his personal journey through various Christian traditions, culminating in his commitment to Catholicism. The episode concludes with insights into how suffering and chronic illness have deepened Douthat's faith and understanding of God's providence.Stay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Sometimes, when you feel stuck, and overwhelmed, you don't need more and better information. Sometimes you need to engage your story, to better understand how the past influences the present. That's what we talk about with Adam Young. Adam Young is a therapist who focuses on trauma and abuse, and the host of The Place We Find Ourselves podcast. He currently serves as a Fellow and Instructor at The Allender Center.  Adam is the author of Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Story with Kindness Changes Everything.Also, check out his mini-conference hosted each month. Adam explains the concept of story work as a therapeutic and spiritual practice that helps individuals understand how their past experiences shape their present. He emphasizes the importance of approaching one's story with kindness and the role of attachment, neuroscience, and spirituality in the healing process. They also delve into the significance of exploring familial, cultural, and spiritual narratives to achieve wholeness and integration, or 'Shalom.' Additionally, Adam provides insights into addressing common resistance to story work and the importance of leaders engaging in this process to foster supportive community environments. He concludes by sharing information about his ongoing mini-conference series aimed at helping individuals delve deeper into their stories.Stay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

In this episode of the Attaching to God podcast, hosted by Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw of Embodied Faith, licensed therapist Lisa Cuss joins the conversation.Lisa shares her journey from teaching to becoming a therapist, her focus on trauma and attachment-informed modalities, and her work with  Capable Life alongside her husband, Steve Cuss. The discussion delves into the complexities of anxiety, personal and collective grief, and the transformative process of attachment both to oneself and to God. Lisa highlights the importance of being seen and comforted by God, the role of trauma in shaping behavior, and the significant shift when individuals recognize God's presence in their deepest pain. This episode offers insights into how mental health and spiritual growth can be fostered within church communities.Lisa is a licensed therapist (MA, LPC), speaker, and trainer who is passionate about the intersection of Psychology and Faith. In her private practice, Lisa uses trauma and attachment informed modalities to help people journey through deep pain and stuck places to find more healthy connection within themselves, with others, and with God. Lisa also works alongside her husband, Steve Cuss, within Capable Life, an organization that helps people find relief from chronic anxiety and deepens connection with God in the workplace and the home place.Stay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

What is Jesus' Sermon on the Mount really about?  Is it an out-of-reach spirituality for the really devoted? Is it a practical guide for political action? A reworking of the Old Testament Law? Or an existential treatise on the intentions that guide our actions?What if it outlines the way toward human flourishing?Dr.  Jonathan Pennington is a Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  And a teaching pastor his local church. Dr. Pennington is the author of many books, including Reading the Gospels Wisely, The Sermon on the Mount and Human Flourishing, and Jesus, the Great Philosopher: Rediscovering the Wisdom Need for the Good Life. Find out more about Dr. Pennington here: https://www.jonathanpennington.com/Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting April 29 (2025), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 4pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

God's true nature is beyond human comprehension. It can never be fully expressed in human words. But Scriptures uses one particular word to describe the distinctiveness of God's character; this is the Hebrew word hesed. Michael Card is an award-winning musician and performing artist. His many books include Scribbling in the Sand, A Fragile Stone, and Inexpressible: Hesed and the Mystery of God's LovingkindnessJoin Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting April 29 (2025), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 4pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

This Holy Week, as Jesus, "the man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Is. 53:3), walks toward the cross, we ask what it might be to proclaim this as good news. An older evangelism might ask, Where will you go when you die? But in our age of anxiety and despair, maybe we need to shift to: What do you do with your sorrow as you live?  That Jesus walks with us in our sorrows is really good news. That's what we are talking about today with Dr. Andrew Root. He is the Carrie Olson Baalson professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations.  And most recently has written about Evangelism in an Age of Despair: Hope Beyond the Failed Promise of Happiness.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting April 29 (2025), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 4pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Does doing your job need to feel like losing your life? Can your vocation be part of your spiritual formation? Can we survive digital overwhelm?Dr. Craig Mattson is a researcher, teacher, and writer at Calvin University. He's the editor of The Mode/Switch newsletter and podcast on Substack, both of which decode workplace culture and the strange etiquettes of digital spaces. Craig's three books address spiritual formation by attending to the kinds of humans we yearn to be in the digitally saturated spaces of life and work. His most recent book is Digital Overwhelm: A Mid-Career Guide to Coping at Work.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting April 29 (2025), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 4pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Many spiritual seekers are becoming psychonauts, experimenting with psychedelics. But will that trip lead where we think it will? I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ashley Lande about how her long and winding journey in and their the world of psychedelic experimentation eventually led her to Jesus, the only one who really makes all things OK. Ashley Lande is a writer and artist living in rural Kansas with her husband and four children. She is the author of the memoir The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever: Transcendence, Psychedelics and Jesus Christ.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting Nov. 12 (2024), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 2:30pm-3:30pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Can we master our emotions? Is that healthy? Are emotions a gift from God, or part of our sinful reality? That's what we are talking about today. Dr. Kevin Chapman is a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in cognitive behavioral therapy. He is the founder and director of the Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. He leads Sound Mind Ministries and hosts The Sound Mind Show (YouTube). And he just release Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional Health.  Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting Nov. 12 (2024), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 2:30pm-3:30pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Check out our Attaching to God 6-Week Learning Cohort. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Baseball is back. Spring is sprung (depending on where you live). And so we are bringing you the 10 reasons baseball is a mirror for our spiritual formation. And along the way, Geoff and J.R. Briggs share some favorite baseball memories, especially about their first time hanging out in the bleachers at Wigley Field.Here are the reasons, in no particular order:Going HomeAll about FailuresIt's BoringIt starts in the spring (of NEW LIFE)TeamworkRoutinesTraditionThe Cathedrals of BaseballThe Hall of Fameand I forgot the last one...Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

For when the day is long. When you are afraid. When you don't know what to say to someone you love. When you feel alone. When you're questioning everything. When you wonder if God is with you.We are talking with the author ofTry Softer, Aundi Kolber, about her new book, Take What You Need: Soft Words for Hard Days. Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC) and best-selling author of the critically acclaimed "Try Softer" as well as her new book "Strong like Water." She specializes in trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology.Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Is depression a biological and chemical problem? Is it a mental and emotional, or relational problem? Is depression spiritual in nature? As our guest today says, how we describe something is how we see it, and how we see it changes how we respond and act towards it.  Dr. John Swinton is Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care and Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen. For more than a decade John worked as a registered mental health nurse and also worked as a hospital and community mental health Chaplain. In 2004, he founded the University of Aberdeen's Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability. John is the author of a number of books, including Finding Jesus in the Storm: The spiritual lives of people with mental health challenges.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here. Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Leaders, pastors, and pioneers of movements are often outward and forward-focused. Often this means leaving the inward life unexplored and ignored. How can leaders tend to the depths within, and how might spiritual directors help in this work? How best can we support and form clergy and leaders? David Clayton is a qualified and experienced Spiritual Director, Supervisor, and Behavioural Analyst. With a unique blend of expertise in behavioral science and spiritual direction, David provides a holistic approach that emphasizes both inner development and practical application. He is committed to guiding individuals on their journey toward greater self-awareness, purpose, and personal growth (learn more about the Monos Collective).Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here. Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

What does attaching to God look like in one's personal life, life as a counselor, and life of faith? That's what we are talking about today. Our guest is Jeff (spelling?) McMullen. Jeff is the Executive Director of Life Counseling Center and an Assistant Pastor at Chapelgate Presbyterian Church. As a counselor, he is particularly interested in working with ministry clients struggling with anxiety and identity issues.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here. Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

While modern psychiatry has improved many patients' quality of life, it falls short in addressing their relational and spiritual needs? Can we draw on theological wisdom and scientific evidence to reframe our understanding of mental health care? Dr. Warren Kinghorn is a psychiatrist and theological ethicist whose work centers on the role of religious communities in caring for persons with mental health problems. He is jointly appointed to the faculties of Duke Divinity School and the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of Duke University Medical Center, and practices psychiatry at the Durham VA Medical Center.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here. Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

"Freedom appears very nearly the only value about which people still agree unanimously," says Jacques Philippe in his little book, Interior Freedom. But how does freedom connect to happiness, love, and our life with God and others? These are the questions this little firecracker of a book examines, and that we talk about in this two-part series. We look at the difference between "freedom from" and "freedom for", the ideas of locus of control, the constraints of everyday life, and what "inner freedom" might mean, and what it doesn't mean. Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here. Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Instead of pretending to have it all together or insisting that you're the problem, do you long to see more Christian leaders be honest about their own faith struggles? What benefit could there be to having a front-row seat to the moments that leaders choose to trust in God, even when it's hard to believe?Today we have Mandy Smith, pastor and award-winning author and speaker—and also a great friend—with us to talk about this very thing.We are talking about her newest book, Confessions of an Amateur Saint: The Christian Leader's Journey from Self-Sufficiency to Reliance on God. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction00:27 Mandy Smith's New Book03:16 The Journey of Writing05:23 The Role of Joy and Creativity in Ministry07:59 Attachment and Dependence on God11:48 Confessions and Vulnerability14:54 The Importance of Connection and Openness16:57 Spiritual Warfare and Pruning25:41 Solidarity with Christ's Sacrifices29:07 The Role of Vulnerability in Leadership32:14 The Power of Shared Struggles36:58 The Structure and Purpose of the Book43:29 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsJoin Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting Nov. 12 (2024), with the live calls on Tuesdays, 2:30pm-3:30pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

In a world where mental health issues and loneliness are at an all-time high, it's more important than ever to find ways to cultivate joy, community, and meaning in our lives. But how exactly do you do that? Maybe we need to turn outward rather than inward for answers.That's what we are talking about with Dr. Richard Beck.Dr. Richard Beck is a professor of psychology at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas He is a popular blogger and speaker and the author of several books. We interviewed him a bit ago about his Hunting Magic Eels: Recovering an Enchanted Faith in a Skeptical Age (which I recommend to people all the time if there are in that space of deconstruction). And today we are talking about his newest book, The Shape of Joy: The Transformative Power of Moving Beyond Yourself.00:00 Introduction: Exploring Joy in a Challenging World00:37 Meet Dr. Richard Beck: A Journey into Joy01:16 The World's Worst Commencement Address04:00 The Shape of Joy: Turning Outward05:55 The Wandering Mind and Mental Health11:38 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Beyond15:28 Humility and Happiness: A Surprising Connection19:13 The Power of Mattering and Transcendence23:18 Mr. Kenneth's Story: Joy in Unexpected Places29:34 Conclusion: Finding Joy and Staying ConnectedFREE Attaching to God SummitBuilding Emotional & Spiritual Health by Attaching to God: Register Free NOWStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Like many of us, you carry a weight of buried pain. You feel secretly fractured within. There's a constant churn of unprocessed feelings of shame, anger, grief, or loneliness. But it doesn't have to be this way. Chuck DeGroat is the Professor of Counseling and Christian Spirituality and Executive Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Western Theological Seminary Holland MI.  He is also a licensed and practicing therapist, a spiritual director, author of five books. He wrote When Narcissism Comes to Church and his newest book just landed in early October Healing What's Within: Coming Home to Yourself and to God When You're Weary, Wounded, and Wandering. (Oct. 8).00:00 Introduction to Healing and Spiritual Formation00:42 Meet Dr. Chuck DeGroat: Author and Therapist01:38 The Journey from Narcissism to Healing03:30 Understanding Trauma: Beyond the Outrage05:19 The Power of Personal Story in Healing15:55 Exploring the Genesis Examine23:38 The Core Message: Healing from Within28:09 Reflections and Future DirectionsFREE Attaching to God SummitBuilding Emotional & Spiritual Health by Attaching to God: Register Free NOWStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

The first Christians were weird. Just how weird is often lost on us today. The first Christians believed unusual things, worshiped God in strange ways, and lived a unique lifestyle. Many in the ancient world saw it as bizarre, even dangerous, but some found this new religion attractive and compellingToday we are interviewing Dr. Nijay K. Gupta. He is the Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He is cohost of the Slow Theology podcast, and has written numerous books, including Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church, and recently, Strange Religion How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling.Chapters: 00:53 Meet Nijay Gupta: Author and Scholar01:31 Origins of 'Strange Religion'05:19 The Concept of Believers06:56 Roman Society and the Christian Challenge16:39 Household of Faith: Early Christian Practices24:35 The Radical Message of God's Love31:55 Conclusion and Upcoming WorksFREE Attaching to God SummitBuilding Emotional & Spiritual Health by Attaching to God: Register Free NOWStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Everyone is talking about slowing down, slow food, a slow life. I have friends who host the “Slow Theology” podcast. But is going slow the best to understand the SOUL? (What does that even mean?)Recently, people like Jim Wilder have been specifically accused to talking too much about the brain, and not even about the soul. So much so that some believe Jim doesn't even believe in the soul.(And Jim is a speaker at the Attaching to God Summit, talking about "Empathy, Enemy Mode, and Engaging Gen Z"...so register for free).  We have a long conversation, attempting to set the record straight about an overly philosophical-cognitivist view of the soul (the slow soul), and how that view needs to catch up to all the really fast things God has enabled us to do—brain, body, and soul. We also talk about how broad and wide the field of neuroscience is, the streams that we pull from (which aren't nearly as reductionistic as some), and how the Bible uses many terms to discuss the spiritual part of us.Resources: Check Jim's New Growing a More Human Community (3-book series)Growing Me: Becoming a ChildGrowing Us: Becoming an AdultGrowing We the PeopleFREE Attaching to God SummitBuilding Emotional & Spiritual Health by Attaching to God: Register Free NOWStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

"Freedom appears very nearly the only value about which people still agree unanimously," says Jacques Philippe in his little book, Interior Freedom. But how does freedom connect to happiness, love, and our life with God and others? These are the questions this little firecracker of a book examines, and that we talk about in this two-part series. We look at the difference between "freedom from" and "freedom for", the ideas of locus of control, the constraints of everyday life, and what "inner freedom" might mean, and what it doesn't mean. FREE Attaching to God SummitBuilding Emotional & Spiritual Health by Attaching to God: Register Free NOWStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Geoff and Cyd talk about the impact of reading Why I Believe: A Psychologist's Thoughts on Suffering, Miracles, Science, and Faith, by Dr. Henry Cloud, specifically...the place of miracles and healing in mental health concerns, how encountering God often precedes evidence for God,and, the power of open systems and God at work in the world. From the book's blurb: "World-renowned psychologist and leadership expert Henry Cloud has impacted millions of lives through his groundbreaking books and through his work coaching leaders of the most influential organizations in the world. But few people know the details of his own story and how he became one of the most beloved and respected psychologists and faith influencers in America. In this indelibly personal and vulnerable book, Dr. Cloud leads us through his early struggles with illness and depression and the miracles that healed him and led him to his calling as a healer of others. Through masterful storytelling combined with a deeply nuanced understanding of the human mind, Dr. Cloud invites readers to inhabit the spaces of suffering and elation that make us most human and to walk alongside of him as he ponders the great questions we are so often afraid to ask but which also give life meaning."Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Why do kids climb trees, run really fast, and spin until they fall over? What is the benefit of risky play? And what does that have to do with attaching to God and our spiritual life?In this episode, we look at the research regarding play and how it connects to attaching to God.Baggage Claim: Don't miss the new segment where we finish by claiming some overproductive tendencies we share.  Resources: The Circle of Security (website)"Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children's Mental Well-being" (article PDF)The Anxious Generation (book)Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Emmanuel—God with us. We have heard this promise of God's presence. But might our attachment wounds skew, distort, or hinder us from embracing this reality? Do we live as slaves to our attachment strategies rather than as beloved children of God? And how can we learn to do something different in our spiritual lives?Summer Joy Gross is an Anglican priest, retreat leader, and spiritual director whose work is guided by the belief that our stories can be transformed by God's invitation to make his love our home base. She is associate faculty of spiritual formation and the art of spiritual direction at the Healing Care Ministries' spiritual direction school. She is the host of The Presence Podcast and lives in North Georgia with her husband, their three teenagers.Summer has just written a book called, The Emmanuel Promise: Discovering the Security of a Life Held by God. You can find more about Summer here: https://www.athirstforgod.com/And the Presence Project here: https://www.athirstforgod.com/the-presence-project/Stay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

There is an innate need in all of us to know that there is something more beautiful than the dark places of the world we live in. After two losses within their community just prior to the 2020 pandemic, St. Andrew Methodist Church in Plano, TX discerned that God was asking them to go on the offense against the darkness of mental illness.This is the story of Beacon of Light, a ministry providing much-needed resources, support, and treatment for those struggling with mental health issues while also empowering Christ-centered communities to find hope even in the most difficult times.Geoff speaks with Arthur Jones and Doug Reed. Arthur is the lead pastor of St. Andrews Methodist church in Plano, Texas. Doug Reed is the executive director of Beacon of Light, launched out of St. Andrews. Sign up for more information: https://www.beaconoflightmh.org/newsletterStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

The inaugural episode of season six, and all about "Geoff's Second Half of Life 'Crisis' and why we renamed the podcast" (and note, 'crisis' is in scar quotes).Welcome to Season 6, of what is now called the Attaching to God podcast.  We are going to be doing more episodes of just the two of us talking (Cyd and Geoff). But we will also have interviews with people, and hopefully a regular guest appearance (if we can get him to commit once a month).In addition to this, we are adding a regular segment called "Baggage Claim" where one or both of us notice the baggage we are bringing into relationships (big things or small things) See minute "27" for this new segment. Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting April 23rd (2024), and meets Tuesday, 4 pm -5 pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: NEED spiritual direction or coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

The problem of toxic masculinity is much bigger than contemporary expressions of Christianity. Mistreatment of women and men dehumanizing others is a feature of human culture fraught with sin.  But the church is called to be salt and light, so how can we foster a non-toxic masculinity?Our guest today is Zachary Wagner, a writer, researcher, and minister. He serves as the editorial director for the Center for Pastor Theologians. We're talking about his book Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting February 8 (2024), and meets Thursday, 4 pm -5 pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Many children today are growing up amid adversity, whether brought on by family difficulties or larger societal crises. All children need to be able to deal with stress, cope with challenges, and persevere through disappointments. While we cannot protect children from all hardships, we can promote healthy development that fosters resilience.Our guest, Dr. Holly Catterton Allen, recently retired from her position as Professor of Christian Ministries and Family Science at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Allen's books include Intergenerational Christian Formation and Forming Resilient Children: The Role of Spiritual Formation for Healthy Development.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting February 8 (2024), and meets Thursday, 4 pm -5 pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Research tells us that when people suffer from a mental health crisis, the first person they turn to for help is not a physician, a psychiatrist, or a social worker, but a pastor, a priest, or a minister. Unfortunately, many church leaders are not trained to recognize mental illness and don't know when to refer someone to a mental health professional. And how do we know the difference between a mental illness and a spiritual issue?This is what we are talking about with Dr. Matthew Sanford, author of Grace for the Afflicted: A Clinical and Biblical Perspective on Mental Illness, and CEO of the Hope and Healing Center in Houston, TX. Other books by Dr. Stanford: The Biology of Sin: Grace, Hope and Healing for Those Who Feel TrappedMadness and Grace: A Practical Guide for Pastoral Care and Serious Mental IllnessJoin Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting February 8 (2024), and meets Thursday, 4 pm -5 pm (EST). Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Does God hate? Is God emotional? Emotions feel irrational, impulsive, and problematic for God, especially when we think about hate, jealousy, or sorrow. But the truth is the Bible is full of all sorts of stories that express God expressing emotions. This episode focuses particularly on God and the emotion of hate.Our guest is Dr. David Lamb. He is the MacRae Professor of Old Testament and in 2017 the Dean of the Faculty at Missio Seminary. He is the author of "God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist." And more recently has written "The Emotions of God: Making Sense of a God who hates, weeps, and loves." And Dr. Lamb spent twenty years on staff with InterVaristy. Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

For many people, sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness are everyday experiences. And while we have tremendous advancements in therapy and psychiatry, the burden of living often comes down to some mundane choices, like "Should I still bother to get out of bed?"Dr. Alan Noble joins us to talk about life with mental anguish and his book, On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living. We talk about faith and hope in the goodness of life amid the struggles and pain.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

How do we help people get their brains back online? Can the Spirit lead us through a process of healing without triggering re-traumatization? And how can we attach more deeply with God?Guest Stephanie Rossing (Licenced Marriage and Family Therapist) talks about her own journey as a therapist, discovering and receiving training in trauma treatments (EMDR and Dialectical Behavior Therapy), and how she learned to let the Spirit lead treatment and how Immanuel Prayer helps us attach to God more deeply.  Also, this Advent, check out our book all about Discovering the God Who Wants to Be With Us. Stephanie Rossing is a therapist specializing in the healing of trauma. She is also passionate about Immanuel Prayer and using embodied practices to help people strengthen intimacy with God. She longs to help people build emotionally healthy communities that thrive in a secure attachment to self, God and others. Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

(This and the previous episode are part of a special Thanksgiving Double Feature Rewind of past episodes that are good to revisit in the ups and downs of a holiday)What is so important about joy? The great commandment is to love God and others, but is joy even more central than that? Where does joy fit in the landscape of political outrage and cynicism, in the seriousness of life today?We're talking about it. Looking at why joy and love are so connected.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

(This and the next episode are part of a special Thanksgiving Double Feature Rewind of past episodes that are good to revisit in the ups and downs of a holiday)What if the Psalms aren't just old religious poetry, but guideposts for our everyday struggles and wounds? What if the Psalms are a pathway into the presence of God through the all too human emotions of joy, sadness, and even anger?Join Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw for a conversation with David Taylor, associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary, as we explore the relevance of the Psalms and his book, Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life.Together, we unpack the Psalms of Praise and the counterintuitive nature of joy, as well as how to find solace in the presence of those who are glad to be with us amidst life's challenges. Then, we venture into the world of Psalms of Lament, learning how they teach us to name our pain and grant us permission to be honest with God in our prayers and laments. Then we end by talking about the angry Psalms, the imprecatory Psalm.  As we delve deeper into the life of faith and the Psalms, we discuss their ability to move us beyond our attachment histories and emotions, fostering a more profound connection with God.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

We often think that freedom comes through casting off what controls us, and that we need to find our true selves apart from community.  But what if it is the constraints of the spiritual life that set us free? What if it is focused practices in community that lead to the flourishing of individual lives? Today we are talking about finding freedom in constraints. Our guest today is Jared Patrick Boyd. He is a Vineyard pastor, spiritual director, and Founding Director of the Order of the Common Life, a missional monastic order. Jared is also the author of Finding Freedom in Constraint: Reimagining Spiritual Disciplines as a Communal Way of Life (IVP 2023). Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

When atheists want spirituality, how should the church respond? In a secular age offering a buffet of spiritualities, all focused on the self and personal transformation, how is the Christian view similar or different than these alternative pathways? When everyone is spiritual, but few are religious, what is distinctive about following Jesus? And can I be a mystic without God?Dr. Andrew Root joins the podcast to talk about the rise in secular mysticism and what it means for the church in the 21st century. Dr. Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. He is the author of more than twenty books. Most recently is his The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticisms: Why Spiritualities without God Fail to Transform Us.Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

What is spiritual formation? Is that even a very good term for life with and in Jesus? What are we being formed into anyway? Or, maybe we should ask “when” are we being formed?In this episode, we talked with Dr. Richard Middleton about formative spirituality, agency in the Bible, and being human, and how God is always looking for partners to work with and through. Dr. Middleton is Professor of Biblical Worldview and Exegesis at Northeastern Seminary and Roberts Wesleyan University (Rochester, NY). His most recent book is Abraham's Silence: The Binding of Isaac, the Suffering of Job, and How to Talk Back to God (Baker Academic, 2021). He is also the author of A New Heaven and a New Earth: Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology (Baker Academic, 2014) and The Liberating Image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1 (Brazos, 2005).Check out the DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

What character formation is required for soul care professionals, people like therapists, pastors, or spiritual directors? And what does this mean for everyone who follows Jesus? It is humility and hope, says Dr. Chuck DeGroat. It is doing your work, the work on yourself. Today we talk about how so often (like pastors) therapists in training receive little character formation even while they receive the information needed to diagnose and remedy mental illnesses.  Dr. DeGroat talks about his own pastoral and therapeutic training, how counselors (like pastors) are often taught how to help others without learning to help themselves ("doing your work"), and how cultivating humility and hope will go a little way in solving this problem. Connect with Dr. Chuck DeGroat here.And see his new Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.Or join Cyd and Geoff in their new Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience.Chuck DeGroat is a Professor of Counseling and Christian Spirituality and Executive Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at Western Theological Seminary Holland MI.  Chuck is a licensed therapist, a spiritual director, and author of five books, one of which is When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.  As a therapist, he specialized in issues of abuse and trauma, and pastoral (and leadership) health.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting October 16, and meets Mondays, 8 pm -9 pm, Eastern Time. Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohort DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience program information is here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Have you ever been tossed around by the storms of life and wondered where God is in all? Or have you wished Jesus would quiet the storms a little quicker and more often? Today we are talking about bearing God in the storms of life. Marlena Graves is the Assistant Professor of Spiritual Formation at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. She has written five books, most recently Bearing God: Living A Christ-Formed Life in Uncharted Waters.  She wants people to know God delights in them.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting October 16, and meets Mondays, 8 pm -9 pm, Eastern Time. Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Scripture tells us, “Be still and know that I am God”.  But for so many of us, this is so hard.  Today's episode explores downtime, devotions, and distractions as we seek to be with God in our private and public lives. Our guest, Brian Heasley, is a long-term pioneer within the 24-7 prayer movement and serves as the International Prayer Director, he has years of experience in local-church and pioneer missions. Brian is passionate about prayer, mission, and justice that is rooted in a rhythm of devotional and prayerful responsiveness. Brian's latest book is Be Still: A Simple Guide to Quiet Times.See the 24/7 Prayer MovementLECTIO 365 Prayer App for Iphone and Android.Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

Is the abundant life as promised in Scripture possible for trauma survivors? Can those who suffer deep tragedy really find wholeness, or happiness, again? Today we are talking with a medical doctor who has walked with many people through trauma and tragedy even as he was walking through it himself. Dr. Lee Warren (MD) is an award-winning author, brain surgeon, and Iraq War veteran. Dr. Warren hosts a podcast exploring the complex interplay between faith and science. We are talking with him about his recent book, "HOPE IS THE FIRST DOSE: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things."Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting October 16, and meets Mondays, 8 pm -9 pm, Eastern Time. Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

When reactions shoot out of us that we regret, then what do we do? Do you blame or berate yourself? Do you shame and shout at yourself? Too often we are unkind to ourselves in situations like this. But instead of this, we need to cultivate compassion (and build understanding) for the attachment strategies that have (literally) shaped our nervous systems, which fire semi-automatically when we are stressed out. In this episode, Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw talk about being kind to your engrained attachment strategy (commonly called attachment styles) and how these strategies shape your nervous system.Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting October 16, and meets Mondays, 8 pm -9 pm, Eastern Time. Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

How can two different people experience the same event differently? Do we see, hear, and even feel the world differently? Are we filtering social and emotional information in different ways?  The answer is yes. And this has to do with what Dr. Todd Hall calls attachment filters (or what attachment theory calls "attachment styles").  Dr. Todd Hall is Professor of Psychology at Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University. Dr. Hall's writing and research focus on relational approaches to spiritual development, leadership/organizational development, and flourishing.Get the "Attachment Filter Matrix" PDF here: https://go.relationalspirituality.co/Join Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting October 16, and meets Mondays, 8 pm -9 pm, Eastern Time. Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohortStay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

The church is not immune to the growing mental health crisis, certainly not pastors and leaders. And we don't always know where to get mental health resources for creating resilient individuals and churches. Howe guest today is passionate about bridging that gap.Laura Howe is a clinical mental health social worker, addictions counselor, and projectmanager. She has spent her 15-year career supporting and serving the marginalizedand suffering in her local community. Laura launched Hope Made Strong, an organization dedicated to helping the local church care for their communities without burning out. And launched the Church Mental Health Summit, happening on Oct. 10th, which is on World Mental Health Day.Links: Church Mental Health Summit: https://www.churchmentalhealthsummit.com/Hope Made Strong: https://www.hopemadestrong.org/aboutJoin Attaching to God Learning Cohort: Quieting an Anxious and Avoidant Faith.Starting October 16, and meets Mondays, 8 pm -9 pm, Eastern Time. Link: https://www.embodiedfaith.life/attaching-to-god-cohort DMIN in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience program information is here (https://sfrn.westernsem.edu/).Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

(During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes)We're tackling a topic that treads the tightrope between theology and personal acceptance - body theology and body shame. Why have we turned "your body is a temple" into a shaming mechanism? What if our bodies are the place we meet God? The place through which we glorify God?In this episode we wade deep into the waters of Western philosophical tradition, consumer capitalism's impact on body shaming, and the misinterpretation of scripture that's contributed to a culture of body blame.Dr. Beth Felker Jones joins Cyd and Geoff to talk about a theology of the body, and how we can lead our culture and churches into deeper freedom.Follow Dr. Jones at Church Blogmatics. Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).

(During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes)What if the secret to impactful leadership and genuine community connection lies deep within our biological construct?  Are emotions and moods contagious, between people and in groups? Why are we unconsciously drawn to certain people and repelled by others? And what does this have to do with leadership?This episode uncovers the power of our limbic system, our emotional center, and how it shapes our interactions, leadership, and relationships. Embodied Faith host, Geoff Holsclaw (Phd), talks with professor MaryKate Morse of Portland Seminary about LIMBIC RESONANCE, leadership, and the shifts between connection and protection.MaryKate has authored  Lifelong Leadership: Woven Together through Mentoring Communities,   Making Room for Leadership: Power, Space, and Influence and  A Guidebook to Prayer .We journey through the transformative power of purposeful love, exemplified by Jesus' actions, and counter the use of fear as a tool for influence. The conversation takes us deeper into the profound impact of creating a nurturing learning environment, fostering the growth of pastors and leaders. It's a deep dive into the critical role of emotions, identity, and spiritual formation in shaping a culture of openness in theological education and beyond.Finally, we bear witness to the power of authenticity and community in spiritual growth, illustrating how speaking our truth and forming genuine relationships is instrumental to our spiritual evolution. We conclude with a reflective discussion on the transformative power of reading and the influence of books on our lives. Get ready to explore your emotional self and discover how it shapes your leadership and connections. Join us on this enlightening journey and enrich your understanding of the intricate relationship between our emotions and our lives.Stay Connected: Need spiritual coaching that aligns with this podcast? Connect with Cyd Holsclaw here. Join the Embodied Faith community to stay connected and get posts, episodes, & resources. Support the podcast with a one-time or regular gift (to keep this ad-free without breaking the Holsclaw's bank).