Interior Integration for Catholics 177 Christopher West on IFS and TOB – A Powerful Combo for Sexual Healing
22 snips
Dec 1, 2025 
In this enlightening discussion, Christopher West, a prominent Theology of the Body scholar, teams up with Dr. Gerry Crete, a licensed marriage and family therapist. The duo explores how Internal Family Systems (IFS) deepens the understanding of eros and integrates the teachings of St. John Paul II. They discuss the journey of healing from trauma, the significance of tenderness in marriage, and how chastity can unify fragmented selves. The conversation beautifully ties the concepts of love, liturgy, and internal growth, inviting listeners to embrace their wounded parts.
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Eros Is A God-Given Yearning
- John Paul II reframes eros as a God-given yearning for the true, not merely erotic/sexual desire.
- Christopher West says redemption redirects erotic desire toward its divine telos rather than repressing or indulging it.
Uncrumple The Broken Good
- Evil distorts goods rather than creating new substances, so the body and sexuality remain good despite being crumpled by sin.
- West urges inviting Christ to uncrumple our brokenness rather than throwing it away.
Sexuality Reveals Inner Integration
- Sexual disorder functions as a sensitive barometer of interior fragmentation and lack of integration.
- Peter Malinowski links sexual functioning to the degree parts are integrated in a person's psyche.
