Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation cover image

Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation

Latest episodes

undefined
Sep 19, 2024 • 33min

092 Freedom and Acceptance (Pt. 1)

In this engaging conversation, Jacques Philippe, an acclaimed author focusing on freedom and happiness, dives into the intricate relationship between freedom, happiness, and love. He explores the critical difference between "freedom from" and "freedom for," discussing how societal pressures can create choice paralysis. The dialogue emphasizes that true inner freedom is essential for spiritual growth and responsibility toward others. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own definitions of freedom and how it shapes their connections with God and community.
undefined
Sep 10, 2024 • 30min

091 How A Psychologist Came to Believe in Miracles…and More (Book Conversation)

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."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: 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).
undefined
Jul 25, 2024 • 23min

090 Risky Play, Fun, and the Life of Faith

Why do kids love climbing trees and running wild? Discover the fascinating benefits of risky play and its connection to spiritual attachment. Unstructured play fosters independence and emotional well-being, while joy in worship brings us closer to God. Personal stories and research reveal the thrill-seeking behaviors of children and their impact on family dynamics and spiritual growth. Embrace adventure, celebrate accomplishments, and explore the playful nature of faith for a richer spiritual experience.
undefined
May 14, 2024 • 35min

089: Our Attachment Wounds and God's Promise (with Summer Joy Gross)

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/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: 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).
undefined
May 7, 2024 • 32min

088: Don't Do Nothing about Mental Health in the Church

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/newsletterJoin 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).
undefined
Apr 3, 2024 • 35min

087: Geoff's Second Half of Life "Crisis" and why the new name

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 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).
undefined
Jan 30, 2024 • 31min

086: Non-Toxic Masculinity (with Zachary Wagner)

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 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).
undefined
6 snips
Jan 23, 2024 • 37min

085: Forming Spiritually Resilient Children (with Dr. Holly Allen)

Dr. Holly Allen discusses forming spiritually resilient children, emphasizing healthy development, defining spirituality in children, nurturing their resilience, promoting positive outcomes, and cultivating their identity as children of God. She reflects on the transformative nature of children's spirituality and the significance of fostering spiritual connections with young ones.
undefined
Jan 16, 2024 • 39min

084: Mental Illness or Spiritual Issue? And how they connect (with Dr. Matthew Stanford)

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 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).
undefined
Dec 12, 2023 • 37min

083: Does God Hate? Or, Making Sense of God's Emotions (with David Lamb)

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. 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: 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).

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode