Attaching to God: Neuroscience-informed Spiritual Formation

We spend our days feeling like we’re the only one with problems, when everyone else has their act together.  We feel like other are achieving so much, but we aren’t living up to our potential. What if the answer wasn’t a higher self-esteem, but a lower anthropology? What if instead of expecting more from others (and ourselves) we actually expected less?Host Geoff Holsclaw (PhD) talks with David Zahl about how a high anthropology—thinking optimistically about human nature—can breed perfectionism, anxiety, burnout, loneliness, and resentment. To counteract this Zahl invites us to consider a biblically rooted and surprisingly life-giving low anthropology, which fosters hope, deep connection, and even happiness.Check out his new book, "Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself)".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).

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?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 .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).

I want to pursue God. But part of would rather not. Another part is a little afraid of God. And anther is worried that God is just done with me.  Is God big enough for all our parts? Embodied Faith host Dr. Geoff Holsclaw sits down with spiritual director and trained IFS (Internal Family Systems) practitioner Brian Hohmeier.  Brian serves as director of curriculum development for the Order of the Common Life, which is reimagining religious vocations for 21st century at orderofthecommonlife.org.RESOURCES: IFS Episodes: • Why the Lost Art of Paying Attention Is Everything in the Spiritual Life (with Jared Boyd) • How To Welcome the Parts Warring Within Us (Jenna Riemersma) IFS Resources: • No Bad Parts  - Richard Schwartz• Internal Family Systems Therapy - Richard SchwartzDive 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).

Is there something between being SELFISH and SELFLESS? Between CODEPENDENCY and total INDEPENDENCY? How do I stop painful patterns in my life? How can we mend the past and life in the present? And how can I make joyful connect with others, God, and myself. Embodied Faith host, Geoff Holsclaw, talks with Dr. Alison Cook about discovering your true self in God. Check out her new book, The Best of You: Break Free from Painful Patterns, Mend Your Past, and Discover Your True Self in God, and find her here.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.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).

Maybe you’ve heard of spiritual disciplines, or spiritual practices.  But why should we focus on them being embodied? What difference do our bodied make in the spiritual life?Micro-church pastor Josh Wilson join us to talk abut why his church focuses on embodied spiritual practices. Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.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).

Is navigating the realities of trauma a (if not THE) defining context of mission and witness for the church in North America? And if so, what does that mean for pastors, leaders, and church members? Pastor, community organizer, and contextual theologian Fred Liggin talks about creating spaces of "security, support, voice and choice" as necessary aspects of witnessing to God's kingdom come as we seek to be trauma-informed and trauma-based churches. Also see the earlier episode with Fred on "What is a Trauma-Informed Church?"Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.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).

Why do certain things seem to set me off? Why do I sometimes turn on the people I love? Where do these too big thoughts and feelings come from?  Often it is past trauma invading the present.  Can anything be done about it? And how can Jesus be involved?I'm talking with Dr. Karl Lehman about catching the past as it invades the present,  how we can get better at it, and how we can allow Jesus to heal us from trauma.  Dr. Lehman is a board-certified psychiatrist with thirty years and more than forty thousand hours of clinical experience, all seeking to integrate faith-based emotional healing with insights provided by psychological and neurological research.Dr. Lehman's Personal Website: https://www.immanuelapproach.com/The Immanuel Approach: https://www.immanuelapproach.com/Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.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).

People who are wounded, suffering, or traumatized need the Gospel.  They need the liberation of Jesus.  But what if HOW we share the gospel HURTS more harm HELPS?Charles Kiser joins the show to talk about trauma-informed evangelism so that we can keep from place unnecessary stumbling blocks in front of the freedom that comes through knowing Jesus.Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.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).

Can we move from just surviving to thriving? Why do we always feel so out of sorts with the world? How does human nature (biology) and niche construction (culture) work together (or not)? Perhaps instead of opposing human "being" and "doing", a focus human "becoming" can help us understand the biological and cultural aspects of discipleship. This is what we are talking about with Dr. Justin L. Barrett. He previously held positions at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology as Professor of Psychology, as well as the Thrive Center for Human Development prior to that.  And most recently he has written Thriving with Stone Age Minds: Evolutionary Psychology, Christian Faith, and the Quest for Human Flourishing.Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.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).

Are theologians dabbling in neuroscience over-reaching? Are neuroscientists talking about theology being reductionistic? And what happens when theologians and neuroscientists agree that joy and peace are the foundation of human experience?  These questions and many more guide the time with Dr. Jim Wilder. Jim Wilder is a Clinical Psychologist & Neurotheologian at Life Model Works.  He is author of many books, recently "Renovated: God, Dallas Willard and the Church that Transforms" and co-author of The Other Half of the Church: Christian Community, Brain Science, and Overcoming Spiritual Stagnation.Get the FREE ebook, The Brain God Gave Us, when you join the Embodied Faith community (connecting you to new episodes, posts, and other resources).Please subscribe and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube.If you would like coaching or spiritual direction that aligns with this podcast, then connect with Cyd Holsclaw here.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).