In this episode of the Attaching to God podcast, host Geoff Holsclaw chats with singer-songwriter and poet Andy Squyres about his faith journey, his time in Santa Cruz, and reconciling disappointment with hope. 

They discuss his creative process, dealing with grief and deconstruction, and the significance of embracing both doctrinal depth and authentic emotional experiences in faith.

Andy Squyres is a songwriter and author born and raised in the Bay Area of northern California who for the last quarter century has been working from the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Check out his latest EP, "Miracle Service".

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).

What exactly is spiritual formation? Is it similar or different than discipleship? And who is having this conversation about spiritual formation anyway?

In this episode of the Attaching to God podcast, hosted by Geoff Holsclaw and produced by Embodied Faith, the focus is on spiritual formation—what it is, how it compares to discipleship, and its future. Dr. Strobel shares his journey into this field, discusses the historical background of spiritual formation within evangelicalism, and explains the importance of integrating theological depth into spiritual practices. Concerns about the potential pitfalls of spiritual formation becoming a mere self-help concept and the need for ecclesial context and communal life are highlighted.

Dr. Kyle Strobel is the director of the Institute for Spiritual Formation and is associate professor of spiritual theology at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, who writes and teaches in the area of spiritual formation. He is most recently the co-author of the book, Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul.

Be sure to follow his writing on his Substack. 

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).

In this episode of the Attaching to God podcast, we explore the often overlooked emotional struggles faced by leaders. 

Our guests are Nicholas and Sheila Wise Rowe. Nicholas Rowe is the Haslin Associate Professor of Leadership at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. And Sheila Wise Row is a seasoned counselor and author (and previous podcast guest). We talk about their new book, Healing Leadership Trauma: Finding Emotional Health and Helping Others Flourish. The conversation delves into the impact of trauma, attachment theory, and the myths of self-sufficiency in leadership. They also cover systemic challenges such as racial and gender trauma and share practical embodied practices for healing.

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Trauma

00:44 Meet the Authors: Nicholas Row and Sheila Wise Row

02:04 The Journey of Co-Writing 'Healing Leadership'

03:16 Understanding Leadership Challenges

06:54 Attachment Theory and Leadership

09:06 Insecure Attachment in Leadership

17:00 The Myth of Self-Sufficiency in Leadership

22:12 Systemic Dynamics: Gender and Racial Trauma

25:45 Historical Context of Cultural Systems

26:35 Challenges Faced by Marginalized Leaders

28:10 Gender Expectations and Leadership

30:36 Defining Leadership Trauma

32:32 Embodied Practices for Healing

37:54 Community Support and Accountability

45:37 Final Thoughts and Staying Connected

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).

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 Times

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).

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 Cuss

00:14 Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:21 Formula One Fandom

05:35 Steve's Background and Capable Life

08:27 Understanding Anxiety and Relationships

13:47 Differentiation and Attachment

17:58 False Needs and Chronic Anxiety

23:25 Coping Mechanisms and Insecurity

23:46 Overconfidence and Pretense

24:25 Trauma Chaplaincy and Self-Discovery

26:19 Building Healthy Church Cultures

27:09 Pursuing a Doctorate and Integration of Disciplines

28:16 Understanding Protection and Pretense

31:14 Addressing Organizational Anxiety

33:37 Minority Experiences in Leadership

38:53 Contagious Emotions and Jesus' Example

42:05 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

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).

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 Relief
00:39 Guest Introduction: David Zahl
01:24 The Urgency of Grace
02:56 Grace in a Pressure Cooker World
06:11 Defining Grace: The Big Relief
08:49 Forgiveness: Relief from Regret
14:03 Imputation: Relief from Status Anxiety
21:00 Surrender: Relief from Control
27:09 Cultivating Communities of Relief
30:10 Conclusion and Farewell

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).

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.

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).

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.

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).

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.

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).