Welcome to this week's podcast. We will be exploring human spirituality and personal growth. Today, we're discussing the work of theologian and psychologist James Fowler and his influential Stages of Faith development.

Fowler's theory isn't just about religious belief; it offers a profound look at how we construct meaning in our lives, from childhood through adulthood. Understanding these stages is crucial for fostering spiritual maturity, as they outline how our understanding of faith transforms, influenced by cognitive growth, emotional maturity, and life experiences. This journey of faith development is also deeply intertwined with our mental well-being. A healthy progression through these stages can contribute to a more integrated sense of self and a resilient outlook, while challenges within these stages can impact mental health.

In this episode, we'll lay the foundation by focusing on Stage One: Intuitive-Projective Faith. This stage typically occurs in early childhood, roughly between the ages of three and seven. It's a fascinating period where imagination reigns supreme, and a child's understanding of faith is heavily influenced by the moods, actions, and stories of the significant adults in their lives. I hope you enjoy.

In today's podcast, we will dive into the topic of spiritual maturity. In the fast-paced world we live in, it's easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and neglect our spiritual growth - or maybe even more to the point, neglect growing a mature spirituality. Today, we'll explore what spiritual maturity truly means, why it's essential for our overall well-being, and how it can positively impact our relationships with others and with God. We'll be drawing insights from leading experts in the field, such as Peter Scazarro, Jenna Riemersma, Curt Thompson, and Lisa Miller, who have been exploring the intersection between good mental health and spirituality.

Join me this week to discuss spirituality and explore the characteristics of spiritual immaturity. There is a significant overlap between emotional and spiritual immaturity, and so this is a short podcast.

In today's podcast, I'll explore what emotional maturity truly means, what it looks like in action, why it’s so incredibly important, and how we can all cultivate more of it in our lives. I'll be drawing from authors like Dan Siegel, Jenna Riemersma, Brad Reedy, Curt Thompson, and Peter Scazzaro, who have dedicated their lives to understanding emotional health and its deep connection to our spiritual well-being.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature

Altogether You: Experiencing personal and spiritual transformation with Internal Family Systems therapy

Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships

The Audacity to Be You: Learning to Love Your Horrible, Rotten Self

The Journey of the Heroic Parent: Your Child's Struggle & The Road Home

Emotional immaturity is not a moral failing. It is more often a protective adaptation. This is true of most of us. Join me this week for the first podcast in a series discussing the interplay between emotional and spiritual maturity. The two go hand in hand, and it is critical to know how to pay attention to what we pay attention to. This increases the possibility of a healthier connection to ourselves, each other, and our spirituality.

Join me this Father's Day weekend for a podcast honoring our dads. Research supports the importance of fatherhood and having dads support children at all ages. Additionally, I'll discuss some ways dads and kids can stay connected as children grow into adulthood.

Join me this week, and I'll share some of my favorite episodes and why I think you should listen to them or listen to them again.

Let me know what some of your favorites are.

I am traveling for the next 2 weeks. I'll be back next week. So, for now, go back and listen to your favorite episodes and share them with a friend.

I enjoyed this book. I have mentioned it a couple of times on the podcast and probably encouraged you to read it. Join me this week for a book review of sorts. Peter Scazzero writes about ten symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality. Using biblical principles, he works to focus individuals into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God and others. It's worth the read.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It's Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature

In this final podcast in the accountability series, I discuss the areas of accountability in which we find ourselves complicit in perpetuating bad behaviors. These complicit behaviors overlap with many of the reasons we don't hold people accountable. I also briefly review some important principles related to accountability. Finally, I provide a long list of action items to help increase your capacity to take accountability.