Attaching to God connects relational neuroscience and attachment theory to our life of faith so you can grow into spiritual and relational maturity. Co-host Geoff Holsclaw (PhD, pastor, and professor) and Cyd Holsclaw (PCC, spiritual director, and integrative coach) talk with practitioners, therapists, theologians, and researchers on learning to live with ourselves, others, and God. Get everything in your inbox or on the app: https://www.grassrootschristianity.org/s/embodied-faith
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Over 58 million adults in the US have experienced spiritual abuse and religious trauma. Maybe you’re one of them. The Broken to Beloved Podcast is for anyone who’s been affected by spiritual abuse, religious trauma, or church hurt and is looking for practical resources to move toward healing and wholeness. Brian Lee is a pastor, coach, and speaker who survived it in 3 different environments and now works to advocate for others who have been wounded by the church and her leaders, and to provi ...
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On The Art of Stability, join host Rusty McKie and friends as they discuss navigating the instability of life and what it takes for them to stay grounded in Christ so they can go the distance in life and work.
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Have you heard of Attachment Theory? Have you ever found yourself lost in the language and terminology? Have you wondered if your less-than-perfect childhood and history of abuse or trauma means you're stuck in a specific style Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw offer simple, easy to understand language around the concept of Attachment using the visual landsca…
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If you’ve experienced any amount of spiritual abuse or religious trauma, you know just how confusing, painful and isolating it can be. It can be hard to put into words just how devastating the impact spiritual abuse can have on an individual and family. If you’ve had to leave your faith group for any reason, you know what it feels like to lose your…
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Being a pastor or leader in ministry can feel like an impossible job at times. The job includes not just spiritual direction and discipleship, but management, finances, counseling, and lots more. As if that wasn’t enough, the people in your care often feel an individual entitlement to your time and attention, and rarely understand the scope of the …
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Most of us are familiar with fight, flight, and freeze. "Fawn" may be a newer one for many of us. I first learned about the fawn response from Aundi’s incredible book, Try Softer. She describes it as “becoming whatever the abuser or potential threat needs to see from you to see that you are not threatening.” I immediately knew it was one of my prim…
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What do you do when you’ve given your life to a cause and calling, to have only to find yourself walking away? Steve Carter was named as one of two successors to Bill Hybels at Willow Creek Community Church. When the allegations against Hybels broke national news, it all changed. Ultimately, Steve sided with the women who told their stories and res…
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TW/CW: references to sexual assault Have you ever had Matthew 18 used against you? Far too often, the forgiveness passage in Matthew 18:15–17 is weaponized against those who experience hurt and harm. Victims are forced to face their abusers, and there is no real reconciliation. The abuser walks away “forgiven” and restored, and the abused walks awa…
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This episode contains some explicit language and political content. It does not reflect the views of Broken to Beloved and is not an endorsement of any political view or side. Have you ever found yourself scratching your head when it comes to what church leaders say and what they do? Have you experienced the cognitive dissonance of condemning behav…
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Episode 5: Finding Liberation and Reclaiming Agency Through a New Story with Cait West "By giving voice to the cognitive dissonance required to be a woman under the patriarchy, you robbed it of its power." — Barbie What does it take to break free from a life controlled by religious patriarchy? Cait shares her journey of awakening to the abuse and c…
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Why do kids climb trees, run really fast, and spin until they fall over? What is the benefit of risky play? And what does that have to do with attaching to God and our spiritual life? In this episode, we look at the research regarding play and how it connects to attaching to God. Baggage Claim: Don't miss the new segment where we finish by claiming…
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CW/TW: depression, suicidal ideation According to chaplain J.S. Park, people are ready for the conversation around grief and loss. Since you're here, I'm going to assume you're one of them. I feel like I’ve been swimming in the waters of grief, loss, and lament for years now, and this conversation was a breath of fresh air after feeling like I was …
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Have you ever felt pushed to the margins of a community? Made to feel like you don’t quite belong? Whether it’s for your politics, sexual identity, faith (or lack of it), or for naming bad behavior, we are made to feel “othered” for a wide variety of reasons. In this week’s episode, artist and author Jenai Auman talks about her experience of being …
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Episode 2: Embracing Death and the Hope of Wholeness with Lore Wilbert Death is not always the end. In fact, it’s often a beginning and the doorway to a resurrection. Brian and Lore share the importance of embracing both death and life, the connection to nature, finding peace in the present moment, and navigating change and transformation. They als…
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Have you ever wondered how to find your way back into healthy relationships after abuse and trauma? By providing clear steps to Name, Frame, and Brave our experiences, Dr. Alison Cook offers practical wisdom to move toward healing and wholeness. We talk about the unique challenges of leaving toxic spaces and environments when they involve family or…
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The Broken to Beloved Podcast officially launches NEXT WEEK! Join us this season for weekly episodes each Tuesday, starting July 2. Our first guests include Lore Wilbert, JS Park, Jenai Auman, Tim Whitaker, Cait West, and many more. My hope for this podcast is to provide practical resources through compassionate conversations to grow in trauma awar…
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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 …
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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 th…
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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 intervie…
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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 min…
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Many children today are growing up amid adversity, whether brought on by family difficulties or larger societal crises. All children need to be able to deal with stress, cope with challenges, and persevere through disappointments. While we cannot protect children from all hardships, we can promote healthy development that fosters resilience. Our gu…
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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 profession…
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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…
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For many people, sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness are everyday experiences. And while we have tremendous advancements in therapy and psychiatry, the burden of living often comes down to some mundane choices, like "Should I still bother to get out of bed?" Dr. Alan Noble joins us to talk about life with mental anguish and his book, On Ge…
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How do we help people get their brains back online? Can the Spirit lead us through a process of healing without triggering re-traumatization? And how can we attach more deeply with God? Guest Stephanie Rossing (Licenced Marriage and Family Therapist) talks about her own journey as a therapist, discovering and receiving training in trauma treatments…
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(This and the previous episode are part of a special Thanksgiving Double Feature Rewind of past episodes that are good to revisit in the ups and downs of a holiday) What is so important about joy? The great commandment is to love God and others, but is joy even more central than that? Where does joy fit in the landscape of political outrage and cyn…
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(This and the next episode are part of a special Thanksgiving Double Feature Rewind of past episodes that are good to revisit in the ups and downs of a holiday) What if the Psalms aren't just old religious poetry, but guideposts for our everyday struggles and wounds? What if the Psalms are a pathway into the presence of God through the all too huma…
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080: Finding Freedom in Constraint—Reimagining Spiritual Disciplines with Jared Patrick Boyd
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We often think that freedom comes through casting off what controls us, and that we need to find our true selves apart from community. But what if it is the constraints of the spiritual life that set us free? What if it is focused practices in community that lead to the flourishing of individual lives? Today we are talking about finding freedom in …
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When atheists want spirituality, how should the church respond? In a secular age offering a buffet of spiritualities, all focused on the self and personal transformation, how is the Christian view similar or different than these alternative pathways? When everyone is spiritual, but few are religious, what is distinctive about following Jesus? And c…
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What is spiritual formation? Is that even a very good term for life with and in Jesus? What are we being formed into anyway? Or, maybe we should ask “when” are we being formed? In this episode, we talked with Dr. Richard Middleton about formative spirituality, agency in the Bible, and being human, and how God is always looking for partners to work …
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What character formation is required for soul care professionals, people like therapists, pastors, or spiritual directors? And what does this mean for everyone who follows Jesus? It is humility and hope, says Dr. Chuck DeGroat. It is doing your work, the work on yourself. Today we talk about how so often (like pastors) therapists in training receiv…
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Have you ever been tossed around by the storms of life and wondered where God is in all? Or have you wished Jesus would quiet the storms a little quicker and more often? Today we are talking about bearing God in the storms of life. Marlena Graves is the Assistant Professor of Spiritual Formation at Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, NY. She has wr…
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Scripture tells us, “Be still and know that I am God”. But for so many of us, this is so hard. Today’s episode explores downtime, devotions, and distractions as we seek to be with God in our private and public lives. Our guest, Brian Heasley, is a long-term pioneer within the 24-7 prayer movement and serves as the International Prayer Director, he …
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074: Hope Is The First Dose: A Treatment Plan For Recovering From Trauma (with Dr. Lee Warren, MD)
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Is the abundant life as promised in Scripture possible for trauma survivors? Can those who suffer deep tragedy really find wholeness, or happiness, again? Today we are talking with a medical doctor who has walked with many people through trauma and tragedy even as he was walking through it himself. Dr. Lee Warren (MD) is an award-winning author, br…
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When reactions shoot out of us that we regret, then what do we do? Do you blame or berate yourself? Do you shame and shout at yourself? Too often we are unkind to ourselves in situations like this. But instead of this, we need to cultivate compassion (and build understanding) for the attachment strategies that have (literally) shaped our nervous sy…
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How can two different people experience the same event differently? Do we see, hear, and even feel the world differently? Are we filtering social and emotional information in different ways? The answer is yes. And this has to do with what Dr. Todd Hall calls attachment filters (or what attachment theory calls "attachment styles"). Dr. Todd Hall is …
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The church is not immune to the growing mental health crisis, certainly not pastors and leaders. And we don’t always know where to get mental health resources for creating resilient individuals and churches. Howe guest today is passionate about bridging that gap. Laura Howe is a clinical mental health social worker, addictions counselor, and projec…
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070: Exploring a Theology of the Body and Confronting Shame with Beth Felker Jones (Summer Rewind)
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(During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes) We're tackling a topic that treads the tightrope between theology and personal acceptance - body theology and body shame. Why have we turned "your body is a temple" into a shaming mechanism? What if our bodies are the place we meet God? The place through which we glorify God? In this e…
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069: Leading with & through Emotion: Limbic Resonance, Leadership, and Spirituality with MaryKate Morse (Summer Rewind)
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(During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes) What if the secret to impactful leadership and genuine community connection lies deep within our biological construct? 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…
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068: Exploring Low Anthropology and its Impact on the Human Condition, with David Zahl (Summer Rewind)
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(During our Summer Break we are airing important past episodes) 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 e…
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What does it mean to be human? This timeless question proves critical as we seek to understand our purpose, identity, and significance. Amidst the many voices clamoring to shape our understanding of humanity, the Bible reveals important truths related to our human identity and vocation that are critical to the flourishing of all of creation. In thi…
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Join Cyd, Geoff, and Rusty McKie as they discuss generosity, when instability compounds, and how Jesus' joy makes us joyful people. If you or someone you know is in a lean season, Geoff and Cyd remind us that when Jesus gives us what we need that we have enough. Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw are co-founders of Embodied Faith. Cyd is also an integrative co…
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066 From Division to Connection: Escaping Enemy Mode with Jim Wilder (Summer Rewind)
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How do you escape enemy mode? When your brain and body are just against someone (and maybe you don’t even know why). What if one brain state could explain why we stop listening to, talking with, or caring about, other people? What if this brain state reveals why we lose it on people, fall out of love, and traumatize one another? Clinical Psychologi…
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Seems like everyone is talking about spiritual formation. But what is it exactly? In this two-minute explainer episode, Dr. Geoff Holsclaw dives into the realm of spiritual formation, and how it is a "process of being conformed to the image of Christ, within the community and trajectory of Christ, for the sake of others. And come study with Cyd and…
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064 Raising Resilient Kids: Emotional Regulation and the Role of the Church (with Jessica Nagy)
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Is it possible to raise kids who are emotionally resilient within the dysfunctional dynamics of abuse, divorce, or shared custody? And how can the church be more supportive for children who have hidden trauma? That's what we are talking about with Jessica Nagy, the founder of Mosaic Motherhood, a community of warrior moms who are navigating co-pare…
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Join Trisha Taylor, Jim Herrington, and Rusty McKie as they discuss the complexities of leadership today. Here are a few of the topics that they touch on: • The gift of differences • Combating loneliness as a leader • Navigating polarizing ideas • Surviving getting pulled in multiple directions • How to grow in love • The power of Jesus to unite us…
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Ever wondered how your mind, brain-body, and relationships shape your identity? How do experiences become a part of who you are? This two-minute explainer episode delves into the realm of relational neuroscience, a field that embraces our fundamentally social nature and how it influences our neural and relational connections. In it Geoff summarizes…
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What if the Fruits of the Spirit can build a "nest of resiliency" to weather life's trials? What if these fruit were less spiritual and more relational? Join us as we speak with Michael Sullivan, director of relational networks at Life Model Works, who shares his insights on how focusing on LOVE, JOY, and PEACE can transform us into Christ. Togethe…
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061 The Art of Mentalizing: Enhancing Interpersonal Relationships through Emotional Awareness (with Dr. Lina Ponder)
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We've all heard about mindfulness. But what about "mentalization"? We are talking about how this little-known concept helps us understand ourselves (creating more self-compassion), understand others (leading to more empathy), and connect to God. Our guest, Dr. Lina Ponder is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and spiritual director—so she is p…
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Join Alison Cook and Rusty as they discuss discernment in the creative process, in difficult seasons of life, and in letting Jesus heal the tender places in your soul. If you’re in a season where you need to make some decisions or simply get oriented to where you actually are, this episode will help you identify and navigate where you’re going. Con…
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Jesus told his followers, “Go and make disciples of every nation,” but a lot of us stop before we start—because we feel like we don’t have what it takes. But Jesus didn’t ask spiritual superstars to make disciples. He invited ordinary people into the adventure of following him. Our guest, Jessie Cruickshank, holds an M.Ed. from Harvard in mind, bra…
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What if the Psalms aren't just old religious poetry, but guideposts for our everyday struggles and wounds? What if the Psalms are a pathway into the presence of God through the all too human emotions of joy, sadness, and even anger? Join Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw for a conversation with David Taylor, associate professor of theology and culture at Full…
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