Episode 137: Sports, Athletics & Faith (Part 2) w/ Bart Schuchts
This week, Jake and Bob continue their series on athletics, and welcome Bart Schuchts, a former D1 football player, to the podcast. Bart reflects on how athletics shaped his self-identity, beliefs, and relationships from childhood through his adult life. They also discuss sports culture, fear based coaching, and the fine line between healthy competition and idolizing sports. Ultimately, when approached with balance and intention, athletics can foster deep connection, personal growth, and spiritual insight that extends far beyond the game itself, enriching every aspect of life.
Episode 136: Sports, Athletics & Faith (Part 1) w/ Dr. Nicole Gabana Chiesa
This week, Jake and Bob begin a series on athletics, diving into the profound ways sports intersect with faith. Today, they are joined by Dr. Nicole Gabana Chiesa, a sports psychologist and former collegiate athlete. Together they explore the beauty of sports and how they can shape one’s identity, foster virtue, and offer opportunities for healing that extend far beyond the playing field. However, athletics present many challenges beyond just physical injury. They also discuss the dangers of over-identifying with athletic success or failure, the impact of parental and societal expectations, and emphasize the importance of rooting one’s identity in God’s unconditional love rather than achievements.
Episode 135: Integrating Faith & Therapy (Part 3) w/ Beth Stoll
This week, Jake and Bob conclude their series on integrating faith with psychology. They welcome Beth Stoll, a therapist from St. Louis, to talk about how an encounter with God’s love at a Healing the Whole Person retreat transformed her practice. She not only shares how suffering creates a greater capacity for empathy but also why therapists who have experienced deep suffering themselves are able to more deeply connect with clients. They also discuss why one must first live a life of faith before integrating faith in their practice, define the difference between praying with and praying for someone, and reflect on the challenges of trusting God rather than our own abilities.
Episode 134: Integrating Faith & Therapy (Part 2) w/ Christopher Lafitte
This week, Jake and Bob continue their series on integrating faith with psychology and welcome Christopher Lafitte, a Catholic counselor based in Texas. Christopher shares his story of formation, from aspiring engineer to therapist, and about the deep encounter with Christ that shaped his journey. They discuss Christopher’s unique approach to counseling, why loving one another is healing in itself, and how a therapists’ own wounds can become blind spots in their ability to help clients. Throughout all of this, Christopher reflects on how nothing in our lives will make sense apart from the reality we are made for communion with God. So whenever we approach therapy or personal healing, we should always remember Jesus wants to heal us so we can be in relationship with Him.
Episode 133: Integrating Faith & Therapy (Part 1) w/ Bernhard Streisselberger
This week, Jake and Bob begin a new series where they welcome therapists from around the world to discuss the integration of faith in psychology, real life lessons learned, and the various methodologies they practice. Today, they are joined by Bernhard Streiselberger, a Professional Counselor from Austria, who specializes in Gestalt therapy and EMDR. Bernhard shares his journey from studying psychotherapy in Austria to being formed in monastic life and how it has shaped his approach to therapy. He also delves into the details of Gestalt therapy and the Immanuel approach, how these methodologies have positively impacted his clients, and why affirmation is a key component in everyone’s healing journey.
Episode 132: Healing, Discipleship and the Heart w/ John Eldredge
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by John Eldredge, president of Wild at Heart, to discuss what authentic discipleship looks like in a distracted digital age. They explore the subtle ways constant connectivity and information overload can erode our spiritual focus, hinder intimacy with God, and ultimately fragment our souls. John also shares stories and insights from his own journey, highlights how unchecked busyness can mask deeper wounds or spiritual emptiness, and encourages listeners, with practical advice, to seek genuine communion with Jesus for true restoration.
Episode 131: Forgiveness and Spiritual Renewal w/ Fr. John Horn
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Fr. John Horn, co-founder of the Institute for Priestly Formation (IPF). Fr. Horn shares details behind how IPF was founded, the significance of St. Ignatius' spiritual exercises in priestly formation, and the beauty of how formation has evolved within the Church. They also discuss the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the importance of addressing the roots of sin, and the heart-level transformation that occurs when we bring our fears to the Lord.
Episode 130: Healing from Abuse within the Church w/ Teresa Pitt Green
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Teresa Pitt Green, co-founder of Spirit Fire, a ministry dedicated to “facilitating healing dialogue among those wounded by abuse in the Roman Catholic Church.” Teresa shares her own story of healing from abuse, the challenges she experienced, and what she learned along the way. She also shares practical advice to help priests approach conversations with survivors, common mistakes to avoid, and insights into the complexity of what it’s like to heal from abuse. Ultimately, it is Jesus who heals, and He can use whatever we have to offer to bring about restoration in the Church and her members.
If you are experiencing or have experienced abuse of any kind, we encourage you to reach out to Teresa or check out her resources on Spirit Fire’s website.
Episode 129: Restoring the Hearts of Priests w/ Matt Rudolph
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Matt Rudolph, co-founder of Chrism which is a ministry for priests. Matt dives into the challenges faced by priests today including a need for community, support in embracing imperfections, and formation that emphasizes personal healing. They also share their visions for a more integrated approach to the priesthood that fosters true spiritual fatherhood. Matt ends the episode by sharing how Chrism supports priests in becoming happy, healthy, and holy in their vocations.
Episode 128: Healing Within a Parish Community
This week, Jake and Bob share ideas on how to foster a healthy parish community. They not only reflect on the challenges of developing true community within a parish but also ponder how healthy parish life revolves around our personal healing and freedom. Through the use of multiple personal examples, Jake and Bob also explore the importance of the Sacraments, the role of forgiveness, and how love and fear bonds affect our relationships with God and those around us.
Episode 127: Intergenerational Healing
This week, Jake and Bob discuss intergenerational healing, taking into account recent pastoral advice from Bishops around the world. Intergenerational healing involves understanding how wounds and sins from previous generations can affect individuals in the present. Jake and Bob not only reflect on the Bishops’ letters, which express concern regarding the practice of intergenerational healing, but also share personal experiences of miraculous healings that occurred after addressing generational issues in prayer.
Episode 126: Psychiatry & Personality w/ Dr. Christin McIntyre
This week, Jake and Bob welcome back Dr. Christin McIntyre, a Thomistic psychiatrist, to discuss the concept of personality disorders. They begin by defining what a personality disorder is and explore how modern culture and social norms can influence and twist this definition. Then, they discuss the interplay between inherited traits, early life experiences, and individual choices in shaping one’s personality. Through the analogy of a sailboat, Dr. Christin also shares how the intellect, will, and emotions are all interconnected and why navigating the waters of healing not only involves the formation of the intellect but also the conforming of our will to God’s.
Episode 125: Forgiveness & Transformation
This week, Jake and Bob return to an important topic: the healing power of forgiveness. Both Jake and Bob have encountered forgiveness and mercy in their healing journeys and share personal stories about receiving forgiveness and forgiving others. They also discuss why forgiving and forgetting is not possible, how to know if you’ve truly forgiven someone, and how our memories are transformed through the process of forgiveness.
Episode 124: How Change Occurs (Part 2)
This week, Jake and Bob continue their conversation and focus on the primary mechanisms of our human nature when it comes to change. We are a composite of body, soul, and spirit, but many times we isolate change and healing to only one part of our nature. While this can lead to some change, when integrated on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level we can experience greater progress. Jake and Bob discuss incremental vs transformational change, how the Sacraments pour out grace into our lives, and share stories of experiencing change in their lives.
Episode 123: How Change Occurs (Part 1)
This week, Jake and Bob explore the complex process of personal change, what change requires, and why change can seem out of reach. In today’s culture of near instant gratification, it’s easy to think change should and will come about quickly and without much effort. While God can and does work many miracles, the reality is, change takes time, effort, and a lot of grace. Jake and Bob have experienced this in their lives, understand the struggle, and share their GIVE framework as a guide to help you navigate the beautiful and yet painful waters of change.
Episode 122: Faith that Heals w/ Fr. Mathias Thelen
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Fr. Mathias Thelen, Co-Founder and President of Encounter Ministries and Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Parish in Brighton. Fr. Mathias shares his story of experiencing the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, encountering an advisor who fathered him in Seminary, and experiences of grace that shaped his ministry. Throughout his journey of faith, Fr. Mathias shares stories of physical and emotional healing, explains what charisms are, and why a relationship with God is the most important part of each of our lives.
Episode 121: Integrating Faith and Psychiatry w/ Dr. Christin McIntyre
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by psychiatrist Dr. Christin McIntyre to discuss spiritual warfare and mental health. They discuss the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas on human psychology and why learning about how our minds were created to work helps us spiritually and emotionally. Dr. Christin also discusses the importance of hope in prayer, what constrains our ability to love, and the role of repentance in mental health.
Episode 120: The Body and Trust: Redefining Healthcare w/ Dr. Chuck Leitz
Happy New Year! This week, Jake and Bob are joined by Dr. Chuck Leitz who has been seeing patients for over 40 years. They discuss Dr. Chuck’s journey towards integrative medicine and what he has learned along the way. Dr. Chuck reflects on the importance of introducing prayer into medical practice, the role of trust issues in healing, and the necessity of a holistic approach to health that considers both the body and soul.
Episode 119: The Four Reasons for Christmas
Merry Christmas! This week, Jake and Bob have a heartfelt conversation about loss and healing during the Christmas season. Bob shares about recently losing a family member and reflects on the healing power of being present with one another during times of grief. They also explore the significance of Jesus’ birth, the complexities of self-reflection in the context of healing, and transforming traditions into opportunities for deeper connection and presence.
Episode 118: Physical and Emotional Healing w/ Dr. Tom Nelson
This week, Jake and Bob are joined by their longtime friend and Dr. Tom Nelson, a sports activation specialist. They discuss Dr. Tom’s journey of integrating faith into his medical practice and the physical and spiritual healing that has occurred as a result. Dr. Tom shares about the relationship between emotional and physical healing, a new perspective on the anatomy of a wound, and several inspirational patient stories.