The Catholic Therapist

Taking Yourself Too Seriously? Why Levity Matters in Healing

Do you ever take yourself too seriously when it comes to healing?

In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623), explores how humor can be a powerful healing tool in therapy and spiritual growth.

Drawing on GK Chesterton's wisdom and the reminder that seriousness is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit, Adam explains why taking ourselves lightly (while not taking sin lightly) creates space for genuine transformation. He unpacks the mystery of suffering, the limits of intellectual understanding, and why childlike levity helps us trust God more deeply in our brokenness.

Topics covered:

• Why humor belongs in the therapeutic process
• The difference between dismissing pain and laughing through it
• How taking ourselves lightly reflects childlike trust in God
• Why suffering is a mystery beyond full comprehension
• The role of laughter in building trust with your therapist
• How God's mercy makes our sin "not too special"

Healing doesn't always look serious. Sometimes the most profound growth happens when we remember we're children of God and trust that our struggles aren't too much for Him.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross, LMFT #116623

Catholic Therapy Explained: Body, Mind, and Soul Integration ft. Kolbe Young

What does Catholic therapy actually look like? And how does faith integration work when clients come from different backgrounds or beliefs?

In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623), sits down with colleague Kolbe Young, APCC, a holistic trauma therapist at the Catholic Therapy Center. Together they unpack what makes Catholic therapy unique, how it serves people across all walks of life, and why working with the body is essential to emotional and psychological healing.

Topics covered:

• Why Kolbe chose to become a Catholic therapist
• How Catholic integration adapts to each client's needs
• The difference between therapy, spiritual direction, and confession
• What happens in a typical Catholic therapy session
• Understanding trauma through a body-based (somatic) lens
• Practical grounding techniques for everyday life
• The Catholic understanding of dignity, suffering, and healing

Whether you're curious about Catholic therapy or actively seeking a therapist, this conversation offers hope, clarity, and an invitation to take one small step toward healing.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross, LMFT #116623

How to Heal Your Approach to Confession (Stop the Anxiety)

Do you approach confession with anxiety, feeling like you're about to be judged and condemned?

In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks how to heal an unhealthy, fear-based approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Drawing on insights from Father Jacques Philippe and reflecting on God's justice as restoration (not punishment), Adam helps listeners understand confession as a return to spousal love rather than a trip to the principal's office.

Topics covered:

• Why confession often feels like judgment instead of mercy
• Understanding God's justice as restoration, not retribution
• The spousal love context between Christ and the Church
• Why God's forgiveness is available immediately when we sin
• How to avoid the lie that "nothing matters until I get to confession"
• Staying focused on God's mercy instead of our own weakness

This is an invitation to approach the sacrament with peace, freedom, and trust in the Father's love.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross, LMFT #116623

Does Telehealth Therapy Really Work? (A Catholic Therapist Explains)

Many Catholics wonder whether online therapy can truly offer the same healing as meeting face-to-face. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) explores the question: Does telehealth therapy really work?

Drawing from his own clinical experience, Adam breaks down the pros and cons of telehealth and in-person therapy, how both approaches serve the human person, and what it means to encounter Christ in the digital age of counseling.

Topics covered:
• Why telehealth became essential after COVID and how it changed therapy
• The spiritual and relational power of being physically present
• Accessibility and opportunity—how telehealth expands Catholic therapy
• What research says about the effectiveness of online sessions
• When in-person therapy is better for children and teens
• How trust, honesty, and fit matter more than format
• Finding faithful Catholic therapists, wherever you live
• Why healing begins in vulnerability, not proximity

Tune in for a thoughtful and encouraging reflection on how faith and technology can work together for healing—showing that grace can reach us anywhere, even through a screen.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com
Adam Cross, LMFT #116623

What Catholic Therapy Really Looks Like | Adam Cross & Danielle Enriquez on Healing, Faith, and the Human Journey

Many Catholics hesitate to begin therapy because it can feel clinical, impersonal, or disconnected from faith. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by Danielle Enriquez, LMFT #152199, for a candid conversation about what Catholic therapy really looks like in practice. Together, they explore how clinical tools and Catholic spirituality unite to bring authentic healing rooted in Christ.

Topics covered:

• Why Catholic integration in therapy matters and how it protects faith and conscience
• Danielle’s personal story of anxiety, healing, and her call to become a therapist
• What to expect in your first sessions and why healing can feel harder before it feels better
• How tools like CBT, Internal Family Systems, and the Empty Chair can deepen healing
• Anxiety, scrupulosity, and perfectionism—finding freedom through grace
• “Progress, not perfection,” how faith reframes growth and recovery
• Why identity as God’s beloved is the foundation of lasting peace

Tune in for a hopeful, faith-filled conversation on what it means to encounter Christ in therapy—where psychology meets prayer, and wounded hearts discover they are seen, loved, and capable.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com
Adam Cross, LMFT #116623

Catholic Therapy Resources You Should Know

Many Catholics wonder if they need a Catholic therapist, and if so, how to find one. In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Adam Cross shares why trust is essential in any therapy relationship, what makes Catholic therapy unique, and where to look for faithful resources.

Drawing from his clinical practice and Catholic tradition, Adam explains the importance of Catholic anthropology in healing, why faith matters in therapy, and how to discern if a therapist is a good fit for your needs.

Topics covered:

• Do you need a Catholic therapist? Why any therapy is better than none, and when faith becomes essential.

• Trust and fit in therapy, why the relationship itself is part of healing.

• Catholic anthropology, what it means to view healing through a Catholic lens.

• Resources for finding Catholic therapists, including CatholicTherapist.com, the Catholic Psychotherapist Association, and the Catholic Therapy Center.

• The role of the Holy Spirit in the healing journey.

• How to use online tools and directories to connect with the right therapist.

Tune in for a hopeful and practical conversation on faith, psychology, and taking the next step toward healing.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com
Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Body, Mind, Soul in Therapy, A Catholic Guide to Parts Work (feat Dr. Tim White)

Many Catholics struggle with therapy because it can feel abstract, secular, or even at odds with the faith. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by Dr. Tim White to explore how “parts work,” nervous system regulation, and Catholic spirituality can come together for real healing. Drawing from Catholic tradition and clinical insight, they share practical ways to notice your body, pray with your emotions, and invite Christ into the places that feel most fractured.

Topics covered:

• Why Catholics sometimes resist therapy and how to integrate faith with psychology

• Body, mind, and soul, how what affects one touches the others

• “Parts work” explained in plain language, protectors, exiles, firefighters, and the Self

• Prayer, breath, and the nervous system, calming stress through faith and science

• Internal discipleship, what self leadership means in a Catholic lens

• Addiction, shame, and wounded parts, how to partner with them for redemption

• Why this inner work changes relationships, confidence, and daily discipleship

Tune in for a hopeful conversation on faith, psychology, and the path from stress and fear toward peace, healing, and deeper communion with God.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com
Adam Cross LMFT #116623

New Catholic Therapy Program & Trust in Discernment (ft. Dr. Anthony Isacco)

Catholic psychology is growing, but many seminarians and formators still wrestle with how therapy fits into vocation and discernment. In this episode, licensed therapist Adam Cross is joined by Dr. Anthony Isacco, professor and program director at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, to discuss the launch of a new Catholic clinical psychology program and the deeper role of trust in priestly formation.

Together, they explore how psychology, faith, and formation can come together to build healthier priests and more confident discerners. From confidentiality questions to obedience, from human formation to spiritual growth, this conversation sheds light on what’s often hidden behind seminary walls.

Topics covered:

• The rise of Catholic psychology programs and why they matter

• Online vs in-person training for Catholic therapists

• Human formation in seminary: why maturity, relationships, and self-knowledge are essential

• Confidentiality and transparency: how seminarians can approach therapy with trust

• Obedience and discernment: why trust is harder than celibacy for many seminarians

• The role of attachment and vulnerability in priestly formation

• How therapy can serve seminarians, priests, and the Church at large

Tune in for a candid, hopeful conversation about integrating Catholic faith with psychology, and how trust in therapy can shape healthier vocations and a stronger Church.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com
Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Vocations, Fear, & Discernment ft. Emmaus Townsend

Many people get stuck in discernment because fear can disguise itself as prudence. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by Emmaus Townsend to explore how faith and therapy together can bring clarity and peace when choosing a vocation. Drawing from Catholic tradition and clinical insight, they share practical ways to hear God, calm anxiety, and move forward with confidence.

Topics covered:

• Fear vs prudence, how anxiety can sound holy and how to test the fruit, peace or pressure.

• Consolation and desolation, simple checks and common mistakes in discernment.

• Scrupulosity and overchecking, why they derail decisions and what to do instead.

• Discernment rhythms, prayer, silence, Scripture, sacraments, and spiritual direction.

• When to wait and when to act, practical steps to decide with peace.

• Vocations in real life, marriage, priesthood, religious life, and single life.

• Listening to your body and nervous system to steady worry and make a clear choice.

Tune in for a hopeful conversation on faith, psychology, and the path from paralysis to peace in vocation decisions.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com
Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Catholic Therapists: Why "Trying Harder" Doesn't Work (And What to Do Instead)

Many people struggle with perfectionism because they don’t realize how faith and therapy can work together. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by his colleagues, Colby and Joshua, to explore how understanding your inner critic can lead to profound freedom and self-compassion. Drawing from their own experiences and professional insights, they share how integrating faith with psychological models like Internal Family Systems (IFS) brings hope and healing.

 

Topics covered:

• The surprising link between perfectionism and procrastination.

• How to view your inner critic as a protector part that is trying to help you.

• Practical strategies for calming your nervous system when you feel overwhelmed.

• The connection between the seven core wounds and the Sacraments.

   

Tune in for a heartfelt conversation on faith, psychology, and the journey from perfectionism to peace.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross LMFT #116623