Therapy + Theology with Carley Marcouillier

Today’s episode was created during a 13.1-mile run with three of my dear friends. As we approached race day, we linked individual spiritual lessons we had learned from the embodied act of running. Joining me today are my friends: Dane Rudy, Ellie Dicesare, and Carolyn Nascimento (Nas). Each shares their individual experience of running and its spiritual lesson: the process of enduring pain, the importance of our motivation, and the gift of community. We explore the power of connection, courage, and support found in running together and seeking to press on toward the upward call of Christ to run well.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s episode is the final solo episode of the season and sums up my personal journey with seeking to live an embodied life. This year we have looked at so many different angles related to what it means to embody our spirituality, name our pain, and connect with God in a whole new way. In concluding this season, I share about my spiritual journey of learning to pace and its connection to my love for running. Connecting back to Hebrews 12 and trauma-informed somatic practice, I define and explore the importance of pacing in the healing process and the burnout that is inevitable when we disconnect from our bodies and push ourselves beyond our present limits. Finally, we look at simple steps to PACE - Presence, Attunement, Capacity, and Expansion as a form of taking one step at a time in our unique healing journeys.  Resources:  Mind Body Stress Reset (Somatic practices)  Emotionally Healthy Spiritually The Body Keeps the Score Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In part two of my interview with Cyd Holsclaw, author, coach, and trauma-informed  As spiritual directors, we explore the connection between embodiment and our attachment to God. Cyd outlines powerful examples of attachment history and its impact on how one connects with God or feels distant from God. We also explore practical steps for beginning to recognize our nervous system states, the importance of cultivating joy, and the hope found in attachment science.  Resources:  Does God Really Like Me? By Cyd and Gregg Holsclaw  https://www.cydholsclaw.com/learning-cohorts https://www.cydholsclaw.com/ https://www.embodiedfaith.life/podcast DMin in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week, I am joined by Cyd Holsclaw, author, coach, and trauma-informed spiritual director. Cyd is the co-author of the book, “Does God Really Like Me? Discovering the God Who Wants to Be With Us" and working on her next book,  Deeply Attached to God. In this two-part conversation, Cyd and I explore the power of the nervous system and its importance in the way we connect to others and God. We discuss the basic concepts of why we were created to embody both a desire for connection and safety, and the invitation of spiritual formation into flourishing faith rather than functional faith.  Resources:  Does God Really Like Me? By Cyd  and  Geoff  Holsclaw  https://www.cydholsclaw.com/learning-cohorts https://www.cydholsclaw.com/ https://www.embodiedfaith.life/podcast DMin in Spiritual Formation and Relational Neuroscience  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today, we take a moment to reflect on the season of Lent and the days leading up to Easter Sunday. In this prayer practice, anchored in Mark 14 with Jesus and His disciples at the last supper, you are invited to engage in prayer through stillness, benediction, confession, and intercessory prayer. As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the resurrection, this episode walks through the 4 elements of the Last Supper where Christ introduced the Last Supper as a symbol of his work on the cross and an invitation to follow him as: Chosen, Blessed, Broken, and Given. Resources:   Music by Noah Wonder Music Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen   Renovated Heart by Dallas Willard  Praying like Monks, living like fools by Tyler Stanton Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week on the podcast, I recap the previous episodes on shame by exploring the difference between the truth of shame as an experience of our limits and needs with toxic shame which seeks to condemn our needs and limits. By asking 3 reflective questions, we discover the sources, scripts, and symptoms that toxic shame holds. Pulling from Dr. Chip Todd’s work on shame from his book The Voice of the Heart, we return to the embodiment of sec-acceptance and how healthy shame leads us to living within appropriate authority, claiming our God-given identity, and experiencing victory emotionally and spiritually.  Resources:  Voice of the Heart by Dr. Chip Dodd Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson  She Speaks Fire by Mariela Rosario Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In part two of my interview with author Mariela Rosario, we continue our discussion on battling shame in the context of community. Mariela discusses community as being both a blessing and burden, in which we are invited to bring our shame and allow others to remind us of who we are in Christ. We also explore the power of self-talk and reminding ourselves of who God says we are.  Resources:  Mariela’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marielaspeaks/ Mariela’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shespeaksfireco  She Speaks Fire Website: https://shespeaksfire.com/  She Speaks Fire Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shespeaksfireco/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week on the podcast, we are breaking down the challenges of battling shame with first-time Author, Mariela Rosario. In this two-part interview, Mariela shares her personal narrative of living in shame and finding her voice through the good news of the gospel. Using her book She Speaks Fire, Mariela walks us through garden lessons and discusses the many ways to speak against shame’s tactics to steal and destroy us emotionally and spiritually.  Resources:  Mariela’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marielaspeaks/ Mariela’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shespeaksfireco  She Speaks Fire Website: https://shespeaksfire.com/  She Speaks Fire Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shespeaksfireco/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week on the podcast we explore the heart of spiritual formation practices and the common distortions we hold related to them. Looking at spiritual disciplines as not holy in and of themselves but rather as pathways to encounters with a holy and loving God, allows us to revise our rigid views about disciplines and renew our purpose for practicing. We will discuss the distortions of self-improvement, religious acceptance, measurement of spiritual maturity and the way the impact our authenticity within our relationship with God and others. Finally we will review reminders for developing faith practices that are deeply rooted in meeting with a God who already loves us and desires to connect with us.  Resources: Spiritual Disciplines List  Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster  The Spirit of Discipline by Dallas Willard  Psychology, Theology and Spirituality in Counseling by Mark McMinn Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In part two of my interview with David Ruybalid we continue our discussion by exploring the process and pathways for religious addiction recovery. When we become aware of the symptoms of spiritual addiction or a sense of compulsion out of fear or shame, developed by beliefs and constructs that preach a do-more-try-harder message, we need steps to reclaim the grace and groundedness given through the Gospel. In this episode, we discuss the needs that are embedded within spiritual addiction and outline the movement of grace as the antidote to using spirituality to maintain safety. Finally, David and I explore embodied practices that support a more authentic spiritual formation process.  Resources: www.davidruybalid.comhttps://www.facebook.com/davidruybalidmusic/https://www.instagram.com/david_ruybalid/ The Evolution of Faith Podcasthttps://davidruybalid.wordpress.com/  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week’s episode explores religious addiction, what it is and how it can impact our emotions, our bodies, and our faith journeys in such harmful ways. My guest for this Two-part episode is Pastor David Ruybalid, former worship leader and musician, writer, podcaster, trauma-informed coach and academic. In this episode, we will be identifying signs and symptoms of religious addiction, defining addiction as a broad construct, the ways we see it manifests itself in Christian culture and the damaging aspects it has on our spiritual formation. Resources: www.davidruybalid.com, https://www.facebook.com/davidruybalidmusic/ https://www.instagram.com/david_ruybalid/ https://open.spotify.com/show/0SEycL9s3x2RMpdNZWPL2a?si=8c061657df554bc5, davidruybalid.wordpress.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In exploring the topic of love, this week’s episode outlines the roadmap for which we have been made to embody love both by receiving and giving love with our whole self: heart, mind, soul, and strength (Luke 10:24-28). Today’s question is: How do we love? If God made us as souls, with capacity, empathy, and reason, we have to break down each of these elements to better understand and experience the power of love. We will also look at the parable of the sower and seed as a framework for connecting our mind, heart, strength, and soul. This practical exercise of recognizing how we can access love in all domains of our personhood, is the foundation for experiencing and living out of God’s love.  Resources:  Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen  Prayers of Kierkegaard - He Loved us First  Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

To kick off 2024, I return to our theme embodied and explore the origin of our belovedness found in Luke 11:24-28. This episode outlines the first of three questions that need to be answered to understand the love of God and how we are to embody such love. If we are called to love God and love others, it has to begin with our belovedness. This episode discussed God’s emphasis on relational connection, motivated by love and founded on God’s nature that moves towards His children first and unceasingly. With this theology of love, we discuss our response to God’s invitation to be loved by him with the story of the prodigal son.  RESOURCES:  Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen  Prayers of Kierkegaard - He Loved Us First  The Return of The Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen ASK CARLEY!Do you have a question or topic you want to be discussed on a future Q+A episode? Carley would love to hear from you! Record your message here, and Carley just might answer it on the next episode! https://www.speakpipe.com/therapyandtheology FOLLOW T+T on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/therapyandtheologypodcast/FOLLOW CARLEY:Website: https://www.carleymarcouillier.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In the final episode of 2023, I explore some reflections on the Advent season as we hold the tension of celebrating Christ’s birth and speak. Looking to the four themes of Advent- Hope, peace, joy, and love. I note some of my personal takeaways that have been guiding me this season and share some embodied practices to ground us during the complexities of the holidays. I provide an integrated approach to resourcing, mindfulness, beauty hunting, and self-compassionate. As we step into the business of all that is month brings, my prayer is that we will bring hope, peace, joy, and love with us wherever we go.  Questions for Reflection:   1. What are the resources of God’s promise and presence that bring me hope? 2. What are ways I can testify to peace?  3. What are the glimmers of God’s grace that are evidence of joy/goodness?   What affirmation will I take with me this Christmas? 1. You are Seen 2. You are Welcome 3. You are Beloved Resources:  Every Moment Holy  Vol. 1  Psalm 43; Psalm 73; Psalm 16; Isaiah 43:1-4 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In today’s episode, I have the opportunity to discuss the process of reconstructing an embodied faith with Amanda Waldron, Faith Deconstruction & Reconstruction Coach and Clinical Social Worker. She practices at the intersection of mental health, social work, and theology through coaching, consulting, and providing support to Christians and communities who are wrestling with big doubts and questions and hope to stay within the Christian faith while finding more ease and wonder in the process. We discuss some of the challenges that come with facing our questions within the faith and holding the tension between what we once believed and growing in awareness of how our faith is an embodied process of growing and changing. Amanda walks us through defining deconstruction and reconstruction, and provides steps for creating safety and what to expect in the process of rebuilding an embodied connection with God.  Resources:  8-page workbook Make Sense of Your Faith After Deconstruction.  It's free, but also the opt-in for my email list via Website.  Website: www.heyamandawaldron.com  Insta:  @heyamandawaldron Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

  ASK CARLEY!Do you have a question or topic you want to be discussed on a future Q+A episode? Carley would love to hear from you! Record your message here, and Carley just might answer it on the next episode! https://www.speakpipe.com/therapyandtheology FOLLOW T+T on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/therapyandtheologypodcast/FOLLOW CARLEY:Website: https://www.carleymarcouillier.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s episode is part two of my interview with Dr. Camden Morgante on the topic of purity culture and recovery from toxic forms of purity messages that promote shame and disembodiment. After identifying the impact of messages and our personal history, what do we do with our pain and the conflict it can cause in our sexuality and our relationships? This episode explores the work of recovery and discusses a new vision for building sexual ethics that aligns with God’s vision for human flourishing.  Resources:  Take my free quiz, “Which Purity Culture Myth Affects You?”: www.drcamden.com/take-the-quiz/ Social media (IG, Facebook, Twitter, Threads) @drcamden Authentic Human Sexuality by Balswick and Balswick  The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila Wray Gregoire ASK CARLEY!Do you have a question or topic you want to be discussed on a future Q+A episode? Carley would love to hear from you! Record your message here, and Carley just might answer it on the next episode! https://www.speakpipe.com/therapyandtheology FOLLOW T+T on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/therapyandtheologypodcast/FOLLOW CARLEY:Website: https://www.carleymarcouillier.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today’s episode is a two-part interview with Dr. Camden Morgante on the topic of purity culture and its impact. Dr. Morgante is a licensed clinical psychologist and coach on purity culture recovery, egalitarianism, and faith reconstruction. Today’s episode focuses on defining purity culture and differentiating it from a biblical formation for sexual ethics. We discuss the contributing factors to the rise of the purity culture movement and the myths it has left in its wake. Dr. Camden offers simple steps to identify purity culture’s impact and ways to reconnect with the healthy sexuality that God created us to embody.  Resources:  Take my free quiz, “Which Purity Culture Myth Affects You?”: www.drcamden.com/take-the-quiz/ Social media (IG, Facebook, Twitter, Threads) @drcamden Authentic Human Sexuality by Balswick and Balswick  The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila Wray Gregoire ASK CARLEY!Do you have a question or topic you want to be discussed on a future Q+A episode? Carley would love to hear from you! Record your message here, and Carley just might answer it on the next episode! https://www.speakpipe.com/therapyandtheology FOLLOW T+T on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/therapyandtheologypodcast/FOLLOW CARLEY:Website: https://www.carleymarcouillier.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week on the podcast we are reflecting on embodiment from a leadership perspective. In a world that feels at times so divided and deeply wounded, how can we begin to lead with a posture of humility and curiosity? Based on a training for church volunteers, I outline the definition of trauma-informed care and explore how embodied strategies through 3 archetypes:  The Wounded Healer  The Empathic Witness  The Emotional Coach  I discuss each of these roles and their embodiment of trauma-informed care which can help provide strategies for any area of influence with compassion and awareness of the importance of safety, trust, empowerment, choice, and collaboration.  Resources:  Trauma-informed Evangelism by Charles Kiser  Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen Emotional Coaching - https://www.gottman.com/blog/an-introduction-to-emotion-coaching/ ASK CARLEY!Do you have a question or topic you want to be discussed on a future Q+A episode? Carley would love to hear from you! Record your message here, and Carley just might answer it on the next episode! https://www.speakpipe.com/therapyandtheology FOLLOW T+T on Instagram!https://www.instagram.com/therapyandtheologypodcast/FOLLOW CARLEY:Website: https://www.carleymarcouillier.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.