The Catholic Therapist

Who's really driving your healing, you, or your anxiety? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) explores a pattern he sees often in the therapy room: clients whose anxiety or OCD quietly takes charge of the healing process, driven by a fear that anything less than total control means they won't be okay. Topics covered: The "listing compulsion" and the fear behind needing to...

Does trusting God's mercy mean you'll just get complacent with sin? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks a fear he sees constantly in the therapy room, especially with clients struggling with scrupulosity and OCD: that leaning into God's mercy means letting themselves off the hook. Topics covered: The fear that trusting God's mercy leads to complacency Scrupulosit...

Is it possible to fear God and trust him at the same time? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) sits down with Dr. Anthony Isacco, licensed psychologist and Director of Training for the PsyD program at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, for his third appearance on the show. Together they untangle one of the most common, and most misunderstood, tensions in the spiritual...

What if the scariest part of a horror movie isn't the monster, but the isolation? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) reviews the horror film "Obsession" and unpacks what it reveals about consent, codependency, and what it truly means to love. Topics covered: The Twilight Zone episode that echoes Obsession's premise Why no character in the film is fully consenting to wha...

Why does slowing down feel so unsafe, even when we know it's good for us? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks why contemplative prayer isn't just a spiritual discipline, it's a genuine tool for psychological healing. Drawing on a recent conversation with Dr. Tim White of St. Mary's University and patterns he sees constantly in his clinical work, Adam explains why...

Catholic therapists need support too. In this episode, Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) and founder of the Catholic Therapy Center, introduces Renew: a new bi-weekly online group for Catholic therapists built on prayer, community, and shared clinical experience, rooted in the Holy Spirit and Catholic anthropology. Topics covered: The hunger for community among Catholic clinicians What Renew offers: pray...

What if the way you're trying to grow is actually keeping you stuck? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks a pattern he sees constantly in his clinical work: clients who want to be better, more disciplined, more spiritually mature, but who are driven by an internal critic instead of love. That fear-based motivation, he explains, often leads to burnout, numbing, and...

What if the grind isn't the path to freedom — it's the thing keeping you from it? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) sits down with Dr. Tim White — psychology professor, researcher, and self-proclaimed workaholic — to explore what it actually means to rest in a culture that has forgotten how. Drawing on the theology of the 8th day of creation, Joseph Pieper's Leisure: T...

Have you ever wanted to journal but didn't know where to start — or tried and gave up because it felt too rigid, too vulnerable, or just not for you? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) sits down with Amber from the Catholic Counseling Institute to unpack the surprising depth of journaling as a tool for mental health and spiritual growth. From the neuroscience of narrati...

What if the religious doubt, the obsessive confessing, the fear of receiving communion — isn't a sign of weak faith, but actually reveals how deeply you love God? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) joins Amber from the Catholic Counseling Institute for a wide-ranging conversation on scrupulosity — one of the most painful and misunderstood struggles in Catholic life. Tog...

Have you ever stayed silent when you knew you should speak up - and then spent the rest of the day wondering why? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) explores the theology of assertiveness, unpacking why so many of us struggle to voice our needs, name our feelings, or hold our ground - and what our faith actually has to say about all of it. Drawing on the intersection of...

What does it actually look like when the Holy Spirit shows up in a therapy session? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks the role of the Holy Spirit in Catholic therapy - and why God's answer to your healing is always yes. Adam shares how the Catholic Therapy Center approaches healing from a holistic foundation: body, mind, and soul. Whether it's client-led prayer...

Can Theology of the Body actually deepen shame rather than heal it? And what does JP2's vision for the human person have to say about pornography addiction, scrupulosity, and the cycle of counterfeit love? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) sits down again with Dr. Anthony Isacco, Program Director of the MS in Clinical Psychology program at St. Mary's University of Minn...

Do you ever wonder if God is actually speaking to you, or if you're just making it up? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623), explores how every baptized Catholic has the ability to hear God's voice through the power of the Holy Spirit. Drawing from his experience in Encounter School Ministry and years of integrating faith with therapy, Adam challenges the belief that God...

What should you really expect when you walk into a therapist's office for the first time? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) explores the heart of what therapy offers with fellow clinician Katelyn Smedley, LMFT (#99805) Katelyn shares her approach to working with women and families, emphasizing that the most important thing clients should leave with after their first se...

Can you be grateful while grieving? Should you even try? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Adam Cross tackles one of the most challenging tensions in Catholic spiritual life: how to honor our grief while maintaining gratitude for God's goodness. Drawing on Scripture, theological insights from Father Raniero Cantalamessa and Dr. Shan Tobin, and his clinical experience, Adam ex...

What's it really like to sit across from a Catholic therapist who specializes in shame, addiction, and anxiety? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623), sits down with Luis Lopez, AMFT (#147456) one of the clinicians at the Catholic Therapy Center, to explore what happens inside the therapy room when faith meets clinical practice. Topics covered: Creating a safe space where...

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 sp...

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 wal...

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 confes...

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 mean...

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...

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 anthropolog...

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,...

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 formati...