A Thriving Catholic Podcast

#065 - Ever feel stuck, stressed, or just plain miserable—but you’re not exactly sure why? Good news! You might already be following the perfect self-sabotage plan without even realizing it. In this episode, we’re diving into 10 common habits that are secretly draining your joy, energy, and peace —things we all do without thinking but that slowly make life harder than it needs to be. From mindless...

#064 - Ever feel stuck in a cycle of exhaustion, low motivation, and endless scrolling—no matter how much you want to be productive? The problem might not be a lack of willpower but a lack of sleep. In this episode, we’re diving into the powerful connection between sleep, dopamine, and motivation —and how sleep deprivation can actually mimic or worsen ADHD symptoms. You'll learn:  ✅ Why dopa...

#063 - How long should you pray for? When's the best time? Where should you pray? Should you kneel, sit, or lie down? In this episode, we get into all of the nitty-gritty details of mental prayer, including some recommended ways to enter into mental prayer and some common (and normal) difficulties you may experience. Join me in this final part of our 4-part series on Fr. Jacques Philippe&apos...

#062 - Have you ever wondered if you're making spiritual progress? Are you actually growing in holiness? What if it feels like you're just backsliding? In this 3rd part of our 4 part series on Fr. Jaques Philippe's book, Time for God , we talk about the stages of spiritual progress and what it might feel like as you grow in union with God.  Thanks for listening! 

#061 - In this 2nd episode of our 4 part series on Fr. Jacques Philippe's book, Time for God , we'll be answering the question, "How should I spend my time of mental prayer? What should I DO to use this time well?"  In this episode, I'll go through the 4 principles that Fr. Jacques refers to as the "landmarks" by which a Christian can orient themselves in this in...

Sign up for the Healthy Habits RESET Workshop here: https://www.athrivingcatholic.com/reset #060- I want to put first things first this year and focus on what’s most important in the life of every Christian.  And that my friend, is prayer.  So for the whole month of January I’m going to be doing a deep dive on prayer–but not just any kind of prayer, we’ll be focusing specifically on mental prayer....

#059 - Are you "ghosting" Jesus? Whether intentionally or unintentionally, you might be avoiding the Lord. Here's how you can reconnect with him.  Thanks for listening! 

#058- In this episode, I peel pack the curtain on my ADHD journey, from what led me to seek a diagnosis, what happened when I was diagnosed, and what I've done since then that I think might help you as you strive to live a more thriving and abundant life. Check out Consistency for Catholics here: https://www.athrivingcatholic.com/consistent Thanks for listening! 

#057- I was so happy to have award-winning Catholic Author, Amy Schisler, back on the show to talk about her latest book: Seeking Space and Time (which is the final book in the Chincoteague Sunsets Trilogy). Amy is a delightful author, and in this episode she shares a bit about her writing process, how she gets realistic characters and dialogue in her books, why she writes love stories (and not tr...

#56 - What does it take to live an extraordinary life? A life that burns with meaning and purpose. A life that resounds both now and in eternity? The answer is surprisingly simple.  It doesn’t take money or extra time and it’s accessible to everyone no matter what your circumstances are.  In this episode, I’ll share what it is and how you can start living this way today.  If you want to dive even...

#55- If all you want for Mother’s Day is a nap (and maybe for your kids to leave you alone) this episode is for you. Get the FREE Mini-Course, Guilt-Free Self-Care for Busy Moms HERE.   While you might catch a nap or a little break for Mother’s Day, you probably know that that is just a bandaid solution when you’re dealing with serious burnout from the hard work of momming.  Here’s the deal: the o...

Embark on a soul-stirring journey with our latest guest, the renowned musician and spiritual guide John Michael Talbot. His life's symphony has woven notes from secular stardom to the peaceful refrains of monastic life, and now he's here to share the melodies of his wisdom. As the founder of a Catholic monastic community, John Michael discusses the art of harmonizing our God-given talent...

#053 - Ever feel like you're in a constant battle to achieve personal excellence while staying true to your Catholic faith? This week, I share a conversation where I was interviewed on Kylie Hein's podcast - Persistence in Prayer . This was recorded during Lent and we discussed how to navigate pursuing our ambitions and striving for excellence without compromising our health and spiritua...

Uncover the rich meaning behind the Christian belief of the resurrection and the glorified body, as my husband, David Castillo, with his deep theological knowledge, joins me to illuminate what awaits us beyond this life. We delve into Christ's post-resurrection appearances to envision what our future selves might be like and the profound implications this has for treating our current bodies w...

Embark on a spiritual and physical renewal with us as we honor the Easter Triduum through a meaningful 40-hour fast, a tradition mirroring Jesus' time in the tomb.  Together, we unpack the historical and spiritual significance of this period, exploring how this ancient practice not only fortifies our faith but also brings a multitude of health benefits.  From autophagy to mental clarity, and...

Unlock the secrets of your body's inner ecosystem! In our latest episode, we embark on a journey into the vast world of gut health. Discover how these microscopic organisms are not just passengers, but powerful partners in our pursuit of energy, weight balance, and mental clarity, all through the lens of our Catholic faith. We've all experienced those days where our bodies just don'...

#049 - We all deal with stress...in fact "being stressed" is a somewhat ubiquitous lament for most people these days.  But what if stress could actually be reframed so that it isn't such a bad thing?  What if you could learn to master your stress so that it doesn't sap your energy and cause you unnecessary drama?  In this episode of the podcast, I talk with fellow Integrative N...

Struggling to find that elusive equilibrium between tending to your family's needs and nurturing your spiritual life? You're not alone. In this episode,  I sit with time freedom coach Kelsey Pasquarell for a candid conversation, where we peel back the layers on the complex interplay of service and prayer in the lives of Catholic mothers. It's a dialogue filled with insights on how t...

#047 - Lent is sometimes treated like the Catholic New Years..because similar to New Years, its a time when we set goals and resolutions for things we’d like to change in our lives that will hopefully, at the end of Lent lead to us having a deeper union with Christ.  But similar to when we set New Year’s Resolutions, we may find it difficult to stick with our Lenten Plan. In today’s episode I’m go...

#046- Are you feeling completely "stuck" and unmotivated in your life lately?  Do you know that your current habits aren’t great, but you feel like you just don’t have enough willpower or discipline to fix them? Maybe you’re staying up way too late every night or constantly eating junk food or doing any other kind of self-sabotaging behavior all while beating yourself up about needing to...

#045- If you are looking for more out of your life... More energy... Answers to persistent health challenges... More hope... Then this interview with Rita Johnson from Divine Mercy Nutritional Care may be extremely helpful for you!  We talk about charting (aka, "the 5th vital sign"), nutrient-dense foods, and lifestyle changes that help us to live our healthiest and happiest lives.  Conn...

#044- If you're like me, and you've been interested in productivity for a really long time, you may think that you've tried every productivity "secret" out there--but in today's episode, I want to talk about some powerhouse saints who have a few things to teach us about how to be truly productive!  In this episode, I'll highlight 4 remarkably productive saints, w...

#043- Are you stuck in a cycle of depletion? My guest on the show today knows all about it!  Here's a brief description in her own words: " My name is Laura Dominick and I spent over 15 years in what I now call the Cycle of Depletion . I didn’t like it at all, but I didn’t know how to break out of it.  About twice a year the cycle would come to a head.  I would start to notice that I was...

#042 - How did you do on your goals this year? If you're like many people (myself included!) chances are pretty good that you didn't meet ALL of your goals this year (and that's totally fine, BTW!) However, if you want to really knock your goals out of the park in the coming year, you'll probably want to avoid these 5 widespread reasons why many people don't meet their goa...

#041 - Do you ever struggle with doing the things you're supposed to be doing WHEN you're supposed to be doing them?  In this episode, we tackle the vice of "acedia" (aka "the noonday devil") which is basically when we don't do things that we're supposed to be doing at any given moment.  How is procrastination similar to acedia?  Beth defines "procrasti...