A Thriving Catholic Podcast

#020 - In the Apostle's Creed, we profess a belief in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting...but have you ever wondered what our glorified resurrected bodies will be like? In this episode of the podcast, I bring on my resident theologian (aka, my husband, David Castillo) to talk about what we can expect our resurrected bodies to be like--and what the implications of that are for...

#019 - Have you ever had one of those "no good, horrible, very bad, days?"   I know I have!  Sometimes it can feel like our day is in a bit of a downward spiral and there's not much we can do to improve it...  Or we may recognize that big lifestyle changes like getting more sleep, establishing an exercise routine, or improving our diets will have a huge impact on our happiness--but...

#018 - By now you’ve probably heard the buzz around fasting as a tool for achieving some really impressive benefits for your health including:  weight loss clearer skin increased energy blood sugar balance clearer thinking better mood and the list goes on and on.  And as a Catholic, you probably also know that the benefits of fasting go way beyond the merely physical. As St, Augustine put it: “Fas...

#017 - Sleep is a critical--yet often neglected--aspect of your health!  If you've ever found yourself skipping sleep when you get "busy" then you're going to want to listen to this episode!  In this episode, I talk about:  The benefits of getting enough sleep  The essential mindset shifts you MUST adopt if you're going to improve sleep Practical strategies for getting bet...

#016 - Did you know that God has something to say to you today? Yes you. Specifically   you. As a beloved child of God, he wants to be in relationship with you, and good relationships require communication!  I've heard it said that prayer is how we speak to to God and scripture is how God speaks to us.  So if you're hoping to hear more clearly what God might be saying to you, Lectio Divi...

#015 - Have you ever considered trying an elimination diet? Maybe your doctor has diagnosed you with leaky gut or an autoimmune disorder...or maybe you're just tired of feeling generally lousy and you're looking for dietary changes that could help you feel better. In this episode, I talk about which foods cause the most inflammation for most people, why inflammation in the body is such a...

#014 - Have you ever made a super ambitious Lenten Plan, only to get to Good Friday and realize that you've completely fallen off the bandwagon?  Or maybe even to have forgotten what you set out to do for Lent in the first place? In this episode, I share 4 strategies that will help you actually stick to your Lenten Plan--but more importantly that will help you achieve the actual goal of Lent:...

#013 - What would you do if you were to suddenly lose control of the dominant half of your body? That is exactly what happened to my guest Marty Langlois shortly after giving birth to her first daughter.  In this episode, Marty shares her story of rebuilding her own body after suffering a stroke and how she now helps other Catholics fix their own brokenness (both physical and spiritual) as a Catho...

#012 - Have you ever tried (or considered) Intermittent Fasting?  Some people call it "time-restricted eating" and in this episode I have a conversation with Joy Deschaine (from Well With Joy) all about the benefits of Intermittent Fasting, how to do it, who should fast and who shouldn't (and much more). Even if you're only "fasting curious" you might really enjoy lea...

#011 - In this episode, I have a conversation with my friend Talia Kruse (from Mental Health for Holiness) all about mental health.  Talia has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I've also struggled with depression, so in this candid conversation we talk about all the things that we wish we'd known before dealing with mental health issues ourselves--but also the strategies that we&a...

#010 - Is alcohol really serving you?  What if it's keeping you stuck in mediocrity?  What could your life be like if you were to give up alcohol entirely?  I explore these questions and more in this interview with Catholic Recovery Coach, Christie Walker. But it's not all doom and gloom! We also talk about all of the benefits of cutting alcohol and what it can do for you, including easy...

#009 - You were created on purpose and for a purpose.  You have a unique mission that you were tailor-made to carry out. In this episode, we talk about what your mission is, how you can figure it out, and how you can increase your capacity to serve God and others even better. We also talk about Spiritual Gifts (aka Charisms), Clifton Strengths, and Temperaments. The book mentioned is The Temperame...

008- Would you like a truly miraculous way to feel more peace and joy in your daily life?  Then you're not going to want to miss this interview with Shannon Wendt from Chews Life!  In this episode, we talk about how a struggle with depression led Shannon back to the Rosary, her healing journey, some of the promises of the Rosary, and what a miraculous impact the Rosary can have in your own li...

#007- From goal setting, to habit formation, to mindset shifts that will set you up for success, in this episode I'm breaking down how 2023 can be your best year yet! In this episode I mentioned the following resources: A Free Habit Tracker that you can get here: https://www.athrivingcatholic.com/habits The Martha/Mary Planner from Saint of the Month, which you can get here: https://bit.ly/Ma...

006 - St. Paul wrote that, "love never ends”...but in my house, it can sometimes feel like its laundry that never ends…  The truth is that homemaking tasks like keeping up with laundry, dishes, and kid messes can be hugely stressful and overwhelming for a lot of women.  But can these necessary tasks also be a path to sanctity?  Is it possible to find peace and even joy in the most mundane dut...

#005 - We’re told in songs and movies that this is the most wonderful time of the year…but what if you’re not feeling wonderful? What if what you’re really feeling is exhausted and overwhelmed? What if you’re sick and anxious and sad? In this episode we’ll talk about some common reasons that you might be feeling so bad, but more importantly, I’ll share what you can do to experience a more joyful a...

#004 - You’ve heard the expression “time is money”...but is time better than money? is being "time rich" the new rich? In today’s episode, I’ll explain what it means to be time rich vs. time-poor (and spoiler alert: it doesn’t actually have that much to do with how much free time you have) We’ll also talk about how feeling time rich is directly correlated with happiness.  And of, course,...

#002 - What do the healthiest and happiest people you know have in common? You know, the ones who are just bursting with energy, vitality, and joy?    In today’s episode, we’ll be diving into what it really takes to be an extremely healthy and happy Catholic (it comes down to just 5 habits), I’ll tell you the three biggest obstacles to health and happiness that most women I coach face, and I’ll sh...

#003 - In this episode, we’ll explore an antidote to anxiety that Jesus taught us, but that has been explained more recently by Positive Psychology. Then, we’ll get down to some practical applications that you can start using today to help you feel less anxious.    A Thriving Catholic Quickstart Series is a series of 3 live workshops that I'll present from 29 Nov-1 Dec to tackle the 3 biggest...

#001 -  Welcome to A Thriving Catholic Podcast, episode # 1! In this inaugural episode, I’ll tell you what this show is all about, share a little bit about how a struggle with mental illness changed the trajectory of my life, and I’ll teach you a simple shift that you can make today that will have a profound impact on your health and happiness.   If you're a Catholic woman who is ready to sta...