Words of Wisdom

Show notes Reflect on emotional sobriety, resilience, and pray a prayer of generosity. About Josh Kalsbeek, LMFT • As a Psychoherapist Josh helps people overcome their greatest struggles. • Sign up to receive Josh's weekly email newsletter,  Words of Wisdom . ​ --- Support this podcast by buying a book through one of the links above. Support the podcast

Show notes In this brief year-end message, Josh reflects on accomplishing a lifelong dream of writing a book and shares his experiences from the past year. He takes a moment to express gratitude to his clients and followers, recounts key professional milestones, including launching a counseling center and recording wisdom-filled content, and encourages listeners to reflect on their own growth. As...

Show notes This episode, titled 'Words of Wisdom 142: On Directions and Destinations,' emphasizes the importance of having a clear purpose and strong perseverance. Josh explains that purpose dictates direction while perseverance determines destination. Josh urges listeners to avoid quick fixes, be patient, resilient, and strive for their highest purpose through sacrificial generosity. Inspirationa...

Show notes n this episode of Words of Wisdom, the focus is on guiding principles of discipleship, as presented by Josh. The key points discussed include the relational nature of discipleship, which requires intentional time, patience, and love. Six guiding principles are outlined: 1) Pursue presence by maintaining a close connection with God, 2) Joyfully surrender to God's will, 3) Intentionally r...

Show notes Words of Wisdom 140: On False Empowerment In this episode, Josh explores the concept of false empowerment and its potential pitfalls. Reflecting on experiences of pain, trauma, and rejection, he discusses how the ego can drive change in destructive ways. Josh emphasizes the dangers of weaponizing boundaries and living from a place of resentment, explaining the importance of surrendering...

Show notes In this episode, Josh explores five reflections on love and breaking generational wounds. Key ideas include making the unseen visible by allowing others in, learning to connect through surrender, and the importance of receiving love to be able to give it. Josh emphasizes the complexities of love, which involves valuing, sacrificing, serving, and sometimes disagreeing. Quotes from Terry...

Show notes n this episode of Words of Wisdom, Josh emphasizes the profound impact of prioritizing time in God's presence, particularly by waking early to connect with Him. He argues that this practice can significantly enhance one's life by fostering inner peace and spiritual strength. Key points include the importance of presence before power, the focus on making God famous over personal fame, an...

Show notes Breaking the Cycle: The Flywheel of Disconnection and the Power of Connection In 'Words of Wisdom 137,' Josh explores the essential role of connection in human flourishing. He introduces the concept of the 'disconnection flywheel,' explaining how disconnection from God, oneself, and others perpetuates a cycle of isolation and sin. Josh outlines a pathway to breaking this cycle through a...

Show notes Words of Wisdom 136: Paths to Becoming Truly Wise In this episode, Josh emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom as the most valuable investment one can make. Wisdom, described as virtuous skill in living, helps ensure a fulfilling and secure life. Josh provides practical advice on how to cultivate wisdom, including stopping evil, embracing good, confessing daily, reading great books...

Show notes Understanding Addiction Recovery: A Comprehensive Insight In this episode of 'Words of Wisdom,' Josh explores the complex nature of addiction and its various dimensions, including psychological, physiological, narrative, and spiritual aspects. He differentiates between habits and addictions, emphasizing the profound impact of addiction on one's life and relationships. Josh also highligh...

Show notes In 'Words of Wisdom 134: On the Paradox of Crisis', Josh explores the four main stages of life—chaos, crisis, healing, and flourishing. He discusses how people often live in a cycle of chaos and crisis, lacking hope and resilience. Josh explains that escaping this turmoil usually involves enduring a difficult crisis, characterized by intense pain and suffering, which can either lead to...

Show notes In this episode of Words of Wisdom, Josh explores the themes of creativity, wisdom, and creating purposeful spaces in our lives. Josh begins with how creativity involves collecting and connecting ideas, emphasizing the importance of developing a system to gather ideas that ignite curiosity and the necessity of consistent creation to enhance independent thinking. The conversation then sh...

Show notes Building Self-Control: The Path to Personal Resilience In this episode, Josh dives into the importance of self-control using the analogy of a city wall, referencing Proverbs 25:28. He shares his personal journey of seeking God's help not just to eliminate desires but to develop self-control as a foundational character stone alongside faith, integrity, courage, love, and knowledge. Josh...

Show notes Today in 'Words of Wisdom 131 On Desperation for God,' underscores the importance of acknowledging our helplessness without God, drawing on the poignant plea from Psalm 130 verse 1. It emphasizes that turning to God is not a mere lifestyle choice but a fundamental need, likening it to a rebel finally surrendering to the only king who can offer true freedom. Josh highlights the infinite...

Show notes This episode delves into the complex confusion of modern times, highlighting the contradictions in modern man's pursuit of rights without responsibilities, the loss of fundamental understanding of morality, and the misconceptions about relationships and truth. Through a compelling metaphor of a pilot navigating a jet fighter, it illustrates the disorientation and challenges faced by ind...

Show notes Finding True Belonging Through Integrity. In this episode, we explore the essential connection between integrity and a genuine sense of belonging. I share insights on how lacking integrity can affect our depth of belonging and the stability of our lives, regardless of whether others are aware of our shortcomings. Drawing on my experiences with clients and referencing authors like Michae...

Show notes Exploring Sexual Minimalism: A Middle Path to Flourishing This episode introduces the concept of sexual minimalism, positioning it as a middle ground between indulgence and repression of sexual desire. It discusses minimalism in the context of material possessions and online activities before delving into sexual minimalism. The approach emphasizes intentional engagement with sexual desi...

Show notes Cultivating Wisdom and the Power of Rest This episode delves into the importance of being mindful of our internal scripts, the distinction between wisdom and knowledge, and the significance of being intentional in our actions. 00:00 Introduction: Embracing Wisdom and Internal Scripts 00:09 The Power of Internal Scripts: Shifting Perspectives 00:49 Understanding Wisdom: Beyond Knowledge...

Show notes Embracing Transformation Through Surrender to God In today's episode Josh discusses the profound impact of surrendering to God, highlighting how this state of surrender ensures presence, willingness, and acceptance in one's life. 00:00 Embracing Surrender: The Path to Transformation 02:33 The Power of Suffering and Love 03:20 Practices for Abiding in God's Presence 04:48 Reflections and...

Show notes Transformation Through Suffering: Embracing Spiritual Rebirth In this episode of the psychotherapy series, part three delves into the concept of transformation through suffering. Josh explores the idea that true transformation requires a change in thinking, feeling, and actions, but also emphasizes the spiritual and mysterious nature of change, likened to a 'spiritual rebirth' that orig...

Show notes Transformative Healing through Therapy: Unpacking Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions In today's episode Josh explores the concept of transformative healing in psychotherapy, emphasizing the interconnectedness of thoughts, feelings, and actions in the process. He stresses that deep transformation is possible through the courageous application of truth and receiving God's love, underscoring...

Show notes WoW 122: On what happens in therapy, Psychotherapy Series, Part 1 [Words of Wisdom] This episode of our psychotherapy series kicks off with Josh sharing a profound respect for individuals undertaking psychotherapy, highlighting it as a brave inward journey towards wisdom and personal growth. Josh demystifies what transpires during therapy sessions regardless of the treatment modality, e...

Show notes In today's episode Josh emphasizes that the worth of an individual cannot be influenced by any actions; it is irrefutably fixed in the heart of God, and no darkness of sin can erase his grace. The primary focus should be on one's own characters, such as faith, honesty, purity, love, courage, and knowledge. Our worth is fixed, the quality of our life, is not. The quality of our life and...

Show notes In this episode Josh explores the concept of personal transformation, highlighting that it requires courageous action, prayer and faith. Josh emphasizes the importance of silence and stillness for personal growth, self-reflection and a deeper connection with God. He also references works from Elizabeth Elliot and Timothy Keller, focusing particularly on the teachings from Philippians ch...

Show notes In this episode, the path to victory over personal struggles is explored with a focus on surrendering control to God. Taking time each morning to reflect and surrender uncertainties and fears can lead to a more peaceful existence. It also emphasizes on waiting and resting, and suggests that true courage often involves patient waiting and listening. The episode ends with some introspecti...