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 formation.

Together, they explore how psychology, faith, and formation can come together to build healthier priests and more confident discerners. From confidentiality questions to obedience, from human formation to spiritual growth, this conversation sheds light on what’s often hidden behind seminary walls.

Topics covered:

• The rise of Catholic psychology programs and why they matter

• Online vs in-person training for Catholic therapists

• Human formation in seminary: why maturity, relationships, and self-knowledge are essential

• Confidentiality and transparency: how seminarians can approach therapy with trust

• Obedience and discernment: why trust is harder than celibacy for many seminarians

• The role of attachment and vulnerability in priestly formation

• How therapy can serve seminarians, priests, and the Church at large

Tune in for a candid, hopeful conversation about integrating Catholic faith with psychology, and how trust in therapy can shape healthier vocations and a stronger Church.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many people get stuck in discernment because fear can disguise itself as prudence. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by Emmaus Townsend to explore how faith and therapy together can bring clarity and peace when choosing a vocation. Drawing from Catholic tradition and clinical insight, they share practical ways to hear God, calm anxiety, and move forward with confidence.

Topics covered:

• Fear vs prudence, how anxiety can sound holy and how to test the fruit, peace or pressure.

• Consolation and desolation, simple checks and common mistakes in discernment.

• Scrupulosity and overchecking, why they derail decisions and what to do instead.

• Discernment rhythms, prayer, silence, Scripture, sacraments, and spiritual direction.

• When to wait and when to act, practical steps to decide with peace.

• Vocations in real life, marriage, priesthood, religious life, and single life.

• Listening to your body and nervous system to steady worry and make a clear choice.

Tune in for a hopeful conversation on faith, psychology, and the path from paralysis to peace in vocation decisions.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many people struggle with perfectionism because they don’t realize how faith and therapy can work together. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by his colleagues, Colby and Joshua, to explore how understanding your inner critic can lead to profound freedom and self-compassion. Drawing from their own experiences and professional insights, they share how integrating faith with psychological models like Internal Family Systems (IFS) brings hope and healing.

Topics covered:

• The surprising link between perfectionism and procrastination.

• How to view your inner critic as a protector part that is trying to help you.

• Practical strategies for calming your nervous system when you feel overwhelmed.

• The connection between the seven core wounds and the Sacraments.

Tune in for a heartfelt conversation on faith, psychology, and the journey from perfectionism to peace.

Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many Catholics struggle with endless doubt and checking—not because they lack faith, but because they carry deep confusion and fear about certainty. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross explores how scrupulosity distorts our understanding of knowledge, sin, and spiritual peace, often turning natural questions into sources of overwhelming anxiety and compulsive behavior.

Drawing from both clinical experience and Catholic spirituality, Adam breaks down the inner conflict between needing to know for certain and learning to trust in uncertainty, sharing compassionate, practical tools for navigating scrupulosity without losing your peace—or your sanity.

Discover practical insights into:

• Why scrupulosity creates the desperate need for certainty
• The difference between healthy examination of conscience and compulsive checking
• How anxiety and doubt disrupt spiritual clarity
• What integrated healing looks like—mind, body, and soul
• How to sit with discomfort and uncertainty while growing in faith
• Why God sees your struggle even when you don't have all the answers

Tune in for a thoughtful and empowering conversation that blends faith and mental health, offering hope to those who feel caught in cycles of checking, confession, and confusion.

Whether you're battling scrupulosity, supporting someone who is, or working in Catholic mental health, this episode offers a powerful reminder: you don't have to have all the answers to be loved by God.

For more information or questions, visit catholictherapycenter.com

Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many Catholics struggle with sexual shame—not because they lack faith, but because they carry deep confusion and fear about desire. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross explores how scrupulosity distorts our understanding of sexuality, pleasure, and morality, often turning natural human experience into a source of guilt and anxiety.

Drawing from both clinical experience and Catholic spirituality, Adam breaks down the inner conflict between faith and desire and shares compassionate, practical tools for navigating scrupulosity without losing your peace—or your humanity.

Discover practical insights into:

• Why scrupulosity creates fear around sexual desire • The difference between lust and attraction • How anxiety and shame disrupt spiritual clarity • What integrated healing looks like—body, mind, and soul

Tune in for a thoughtful and empowering conversation that blends faith and mental health, offering hope to those who feel caught in cycles of guilt and confusion.

For more information or questions, visit adamcrossmft.com

Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many people long for healing, but few realise how deep the journey must go. In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross is joined by Kolbe Young and Joshua Hernandez for a raw, honest conversation about what it really takes to move from suffering to healing.

Drawing from personal experience, Catholic spirituality, and clinical insight, they discuss how true healing often requires us to get our hands dirty — facing wounds, walking with others, and embracing the messiness of growth through grace.

Discover powerful insights into:

• Why emotional healing can’t happen without spiritual transformation

• How community and vulnerability open the door to deeper recovery

• What it means to “let the Gospel rewire your brain”

• The surprising way grace works through imperfection and effort

Tune in for a compassionate, Christ-centered discussion that invites you to meet God in the very places you feel broken.

For more information or questions, visit adamcrossmft.com

Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many people feel stuck—not because they lack motivation, but because they’re waiting for things to be “just right.” In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross explores how perfectionism often hides behind procrastination, and why the pressure to get everything right can keep us from starting at all.

Drawing from both clinical experience and Catholic spirituality, Adam breaks down the psychological roots of perfectionism and shares compassionate, practical tools for moving forward — even when things feel messy or incomplete.

Discover practical insights into:

• Why perfectionism leads to procrastination
• The inner critic and fear of failure
• How grace and self-compassion create momentum
• The balance between personal standards and spiritual growth

Tune in for a thoughtful and empowering conversation that blends faith and mental health in a way that brings hope to those who feel stuck.

For more information or questions, visit adamcrossmft.com

Adam Cross LMFT #116623

Many people struggle to find healing because they don’t see how faith and therapy can work together. In this episode, Catholic therapists Adam Cross, Kolbe Young, and Joshua Hernandez dive into the powerful intersection of trauma recovery and the Catholic faith. They share personal stories, professional insights, and practical approaches to healing from a trauma-informed, faith-centered perspective.

Discover practical insights into:

• The importance of integrating faith and mental health care

• How trauma affects the body, mind, and soul

• The role of community and spiritual support in the healing journey

• Practical ways to move forward when feeling stuck

Tune in for a hopeful and heartfelt conversation that blends professional therapy with the transformative power of faith.

For more information or questions, visit adamcrossmft.com

Adam Cross LMFT #116623