Podcasts by Be with the Word

Be with the Word -Episode 87 The Self as Mediator from 2021-10-19T21:08

Dr. Gerry explores the readings for the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time and the idea of the "Self" as mediator. God the Father wants to restore the vulnerable.and broken to a state of joy and ...

Episode 86 - Healing Our Sexual Brokenness from 2021-09-29T16:36:43

In this special episode taken from a recent Catholic Journeymen web meeting, Dr. Gerry discusses types of sexual brokenness and how they are rooted in attachment wounds. He provides an activity ...

Episode 85 - Breaking free of Power Struggles to find Joy from 2021-09-21T15:07:39

Dr. Gerry explores the themes of suffering and joy in the readings of the 26th-29th Sundays in ordinary time. We must develop 'wisdom of the heart' in order to break free of attachments. Dr. Ger...

Episode 84 - Presenting Truth and Accepting Persecution from 2021-09-15T13:46:44

Why do we have unfruitful debates with non-Catholics (and some Catholics) on controversial topics? Dr. Gerry explores the difference between a philosophical worldview based on objective truth co...

Episode 83 - Resolving Inner Conflicts by Understanding our "Wicked" Parts from 2021-09-01T18:26:14

We all have inner conflicts as we have parts that are polarized. In the readings Isaiah speaks about the blind seeing, the deaf hearing and the mute singing The psalm speaks of the wicked compar...

Episode 82 Where do Evil Thoughts Come from? from 2021-08-25T15:47:14

Dr. Gerry is back! And this week he discusses the readings from the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time and the dynamic between following God's commandments and the heart. Jesus says that evil thoughts...

Be With the Word Episode 81: Finding True Peace Through Humility, Gentleness, and Patience from 2021-07-22T12:20:06

Dr. Gerry focuses on St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians as he contrasts the biblical message with secular individualism and a great deal of modern psychology's focus on self actualization. Inste...

Be With the Word Episode 80 - Finding True Peace from 2021-07-15T04:18:58

Dr. Gerry explores the Sunday readings (16th Sunday of Ordinary Time) and discusses how to find deeper levels of inner peace by confronting enmity.  Dr. Gerry discusses the way Christ makes Jews...

Episode 79 - Role of Faith in Healing Depression from 2021-06-24T12:33:47

Dr. Gerry discusses depression and negative cognitions (lies) that we tell ourselves. Dr. Gerry compares depression to the sin of acedia which is a resistance to the demands of love, and a burde...

Unity of Body and Soul - New Creation! Episode 78 from 2021-06-16T23:25:44

Dr. Gerry hosts Be with the Word from a dorm at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Ohio). He explores how God is transcendent and calms the seas in our own souls. Dr. Gerry shares some of th...

Episode 77: Does God want to punish us and cause suffering? A family therapist perspective from 2021-06-03T11:09:25

Dr. Gerry celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ as he links the Sunday readings and the story of sacrifice in Exodus and Christ's sacrifice to developmental psycholo...

Be with the Word Episode 75 Pentecost Sunday- Judging versus Perceiving from 2021-05-19T08:00

Dr. Crete continues to explore personality as he discusses the Myers-Briggs personality indicator and the Greek Temperaments. He zooms in on the difference between Judging (J) and Perceiving (P)...

Be with the Word Episode 75 - What does it mean to be an Introvert? from 2021-05-12T15:24:09

Dr. Gerry begins a new mini-series "From Ascension to Assumption" where he explores getting to know oneself. Every week he will look at personality tests and models and how to understand our tru...

Love Versus Codependency and People Pleasing - Episode 74 from 2021-05-05T07:15:33

Dr. Gerry explores the difference between love as described in the readings for the 6th Sunday of Easter and Codependency. Gerry explains how true love is connected to self-giving when it is an ...

The Key to Stopping Scrupulosity - Episode 73 - 3rd Sunday of Easter from 2021-04-14T17:45:18

Dr. Gerry reflects on the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter and walks you through a path for stopping scrupulosity and obsessive thinking. He draws on the interplay between the amygdala an...

Christ's Body Keeps the Score! - Episode 72 - 2nd Sunday of Easter from 2021-04-06T17:13:09

Dr. Gerry discusses the readings for the Second Sunday of Easter where he discusses what it means that Christ is "begotten in water and blood". He brings in some insight from Bessel Van der Kolk...

Overcoming Shame Despite Loss and Suffering - Palm Sunday - Episode 71 from 2021-03-26T06:00

Dr. Gerry discusses the biblical path to overcoming dissociation, surviving suffering, and not being overwhelmed by shame. We are called to name and express emotion and recall our true identity....

Learning From Suffering - 5th Sun of Lent Episode 70 from 2021-03-17T14:00

Dr. Gerry reflects on the Sunday Readings (Fifth Sunday of Lent) and discusses how God establishes secure attachment with us (in Jeremiah) and then asks us to die to self. Dr. Gerry discusses what ...

Why We Do Wicked Things - 4th Sun of Lent - Episode 69 from 2021-03-10T08:00

Dr. Gerry continues his Lenten discussion about the psychological concept of dissociation as he discusses traumatic re-enactments. The readings for the fourth Sunday of Lent help us to find the tru...

Window of Tolerance - 3rd Sunday of Lent - Episode 68 from 2021-03-03T05:00

Dr. Gerry discusses the readings from the Third Sunday of Lent and continues his discussion of "dissociation" as he describes the "window of tolerance" and what happens emotionally when we go ou...

Abraham and the Parasympathetic Nervous System - 2nd Sun of Lent - Episode 67 from 2021-02-23T15:54:36

A mouthful, eh? Dr. Gerry continues his Lenten series on dissociation and discusses the parasympathetic nervous system which is how we experience safety. Dr. Gerry discusses the Abraham and Isaa...

Lent, Life and Death, and Dissociation - 1st Sun of Lent - Episode 66 from 2021-02-17T05:00

Dr. Gerry discusses the Sunday readings and begins a short Lenten series on dissociation. Dr. Gerry discusses mild forms of dissociation and more series forms (disorders) and connects this to th...

St. Paul and Codependency - 6th Sun in Ord Time - Episode 65 from 2021-02-10T05:00

Dr. Gerry discusses what it means to be a leper in the Hebrew world and how Christ is the bridge from sickness to health, and from death to life. He then discusses how St. Paul's attitude of ple...

Loving People We Disagree With - 3rd Sun in Ord Time - Be With the Word - Episode 62 from 2021-01-19T05:00

Dr. Gerry focuses on the book of Jonah and the call to love and reach out to people with whom we dislike or disagree. God has a message here despite our political, social, and religious views that ...

Radical Way to Approach Recovery - 2nd Sun in Ord Time - Episode 61 from 2021-01-13T05:00

Dr. Gerry discusses the Sunday Readings and how to improve recovery from addictions or problematic behaviors by approaching ourselves differently.

How To Break Through Relationship Conflicts - The Baptism of the Lord - Episode 60 from 2021-01-06T05:00

Dr. Crete provides a strategy based on Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy to break through relationship conflicts and unhealthy patterns.

The Epiphany of the Lord - Episode 59 from 2020-12-29T05:00

As Dr. Gerry explores the character of Herod, he discusses how our negative behaviors can be adaptive and self-protective. Dr. Gerry ties in the latest Wonder Woman movie (minimal spoilers) as w...

The Holidays and Food! Disordered Eating or an Eating Disorder? - Feast of Holy Family - Episode 58 from 2020-12-22T05:00

Dr. Gerry and Dr. Laura Cusumano discuss eating disorders. Dr. Laura earned her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Divine Mercy University and she is the mother of three young children. Dr. L...

Fatherhood: What It Means To Be A Good Man And A Good Father from 2020-12-15T05:00

Dr. Gerry discusses what it is to be a good father. How is fathering different from mothering? The "essentialist" position says that fatherhood is universal and biologically based. It also says ...

Surviving the Holiday Blues - 3rd Sunday of Advent - Episode 56 from 2020-12-08T05:00

Although the holidays are meant to be a joyful time, many people struggle with higher levels of depression, grief, loneliness, and stress. Some people also experience seasonal affective disorder...

Transform Advent without Becoming a Curmudgeon! - 2nd Sun of Lent - Episode 55 from 2020-12-01T05:00

Dr. Gerry discusses the Sunday readings from a psychological and family-oriented perspective. Dr. Gerry meets with Mac Barron who is the author of “Clueless in Galilee” and co-host of the long r...

Learning to Wait: The First Step in Overcoming Addiction - 1st Sun of Advent - Episode 54 from 2020-11-24T07:48

As we begin the Advent season of waiting on Christ, Dr. Gerry and Thomas Clements discuss “Learning to Wait: The First Step in Overcoming Addiction”. Thomas is the founder of Zenith Ministries a...

Be The Best Sheep You Can Be - Christ the King - Episode 53 from 2020-11-17T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Human nature tends to want to be more like “goats'' than “sheep”. It’s important to reflect on our internal dispositions to learn how we can be...

Overcoming Fear and Getting Unstuck - 33rd Sun of Ord Time - Episode 52 from 2020-11-10T05:00

Overall Takeaway

When God hands us our “talents” in life, He knows what we are able to do with them and expects us to use our gifts for His glory. It can be cha...

Some Things Can’t Wait Until The Last Minute - 32nd Sun of Ord Time - Episode 51 from 2020-11-03T05:00

Overall Takeaway

We are called by Wisdom, or the Holy Spirit, to grow in virtue and our relationship with God over the course of our lives, but we often face co...

The Lies We Tell Ourselves in Life Stories - All Saints Day - Episode 50 from 2020-10-27T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Jesus turns the shame-filled, anxiety-ridden narratives of our lives into redemption and transformation. Often, we don’t recognize that when we...

Understanding Superiority Complexes - 30th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 49 from 2020-10-20T05:00

Overall Takeaway

People who have superiority complexes are usually trying to make themselves feel better by belittling others. When we can understand what’s beh...

Heads I Win, Tails You Lose - 29th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 48 from 2020-10-13T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Many of us feel trapped in some aspect of our lives, just as the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus in their questioning in this week’s gospel...

Blind Spots Can Be Deadly - 28th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 47 from 2020-10-06T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Just as the invited individuals in this week’s Gospel refuse to attend the king’s wedding feast, we often do the same in our lives. Although th...

How to Find Peace That Surpasses All Understanding - 27th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 46 from 2020-09-29T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Anxiety is often a symptom in our modern world and can be a real barrier to our relationship with God as well as to our own healing. Our cognit...

Choosing Unity Without Losing Integrity - 26th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 45 from 2020-09-22T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Listening in charity and trying to understand another’s point of view does not mean we need to agree with the other person. When Christ calls u...

Work is Not a Four-Letter Word - 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Episode 44 from 2020-09-15T06:51:31

Overall Takeaway

Work should not define the person, as it is often the case in today’s world. Instead, we have to see that the dignity of work comes from the fa...

Anger, Wrath, and Vengeance, Oh My! - 24th Sun in Ordinary Time - Episode 43 from 2020-09-08T05:00

Overall Takeaway

It’s important to understand the difference between the feeling of anger, which carries no moral weight, and the importance of learning to deal...

Three Principles of Exercising Real Love - 23rd Sun of Ord Time - Episode 42 from 2020-09-01T05:00

Overall Takeaway

We need to embrace three basic principles, as well as overcome the common psychological barriers to these principles, in order to exercise real...

See in 3D By Renewing Your Mind - 22nd Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 41 from 2020-08-25T05:00

Overall Takeaway

It’s so easy to forget to try to see the events of our lives from God’s perspective instead of our own. We want to be in control, and instead o...

Being Lost and How To Be Found - 21st Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 40 from 2020-08-18T05:00

Overall Takeaway

As human beings, we learn who we are in relationship to others. Because of our sin and the sin of others, this often results in an inaccurate p...

Four Essentials For God To Grant Your Heart’s Desire - 20th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 39 from 2020-08-11T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Learn the four essential things that are needed to allow God to grant our hearts’ desire.  We also discuss the common psychological impediments...

How to Stop Impulsive Behaviors - 19th Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 38 from 2020-08-04T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Many of us need to learn to down-regulate and re-focus our attention on God in order to better cope with the challenges of daily life. Learn a ...

Finding Safety in a Turbulent World - 18th Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 37 from 2020-07-28T05:00

Overall Takeaway

It’s easy to understand that we often translate our human experiences into how we do or don’t relate to God. If we have lacked safety and secur...

How to Find Joy Unexpectedly - 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Episode 36 from 2020-07-21T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Sometimes we think that doing God’s will is about simply bearing the cross and giving up good things in this life. However, when we do God’s wi...

Why It’s Okay to Pray Badly - 16th Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 35 from 2020-07-14T05:00

Overall Takeaway

We need to understand that God doesn’t expect us to pray perfectly. In fact, it’s okay to pray badly -- and we need to get better at praying ba...

Four Ways to Hear with the Heart - 15th Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 34 from 2020-07-07T05:00

Overall Takeaways

The parable of the sower and the seed is about being receptive to God’s gifts and promptings. It’s a story that’s meant to touch our heart and...

Receiving Comfort From God - 14th Sun Ordinary of Time - Episode 33 from 2020-06-30T05:00

Overall Takeaway

It’s often easier for us to read about God or execute spiritual practices than to have a true relationship with Him due to psychological wounds...

True Happiness... How Psychology Gets it Wrong - 13th Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 32 from 2020-06-22T05:00

Overall Takeaway

Although there is some overlap of good that comes from both secular and Catholic-based psychology, they are often diametrically opposed when it...

How to Triumph Over Fear - 12th Sun in Ordinary Time - Episode 31 from 2020-06-15T09:00

Overall Takeaway

No amount of knowledge or control will help us overcome our fear, only a trust in God’s love will help us truly overcome fear. We must exercise...

Addiction is the Opposite of Connection and Intimacy - Corpus Christi - Episode 30 from 2020-06-08T09:00

Overall Takeaway

Addiction can be a false idol, distancing us from the Body and Blood of Jesus as well as dehumanizing and isolating ourselves from one another....

How Unconscious God Images Harm Our Spiritual Lives - Trinity Sunday - Episode 29 from 2020-06-01T09:00

Overall Takeaway

Our God concept is what we profess to be true as faithful, orthodox Catholics and is based on our catechism and the teachings of the Church. Ou...

Ending Psychological Power Struggles - Pentecost - Episode 28 from 2020-05-26T00:00

Overall Takeaway

Ending power struggles with spouses, children and within other important relationships requires an acknowledgement of what you can own on your part, a rec...

The Psychology of Doubt - The Ascension - Episode 27 from 2020-05-19T06:00

Overall Takeaways

By understanding the psychological factors that contribute to why we struggle with faith and doubt, we can bring them into our conscious aware...

The Real Reason to Be Obedient - 6th Sun of Easter - Episode 26 from 2020-05-12T06:00

Overall Takeaway

The real reason to be obedient is because God loves us and He has the perfect plan for our lives. Obedience is the way to discover that plan. Listen

Psychological Barriers to Recognizing Jesus - 5th Sun of Easter - Episode 25 from 2020-05-05T05:00

Overall Takeaways

We often have psychological barriers to recognizing Our Lord. Learn how to identify and remove things such as grudges, old assumptions, and memor...

Being Docile Through Criticism - 4th Sun of Easter - Episode 24 from 2020-04-27T21:00

Overall Takeway

When Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls us to be His sheep, He’s calling us to be docile. This often means listening to Him through others, being humble, and being ...

Developing a Firm Confidence in God - Third Sun of Easter - Episode 23 from 2020-04-20T21:00

Overall Takeaway

We must have a firm, stable, constant and unshaken confidence in God. According to St. Thomas, “Confidence is a hope fortified by solid convict...

Forgiveness and Divine Mercy - Divine Mercy Sunday - Episode 22 from 2020-04-14T09:00

Overall Takeaways

Forgiving is good for you. However, it's important to understand the difference between decisional and emotional forgiveness, the difference betw...

God's Ways are Not Our Ways - Easter Sunday - Episode 21 from 2020-04-08T09:00

Overall Takeaway

Just as Mary Magdalene and all Jesus’ disciples were shell-shocked on Easter morning, we are often confused about the events of our own lives. ...

A Unique Opportunity for Redemptive Suffering - Good Friday - Episode 20 from 2020-04-06T09:00

Overall Takeaways

As the coronavirus crisis stretches into the Triduum this year, we have a unique opportunity to embrace suffering in union with our Lord. Just as...

A Time for Spiritual and Psychological Growth - Palm Sunday - Episode 19 from 2020-03-31T06:00

Overall Takeaway

The uncertainty and disruption of the global pandemic reveals the areas where we need to be perfected and challenges us to make an intentional ...

Living in the Moment - 5th Sun of Lent - Episode 18 from 2020-03-21T06:00

Overall Takeaway

Things that make us afraid or anxious now usually connect to a past perceived life-or-death event. We need to allow Jesus to bring life back in...

God Heals Our Deepest Wounds - 4th Sun of Lent - Episode 17 from 2020-03-17T09:00

Overall Takeaways

Dr. Gerry shares his own journey as a survivor of child abuse, how it formed his own thoughts about himself, and how he eventually found light, love and ...

Learning How to Hope Again - 3rd Sun of Lent - Episode 16 from 2020-03-10T05:00

Overall Takeaway

When we are disappointed, it’s easy to lose hope in God. Take the time to reconnect with past pains, bring them to Jesus, and allow Him to give us...

Learning How God Delights in Us - 2nd Sunday of Lent - Episode 15 from 2020-03-03T05:30

Overall Takeaway

It’s often difficult to believe that God delights in us because, as fallen human beings, we fail to affirm and delight in one another.

Listen

Sinful Temptations Often Reveal Legitimate Needs - 1st Sunday of Lent - Episode 14 from 2020-02-21T08:00

Overall Takeaways

Dr. Gerry: Our temptations reveal our true needs.

Dr. Peter: Giving into temptation usually begins with doubting God’s ability to meet our needs. Listen

How Our History with Authority Affects Our Relationship with God - 6th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 12 from 2020-02-11T08:00

Overall Takeaways

Dr. Gerry: Choose God’s love over human judgment.
Dr. Peter: How does my history with authority figures impact how I see God and the Church?

Listen

Despising in Others What We Can't Tolerate in Ourselves - 5th Sun of Ord Time - Episode 11 from 2020-02-04T08:00

Overall Takeaways

Dr. Peter: We despise in others what we don’t tolerate in ourselves.

Dr. Gerry: Stop mislabeling yourself.

Key ...