Face to Face Podcast

Experiencing God's Presence: Spiritual Practices, Attachment & Healing with Summer Joy Gross In this episode of the Face to Face Podcast, we welcome Summer Joy Gross, Anglican priest, spiritual director, author, and host of The Presence Project Podcast, for a rich and refreshing conversation about spiritual formation, secure attachment with God, and the practices that help us experience His love more deeply. Summer shares her journey into the Anglican tradition and how discovering the beauty of embodied worship, the Eucharist, and shared spiritual practices transformed her understanding of life with God. Together, we explore why healing and spiritual growth aren't meant to happen in isolation, how our nervous systems influence our ability to connect with God and others, and why making room for grief, anger, and lament can be an important part of our healing journey. We also talk about the importance of establishing a sense of safety and connection before engaging painful memories, the layers of forgiveness, and simple practices that help us become more aware of God's presence throughout the day. And there's a special gift at the end! Summer leads us through a beautiful contemplative Scripture exercise based on Deuteronomy 33:12 that you can experience right along with us. Whether you're longing for a deeper connection with God, navigating a season of healing, or simply curious about spiritual practices that engage both body and soul, we hope this conversation encourages you. 💛 In this episode, we explore: Moving from an individual faith to a more communal experience of God The connection between neuroscience, attachment, and spiritual formation Why lament matters and how to approach it with care Making space for anger, grief, and the often-layered process of forgiveness How embodied practices can help us experience God's presence Simple ways to cultivate awareness of God in everyday life 🎧 Connect with Summer: Explore The Presence Project Podcast and her Patreon community for more resources on attachment, spiritual practices, and experiencing God's presence. 🌿 Explore the Immanuel Approach: Join us for Immanuel Institute Level I, January 7–February 18, 2027, Thursdays at 1:00 PM Eastern, and learn practical ways to deepen your interactive connection with Jesus. Learn more at www.immanuelinstitute.com 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:44 Immanuel Institute Level I Invitation 02:23 Meet Summer Joy Gross 03:47 A Preview of Our Contemplative Practice 05:11 Summer's Journey into Anglicanism 10:58 Why Worship and Community Matter 15:02 Body Doubling, Connection & Neuroscience 16:26 Making Room for Lament and Unmet Needs 20:41 Learning to Lament Through the Psalms 23:47 Why We Need Others to Hold Our Grief 26:51 The Place of Lament Before Forgiveness 28:25 Giving Ourselves Permission to Feel Anger 29:10 Understanding the Layers of Forgiveness 29:46 What If We Get Stuck in Our Pain? 30:44 Preparing Our Nervous Systems for Healing 33:08 A Personal Story of Inner Healing 36:54 The Heart Behind The Presence Project 38:37 Breathwork and Embodied Spiritual Practices 39:27 The Moments Before Sleep 43:26 Beginning the Day with God's Presence 45:28 Guided Contemplative Scripture Practice 54:32 Resources and Closing Thoughts    

E192 | The Power of Slow Healing: Aundi Kolber on Trauma and Transformation In this Face to Face podcast episode, Melinda and Cathy share updates from the Immanuel Institute, including 21 people in Level I and an upcoming Level II cohort starting November 30, emphasizing experiential training, coaching triads, community, and trauma-informed education.  They welcome licensed professional counselor and bestselling author Aundi Kolber (Try Softer, Strong Like Water, Take What You Need), who explains how a traumatic childhood and later life transitions led her into therapy and trauma work. Kolber discusses why healing is often slow and gentle rather than a quick fix, critiques performative faith and spiritual bypassing, and describes shame as a belonging-threatening force shaped by attachment patterns.    She addresses relational over-reliance, titration as gradual change, and why body-based approaches matter, outlining nervous system concepts like the window of tolerance, fight/flight, and dissociation, and connecting embodiment to Christian theology through Jesus' incarnation. 00:00 Welcome & Immanuel Institute Update 03:39 Introducing Aundi Kolber 04:05 Aundi's Path to Therapy 08:45 Why Slow Healing Works 18:06 Shame, Performance & Attachment 29:18 Secure Attachment with God 39:36 The Body & Nervous System 53:15 What's Next for Aundi 55:29 Closing Thanks https://aundikolber.com/about-me/ www.immanuelinstitute.com

E191 | Stories That Heal: An Intimate Talk with William Paul Young Paul Young on Return to the Shack, Death Row Friendships, and Living in the Grace of the Moment Melinda and Cathy welcome back author Paul Young to discuss his new book, Return to the Shack (releasing October 6), describing it as a continuation rather than a sequel and noting it expands the cast into a "choir," with larger roles for Nan and the community around Mack. Young shares how the story began through a decade-long relationship with men on death row in Nashville, inspiring questions about what happens in Mack's life 10 years after The Shack, including grief, forgiveness, justice, and facing the serial killer directly. He emphasizes staying present ("pass the salt"), how anxiety affects the body, and his shift away from trying to fix people toward being a loving presence, rejecting ideology and categorization. The conversation also touches on trauma-informed perspectives in prison, the difference between vengeance and healing, and Young's reflections on God's kindness, wholeness, and the connection between grief and joy. 00:28 Welcome Back 02:30 The Interview Begins 03:14 Pass the Salt 06:05 Return to the Shack 07:46 Death Row Relationships 24:33 Identity & Love vs. Ideology 35:22 The Prison System & Trauma 41:56 Closing Reflections www.immanuelinstitute.com  

E190 | Lysa TerKeurst | Navigating Control and Trust   Lysa TerKeurst on Control, Anxiety, and Trusting God with the Outcome | Melinda Wilson and Cathy Little celebrate reaching episode 190, noting the long wait and technical issues that shortened their interview with Lysa TerKeurst. TerKeurst, Proverbs 31 Ministries president and bestselling author, shares how her husband's double life led to an unwanted divorce and shaped her recent books on rejection, forgiveness, boundaries, trust, and her new release, Making Peace With What I Can't Control. She explains how anxiety and fear often drive controlling tendencies, contrasting responsibility with control and emphasizing the need to trust God with outcomes. TerKeurst offers practical steps: recognize when fear is motivating control, commit to reality, and mentally release what is outside one's control to God, while staying self-controlled and practicing surrender.  00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:28 Season Update And Milestones 01:24 Introducing Lysa TerKeurst 03:52 Conversation Begins 05:52 Lysa Story And Calling 08:17 Fear Behind Control 15:34 Trusting God With Outcomes 19:44 Responsible Vs Controlling 21:50 Practicing Surrender Daily 24:19 Release And Surrender Tools 26:40 Book Details And Release Date 29:16 Wrap Up And Farewell https://lysaterkeurst.com/ Register for Level 1 - Immanuel Approach for Life: www.immanuelinstitute.com/for-life 

The Secure Soul: Healing Through Presence, Parts Work, and God's With-ness Therapist and psychologist of religion Dr. Alison Cook explains her work at the intersection of attachment wounds, emotional life, and how people experience God, including her training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and her books Boundaries for Your Soul and The Secure Soul. She and discusses with us "with-ness" and presence as central to healing, contrasting quick-fix problem solving and religious bypassing with learning to be with uncomfortable parts without shame.  Cook outlines her "recognize and return" practice, the need for compassion, curiosity, and containment, and how grief and exiled emotions can feel overwhelming and may require support. She shares her personal history of panic attacks, disembodiment, and discovering IFS, plus cultural trends in parenting, psychology, and evangelical language that can reward disembodiment. Cook promotes her latest book: The Secure Soul (released Aug 18), a family roles quiz, and an 8-minute daily devotional podcast unpacking scripture through psychology.  01:53 Introduction & Alison's Background 13:54 The Parts Framework (IFS) 17:18 Grief & the Healing Process 37:41 Christianity, Shame & Compassion 53:09 Closing & Where to Find Alison https://www.dralisoncook.com/ Register for Level 1 - Immanuel Approach, Go to: www.immanuelinstitute.com/for-life

 E188 | Susan Carson | Safe Enough to Heal: Why the Church Gets Trauma Wrong and What to Do Instead Welcome to the Face to Face podcast and episode 188 with spiritual director and author Susan Carson. Susan tells her story of meeting Jesus at 18, later experiencing spiritual trauma, and moving into a contemplative path of prayer and inner healing. We talk about how neuroscience, Christian mystics (especially Julian of Norwich), and the biblical idea of kenosis (Philippians 2) come together in her "safe space" approach—noise-free, shame-free, and formula-free—focused on embodied, face-to-face connection. We discuss how church environments can be unsafe and harmful, why healing is low-and-slow rather than a quick fix, what it cost Susan relationally (including LGBTQIA+ convictions), and her new book releasing May 5, with more at susancarson.net. Instagram: @susancarsonauthor YouTube: @SusanCarson Substack: @susancarsonauthor 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:29 Episode Intro and Summer Plans 02:38 Meet Susan Carson 05:04 Her Spiritual Journey 08:17 Mystics Meet Neuroscience 12:29 Kenosis and Healing Space 16:14 Good News After Deconstruction 23:10 Church Safety and Trauma 25:47 Book Controversies and Costs 28:13 Safety and Trauma Basics 29:05 Church Culture and Safe Spaces 29:50 Leaders Doing Inner Work 31:23 The Quick Fix Myth 32:33 Contemplative Healing Journey 36:59 What Contemplative Really Means 39:22 Low and Slow Rewiring 42:40 Book Takeaways and Release Info 45:50 Thesis Origins and Farewell 47:05 Podcast Wrap Up

In episode 187,  we welcome Dr. Jason Swan Clark, a professor, spiritual director, former pastor, and theologian, who recounts his traumatic childhood, coming to faith at 17, decades of church planting and pastoral leadership, a nervous breakdown at 30, and ongoing work integrating mental health and faith. Jason describes how suffering shaped his leadership, distinguishes healing from transformation, and explains Ignatian spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises, including consolation/desolation and a practical discernment process. He closes with a personal story of meeting Jesus in Gethsemane through the Exercises during COVID and shares where to find his work online. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:29 Episode 187 Milestone 01:14 Institute Updates 02:40 Meet Jason Swan Clark 04:25 Setting the Conversation 06:17 Jason's Origin Story 08:34 Breakdown and Calling 09:45 Waverley Abbey Vision 13:21 Trauma Survival and Escape 18:20 Workaholism as Coping 24:22 Trauma Shaping Leadership 31:10 Healing vs Transformation 34:46 Wanting More Than Healing 36:30 Healing Through Participation 40:04 Embracing the Cross 42:25 Trauma and Purpose 46:30 Ignatius and the Exercises 51:34 Discernment Made Practical 01:00:18 Freedom and Attachments 01:05:32 Gethsemane Stay Awake 01:07:24 Closing and Where to Find Jason   https://www.spex.so/ https://www.jasonswanclark.org/

E186 | Paul Young | Embracing Uncertainty: Finding Truth in the Unknowing - Part 2 Paul Young (Part 2) on Prayer as Relationship, 12-Step Community, Healing vs Curing, and Return to the Shack In episode 186 (Part 2) of the Face to Face Podcast, we continue our conversation with Paul Young, discussing prayer as ongoing conversation within relationship and how spiritual practices can help but often need community to endure. We talk about honesty without fixing, and how close relationships expose areas needing healing. The conversation explores reclaiming inner wisdom, resisting church-driven codependency, and transformation from the inside out. Paul shares updates on Return to the Shack: A Journey into Redemption (releasing October 6, with a special Shack hardback including three sequel chapters) and a large-scale Shack stage musical in Germany planned for spring 2029. He also addresses living with epilepsy, seeking healing rather than curing, and using "unrighteous wealth" (platform/notoriety) shrewdly for the kingdom.   01:22 Trauma Course Plug 01:52 What Prayer Looks Like 03:43 Spiritual Practices Reframed 05:17 Bradley and AA Community 10:09 Why Community Heals 14:07 CODA and Not Fixing 17:21 Codependency and Self Trust 20:20 Poem on Voice and Boundaries 21:35 Sequel Release Plans 22:28 Musical Adaptation Update 25:10 Casting Connection Offer 25:51 Creative Process Reflections 27:06 Health and Epilepsy Journey 30:57 Unrighteous Wealth Parable 33:42 Using Platform for Kingdom 40:07 Revival and Union Talk 41:35 Podcast Farewell and Outro  

E185 | Paul Young | Embracing Uncertainty: Finding Truth in the Unknowing - Part 1 We are excited to  welcome back one of our favorites -  Paul Young (author of The Shack) for part one of a two-episode conversation, while also sharing updates on Immanuel Approach for Life Level 1 and 2 cohorts and a Wheaton College research team studying the model's efficacy.    Paul reflects on the necessity of "unknowing" as humility and openness, contrasting intellectual belief with whole-person trust and relational knowing. The discussion explores trauma and religious performance as obstacles to embodying God's goodness, emphasizing awareness of an always-present union/non-separation with God rather than earning it.  Paul critiques fear-based theology and transactional faith, reframes Hebrews 11's "substance" as Jesus, and offers a practical way to interrupt panic and future-tripping by asking, "What do I know is true right now?"   00:35 Training Cohorts Update 01:15 Research Study Spotlight 01:30 Introducing Paul Young 02:21 Cloud of Unknowing 02:46 Letting Go of Certainty 05:06 Trust Beyond Head Knowledge 12:09 Union Versus Awareness 13:44 Unconditional Father Love 20:06 Trauma Shapes Theology 23:24 Gods Character Questioned 25:45 Knowing Versus Believing 31:32 Removing Barriers to Love 31:55 Untangling Dark Religion 33:44 Grief Without Losing Trust 35:33 Separation Distorts Faith 36:59 Hospital Story Faith Shame 41:31 Hebrews 11 Jesus Substance 45:03 Union Mystics And Indwelling 50:08 Eden God Never Turns Away 53:17 Agency Submission Not Control 55:04 Fear Love And Inner Work 58:41 Present Tense Stops Panic 01:00:11 Closing Thanks And Outro

Episode 184: Dr. Bob Schuchts on Healing the Whole Person, Spiritual Formation, and Bridging Catholic–Protestant Divides On Episode 184 of the Face to Face Podcast, we welcome Dr. Bob Schuchts, founder of the John Paul II Healing Center, to discuss healing ministry from a Catholic perspective and its overlap with the Immanuel Approach. Dr. Schuchts shares his background as a longtime therapist, a pivotal spiritual encounter that led him to study many prayer modalities, and his current work offering healing and training conferences that emphasize safety, surrender to the Holy Spirit, abiding, discerning inner movements, addressing barriers, and practicing prayer ministry. The conversation explores healing as an ongoing encounter with God's love and truth that brings wholeness and communion, the link between healing prayer and spiritual formation, the "seven deadly wounds," and how sacraments and interdenominational bridge-building relate to unity and integrity in the body of Christ.  00:29 Episode and Course Updates 01:11 Meet Dr Bob Schuchts 03:13 Bob's Healing Journey 07:15 Training and Conferences 11:59 Healing and Formation 15:50 Seven Deadly Wounds 22:19 Catholic and Protestant Bridges 24:50 Baptism and Salvation 26:10 Confession and Forgiveness 27:09 Eucharist and Real Presence 27:42 Confirmation Marriage Orders 29:14 Anointing and Healing 29:50 Sacraments Heal Roots 30:44 Bridging Denominations 35:05 Unity and Communion Boundaries 39:49 Integrity and Marriage Analogy 42:29 Healing Grace and Cooperation 44:00 Resources and Closing Thanks