Show Notes
Do you approach confession with anxiety, feeling like you're about to be judged and condemned? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks how to heal an unhealthy, fear-based approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Drawing on insights from Father Jacques Philippe and reflecting on God's justice as restoration (not punishment), Adam helps listeners understand confession as a return to spousal love rather than a trip to the principal's office. Topics covered:
Why confession often feels like judgment instead of mercy Understanding God's justice as restoration, not retribution The spousal love context between Christ and the Church Why God's forgiveness is available immediately when we sin How to avoid the lie that "nothing matters until I get to confession" Staying focused on God's mercy instead of our own weakness
This is an invitation to approach the sacrament with peace, freedom, and trust in the Father's love. Have questions? Visit my website: adamcrossmft.com Adam Cross, LMFT #116623
More from The Catholic Therapist
Can you love yourself the way God loves you? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks an unexpected fruit of intimacy with God: a healthy, holy love of self rooted in being God's beloved. Topics covered:
Who's really driving your healing, you, or your anxiety? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) explores a pattern he sees often in the therapy room: clients whose anxiety or OCD quietly takes charge of the healing process, driven by a fear that anything less than total control means they won't be okay. Topics covered:
Does trusting God's mercy mean you'll just get complacent with sin? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) unpacks a fear he sees constantly in the therapy room, especially with clients struggling with scrupulosity and OCD: that leaning into God's mercy means letting themselves off the hook. Topics covered:
Is it possible to fear God and trust him at the same time? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) sits down with Dr. Anthony Isacco, licensed psychologist and Director of Training for the PsyD program at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, for his third appearance on the show. Together they untangle one of the most common, and most misunderstood, tensions in the spiritual life: the fear of the Lord. Topics covered:
What if the scariest part of a horror movie isn't the monster, but the isolation? In this episode, Catholic therapist Adam Cross, LMFT (#116623) reviews the horror film "Obsession" and unpacks what it reveals about consent, codependency, and what it truly means to love. Topics covered: