The Catholic Coaching Podcast

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288. How to Find Peace at the Foot of the Cross | Ignatian Discernment Mar 18, 2026

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How to Find Peace at the Foot of the Cross | Ignatian Discernment
Feeling "better" doesn't always mean you've found God's will. Often, the enemy mimics peace to stop our spiritual growth, leading us toward "relief" (the removal of pressure) rather than true "Peace" (the tranquility of order).
In today's episode, we dive deep into the Ignatian tools for discernment. Whether you are facing a career change, a relationship struggle, or a vocational question, these tests will help you stay grounded in Christ even when the "cross" appears.
In this video, we cover:
• The Cross Test: Does your peace remain even when things get difficult?
• The Depth Test: Is your peace rooted beneath your emotions or just on the surface?
• The Truth Test: Are you being honest about all the facts, or just justifying avoidance?
• The Detachment Test: Are you a “reed blowing in the wind,” or are you clinging to one outcome?
• The Time Test: Why you should never make a major decision during an emotional swing.
• Reflection Question: “Does this decision move me toward God, or merely away from discomfort?”

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Peace or Relief? A Catholic Guide to Discernment Mar 11, 2026

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What’s the difference between God’s peace and emotional relief?
In this episode of The Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin talk about one of the most important discernment mistakes people make: confusing relief with peace.
Relief can feel good in the moment. It can feel like pressure is gone, tension has lifted, or discomfort has stopped. But that does not always mean a decision is from God.
Peace is different.
True peace is deeper, steadier, and rooted in truth, surrender, and right relationship with God. It can remain even when a decision still feels difficult, sacrificial, or scary.
In this conversation, we cover:
• the difference between peace and relief
• why relief can be misleading in discernment
• how the enemy can mimic peace through relief
• why fear and discomfort do not automatically mean you are outside God’s will
• examples from our own lives where relief and peace felt very different
If you are trying to discern God’s will, make a big decision, or grow in spiritual maturity, this episode will help you slow down and listen more carefully.
If this episode helps you, please like, subscribe, and share it with a friend.

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286. One Mom Built a Global Catholic Ministry During Nap Time (Lisa Brenninkmey Mar 04, 2026

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In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt & Erin sit down with Lisa Brenninkmeyer, founder of Walking With Purpose, one of the most influential Catholic women’s Bible studies in the world.
Lisa shares the origin story of Walking With Purpose (started during nap time as a small group of moms!) and the principles that helped it grow through grassroots evangelization—without losing the heart of the mission.
We talk about:
•How to create a judgment-free Bible study culture (and why “hot button topics” can derail discipleship)
•Why leadership formation matters more than “warm body” volunteering
•Why ministry is lonely—and how coaching/support prevents burnout
•The biggest poverty in lay leadership: many haven’t heard the Gospel proclaimed compellingly
•“Restore the initiative to God” (and why prayer changes strategy)
•What it looks like to love first, especially when reaching the margins
•How to hold family vocation + mission in the right tension
Lisa also shares details about the Flourish Conference in St. Louis:
📍 Flourish Conference (Walking With Purpose)
🗓 April 17–19, 2026 | St. Louis
https://walkingwithpurpose.com/event/flourish-2026-wwp-womens-conference/
🔗 Learn more about Walking With Purpose:
walkingwithpurpose.com
If this episode encouraged you, like, subscribe, and share it with a woman who needs hope, identity, and mission right now.

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285. Why You Keep Self-Sabotaging (More Thinking Errors Explained) Feb 25, 2026

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Why You Keep Self-Sabotaging (More Thinking Errors Explained)
Self-sabotage doesn’t just show up in habits — it shows up in how we think.
In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin continue their series on self-sabotage by unpacking more cognitive distortions — the thinking errors that quietly distort reality and keep old belief systems in place.
These distortions feel true.
They sound logical.
They even feel protective.
But they often:
•Strain relationships
•Create shame and resentment
•Fuel anxiety and overwhelm
•Reinforce limiting identity beliefs
•Keep you stuck in self-sabotage
In this episode, we cover:
•Mind reading & jumping to conclusions
•Fortune telling
•Magnification & minimization
•Emotional reasoning (“I feel it, so it’s true”)
•Should statements
•Labeling & mislabeling
•Personalization & blame
You’ll learn practical coaching tools like:
•How to separate facts from interpretations
•How to challenge “should” thinking
•How to reclaim your locus of control
•How to replace presumption with curiosity
•How to dismantle identity-based labels
This is the fourth episode in our Belief Series — and these tools are foundational for real growth.
If you’re tired of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, resentful, or constantly second-guessing yourself… this episode will help.

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284. Why You Keep Self-Sabotaging (And How to Stop) Feb 18, 2026

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Why You Keep Self-Sabotaging (And How to Stop)
Have you ever had a goal you wanted to pursue… but something in you kept pulling the brakes?
That’s self-sabotage—and in this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin explain what’s happening beneath the surface: cognitive distortions (thinking errors… aka lies) that quietly keep your belief system stuck in place.
They use a powerful analogy: your mind is like an operating system. If you avoid the “software updates,” the bugs don’t disappear—they grow… until your system starts breaking down.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
•Why self-sabotage often feels protective (but blocks growth)
•What cognitive distortions are and how they reinforce beliefs
•How distortions create shame, perfectionism, overwhelm, and paralysis
•A Catholic lens on truth, the intellect, and freedom (Aquinas + CBT)
•Real examples of common distortions, including:
•All-or-nothing thinking (“If it’s not perfect, I’m a failure.”)
•Black-and-white moral labeling (“If I’m not a perfect Christian, I’m a hypocrite.”)
•Overgeneralization (“This always happens… it’ll never change.”)
•Mental filtering (obsessing over the 2% you missed)
•Discounting the positive (“That doesn’t count… it was a fluke.”)
And most importantly: you’ll get practical coaching tools you can use on yourself (or with clients) to start dismantling these thought patterns and step into a healthier, truth-aligned mindset.
This is the first of two episodes where we go deep on cognitive distortions—so make sure you’re subscribed for the next one.

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283. How to Create New Beliefs (The Belief Ladder Explained) Feb 11, 2026

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How to Create New Beliefs (The Belief Ladder Explained)
Why doesn’t positive thinking work?
In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin continue their series on beliefs by teaching The Belief Ladder—a gentle, structured way to create new beliefs without forcing yourself to believe something you don’t yet believe.
Last episode, we talked about how to challenge and break old beliefs.
This week, we focus on the other half of the work: intentionally building new beliefs that lead to real, lasting change.
You’ll learn:
•Why you can’t jump straight from a limiting belief to an ideal one
•What a ladder belief is (and why it works)
•How God designed the mind to change through evidence, repetition, and safety
•The 7 steps of the Belief Ladder:
•Goal-setting with God
•Identifying your current stuck belief
•Naming the identity you’re becoming
•Creating believable “adjacent possible” thoughts
•Building process beliefs
•Gathering real evidence
•Anchoring new identity beliefs
•Why shame, perfectionism, and self-gaslighting keep people stuck
•How to grow into a new identity without rejecting where you are now
This process is especially powerful if you struggle with:
•Self-doubt or shame
•Perfectionism
•Consistency and discipline
•Fear of change
•“I know what I should believe, but I don’t yet”
👉 If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode on breaking old beliefs, we recommend starting there—these two episodes work together.
And if you want support walking through this process, visit the Metanoia Catholic coach directory and connect with a trained Catholic mindset coach.
👍 Like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who feels stuck on the bottom rung.

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282. How to Change Your Beliefs | Catholic Mindset Coaching Feb 04, 2026

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Ever notice this? You start walking toward something you know God is calling you to… and suddenly your mind floods with “I can’t,” “I’m not capable,” “I’ll fail,” “I’m an imposter.”
That’s not random—it’s often a belief system at work.
In this episode, Matt and Erin begin a brand-new series on The Power of Beliefs—and how to actually change them through Catholic mindset coaching (with Jesus, not willpower alone).
We cover:
• What a belief is (and why it’s more than “just a thought”)
• Beliefs vs. thoughts: renters vs. residents
• Why beliefs can feel like facts (even when they’re not)
• How beliefs shape identity (“I am / I am not…”)
• The mind’s “filter” that looks for evidence to confirm what you already believe
• Why beliefs often feel protective… until you look at the fruit
• A practical process to start shifting beliefs:
1. Believe change is possible
2. Trace where the belief leads (feelings → actions → results)
3. Diffuse (“I notice I’m believing…”)
4. Challenge with humble questions (“How might I be wrong?”)
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same patterns—anger, procrastination, people-pleasing, emotional eating, fear, avoidance—there’s often a deeper belief underneath it.
👉 And if you want support, check out the coach directory at Metanoia Catholic and walk through this work with someone trained to help you untangle it.
Find a coach here - https://www.metanoiacatholic.com/certified-catholic-coaches
👍 Like & subscribe – God Bless!

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281. Dating a Phlegmatic | Catholic Temperaments Jan 28, 2026

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Dating a Phlegmatic | Catholic Temperaments
Dating (or married to) a phlegmatic? This episode is for you.
Matt and Erin continue our Temperaments in Dating series with a deep dive into the phlegmatic temperament—aka the steady, loyal, harmony-loving “glue” in so many relationships. We walk through practical do’s and don’ts that can help you avoid unnecessary conflict, communicate better, and create an environment where a phlegmatic can actually flourish.
You’ll learn:
•Why rushing or pressuring a phlegmatic backfires
•How criticism can make them withdraw
•Why drama/instability drains them fast
•The truth behind “they’re lazy” (they’re usually just conserving
energy)
•How to invite vulnerability without forcing it
•How quiet resentment builds—and how to prevent it
•The phlegmatic superpower: steadfastness + consistency

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280. Dating a Melancholic | Catholic Temperaments Jan 21, 2026

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Dating a Melancholic | Catholic Temperaments
In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, we continue our Temperaments in Dating series with the Melancholic temperament.
If you’re a Catholic single dating someone who’s melancholic (or you are melancholic), this one will help you sidestep common pitfalls—like dismissing emotions, rushing decisions, or taking silence personally—and replace them with practical “do’s” that build trust, clarity, and real connection.
We talk about:
• The biggest don’ts when dating a melancholic
• How to validate emotions without validating the story
• Why melancholics need time to process decisions
• How to handle perfectionism and high ideals in a healthy way
• What actually helps them feel safe, seen, and understood

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279. Dating a Sanguine | Catholic Temperaments Jan 14, 2026

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Dating a Sanguine can be amazing… and also confusing if you don’t understand what they need.
In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin continue their Temperaments & Dating series with the Sanguine temperament—sharing practical do’s and don’ts to help Catholic singles build connection, avoid common triggers, and date with clarity.
You’ll learn:
• Why criticism and judgment can shut a Sanguine down
• Why Sanguines react strongly to feeling controlled or “boxed in”
• How to avoid unnecessary conflict by respecting their need for freedom
• Why their playfulness isn’t shallowness
• How to connect through joy, creativity, and emotional expression
• Simple ways to be more engaging on dates (even if you’re introverted)

👍 Like & subscribe — next up: Melancholic and Phlegmatic.

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