Fear of God vs. Anxiety: Finding the Healthy Balance

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:

Healthy fear versus anxiety and scrupulosity

Why so many Catholics struggle to admit they have a good relationship with God

Pope Leo's teaching on human dignity as unearned, not achieved

Discipline as an expression of a father's love, not rejection

Parts work, Internal Family Systems, and integrating psychology with Catholic spirituality

Practical tools for working through fear: thought records, perspective-taking, and the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity

Whatever your relationship with fear looks like right now, this conversation offers a path back to trust, and a reminder that God is a father, not a master.

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