158: Holy Ghosting: Surviving the Catholic Dating Scene | Maria Mitchell
Release Date: 10/23/2024
168. How to Accept Differences in Marriage
Always Hope
Why is it that the things that initially attracted us to our spouse are the same things that drive us crazy? I’ve been married for 22 years and a marriage therapist for 20 and I get it. So today, we are going to breakdown how to embrace those differences and not see them as an obstacle to intimacy. I share some great stories in this episode that make these points super practical. Tune in to learn more about how to navigate these challenges and build a stronger, more collaborative relationship. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: Embracing Differences in Marriage 01:03 Yes, She’s a...
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167. The Importance of Curiosity and Play in Marriage | Dr. Steve Call
Always Hope
Are you a young married couple struggling to learn the essential ingredients for a thriving marriage? As a therapist, I know that we all have great intentions when we get married but may not know exactly how to make our marriage work. In this episode of the Always Hope Podcast, I had the incredible opportunity to chat with Dr. Steve Call, a renowned marriage therapist and author. We have a wonderful conversation about his book, A Deep-Rooted Marriage, co-authored with Dr. Dan Allender. Dr. Call detailed what it means to have a marriage with deep roots and emphasized the importance of...
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166. Life, Work, and #adulting | Peter Blute
Always Hope
Today I welcome Peter Blute, the executive director of Young Catholic Professionals, to discuss the challenges young professionals face when entering the workforce. Thank you for joining us as we tackle everything from discerning job transitions and building professional skills, to integrating faith into your daily work life. Peter explains the unique role YCP plays in supporting young Catholics by providing them with a community that combines faith, career, and personal development. We also discuss the dynamics of the modern work environment, especially focusing on qualities unique to...
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165. Waiting for Long Held Dreams: SEEK and 2025.
Always Hope
In this episode, I take a moment to share my gratitude for your unwavering support over the past six years and celebrate an incredible milestone—speaking at SEEK! Which was just an incredible experience; a culmination of 18 years of hard work and perseverance. This journey has been anything but linear, but it's taught me the value of faith, determination, and hope. As we step into 2025, a year the Holy Father has declared as the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope, I’m excited to share what's happening with the podcast and how you can be part of these next steps! Thank you for being part of...
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164: Unlocking the Joy of Belief (Advent Series 3) | Dr. Tom Neal
Always Hope
For many of us, belief isn’t always easy. Life throws curveballs. Promises don’t pan out the way we thought they would. Secularism raises doubts in our minds. It’s hard to reconcile the joy we sing about this time of year with the struggles we face in our day-to-day lives. But belief doesn’t always start with clarity. Sometimes, it starts in the messiness of life, when everything feels out of alignment. That’s where Christ finds us. That’s the story of Christmas. And that’s where this episode begins—by looking at faith not as a perfect, clean answer, but as a journey. A journey...
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163: Discovering Grace in Unexpected Places: It’s A Wonderful Life (Advent Series 2)
Always Hope
Today, I reflect on the greatest Christmas movie of all time, It’s a Wonderful Life and what it teaches us about hope, healing, and finding meaning in life’s challenges. George Bailey’s story is all of us—navigating dreams, disappointments, and the tension between personal desires and the needs of others. It’s a story of sacrifice, resilience, and ultimately, grace showing up in the most unexpected ways, like misfit second class angels. This is the second part of my Advent series on Hope and Healing, last week we talked about acceptance (please check out that episode)....
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162: How to Accept the Hardships of Life (Advent Series 1) | Steven Hryniewicz
Always Hope
Well, here we are. Advent. And today’s episode is the beginning of a four-part series on Advent, that will teach how to make this season into one of healing and hope. And we begin our reflections by unpacking the term acceptance. As we enter into Advent, I want to ask: are you struggling with accepting the year that has been? Have things not worked out the way you wanted, and are a little unsure how to surrender it to God? If so, I’m happy you found this episode. Joining me on the podcast, to help unpack acceptance is Steven Hryniewicz, a skilled practitioner in Acceptance and Commitment...
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161: Navigating Intimacy as a Newlywed Couple | Mary Bruno
Always Hope
In this episode, Dr. Mario Sacasa sits down with Mary Bruno, author of Missing Pieces: Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women, to explore the realities of intimacy in marriage. Mary opens up about her personal journey with vaginismus and endometriosis, shedding light on the challenges newlyweds face in building emotional and physical connection. They discuss setting realistic expectations for the wedding night, the importance of open communication, and practical tips for navigating intimacy challenges. Whether you're newly engaged or have been married for years, this conversation offers hope,...
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160: Ask Her Out: A No-Nonsense Guide for Catholic Men
Always Hope
In this episode, Dr. Mario Sacasa, LMFT speaks directly to men about how to approach dating with confidence and tact. Through years of working with Catholic singles, Dr. Sacasa has seen a common struggle: good, faithful men often feel intimidated or unsure about how to talk to women in a way that feels natural. So, today he is sharing a simple, three-step approach to help you start conversations, keep them going, and ultimately ask someone out—without cheesy pickup lines or awkward moments. Whether you're a seasoned dater or just starting out, this episode is all about building the skills to...
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159: Margaret Sanger vs. John Paul II: A Battle for Women’s Freedom | Dr. Sarah Denny Lorio
Always Hope
What if Margaret Sanger (Founder of Planned Parenthood) and St. John Paul II (Papal Juggernuat) sat down and debated their divergent ideas about personal freedom, choice, and women's dignity? That's the provocative question posed by today's guest, Dr. Sarah Denny Lorio, theologian and bioethicist. We unpack Sanger’s drive and reasoning, the birth control movement, and why she’s such a divisive figure (e.g. racism and eugenics). Then, we look at John Paul II’s powerful alternative: a view of freedom rooted in dignity, mutual respect, and honoring the differences between men and...
info_outlineWith Halloween just around the corner, let’s talk about humorously frightening online dating experiences. In this episode, I sit down with Maria Mitchell, the mind behind the hilarious Instagram account "Catholic Dating Nightmares." We dive into the wild world of Catholic dating, where unrealistic expectations and cringe-worthy profiles meet the need for humor and hope. Maria shares the story of how her Instagram started as a joke with friends and quickly became a community of people laughing through their dating struggles. (Laugh or cry right?) Not only does she share some highlights of her feed, but we also get into very clear practical advice about how to “market” yourself on dating apps, best practices for first dates, and knowing when to pull back from the dating scene should it become too discouraging. If you’re navigating the ups and downs of modern dating (or just need a good laugh), you won’t want to miss this one!
Catholic Dating Nightmares
Instagram: @catholicdatingnightmares
Not sure how to start a conversation with a someone you find attractive? Download my free Dating Toolkit at www.drmariosacasa.com/dating-toolkit
See the links below to offer financial assistance:
Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Charities Hurricane Helen Donations Page:
https://giving.classy.org/campaign/624511/donate
Diocese of St. Petersburg Hurricane Relief Fund:
https://www.givecentral.org/appeals-form-registration/acp5f44220f014e0/user/guest
To catch up on previous audio-only episodes click on the links below:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/always-hope/id1437447070
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1EfQGHAQLHkQcmHeWjlCJF?si=6e6199090a0b4f0c
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The content of Always Hope is for purely educational reasons and is not meant as a substitute for proper diagnosis and/or professional counseling. If you need psychological or counseling services, please contact a trusted therapist for assistance.