The Catholic Coaching Podcast

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....

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...

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.

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 ...

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: y...

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.

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).<...

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 ...

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 “...

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 S...

Dating can feel intense—especially when strong personalities, clear goals, and big expectations enter the picture.

In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin kick off a new Temperaments & Dating series by focusing on the Choleric temperament and what Catholic singles need to know when dating one (or discovering they are one).

You’ll learn:
•How Cholerics approach dating, goals, and com...

In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt sits down with Catholic therapist Dr. Gerry Crete to talk about a growing challenge in today’s mental health conversations: the overuse and misunderstanding of psychological language.

Words like trauma, narcissism, abuse, and mental health are being used more than ever—but are we always using them correctly?

Together, they explore:
 • When therapy language...

In this Christmas episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin unpack the hidden Christian message woven into these beloved classics. Through a mindset-coaching lens, they explore how these stories reveal conversion, repentance, gratitude, and redemption—even though they’re not explicitly religious films.

Using the idea of metanoia (a deep interior shift of heart and mind), they break down:
 • George Bailey’...

Dating as a Catholic—especially in college—can feel overwhelming, confusing, and high-pressure. Between time constraints, expectations, fear of temptation, and the desire to “do it right,” many people end up stuck or avoiding dating altogether.

In this episode of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin coach through real survey responses from Catholic college students who shared their biggest struggles with dating. Us...

Dating in Catholic college can feel weirdly intense: pressure to get married, gossip on small campuses, fear of “leading someone on,” and a ton of unspoken rules about how it’s supposed to go.

In Episode 274 of the Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt and Erin put on their Catholic dating coach hats and walk through real survey responses from students at a Catholic college. They do “hypothetical coaching” on:

🔹 “Moder...

What if Catholic dating wasn’t just swiping, overthinking, and feeling like “there’s no one out there”… but real conversations, real formation, and real freedom?

In this episode of The Catholic Coaching Podcast, Matt & Erin sit down with Taylor O’Brien, founder of Candid Dating — a Catholic speed dating app and events apostolate that’s exploding in popularity (including huge events at SEEK).

Taylor shares the ...

Ever tried to “help” someone change… and just ended up exhausted, resentful, or shut out? 😵‍💫

This is Part 2 of our series on virtuous influence—how to help others change for the good while fully honoring their freedom and dignity.

In this episode, Matt and Erin share 5 interior dispositions that transform the way you show up in tough relationships, especially when someone you love keeps choosing badly:

Have you ever tried to “help” someone change… and they just dug in their heels? 😅

More resentment. More distance. Zero real change.

In this episode, Matt and Erin from Metanoia Catholic break down how to influence virtuously so you can help others change for the good without controlling, nagging, or manipulating.

This is Part 1 of a 2-part series on virtuous influencing – how to make a real impression on...

“Did I miss my calling?” “Is this really God’s will?”
If you’ve ever wrestled with those questions, this episode is for you.

In this conversation, Matt sits down with Stacey Sumereau—former Broadway performer, reality TV discerner (“Sisterhood: Becoming Nuns”), host of the Called and Caffeinated podcast, Catholic wife, mom of five, and special needs mother. Stacey shares how God led her from the stage to a deeply hidde...