Always Hope

Do you struggle getting dates? Are you sick of apps? Do you struggle knowing how to be able to talk to girls when you even go on dates? Then maybe it’s time to try speed dating. But how?

Today, I sit down with Taylor O'Brien, co-founder and CEO of Candid, a Catholic speed dating app. We explore the world of speed dating and how it fills the gap between traditional dating apps and local meet...

Can't seem to figure out why you and your spouse argue over that same dumb thing? It's exhausting, isn't it? In today's episode, we're going to talk about why that pattern exists and what we can do to break it. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I understand that couples often fall into repetitive arguments that seem trivial but are rooted in deeper issues. This episode dives into the dynamics of our ...

Maybe you’ve heard the term but don’t really know what Attachment Theory is. Well, this episode is your introductory masterclass into all things attachment.

Joining me on the podcast today is Adam Lane Smith, licensed marriage and family therapist and relationship coach, to dive into everything attachment: we discuss the different attachment styles, how they are shaped, how they impact conf...

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 ...

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 conversatio...

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 Ca...

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 y...

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...

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 m...

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 surrende...

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,...

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 goin...

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 divi...

With 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 Instagr...

In this solo episode of the Always Hope Podcast, I dive into a question I often hear: "When should I seek counseling, and when is it time to consider medication?" As a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 20 years of experience, I want to provide you with practical guidance on this important topic. We'll explore the differences between depression and anxiety, how to recognize when you're feeling "st...

I consider Catholicism to be a reasonable faith. One that doesn’t exist in extremes and by doing so can speak to all sides of an issue. And yes, that includes modern feminist theory.  

So today, I sit down with Dr. Kevin Stuart to discuss the creation of a new Catholic Women's and Gender Studies program at the University of St. Thomas. We dive into the tension between traditional Catholic v...

We all know what it feels like to be drowning under a pile of work or overwhelmed by difficulties beyond our control. Those moments when our emotions become overwhelming, and we lose a reference point to keep us stable.

That feeling of being out-of-control is encapsulated by the symbolism of water in scripture, and that’s what we are diving into in today’s episode. Through stories from the ...

Why do most people feel like the dating scene has become a dumpster fire? What are the unique challenges faced by Catholic young adults? What is the #1 complaint by women? What is the #1 complaint by men? And what can we do make this whole things a little more enjoyable?

Joining me on the show is Rachel Hoover Canto, author of the book “Pretty Good Catholic: How to find, date, and marry som...

Have you ever tried pursuing a dream only for it to blow up in your face? Have you followed God's call only to encounter hardships beyond anything you could have previously imagined? What do you do afterward? How do you pick up the pieces and keep going? That's what we are unpacking in today's episode of Always Hope.

In today's show, I explore why God allows us to fail, offer four steps for...