Episode 25: Trinitas Unleashed: A Bold New Approach to Spiritual Direction

💡 Our podcast is completely crowd-funded. If these conversations matter to you, would you consider partnering with us? Learn more here: https://keap.page/mlh527/podcast-affiliate-landing-page.html Summary This episode of Between Heaven and Earth with Justin and Amy Howard features Paula Schrod, a therapist and spiritual director, sharing her experience with Encounter Culture Mission Collaborative (ECMC). ECMC integrates therapy, spiritual direction, and healing prayer to create safe spaces rooted in God’s love and emotional health. Paula describes a life-changing encounter with Jesus through ECMC and highlights how therapy and spiritual direction work together in discipleship. The conversation also introduces Trinitas, a two-year training program co-created by Amy and Paula that blends liturgical, charismatic, and evangelical traditions to equip pastors, therapists, and lay leaders for spiritual direction. The episode emphasizes supporting pastors through trained spiritual directors, using practical tools like the “four R’s” (repent, renounce, release, receive), and prioritizing God’s love over behavior management in true healing and transformation. Highlights 🌟 ECMC blends therapy, spiritual direction, and healing prayer. 💖 God’s love is central to healing and growth. 🎓 Trinitas unites three Christian traditions in training. 🤝 Spiritual directors lighten pastoral burdens. 🛠️ The “four R’s” give simple steps for healing. Key Insights 💡 Therapy + Direction Together: Both disciplines complement each other, countering evangelical stigma around therapy. 💡 Love First: Experiencing God’s love is essential for lasting change. 💡 Trinitas as a Bridge: Training draws on evangelical, charismatic, and liturgical streams for holistic formation. 💡 Shared Pastoral Care: Lay spiritual directors help prevent burnout and strengthen communities. 💡 Practical Tools: The “four R’s” provide an easy framework for daily healing. Overall, this episode invites listeners into a vision of discipleship that unites emotional health, spiritual formation, and healing prayer—equipping a new generation of spiritual directors to bring renewal in churches and communities.