PsychoBible: Babbling about Psychology and Theology!

Reflecting upon a recent therapy question in which the client with a phobia asked if the point of counseling is to learn how to live life and do tasks while enduring anxiety or to help the anxiety go away. This brings up a broader issue in counseling in general as well as Christianity. Is the purpose of counseling to learn how to cope with mental disorders or to be healed of disorders? When we pray and follow God, will he answer by saving us from the struggle (deliverance) or giving us the strengths we need to persevere through the struggle (sustenance)? #ChristianCounseling #CounselingGoals #TherapyEquality Thanks for watching! Please remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe (hit the bell to be notified when I release a new video). If you would like to support the work I do and help me do more trainings, you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com or mail me at Andrew Rodriguez, PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless!

My symbolic analysis of Annihilation (2018) from a Christian psychology perspective. Annihilation is directed by Alex Garland, based on the book by Jeff VanderMeer, starring Natalie Portman, with Oscar Isaac, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Tuva Novotny. I found some symbolic patterns in the film reveal truths about ultimate meaning and even gender, as the story seems to be a distortion or inversion of the Genesis account of Creation and the Garden of Eden. It supports my thesis that focus on self and exclusion of God as the highest value leads to nihilism and self-destruction. #Annihilation #Symbolism #FilmAnalysis All footage and content from other parties and copyrighted material are used for commentary and fall under fair use. Please join me in discussing these ideas in the Comment section. If you like this video, please hit that Like button, Share, and Subscribe! If you would like to support my work, you can send a donation to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com via Google Pay or PayPal or PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless! -Andrew

The last of my old sermons with just audio (I added PowerPoints for this video). This sermon was my contribution to a series Pastor Bob was doing at True North Christian Church about Rebellion. I offer a psychological look at rebellion as a complement to Pastor's sermons, showing how there is a reason for rebellion and for the way in which people rebel against God. I explain how rebellion is idolatry in the form of codependency on others or self--rather than God--to meet basic needs. I spend a portion building my argument and expounding on my model of the 7 Longings. I was teaching as an adjunct professor at the University of Valley Forge at the time, so the theories of motivation were very fresh. And of course I was heavy into Jordan Peterson and the culture war, so I slip in some of my critique of secular humanism and identity politics. I must give credit to Dr. Troy Reiner for my definition of Codependency and the subtypes. For more, check out his playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIdOf-uDPen9tE0aeNtcMYkj3RF3RhfNF I also had literally moved that weekend, forced out of our old apartment by terrible new landlords. So, that story gets used as an illustration for sure! #Motivation #Codependency #Idolatry #ChristianPsychology If you would like to support the work I do, you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com or you can mail me at PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. Thank you so much for watching/listening. Please remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! God bless! -Andrew

My message to True North Christian Church's 2017 high school graduates. I draw a comparison between the Apostle Paul's unplanned visit to Athens (in Acts 17) and the strange new world our young adults (and the rest of us) find themselves in, especially if they are entering college. I draw from lessons we can learn from Paul's visits to Thessalonica and Berea before entering Athens to better prepare ourselves for dealing with the culture war, especially on the sexuality and gender identity front. I touch on LGBT issues quite a bit, and show how Theology of the Body provides some much-needed insight. I call for us to engage this new post-Christian culture with clarity and compassion, as well as competence in the culture's language and philosophy. In hindsight, there are a couple points I would re-word. But regardless, I look forward to engaging in some discussion on this one. Sorry, just audio, no camera; so I added my PowerPoint and other pics. #CultureWar #Classof2017 #GenderIdeology #PostmodernNeoMarxism #PostChristian #NewAtheism #SocialJusticeIdeology #Riots #AdviceforGraduates #OvertonWindow #TheologyoftheBody Please remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe. If you would like to support my work, you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com or mail to PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless! -Andrew

Here's the second sermon I preached at True North Christian Church! Sorry, just audio, so I added some pics and slides. The "guilt bucket" is an illustration I use with my clients to explain how we can carry only so much guilt. I explain what happens when your guilt bucket is full and not emptied. If left unresolved, it transforms into shame. Through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, God provides the solution to all of our guilt and shame! I lay down a lot of foundation to which I refer in later sermons, such as my psychological theory of our seven basic longings, the connection between pride and shame, and honor-shame culture dynamics. #Guilt #Shame #GuiltBucket #ChristianCounseling #FightingShame I pray this sermon is enlightening and encouraging for you! Please, remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe. If you would like to support the work I do, you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com or mail it to PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless! -Andrew

Here's a commentary on a recent interview Benjamin Boyce did with Logan McCree (Philip Tanzer). Logan is a men's rights activist whose sexual orientation expanded from homosexuality to heterosexuality. He shares details about his own life and worldview, as well as insights into the homosexual experience. I point out how his story serves as evidence supporting Joseph Nicolosi's developmental model for the etiology of male same-sex attraction. And his story gives support to my prediction that the growing men's rights and men's groups movements, as men grow in authentic masculinity together, will inevitably result in sexual orientation change in men with same-sex attraction toward heterosexuality. My hope is that such a phenomenon will open the secular counseling field to offer all options for people with unwanted SSA/homosexual behavior--SAFE-T (sexual attraction fluidity exploration in therapy) and not just gay-affirmative therapy. #TherapyEquality #SOCE #ExpandingintoHeterosexuality #LGBT #ExGay #UnwantedSSA #SameSexAttraction Benjamin Boyce's full interview with Logan McCree: https://youtu.be/W0i_auWDO28 Content from other creators is for the purpose of commentary and falls under Fair Use. Please share your thoughts in the Comment sections. And hit those Like and Subscribe buttons! If you would like to support the work I do, you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com or PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless! -Andrew

My review and recap of this year's conference of the Alliance for Therapeutic Choice & Scientific Integrity, which was in Glendale, AZ, the end of September 2019. I give a summary of the presentations I attended: Image Transformation Therapy by Robert Vazzo and David Pickup, The APA's Confessions and Transgressions by Laura Haynes, 4 Options Survey results by Christopher Rosik, An update on the longitudinal study begun by Joseph Nicolosi and Carolyn Pela, the Alliance's Client Protection Initiative by Geoff Heath, A New Family Systems Approach (part 2, continued from 2018) by Christopher Doyle, A Practical CBT Approach to SSA by Michael Cox, The Native Americans of Arizona by Janae Juarez, and the Formation of Sexual Appetite by Monica Breaux. Here's my first video about the Alliance: https://youtu.be/6_MzVzEiCFg Here are videos of Robert Vazzo and David Pickup doing the same presentation at the IFTCC Conference later in 2019: https://youtu.be/fakF46UvfAs https://youtu.be/NmPpUfUlHuA #TherapeuticChoice #ATCSI #UnwantedSSA #SOCE #Homosexuality Don't forget to Like, Comment, Share, and subscribe! If you would like to support the work I do (and help me go to more trainings), you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com, or mail me at PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless! -Andrew

I just needed to rant about a couple things. There's a new bill being proposed in Canada (S-260) that would effectively ban "conversion therapy," which they broadly define as "any practice, treatment or service designed to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity or to eliminate or reduce sexual attraction or sexual behaviour between persons of the same sex. For greater certainty, this definition does not include a surgical sex change or any related service." There have been similar bills proposed in different states and cities in the USA, and it's just a matter of time until there's a federal one. If you don't see or care how tyrannical such a law would be, you're part of the problem . . . which leads to the second part of my rant. A so-called Christian friend advocated the ban in the name of "social justice" and helping the "marginalized" FEEL safe, even after acknowledging that the work my colleagues and I do in this field is ethical and safe. I did not expect this video to be as long as it is, but I got on a roll. Here's my video on the Harm Myth in my series "Conversion Therapy" Myths & Misunderstandings: https://youtu.be/FcMyEVK9jPk #S260 #ConversionTherapy #TherapyEquality Don't forget to Like, Comment, Share, or Subscribe! If you would like to support the work I do, you can send a donation via Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com or mail me at PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. God bless!

On Nov. 20, 2019, I got to meet Christopher West and his wife, Wendy, at a teaching series he was doing, called Living the Joy of Love. It was through Christopher several years ago that I learned about Theology of the Body (TOB). In this video, I explain how TOB has influenced my counseling and teaching, and then I share what was covered in the teaching I just attended. Here is the video from the first time I have ever heard Christopher West speak, at the Restored Hope Network Conference in Lancaster, PA, in 2015: https://youtu.be/f0mX8cyrCQY A speaking engagement I did, discussing Sexuality and Gender, incorporating Theology of the Body: https://youtu.be/NFw3jHsL3vw A recent interview between Jonathan Pageau and Benjamin Boyce, in which Pageau discusses some aspects of masculinity and femininity which fit in with TOB: https://youtu.be/iy6cQaGuJHM #ChristopherWest #TheologyoftheBody #TOB If you would like to support the work I do, please consider a donation to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com via Google Pay or PayPal. You may also mail me at PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. Don't forget to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! God bless! -Andrew

Following up on my earlier video "Gender Matters" Seminar by Desert Stream and Living Waters Training Opportunity. I was able to go to the Living Waters leadership training this October, and it was such a powerful experience, especially given my current circumstances! Here's an update on my life before and after the training, an overview of Living Waters, and several highlights of the training experience. #DesertStream #LivingWaters #RelationalIntegrity Here's the link to the aforementioned video: https://youtu.be/GjCv4ln544w Thank you so much to everyone who sponsored my training and time off work! If you would like to support the work I do, please consider a donation to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com via Google Pay or PayPal. You may also mail me at PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. As always, don't forget to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! God bless! -Andrew

As the (former) youth pastor at True North Christian Church, I had the honor of guest-preaching on several occasions. And with news that our church is closing, I've been searching for these old messages, even if it's just the audio. Here is the first message I ever preached at this church: Fighting Sin. And I could not find the actual audio from the sermon, but fortunately I recorded myself practicing the day before. Note: the group I reference is the group I ran for eight years at Valley Forge Christian College (now University of Valley Forge) for men on campus dealing with pain from the past, sexual addiction, and unwanted same-sex attraction. Interestingly, a few months after this sermon I was tested with the fight of my life as my graduate school discriminated against me for my work with men leaving homosexuality. #Phinehas #Holiness #TrueCompassion Don't forget to Like, Share, Comment, and Subscribe! If you would like to support the work I do, please send a donation to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com through Google Pay or PayPal.

For the FYE (First Year Experience) Class at the University of Valley Forge, as the campus counselor, I taught the workshop on Fostering Mental Health. I focus on fostering mental health for you, your friendships, and the whole campus community. I gave this talk on three different dates, videotaped two of them, then spliced the footage together from my favorite parts. And yes, I purposely wore the same outfit both times so it would appear seamless, but I forgot that I rolled up my sleeves the week before. :) #MentalHealthonCampus #UVF #FYE #FosteringMentalHealth Please remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! If you would like to contribute to my work, feel free to drop a donation via PayPal or Google Pay (mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com). God bless!

In mid-September, I attended a Gender Matters seminar in Wayne, PA, by Desert Stream Ministries, the ministry founded by Andrew Comiskey. Here are some brief highlights of the event. The main program that Desert Stream offers is Living Waters, a 20-week healing and recovery ministry for people dealing with all types of sexual struggles (unwanted same-sex attraction, gender confusion, sexual addiction, sexual abuse/trauma). At the seminar, I learned that Desert Stream is offering their first ever Living Waters leadership training right here in PA! If I try to go to the Living Waters training this year, I need to raise $1500 in just a couple weeks because it's at the end of October! If I don't meet that goal, I will just keep raising funds to go next year somewhere out West or if they offer it again in PA. If you would like to contribute, you can donate via Google Pay (preferred) or PayPal by sending to my email: mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com. You can mail donations to Andrew Rodriguez, PO Box 1364, Pottstown, PA 19464. If you would like your donation to be tax-deductible, you could send a donation to my church, True North Christian Church via our website www.truenorthchristianchurch.com (be sure to mention it is toward my Living Waters training). Please consider sharing this with others! Thank you so much for your support! #DesertStream #LivingWaters #GenderMatters #AndrewComiskey New videos coming soon! Don't forget to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! God bless! -Andrew

On Sunday, 9/15/19, I spoke at Word of Life Chapel in Bainbridge, PA, for their discipleship time/Sunday school and worship service to talk about conflict resolution, boundaries, and reconciliation. Here's the talk from the worship service . . . about reconciliation both with God and other people. I also tie in gender differences and theology of the body. #BiblicalConflictResolution #Reconciliation #GenderWar #HealthyRelationships Here's part 1: https://youtu.be/gnu_FbML7rE Thank you so much to Word of Life Chapel and Pastor Mark for the opportunity to share. I hope it was helpful to you all. Please remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! If you would like to contribute to my work, feel free to drop a donation via PayPal or Google Pay (mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com).

On Sunday, 9/15/19, I spoke at Word of Life Chapel in Bainbridge, PA, for their discipleship time/Sunday school and worship service to talk about conflict resolution, boundaries, and reconciliation. Here's the talk from the Sunday school. Note: my camera unexpectedly ran out of memory halfway through. Fortunately, the church audio-recorded the entire message, so I just use my PowerPoints in place of video after that point. #BiblicalConflictResolution #Boundaries #Confrontation #Relationships Thank you so much to Word of Life Chapel and Pastor Mark for the opportunity to share. I hope it was helpful to you all. I owe a lot of thanks to different teachers and authors on this subject, such as Patrick Doyle (whom you can see in his interviews on the Dove TV station), Cloud & Townsend (their famous book Boundaries), Marshall Rosenberg (Nonviolent Communication), Joseph Myers (The Search to Belong), and others. Please remember to Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! If you would like to contribute to my work, feel free to drop a donation via PayPal or Google Pay (mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com).

The final part of my series debunking myths about counseling for unwanted same-sex attraction. We end by tackling the accusation that ministry approaches just use prayer to address homosexual struggles. To drive home my point that this characterization is just plain false, we have statements from Restored Hope Network, the largest affiliation of ministries for sexuality struggles, including First Stone Ministries, Portland Fellowship, and Living Waters. #ConversionTherapy #PraytheGayAway #ExGay Part 1 of this series: https://youtu.be/JHrz32pxy5A Part 2 of this series: https://youtu.be/8EmEFAWoyS8 Part 3 of this series: https://youtu.be/a8uu7syoyGI Part 4 of this series: https://youtu.be/FcMyEVK9jPk Part 5 of this series: https://youtu.be/jCos9BtZuEw Part 6 of this series: https://youtu.be/bWl2TlFfeZ8 Links: Stephen Black's Freedom Realized interview with Patrick Silvis from Portland Fellowship: https://youtu.be/klw0bjvcWUs with guest Paul Osterman: https://youtu.be/kNy9Q1-F-Qo Note: All clips from other videos are for commentary and fall under fair use. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As always, please Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! If you would like to support the work I do, feel free to send a donation through Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com. God bless! -Andrew

Part 6 of my series debunking myths about therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction. This one is more fallacy than myth: the claim that the APA and all other major medical associations condemn the practice. #ConversionTherapy #SOCE #APA #LGBT #APATaskForceReport Part 1 of this series: https://youtu.be/JHrz32pxy5A Part 2 of this series: https://youtu.be/8EmEFAWoyS8 Part 3 of this series: https://youtu.be/a8uu7syoyGI Part 4 of this series: https://youtu.be/FcMyEVK9jPk Part 5 of this series: https://youtu.be/jCos9BtZuEw ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- References: APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation. (2009). Washington, DC: APA. Schumm, WR. (2015). Navigating treacherous waters--one researcher's 40 years of experience with controversial science. Comprehensive Psychology, 4, 1-40. Interview with Nicholas Cummings: https://youtu.be/BPgq1c4TYi4 and https://youtu.be/RuyCT9ygT-4 Clip of Jordan Peterson on Louder with Crowder: https://youtu.be/B9Em2KrNkT4 Note: All clips from other videos are for commentary and fall under fair use. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As always, please Like, Comment, Share, and Subscribe! If you would like to support the work I do, feel free to send a donation through Google Pay or PayPal to mr.andrew.rod@gmail.com. God bless! -Andrew