Podcast

Sometimes recovery, growth, and habit changes can seem insurmountable, but in this episode, Jim explains how training ourselves to be 1% better each day leads to lasting and meaningful changes.

Takeaways:

1. If you start today making 1% positive incremental changes in your life, after a year you are 3668% or 37X better

2. Habits can’t change overnight, but 1% better habits every day makes lasting changes stick

3. Vincent Van Gogh said” great things are done by a series of small things together”

In this the final episode of the Unknown Danger series, Fr. Hoffa and Dr. K talk about the real life effects of our virtual habits, impulsiveness, anxiety, depression, isolation, etc. and what to do about it.

Takeaways:

1. Our brains are constantly hyper stimulated leading to the desire for more with increased isolation

2. We are created by God for intimacy and relationships and the internet falsely mimics that

3. Online companies spend billions to keep us sucked in and away from the real life we need to flourish

In part two of the Unknown Dangers series, Dr. K and Father join Jim to highlight the growing dependance on our cell phones and how it impacts our brains and relationships.

Takeaways:

1. FOMO or fear of missing out is a real condition driven largely by smartphones.

2. Ask yourself if you feel incomplete without your phone. Your answer may tell you a lot.

3. 35% of people think of their phone first upon waking, only 10% think of their significant other.

Jim is joined by Dr. Peter Kleponis and Fr. Allen Hoffa to discuss the unknown dangers of our virtual world that don’t always include pornography but can be just as harmful. In part 1 of this series, we dive into the growing phenomenon of social media addiction.

Takeaways:

1. Up to 10% of Americans could be ” social media addicted” according to the experts

2. We spend up to 11 hours a day in front of our screens according to the latest stats

3. There is a benefit both short and long term to a social media fast

Jim discusses the increasing proof of pornography usage on mental health by citing current studies and real-world examples.

Takeaways:

1. Pornography is false self-soothing and is actually doing more damage

2. Pornography has real impacts on real world relationships

3. Our brain thankfully can heal and recover from this addiction

Fr. Martin Connor author, spiritual director, and founder of www.wiredtolove.com joins Jim to discuss the plights of false intimacy and what we truly desire and require, as well as why emotional chastity is important and what Theology of the Body can teach us in combatting the materialization of love.

Father has generously included a download of Chapter 6 of his book for Integrity Restored’s listeners. Download here.

Takeaways:

1. We all need to reconnect with God sometimes on a daily basis

2. To stay emotionally and spiritually healthy we need to get back to real relationships

3. Service is an important part of the recovery journey

Jim is joined by Dr. Peter Kleponis and Fr. Allen Hoffa to talk about some of the incredible stories of hope and healing we’ve experienced as part of the mission here at Integrity Restored and how we should celebrate the wins in recovery.

Takeaways:

1. No win is too small or too big and no fall is too great to get back up again

2. Tens of thousands of individuals, couples and clergy have found great hope, resources and healing and you can too

3. Your life, your marriage, your family and your relationships don’t have to be defined by the addiction 

Jim explores marriage prep and married life with Dcn. Kabat to highlight the importance of open communication, honesty and expectations when it comes to pornography usage.

Takeaways:

1. Marriage ” work” never ends. We should be learning about each other every day.

2. Culture wants us to believe sexual intimacy is just a recreational activity.

3. Nobody likes to hear the word pornography but we need to be able to discuss it.

In this episode, Jim is joined by De Yarrison of Hope’s Garden and You are Made New ministries to discuss 5 things husbands should do and 2 things they should never do to help their wife in her Betrayal Trauma recovery. PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR VIRTUAL HOPE BLOOMS RETREAT at integrityrestored.com

Takeaways:

1. Always seek to understand first not respond

2. Heal your own wounds so you can heal as a couple

3. Don’t dismiss or coerce

Jim talks to all families in this episode about the ever growing threats we face in the cyber world. Being oblivious to these threats is not an option in our lives or the lives of those we love.

Takeaways:

1. Pornography is only one of the threats we face

2. Seemingly benign online activities can develop into larger problems

3. The virtual world consequences are very real