Landscapes of the Soul with Dr. Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw

In this powerful episode of The Every Day Royalty Podcast, host Keri Kitchen welcomes Dr. Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw—pastors, authors, spiritual directors, and the minds behind the groundbreaking book Landscapes of the Heart: How the Science and Spirituality of Attachment Can Move You Into Confident Faith, Courage, and Connection. Join us for an honest, hopeful conversation about how attachment theory and neuroscience can help deepen our relationship with God, heal old wounds, and lead us into joyful, transformative connection.

Together, the Holsclaws share their personal journey through trauma, spiritual formation, and the discovery of how God delights in spending time with each of us. They explain key concepts like "relational circuits," how maladaptive strategies form, and how we all long for safe, secure attachment—and how God meets that need. Whether you've wrestled with anxiety, loss, or feel like God is distant, this episode is filled with wisdom, encouragement, and practical next steps for cultivating deeper intimacy with Jesus.

Key Points & Takeaways

• Personal Stories & Ministry Roots:
  Both Geoff and Cyd draw from their own backgrounds—Cyd's early childhood loss and Geoff's desire to break unhealthy family patterns—to explore how attachment shapes faith and relationships.

• Attachment Theory Meets Spiritual Life:
  Our connection with God often mirrors the attachment styles we learned in early life. The "landscapes" of attachment are described as the jungle (busy, relationally overwhelmed), the desert (withdrawn, self-reliant), and the war zone (marked by trauma or instability)—and God's desire is to shepherd us into joyful pasture.

• The Immanuel Approach:
  Both the Holsclaws and Keri are passionate about the Immanuel Approach, a prayer model that helps us experience God's presence and healing. Cyd shares how these encounters with Jesus rewired her responses and built new, healthy attachment.

• Practical Tools & Experiments:
  Change starts with curiosity and experimentation. The Holsclaws suggest running "new experiments," such as asking, "If God is as good as He says, what would He want me to know or experience right now?" or picturing how a compassionate friend might engage you, then applying that image to God.

• Scripture & Neuroscience Meet:
  Geoff highlights how biblical blessings about God's face "shining on us" map powerfully onto neuroscience about relational joy and security.

• Finding Joyful Connection:
  True transformation comes from knowing God not as distant or critical, but as a loving Father who sees us with delight and compassion.

• Gentle Next Steps:
  For anyone struggling to connect with God, the Holsclaws offer grace: Start with the smallest step, experiment with prayer, and be open to God showing Himself in new ways.

Journal Prompts Inspired by This Episode

1. When have you felt most securely connected to God? What did that feel like?

2. Which "attachment landscape" (jungle, desert, war zone, pasture) best describes your current season? Why?

3. Reflect on early family relationships. How might they have shaped your view of God's love?

4. What maladaptive strategies have you noticed in your life (people-pleasing, isolation, anxiety, etc.), and how do you see God inviting you to heal?

5. Describe a time when "something ugly bubbled up." How did you respond? How might you bring it to Jesus now?

6. Imagine God's face shining on you with delight. What feelings or resistance does that bring up?

7. Ask God: "Show me how You see me right now." Then write what you sense, feel, or imagine.

8. What would it look like to run a new "experiment" in faith this week? (For example: approaching prayer as playful or open-ended.)

9. If there were no barriers, how would you want your relationship with God to look and feel?

10. Which scripture or spiritual truth about God's presence stood out most to you in this episode? How might you reflect on it this week?

Where to Connect with the Guests

Dr. Geoff & Cyd Holsclaw:

• Book: Landscapes of the Heart (find wherever books are sold)

• Center for Embodied Faith: embodiedfaith.life

• Podcast: Attaching to God

• Programs & Cohorts: Attaching to God six-week cohort, Rooted (nervous system and trauma-focused spiritual formation)

• Interested in inviting them or learning more? Find details at embodiedfaith.life

Call to Action: Take the Next Step in Your Own 'Every Day Royalty'

Are you longing for a deeper experience of God's presence and joy? If today's episode resonated with you, don't just listen—take action! Join the free 7-Day Incredible Prayer Challenge with Keri Kitchen for daily guided prompts that will help you cultivate intimacy with God, experience His love, and discover how He delights in you. Start your journey now at:
👉 prayer.everydayincredible.net

Remember: God meets you right where you are. Every step you take toward Him matters—because you are truly every day royalty.