In Episode 5 of The Holy Unraveling, therapist and host Silvia Farag explores how the stories we tell ourselves quietly become the lens through which we see everything. From overthinking and self-criticism to spiritual guilt and fear, our thoughts don’t stay in our heads, they become how we live.

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), neuroplasticity (yes, “neurons that fire together wire together”), and a faith-centered lens, this episode breaks down:

• why negative thoughts feel so convincing
• how thoughts → feelings → behaviors form powerful cycles
• the difference between perception and perspective
• how distorted thoughts affect our relationship with God
• and how to gently interrupt these patterns without shame or forced positivity

If you struggle with anxiety, overthinking, spiritual self-criticism, or feeling “behind” in life or faith, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical tools to help you begin telling a truer story.

There is a quiet narrator most of us live with all day long — one that explains, interprets, and predicts before we’ve had time to breathe.

In this episode, we explore how negative thought patterns form, why our brains cling to them, and how they quietly shape our emotions, behaviors, and spiritual life. This is not about “thinking positive,” but about becoming aware — because awareness is where both healing and faith begin.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why Your Brain Repeats Negative Thoughts
How neuroplasticity works — and why familiar thoughts feel true, even when they aren’t.

The CBT Triangle Explained Simply
How thoughts create feelings, feelings drive behaviors, and behaviors reinforce beliefs.

Perception vs. Perspective
Why emotions are real but not always reliable narrators of truth.

A Gentle Practice to Create Space from Your Thoughts
A simple, compassionate tool to help you notice your thoughts without being consumed by them.

Key Takeaways

• You are not your thoughts — you are the one noticing them
• Neurons that fire together wire together, but new pathways can be formed
• Negative thoughts are often protective, not personal failures
• Awareness, not perfection, is what begins change
• God is not asking for flawless thinking — He invites discernment and trust

Referenced Concepts

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Neuroplasticity
• Thoughts → Feelings → Behaviors
• Logismoi (Orthodox understanding of intrusive thoughts)

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Your support helps reach the ones who won’t walk into a therapy office… but desperately need hope and healing.

Connect with Silvia:
Instagram: @silviafarag25
Facebook: Silvia Farag

https://www.christiancenterforcounseling.com/

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