Psychology and Scripture

Kia Gutiérrez
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Is it a sin to feel angry? Pull up a chair. Psychology and Scripture is a short, friendly Christian podcast about emotions, mental health, and therapy, where real psychology meets real Scripture. I'm Kia Gutiérrez, a Christian therapist: a licensed marriage and family therapist with over fifteen years of experience, and a floundering faith walker-outer. As a therapist, I believe there is a way of feeling our emotions that leads us to the healthiest choices we can make. How we do that is the part we should unpack. Each episode is short: a nugget of Christian psychology, a look at what the Bible says, and one thing to chew on this week. Not more to do, just more awareness of who God made you to be, and the confidence to do the next right thing. Our first series follows my book Emotions as Messengers. Start at the beginning or jump in wherever your question is. This podcast is for education and encouragement and is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental health care. Looking for conversations about the American church? Check out my first podcast, The Church We Dream Of.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    What Does Attachment Theory Say About the Fall of Man? - Psychology & Scripture

    Why did Adam and Eve hide from God? A Christian therapist reads Genesis 3 through attachment theory. Episode summary You've heard the story of Adam, Eve, and the fruit of the tree, but have you ever read Genesis 3 through the lens of psychology? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kia Gutiérrez retells the fall of man and asks a question: what happened to the relationships? Kia walks through the story, including why Eve's decision to "be like God" looks reasonable from where she stood, and what happens right after: fear becomes the first emotion on the page, Adam and Eve hide from God, and they turn on each other. God's response is to go looking for them with the question "Where are you?" Then Kia brings in attachment theory, the idea that the human brain is built less to accomplish than to connect, and that we're constantly asking, "Am I securely attached?" She frames Genesis 3 as the moment secure attachment first broke, both between humanity and God and between Adam and Eve themselves. She also explores why choosing to be our own God means trying to attach only to ourselves, and why that never works, using the example of people who survive alone in the wilderness but can't live a full life without connection. You'll leave with a question to carry into the coming episodes: what would it mean to read the Bible as the story of God pursuing his people to restore secure attachment, and how would that change the way we experience emotion in Scripture?

  2. Oct 28

    Are Emotions Right or Wrong?- Psychology & Scripture

    Are some emotions good and others bad? A Christian therapist explains why emotions are morally neutral, and what Jesus' emotions teach us. Episode summary Is it a sin to feel angry, sad, or afraid? Many Christians grew up sorting emotions into good ones and bad ones, and even the therapy world often talks about "positive" and "negative" emotions. In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kia Gutiérrez explains why she believes emotions themselves carry no morality. Only our reactions to them do. Because emotions are an involuntary chemical process in the body, Kia compares them to hunger and the need for sleep: you don't choose them, and you can't live without processing them. Even if you say you're "not an emotional person," your emotions are still there, just suppressed or blocked somewhere in your body. She also looks at how the word "should" (like "I should feel happy at this birthday party") sneaks moral judgment into our feelings, and why unexpected emotions are best treated as information that more is going on than you've considered. Then Kia turns to Scripture. The Gospel writers portray Jesus with the full range of human emotion, including joy, frustration, grief, and sadness, and Scripture says he never sinned. If Jesus felt sad, why would we shame ourselves for feeling it? Kia explores what it means that Jesus didn't rush through hard emotions, and why she sees real value in them. You'll finish with a question to consider: what changes in your life as a follower of Jesus if emotions themselves are morally neutral?

  3. Oct 13

    What Is the Difference Between Feeling an Emotion and Acting on It? - Psychology & Scripture

    Does "do not be afraid" mean you shouldn't feel fear? A Christian therapist explains the gap between feeling an emotion and acting on it. Episode summary Is it wrong to feel afraid, angry, or sad? And what does the Bible mean when it says "do not be afraid"? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kia Gutiérrez explains the most important distinction in her approach to emotions: feeling an emotion and acting on it are two different things. Kia introduces what she calls the gap between feeling and acting: a pause where you honestly acknowledge everything you feel, whether or not it makes sense, and then take time to read Scripture and discern what to do. Sometimes the gap lasts a second, and sometimes days, weeks, or even years. Using her own fear about recording this very episode as an example, Kia shows how fear can point to a question about connection, whether your bond with God or other people will hold. She explores why "do not be afraid" in Scripture often shows up when God is calling someone to do something brave, which suggests it can't simply mean "don't feel fear." Reading the Bible in light of what its author meant, she argues, helps us avoid using Scripture to shut down an emotion God created, and leads to a deeper sense of closeness with Him. You'll also hear why relearning how to feel and read Scripture can be scary (and why therapy can help), why the process is a productive mess instead of a chaotic one, and a closing question to take with you: Is it clear that feeling an emotion and acting on it two very different things?

  4. Oct 7

    Is the Bible a Rulebook or a Love Letter? - Psychology & Scripture

    Is the Bible a rulebook, a love letter, or something else? How you answer shapes what you do with your emotions. Episode summary Why does the Bible sometimes feel contradictory, uncomfortable, or hard to apply, especially when it comes to your feelings? In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kia Gutiérrez explores how to read Scripture, the Old and New Testament, in light of what its authors were trying to communicate. Kia explains how the lens we bring to the Bible, whether a rulebook to follow or a love letter written to us, shapes the answers we find and what we decide to do with our emotions. She proposes reading the Bible as a written document from an ancient community, shaped by its cultural context and inspired by the Holy Spirit, using Genesis 1 as an example of asking what the author was actually saying. She also draws a parallel between Scripture and emotions: both are tools with a specific purpose, and just as a hammer makes a poor saw, using either one in a way it wasn't designed for leads to struggle and disappointment. Along the way, you'll hear how relearning both can bring peace to the places that feel contradictory, and how to sort which emotions to act on and which to sit with, and which Scripture guides your life directly and which shapes the way you see the world. You'll finish with a question to carry into your week: how does it feel to relearn how to read the Bible and how to feel your emotions?

  5. Oct 2

    What is an Emotion? - Psychology & Scripture

    I'm a therapist, and I swore off emotions at 19. Here's why I changed my mind, and what an emotion actually is. Episode summary What is an emotion? Christians hear very different answers. Some say emotions are spiritual forces, like angels or demons influencing you. Others say they're a weakness of the flesh that Scripture warns us not to trust. In this episode, licensed marriage and family therapist Kia Gutiérrez shares why she swore off emotions at 19 after a painful moment leading worship, and why, as someone who still isn't a big fan of feeling them, she believes feeling our emotions is the most efficient way to get rid of the feeling and make wise choices. You'll hear her definition of an emotion at the intersection of faith and psychology: a chemical process in your body that has hugely significant spiritual meaning. It's not an attack imposed on us from outside, and it's not something to press down and ignore. Drawing on Genesis 1 and the idea that we're made in God's image, Kia explains why she believes there's a message in every emotion that points toward a foundational truth, one that helps us make wise decisions and build healthy relationships. She also steers between two extremes: that every negative emotion is a spiritual attack and every positive one a blessing, or that emotions are terrible and should never be felt. Then she leaves you with one question to sit with: how does it feel to know your emotions were given to you by God, with a purpose you get to discern?

  6. Oct 1

    What Do Emotions Have to Do With Being a Christian? - Psychology & Scripture

    Curious about Christian therapy but not sure where to start, and tired of church feeling complicated? I've been thinking about you. Let's talk. Episode summary You've been thinking about therapy, but finding a Christian therapist (and a safe church) feels complicated, and your feelings keep getting in the way of the next step. In this first voice note, licensed marriage and family therapist Kia Gutiérrez talks about the two things that won't change, no matter how fast the world moves: you were created with emotions, and God's Word. What does change is how we read Scripture and how we respond to our emotions. You'll hear why emotions work like a map from God for what to do next, why healing from church hurt and growing in emotional intelligence are part of the same bigger conversation, and what to expect from Psychology and Scripture: short episodes with real psychology, real Bible, and one thing to chew on this week. No homework, just more awareness of who God made you to be.

  • 6 Episodes

About

Is it a sin to feel angry? Pull up a chair. Psychology and Scripture is a short, friendly Christian podcast about emotions, mental health, and therapy, where real psychology meets real Scripture. I'm Kia Gutiérrez, a Christian therapist: a licensed marriage and family therapist with over fifteen years of experience, and a floundering faith walker-outer. As a therapist, I believe there is a way of feeling our emotions that leads us to the healthiest choices we can make. How we do that is the part we should unpack. Each episode is short: a nugget of Christian psychology, a look at what the Bible says, and one thing to chew on this week. Not more to do, just more awareness of who God made you to be, and the confidence to do the next right thing. Our first series follows my book Emotions as Messengers. Start at the beginning or jump in wherever your question is. This podcast is for education and encouragement and is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental health care. Looking for conversations about the American church? Check out my first podcast, The Church We Dream Of.

Information

  • Creator
    Kia Gutiérrez
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Kia Gutiérrez
  • Show Website
    Psychology and Scripture