Alaine and Victoria team up with Dr. MAC to unpack one of the most uncomfortable, under‑discussed dynamics in mentoring, coaching, ministry, and therapy: erotic transference.

• What neuroscience, psychology and relational trauma teach us about emotional safety and mis‑interpreted bonding.

• Why safe spaces can trigger unexpected attachments, especially for those who’ve lived in survival mode.

• How faithful helpers, pastors, coaches, therapists, and those being helped can respond wisely when emotional lines go blurry.

• A faith‑forward lens: caring for the spirit, soul and body (1 Thess 5:23) without shame, yet with accountability.

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🧠 Key Talking Points

• Attachment & Repair: When your nervous system finally experiences safety, your body may mislabel it as romance or intense longing , not because it’s immoral, but because it’s healing.

• Boundaries vs. Barriers: Distinguishing healthy covenant connection from trauma‑based entanglement.

• Helper‑Helped Dynamic: What happens when you’re the “safe one” and someone leans in emotionally, how do you respond without stepping into romantic territory or abandoning relational responsibility?

• The Mind‑Centered View: Dr. MAC’s approach highlights the complexity of the mind (not just brain chemistry) and invites us to integrate intuition, relational brain‑functioning, and spiritual formation.

• Biblical Context: We reflect on 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 4:15, and relational themes of “covenant” found in Scripture, affirming that emotional complexity always calls for sober stewardship.

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📚 Guest & Resources

Dr. Margaret Arnd-Caddigan, LCSW is a professor, psychotherapist, and published author whose work explores mind-centered therapy from a post-materialist perspective. In addition to her private practice, she provides clinical supervision, professional consultation, and continuing education for therapists. She co-hosts the podcast Finding Our Minds and has authored several works including Intuition in Therapeutic Practice and Holistic Psychotherapy from a Post-Materialist Perspective.

Dr. Margaret Arnd‑Caddigan, LCSW — professor, researcher and author. Notable works include:

• Intuition in Therapeutic Practice: A Mind‑Centered Depth Approach for Healing (2021)

• Holistic Psychotherapy from a Post‑Materialist Perspective (2024)

• Co‑author: Intuition in Psychotherapy: From Research to Practice (2019)

She also co‑hosts the podcast Finding Our Minds.

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