Courage to Thrive

Ep3: Courage to Thrive — Exorcism is the theme on this month’s Courage to Thrive show when Rev. Dr. Robert Flanagan interviews Episcopal priest and psychotherapist Charles Mayer 

January 2025: Welcome to Ep3 of Father Bob’s Courage to Thrive show!

This month’s topic: Defense Against the Dark Arts

Live from the Seminar: On the final day of the fall 2025 semester at the Virginia Theological Seminary, Father Bob talks with Episcopal priest and psychotherapist Charles Mayer about the topic students have been studying all semester — exorcism.

Father Bob and Charles will discuss: What is the difference between mental health and demonic influences? When is this infliction mental illness, and when is it something evil?

About our guest: Charles Mayer is an Episcopal priest, psychotherapist, supervisor, and parish consultant. In over forty years of ordained ministry, he has served parishes in Connecticut, Long Island, Manhattan, and New Jersey, and has maintained a private psychotherapy practice since 1992. He taught in the Pastoral Counseling program at the Blanton-Peale Institute in Manhattan from 2006-2012.

Fr. Mayer grew up on Long Island and holds degrees from Oberlin College and Harvard Divinity School. He completed Clinical Certificates in Pastoral Psychotherapy, Group Psychotherapy, and Marriage and Family Therapy at the Blanton-Peale Institute. His Doctor of Psychology degree was conferred by the Graduate Theological Foundation in 2008.

Fr. Mayer is a frequent book review contributor to the Anglican Theological Review and other journals. He has sought to live out the integration of Anglican pastoral theology, spirituality, and psychotherapy in his ministry. Committed to the notion of the psychotherapy room as “the sanctuary within the sanctuary,” his clients have always included clergy and lay leaders within the Episcopal Church, along with a broad spectrum of individuals, couples, and families from other religious communities and the secular world.

About our host: An esteemed Episcopal priest and author, Father Bob has dedicated his life to spiritual transformation and caring for others. With a profound connection to his faith and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, he has touched countless lives through his ministry, writings, and teachings. Bob’s book, “Letters of an Unexpected Mystic,” was a 2023 Selah Book Award finalist in the Bible study category.

Learn more: robertdflanagan.com

“When wrestling with depression and anxiety, getting out of bed is a courageous move,” shares Rev. Dr. Bob Flanagan in the first of his two books in the Courage to Thrive series. “When panic attacks and suicidal thoughts strike, finding victories in the small things of life and reframing feelings can help a person flourish even in the midst of mental health struggles.”

He knows all about that. “I have spent two decades combating mental illness head-on,” he says.

In his first-person spiritual journal, Courage to Thrive: Finding Joy and Hope in the Midst of Mental Health Struggles, published in June 2020, Father Bob takes the reader with him as he traverses the dark and scary landscape of his mind and then the paths of faith that lead him to the Source of light and hope. Through a vulnerable look at the realities of a priest battling mental illness and still thriving, readers–whether dealing with similar mental health challenges or the stressors of everyday life–are left with a quiet confidence that assures them they, too, can thrive and enjoy the gifts God has given them. Each of the forty reflections concludes with a heartfelt prayer that revels in God’s healing mercies.

In his second book, Courage to Thrive: Discovering Your True Self, published in January 2025, Father Bob asks, “Do you long to know yourself, the world, and God better and thrive in all of life’s many transitions? We are here on earth not just to live but to thrive. We can know who we are and how to live in this “crazy, beautiful world as a follower of Jesus and a child of God.”

He knows that we do that by relating well to ourselves and others, the world and its various creatures and places—and God. “We thrive when we relate to who and what is around us in a healthy manner. We can discover ourselves—who we are—in beautiful, elegant, hope-filled, positive ways,” says Father Bob, who newest book gives us a unique, six-week Bible study has thirty-six lessons to help you know your true self and learn a new way of being as a child of God as you examine the family connections and relationships with others and the world. Self-discovery tools such as directed Bible readings with commentaries, daily prayers, and links to poems, art, and music will facilitate personal growth and provide fresh insights.

Today, we welcome to his the Courage to Thrive podcast! We invite you to join Father Bob on a journey to joy, peace, and hope.

About our host: The Rev. Robert D. Flanagan has served as a priest in the Episcopal Diocese of New York since 2003. He also holds a doctor of ministry in Christian Spirituality and is Chaplain at General Theological Seminary in New York City. He has served for over ten years as a state and federal advocate for and regional board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Bob’s latest book, The Letters of an Unexpected Mystic, is a 2023 Selah Book Award finalist. Bob and his wife, Lanie, live in Litchfield County, Connecticut.

Learn more: robertdflanagan.com

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Previous Episodes
Wednesday, November 26th, 2025

Ep2: Courage to Thrive — On today’s show, Rev. Dr. Robert Flanagan interviews Karen Swallow Prior, Ph. D., a reader, writer, and professor, talks about the hymn, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem

December 2025: Welcome to Ep2 of Father Bob’s Courage to Thrive show! Today’s topic: A conversation about Father Bob’s newest book, “While Mortals Sleep: Reading Phillips Brooks through Twenty-First-Century Eyes” Father Bob talks with Karen about: “The hymn ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem,” which the focus of Karen’s chapter in the book. About our guest: Karen Swallow Prior, Ph. D. is a reader, writer, and professor, Karen is the author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors CreatedClick here to listen to the podcast!

Saturday, November 1st, 2025

Ep1: Courage to Thrive — Meet Rev. Dr. Robert Flanagan and learn about his journey to find joy and hope, and help others do the same

November 2025: Welcome to the Courage to Thrive show, hosted by Rev. Dr. Robert Flanagan, best known as Father Bob. About our host: An esteemed Episcopal priest and author, Father Bob has dedicated his life to spiritual transformation and caring for others. With a profound connection to his faith and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, he has touched countless lives through his ministry, writings, and teachings. Bob’s book, “Letters of an Unexpected Mystic,” was a 2023 SelahClick here to listen to the podcast!

Friday, June 20th, 2025

Ep11: Today at Elaine’s Literary Salon, meet Rev. Robert Flanagan and find joy and hope in the midst of mental health struggles in his newest book, “Courage to Thrive”

This week at Elaine’s Literary Salon we meet the author of Courage to Thrive: Finding Joy and Hope in the Midst of Mental Health Struggles, Rev. Dr. Robert D. Flanagan, also known as Father Bob. About the author: An esteemed Episcopal priest and author, Father Bob has dedicated his life to spiritual transformation and caring for others. With a profound connection to his faith and an unwavering commitment to helping those in need, he has touched countless lives through hisClick here to listen to the podcast!