Preface
In Litanies of the Heart, Gerry Crete invites readers on a healing journey inward to discover their true selves and encounter God’s loving presence at the center. Drawing from his experience as both a trauma survivor and therapist, Crete offers a compassionate blend of parts work, psychology, prayer, and scriptural reflection to help readers explore wounded areas with curiosity and care. This book serves as a gentle guide for those seeking inner harmony, spiritual depth, and the transformative joy of being fully known and loved by God.
Introduction
In the Introduction, Crete lays a theological and psychological foundation for understanding the human person as a “self-system” composed of an inmost self and multiple inner parts—each carrying distinct roles, emotions, and memories. He describes three primary types of parts: Exiles, often wounded inner children who carry shame, fear, and pain; Managers, who work to maintain control and keep exiles buried; and Firefighters, who react impulsively in crisis to suppress emotional overwhelm. Drawing from psychodynamic theory, systems psychology, and Christian anthropology, Crete shows how these parts—though often appearing dysfunctional—are not bad in themselves but are burdened by trauma. Real healing begins when the inmost self, with God’s grace, thanks the protectors and gently invites wounded parts to step forward and receive compassion and care. Key concepts like unblending (separating parts from the self) and unburdening (helping parts release pain, lies, and extreme roles) support a path to inner integration and spiritual renewal. Rooted in Scripture and the Church’s teaching on the heart as the “depths of one’s being” (CCC 368), this Christ-centered model invites readers into a transformative journey toward emotional healing and union with God: “I delight in the law of God in my inmost self” (Rom. 7:22).
Chapter 1: Original Trauma
In Chapter 1, Gerry Crete introduces the foundational concept of “original trauma”—the psychological rupture caused by early experiences of shame, rejection, or abandonment, which exile wounded inner parts to the unconscious. “We clearly have inherited original sin from our first parents, but I argue that we have also inherited original trauma” (42). Through the story of Alexandre, Crete shows how protector parts emerge to manage the pain of exiles, often striving for perfection or control while concealing deeper wounds. Drawing on attachment theory and the Christian doctrine of the Fall, Crete connects psychological fragmentation to the original sin of Adam and Eve, who moved from secure intimacy with God to fear and disconnection. Just as Exodus charts Israel’s journey from slavery to freedom, the inmost self—our spiritual center—must lead burdened parts through their own inner Exodus toward healing and divine union. With insights from St. Augustine and Scripture, the chapter frames psychological healing as a sacred pilgrimage: not a rejection of our parts, but their integration into a grace-filled communion where every part is seen, known, and loved by God.
Chapter 2: The Wounded Heart
Chapter 2 explores how trauma fragments the human psyche into wounded parts—especially exiles, like inner children frozen in shame—and protective parts that manage or suppress pain. Using Internal Family Systems and attachment theory, Crete explains how dissociation and compartmentalization disconnect us from our bodies, others, and God, creating what Thomas Merton called the “false self.” Healing begins when the inmost self gently listens to protectors, connects with wounded parts, and helps them release burdens—emotional, psychological, and spiritual—through practices of compassion, presence, and grace. Grounded in Scripture and Christian theology, this healing is likened to Christ relieving the weary of their burdens and offering living water, symbolizing both divine grace and renewed inner energy. Through personalized litanies and guided prayer rooted in attachment theory, readers are invited into secure, healing relationship with Jesus, the ultimate attachment figure, who desires to meet and transform every part of the self.
Chapter 3: The Inmost Self
Chapter 3 explores the inmost self as the spiritual and psychological center of the person—what theology calls the “heart” and psychology refers to as the “core self” or “true self.” In Internal Family Systems (IFS), the inmost self expresses the “8 Cs” (confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, connectedness) and the “5 Ps” (patience, persistence, perspective, playfulness, presence), and it unifies all virtues—natural, capital, and cardinal—bringing healing and harmony to the parts. Distinct from the burdened parts, the inmost self is a calm, compassionate, and healing presence capable of leading the whole self-system with grace and clarity. Crete highlights how healing occurs when all parts securely attach to the inmost self, which acts as a loving parent, faithful friend, and Christlike guide. Using Scripture, he presents Jesus as the model for the redeemed inmost self, portraying Him in eight roles—Lover, Seeker, Protector, True Friend, Healer, Pathfinder, Bridge Builder, and Nurturer—each revealing how the inmost self can reflect Christ’s love to every wounded part. Through prayer, meditation, and a renewed image of God, readers are invited to reclaim inner harmony by allowing the inmost self, strengthened by grace, to mediate between their fragmented parts and the loving presence of God.
Chapter 4: Opening Our Eyes
Chapter 4 focuses on the importance of recognizing and working with protector parts—those inner defenders like managers and firefighters who, while sometimes critical or extreme, act out of a desire to shield us from pain. Drawing from stories like Tom’s Navy SEAL protector, Crete shows how these parts are often burdened by fear and past trauma, and can be transformed through compassion from the inmost self. The healing process involves acknowledging their intentions, asking about their fears, and inviting them to trust the inmost self as a secure and loving guide. Scripture parallels this process: just as the disciples’ eyes were opened to Christ in the breaking of the bread, we too are invited to open our eyes to the dignity and value of all our parts. Jesus dined with the rejected, and we are called to welcome every wounded or perfectionistic part into loving communion with our inmost self and God, allowing them to be seen, transformed, and given new, grace-filled roles.
Chapter 5: The Evil I Do Not Want
In Chapter 5, Crete explores the internal battles between our manager and firefighter parts—those that strive for control and social harmony versus those that react impulsively to relieve pain. Bela’s story reveals how early survival strategies shaped her people-pleasing, peacemaking, and numbing tendencies, which now conflict and cause inner turmoil. Drawing from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Crete shows how Scripture echoes this struggle: the inmost self delights in God’s law, but other inner “members” resist it, echoing Paul’s cry, “The evil I do not want is what I do.” Healing begins when the inmost self listens to each part’s fears and intentions with compassion, leading them toward love, truth, and integration. Catholic philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand’s idea of “true consciousness” reinforces this vision: when recollected and God-centered, the inmost self brings harmony to the self-system, enabling us to live with gratitude, presence, and joy.
Chapter 6: The Unending Melody
In Chapter 6, Gerry Crete examines the interior world as a dynamic self-system composed of managers, firefighters, and exiles—parts that form in response to life experiences and are often burdened by trauma or inherited “legacy beliefs.” These parts may take on extreme roles or distorted self-concepts to protect the self, but true healing begins when the inmost self—our God-given spiritual core—leads with compassion and presence, helping each part release its burdens and reclaim its goodness. This self-leadership, marked by what IFS calls “self-energy,” is understood here as Spirit-infused awareness—calm, curious, connected, and grounded in Christ. Redeemed in baptism, the inmost self is called to live in recollection and to serve as priest (reconciling), prophet (guiding), and king (protecting) within the soul. Drawing on St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, Crete shows how the Church’s call to unity mirrors the interior call to integration, where even sin-driven parts—manifesting in behaviors like fornication, drunkenness, or greed—are not condemned but gently understood as misguided protectors in need of grace, prayer, and the healing communion of the Eucharist.
Chapter 7: The Closed Heart
In Chapter 7, Gerry Crete explores how inner conflict between protector parts—such as Aaron’s noble, self-sacrificing manager and his angry, critical part—can block access to deeper wounds carried by exiled parts. These parts, though often at odds, share the same goal: to protect against pain, even through destructive behaviours like addiction or perfectionism. Healing begins when the inmost self, grounded in grace, compassionately engages each part, allowing the grieving exile to be seen, soothed, and unburdened. Drawing on the Transfiguration, Crete parallels the apostles’ flawed responses with our own inner dynamics, showing that transformation comes not through suppression but through loving presence and humility. The Litany of the Closed Heart serves as a spiritual tool to guide wounded or self-righteous parts into the arms of Christ, offering a rhythm of surrender, trust, and healing that softens our defenses and reopens the heart to love.
Chapter 8: Spiritual Confidants
In Chapter 8, Gerry Crete explores the healing power of inviting spiritual figures—like Jesus, Mary, or the saints—into the inner world as “spiritual confidants” to support and soothe wounded parts. Drawing on EMDR’s resourcing techniques and supported by neuroscience, he shows how visualizing nurturing relationships fosters emotional regulation, secure attachment, and post-traumatic growth. Figures like Our Lady of Guadalupe can offer deep safety, especially when integrated with faith and prayer, allowing God’s grace to work through the imagination. Crete parallels St. Paul’s image of the Church as a body with many members to the self-system, encouraging readers to lead their parts with love, attunement, and inner authority. Through meditative prayer and reflection, we learn to listen to our parts, welcome divine presence, and discover how suffering, like Christ’s, can give rise to profound transformation.
Chapter 9: The Inner Kingdom
In Chapter 9, Gerry Crete presents the “inner living room” as a sacred, imaginative space where the inmost self can meet with all parts—protectors, managers, and exiles—in safety, trust, and love. Healing exiled parts involves a five-step process: contacting, witnessing, retrieving, reparenting, and unburdening, allowing wounded parts to experience compassion and divine grace. Drawing on St. Teresa of Ávila’s Interior Castle, Crete parallels the inmost self with the soul’s center, where true intimacy with God occurs, emphasizing that the inward journey leads upward toward union with Christ. Scripture deepens this vision: the Kingdom of God is within (Luke 17:21), and St. Paul’s image of the Church as a unified body mirrors our internal world, where parts cooperate under the leadership of the inmost self. Through prayerful meditation, readers are invited to create a space of recollection where every part can experience God’s healing presence, forming an inner kingdom aligned with grace, unity, and love.
Chapter 10: The Fearful Heart
In Chapter 10, Gerry Crete explores how exiled parts—often frozen in developmental pain—carry burdens of fear, shame, and unworthiness that distort identity and disrupt spiritual connection. Bela’s story illustrates how firefighter protectors, like her emotional “Wall,” block access to these wounded parts, which can only heal when the inmost self, guided by God’s love, offers gentle attunement and presence. Drawing on 1 John 4, Crete emphasizes that perfect love—not judgment—casts out fear and transforms the soul through communion with God. The chapter encourages deeper engagement with the Litanies of the Heart, not just as prayers but as healing encounters, especially when journaling and reflecting help identify which parts resist and which long for intimacy. Ultimately, this process reveals that all parts, even the fearful ones, are worthy of God’s love and are invited to rest in His healing embrace.
Chapter 11: Unburdening
In Chapter 11, Gerry Crete outlines a gentle yet profound process for helping internal parts release the burdens they carry—such as false beliefs, painful emotions, and traumatic memories—through a method called the “6 Fs”: Find, Focus, Flesh out, Feel toward, (Be)friend, and Fears. Using spiritual imagery and guided meditation, readers are invited to let wounded parts symbolically hand over their burdens—perhaps as weights, backpacks, or heavy objects—into the hands of Christ or the elements, opening the heart to grace and healing. Scripture illuminates this process: St. Paul’s exhortation to “put off the old self” (Eph. 4:22–24), the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus, and the joy of King David and the prodigal son all reflect the renewal, celebration, and identity restoration that follow unburdening. As parts are witnessed and set free, the self-system begins to rejoice “in spirit and truth,” growing more prayerful, playful, and whole. Crete reminds us that this process is not a one-time event but a key movement in the journey of sanctification.
Chapter 12: Inner Harmony
In Chapter 12, Gerry Crete presents the ultimate aim of Christian parts work: a self-led system marked by peace, purpose, and spiritual integration. As exiles are unburdened and protectors relinquish extreme roles, each part begins to function harmoniously under the leadership of the inmost self, which expresses the eight Cs—confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, and connectedness. Drawing on the monastic tradition, especially Thomas Merton and St. John Cassian, Crete identifies humility as the key virtue that allows the self-system to flourish without pride or self-rejection. Scriptural examples like the Good Samaritan and Jesus’ critique of the Pharisees illustrate how internal transformation involves mercy, attentiveness, and the imitation of Christ. Through guided meditations and practical reflection, readers are invited to love God with their “whole heart and all their parts,” discovering that true self-love, grounded in humility, overflows into love of others and deepens communion with God.
Epilogue
In the Epilogue, Gerry Crete offers a compassionate invitation to trauma survivors, affirming that true healing is possible when we bring God’s love to every part of ourselves. Drawing from his own journey as a wounded healer and therapist, he integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), trauma-informed therapy, and Christian spirituality to present five transformative truths: we are made of many parts; our parts carry burdens from trauma; healing begins when the inmost self, rooted in God’s love, becomes a secure inner attachment figure; authentic self-love deepens our capacity to love God and others; and the inmost self serves as a bridge that brings our parts into communion with God. Healing is not about perfection but about humility, recollection, and grounded identity in divine love. In this inner kingdom, our parts become companions on the path to sanctification—no longer enemies, but beloved members of a whole self-system praising God in unity.
* Highly Recommended Exercise: The Litanies of the Heart *
The Litanies of the Heart are healing prayers designed to bring the parts of our self-system into deeper communion with Christ by addressing different insecure attachment styles: (1) The Closed Heart (dismissing-avoidant), (2) The Wounded Heart (anxious-preoccupied), and (3) The Fearful Heart (fearful-avoidant). Rooted in both attachment theory and Christian spirituality, these litanies guide us through a gentle rhythm of naming our burdens, crying out for mercy, and resting in God’s love. As we repeat phrases like “Hold me in Your arms” and “I trust in You,” each part of us—especially those that feel ashamed, afraid, or disconnected—is invited into healing relationship with Jesus, the secure attachment figure par excellence. Creating a quiet, intentional space for this prayer deepens the experience, allowing for emotional and spiritual transformation. To begin praying the Litanies of the Heart, visit Souls and Hearts – Litanies.
Book Review
While Litanies of the Heart draws from Internal Family Systems (IFS)—a model with roots in secular and even Eastern perspectives—Dr. Gerry Crete skillfully integrates its insights within a deeply Catholic framework, rooted in the Church’s anthropology of the human person as body and soul, created in God’s image and destined for union with Him. This is not a wholesale adoption of IFS, but a thoughtful synthesis that upholds the dignity of the inmost self as the spiritual core of the person, reflecting the imago Dei and illumined by divine grace. What sets this book apart is Dr. Gerry’s rich theological grounding: he beautifully weaves together Catholic teaching, profound scriptural meditations (especially on Pauline texts), and the wisdom of the saints, like St. Teresa of Ávila and Thomas Merton. Each chapter is not only theologically substantial but pastorally gentle, offering prayerful meditations and reflection questions that make the inner journey both intellectually compelling and spiritually nourishing.
That said, some of the guided meditations may feel complex or overwhelming for readers who are new to parts work or unfamiliar with contemplative prayer. A simplified audio version—perhaps on a platform like Hallow—would make these meditations more accessible, especially for those navigating emotional fatigue or spiritual dryness. Similarly, beginner-friendly summaries of the different types of parts (exiles, protectors, managers, firefighters) would help orient first-time readers to the structure and terminology of IFS. Still, these are minor critiques in a work that otherwise offers a remarkable and much-needed bridge between psychology and Catholic spirituality. Litanies of the Heart is a gift for trauma survivors, spiritual seekers, and anyone desiring deeper inner harmony and healing in Christ.
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