overcoming fear | Dr.TomWagner

Dr. Tom has been sharing refreshing, insightful essays on his Sunday Morning Cafe blog since 2009. Each Sunday, he brings his extensive experience from resilience research, counseling, and consulting to help you find more connection, meaning, and joy in life. We're so glad you're here to grow with this community!

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Hip to Be Holy Part Two

You don’t get to choose when fear taps you on the shoulder. But you can choose what steadies you. This piece invites you to consider what might ground you when life shifts.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Dec 7, 20255 min read

Hands clasped in prayer on a closed book beside a lit candle, creating a warm, calm atmosphere against a dark background.

Fire

“Fire” was once a cry for safety. Now, it’s the spark of a calling. This reflection follows the transformation of one woman’s fear into fierce compassion.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Oct 19, 20255 min read

Intentional Friendships: a Guest SMC Author!

The irony of friendship? We long for closeness, but sometimes resist the very vulnerability that creates it. This piece invites you to take the small, brave steps that lead to a lifetime of walking side by side.

Annalise Wagner

Aug 10, 20256 min read

Dr. Tom Wagner's daughter Lizzie and her friend Audrey smiling excitedly at the camera, clandestine collaborators in mischief

Have You Lost Your Mind? Confessions of a Risk Taker.

Building treehouses, crossing borders, challenging injustice—some of love’s best work happens off the map. This reflection invites you to consider the risks worth taking.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Jul 6, 20255 min read

Group of adult friends laughing together over a meal at a table

Hip to Be Humorous: How laughing got me through surgery and why it is what you need today, too.

What if laughter was the key to overcoming stress? See how humor turned a pre-surgery panic into a powerful lesson in resilience.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Apr 13, 20254 min read

Wake Up Your Lizzie the Lion

Facing fear head-on leads to resilience and growth. What roar are you running toward?

Dr. Tom Wagner

Apr 6, 20253 min read

Cobra with a flared hood is poised at attention on a sandy beach, ocean waves in the background.

Co-habitating with Cobras & Other Common Human Experiences

How do you co-habitate with a cobra and not get bit? Discover spiritual reflections and practices for life’s toughest moments.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Mar 30, 20254 min read

Wooden cross on a grassy hill against the sun rising soft skies and mountains in the distance signifying holiness

Hip to Be Holy.

In a world that once dismissed the spiritual as silly or suspect, what does it mean to live unapologetically aligned with your soul? Step into a story of secrecy, spirituality, and the surprising freedom of coming home to your inner life.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Jan 11, 20254 min read

Cohabitating with Cobras and Other Common Human Experiences

How do you cohabitate with a cobra and not get bit? Discover spiritual reflections and practices for life’s toughest moments.

Dr. Tom Wagner

Jan 5, 20254 min read

Hands stacked in a group, displaying unity and diverse tattoos. Outdoors on grass, casual attire visible, conveying a sense of teamwork.

Building Bridges in Divided Times

Do you ever feel like every political conversation is a minefield? This reflection introduces a better way to engage—without losing your peace (or your people).

Dr. Tom Wagner

Dec 8, 20245 min read