Transform pain into healing and deepen your union with Divine Love. This online course integrates contemplative practice, psychological insight, and Twelve-Step spirituality to foster inner healing.
Course Description
Mystical Sobriety is an asynchronous self-paced online course that integrates contemplative practice, psychological insight, and Twelve-Step spirituality to foster inner healing. Taught by Dr. James Finley, the course guides students into a contemplative rhythm of examining and gently working through attachments, trauma, and past hurts that contribute to ongoing suffering. Students will learn that vulnerability is the path to freedom and transformation, and will receive tools to help them habituate to this way of being through teachings, contemplative rhythm, practice, and reflection. Spiritual practitioners enrolled in this course will nurture inner healing, become more aware of God’s sustaining grace in everyday life, and become more present in their daily lives.
Dr. James Finley — who guides Mystical Sobriety — is a clinical psychologist and former student of Thomas Merton. In this course, he’s featured in nine sessions and optional live calls, empowering students to find greater awareness of the habits of the mind and heart. And, with perpetual access to content, students can return again and again to the work of living with compassion, awareness, and freedom!
This self-paced nine-session course offers a flexible online learning experience to guide you as your healing journey evolves. You can enroll anytime and access all course materials through CAC Connect, our new online learning platform. Engage with the material at a pace that safely works for you and deepen your understanding alongside fellow seekers.
Students will be asked to do some deep reflective work and processing on past trauma. As with any deep, interior work, this may challenge you or cause discomfort. We strongly encourage students to enlist the support of a companion on this journey, such as a spiritual director, therapist, sponsor, pastor, or trusted friend.
Learning Objectives
Students will gain insight into why they operate from an unhealed place, discovering a renewed spirituality.
- Foster a greater awareness of the habits of the mind and heart that pull you away from your center.
- Expand your understanding of the Divine’s interplay in practice, reflection, and daily life, to help you stay present to what is arising in you daily.
- Cultivate a contemplative rhythm to anchor the spiritual work of engaging and embodying these teachings.
- Connect and learn alongside others on a healing journey toward living in a more present, compassionate, and non-reactive way.
Course Details
Mystical Sobriety is an asynchronous self-paced online course with nine sessions. You should expect to:
- Watch and/or listen to James Finley’s teachings in video or audio format.
- Apply the practice of Lectio Divina to James Finley’s teachings by engaging in a course rhythm built on contemplative practice, listening, reflection, prayer, and journaling.
- Always have access to course materials, allowing you to take as long as needed to engage with them and only as you feel safe to do so.
- Enter the slow, lifelong — often painful, yet grace-filled — process of coming into the truth of your own story as you turn your life over to the care of Love, moment by moment.
- Engage in deep inner work and reflection around past wounds and blessings that have significantly impacted you, as well as others in your family, that have led you to the present moment.
Content Advisory
In this course, students will be asked to do deep reflective work and process past trauma. As with any deep interior work, this may challenge you or cause discomfort. Revisiting past traumas can awaken dormant hurts and vulnerabilities.
We encourage students to thoughtfully consider to what degree they can safely engage in this emotionally vulnerable work. We strongly encourage students to enlist the support of a companion on this journey, such as a spiritual director, therapist, sponsor, pastor, or trusted friend. We do not advise students to take the course without a trusted confidant in place to walk alongside them throughout the course.
Live Calls with James Finley
This course will provide opportunities for students to participate in live calls with James Finley and CAC staff to support integrating the course materials. These calls will be announced on the CAC Connect platform as they are scheduled.
NOTE: James Finley is not available for psychotherapy or counseling, and this course does not replace the inner work that is done in psychotherapy or spiritual direction.
CAC Connect
This online course is available on CAC’s new learning platform, CAC Connect, your companion for deeper engagement with Christian contemplative wisdom and practices. Designed for spiritual seekers and lifelong learners, it supports those seeking transformation and a deeper connection to contemplative practices.
Through CAC Connect, you can explore enriching content and engage with other spiritual seekers in dedicated spaces. You will build meaningful relationships within a supportive community and foster both personal growth and a commitment to a more just and connected world.
Cost
The standard cost for this course is $497. While this price reflects the true cost of creating and offering it, we believe that transformation belongs to everyone and are committed to reducing financial barriers to participation. We’re happy to offer two additional price levels — $374 and $249 — so you can choose the one that best aligns with your current financial circumstances.
If these price levels are out of reach, you may apply for additional financial assistance.
These reduced options are made possible by the generosity of our donor community who help ensure that seekers from all walks of life can engage the wisdom that calls us toward healing, wholeness, and deepening love.
Requirements
- This course is taught in English.
- There are no prerequisites for this course.
- Because this course can bring up tender and painful emotions, students should enlist the support of a companion such as a spiritual director, therapist, sponsor, pastor, or trusted friend on this journey.
- Learn more about the technical requirements for taking this course.
Please review our FAQs for additional requirement questions.
“I have so much gratitude for Jim’s teaching, and for the support of my spiritual director and my therapist. Mystical Sobriety laid the foundation for my biggest inner breakthroughs.”
— Jon H.
Course Impact
Students enroll in Mystical Sobriety for many reasons. Some find that processing trauma — with the guidance of Dr. James Finley — helped heal deeply rooted feelings of brokenness and unworthiness. Others felt that this Christian contemplative online course helped reconnect them to a lost sense of self and offered them a clearer understanding of their life purpose.
Students shared that they:
- Felt less upset by past hurts and trauma like abuse, loss of child, or being shunned.
- Grew more confident when dealing with major life changes, like feeling unhappy at work, dealing with empty nest syndrome, or going through a divorce.
- Came away with healthier coping strategies for getting unstuck from cycles of trauma.
- Discovered a more loving relationship with scripture by using Christian mysticism to work through trauma from spiritual abuse, like Christian racism, sexism in the Bible, or discrimination against homosexuality.
This is the Mystical Sobriety course trailer.
Course Overview
In this self-paced online course, students will explore course themes through contemplative practice, exclusive teachings from James Finley, reflection, prayer, journaling, and community reflection.
Students are encouraged to engage with the materials at their own pace.
Session One | Introduction to Mystical Sobriety
Introduction to the contemplative rhythm and teachings of Mystical Sobriety.
Session Two | The Grace and Work of Mystical Sobriety
This session opens with a welcome and orientation from James Finley on mystical sobriety. This welcome will also include some guidance around how to approach self-care and the course materials which may elicit especially tender wounds and emotions. After, students are invited to then begin exploring the connection of the Twelve Steps and Christian Mysticism through prayer, stories, examples, meditations, and foundations for the unfolding journey.
Session Three | The Groundless Jump: Seeing What Is Too Beautiful to Die
Unpack Steps 1–3 as James Finley builds on the momentum of radical honesty, unknowing of faith, and life as a groundless jump.
Session Four | Dawning of a New Way to See
Discover the direct implications of Steps 4–7 on spiritual worldviews, as well as character defects as survival strategies and as a deep walk of experiential self-knowledge.
Session Five | Illuminating Our Story
Learn more about the Healing of Personal Inventory and Blessings Along the Way Inventory exercises as James Finley leads us through Steps 8–10. Touch on the oneness that human nature feels exiled from, the entanglements of trauma, and abandonments that open doors to addictive patterns.
Session Six | Our Messy Lives as Pathway to the Divine
Reflect on your journey and prepare the way for Steps 11 and 12. Continue to knit together the inter- and intra-connectedness of this work through Lectio Divina.
Session Seven | Mystical Becoming
Discover a path to connect with the love that evokes deepening transformations. Reflect and honor our shared road of mystical sobriety.
Session Eight | Engaging in the Deep Work
Engage in self-paced conscious work to further explore, unpack, and heal past traumas by applying the tools, teachings, and practices from the course.
Session Nine | What Comes Next
Some final words from James Finley on what comes next as you engage the work and continue your journey of mystical sobriety.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below you will find our most frequently asked questions about our online courses. If you’re unable to find what you are looking for, please contact our support team.
Transformation belongs to everyone. CAC is committed to reducing financial barriers so that seekers from all walks of life can engage the wisdom that heals and inspires. That’s why we offer reduced price levels for all our online courses—so students can choose the one that best aligns with their financial circumstances.
If those price levels are still out of reach, students may apply for additional financial assistance.
Please wait to register for a course or event until you’ve received confirmation of your financial assistance status.
Students will have unlimited access to course materials and discussions as long as CAC Connect is available. We encourage students to go at a pace that fits their lifestyle and supports their transformational journey.
Yes! CAC is currently in the process of transitioning courses to a new community learning platform called CAC Connect (powered by Mighty Networks).
Mystical Sobriety will provide an opportunity for facilitated community reflection where students will have an opportunity to offer prayers and gratitudes. This reflection space will not be for discussion, but rather for students to be present to others in the course without commentary.
CAC online courses are available on computers and mobile devices, like tablets and smartphones.
If you’re having problems, you might be able to solve them by making sure you’re using a supported browser or device, and making sure it’s updated.
CAC Connect Web Access:
- Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge (latest versions recommended).
- Operating System: Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later.
- Internet Speed: At least 5 Mbps for general browsing; 10+ Mbps recommended for livestreaming and video uploads.
- Screen Resolution: Minimum 1024×768 for the best viewing experience.
CAC Connect Mobile Access:
- iOS App: Requires iOS 15.0 or later (compatible with iPhone and iPad).
- Android App: Requires Android 7.1 or later.
- Storage Space: At least 200MB free for the app installation, more for media uploads.
- Permissions: The app may require access to notifications, microphone, camera, and storage for full functionality.
Yes, CAC Connect has a mobile app for both iOS and Android users! With the app, you can easily access and engage with your online courses, connect with fellow students, and explore enriching content that supports your spiritual journey while on the go.
The iOS version requires 15.0 or later (compatible with iPhone and iPad), and the Android app requires Android 7.1 or later. Students will need at least 200MB free on their device for the app installation, with more available for media downloads. For full functionality, the app may require access to notifications, microphone, camera, and device storage.
To reset your password, visit connect.cac.org and click the “Forgot Password?” link. Please be sure to verify that the email you use is the one associated with your CAC Connect profile and that your email address has been entered correctly. All passwords are case sensitive.
1. Have you received the course invite link?
After purchasing and registering for the course, you will receive an invite link via email to log in or sign up for CAC Connect. This email will come from [email protected]. If you don’t see it in your inbox within a few minutes, please double check your spam folder.
If you haven’t received the invite link, please contact our support team here.
2. Are you using the correct email to log in or sign up?
Once you have received the course invite link, make sure you are signing up or logging in with the exact email address used for the student registrant details at checkout.
Double-check the email you used when registering for the course. If you’re unsure, refer to your purchase confirmation email from [email protected].
Note: The invite link is tied to the student’s email. Only the student will receive the invite. If you received this course as a gift, please check with the purchaser about what email address they used in the purchase confirmation email.
3. Still experiencing issues?
If you have received the invite link, are using the correct student email, and still cannot access your course, please contact our support team for further assistance.
Students can request a full refund for any online course for up to 30 days from the date of purchase.
To request a refund, please contact our Community Support team.