You can't keep me away from a microphone for too long! I wanted to record a holiday episode because I know this time of year is hard for many people, and that's okay! 

In this episode, we discuss what it truly means to navigate the holidays with your emotional, spiritual, and relational well-being intact. From family triggers to loneliness, unrealistic expectations, and boundary fatigue, we navigate the pressures that arise during this time of year and explore practical ways to stay grounded. You’ll hear therapist-informed insights, faith-centered encouragement, and simple tools you can use to care for yourself well. If the holidays feel overwhelming, this conversation will help you find your breath again.

I am so thankful to Jenna Bridgers and Susan Van Horn, who took the time out of their day to record this episode. It will resonate with many people. 

One of my lifelong friends. We met 19 years ago as freshmen in college, playing volleyball, and the rest is history! 

This episode needs a trigger warning. Kelsey has an incredible story, but it is not for little ears! She articulates what she went through with grace and truth! 

I am so thankful for her friendship and what she has meant to me over the years! It is a blessing to do life with her! Kelsey is a mom of 4 and married to DR! She is an artist, barber, and I am trying to think what else she does, along with being a wife and mom. Kelsey suffers from a rare disease called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and just had her 20th surgery. 

She is a fighter and loves the Lord. I can't think of a better way to end this season than with a friend who has walked a long road with me! 

Enjoy! 

I love this episode! I know I say that about every episode, but I am proud of Susan for leaving her comfort zone and sitting down with me to talk about grief! 

This is a complex subject to talk about because until you've been in it, you do not have words to describe it. Susan broaches this subject with grace and truth, and it is an Incredible episode to hear, especially if you are walking through grief right now! 

Susan is married and lives in Columbia, where she has a private practice for counseling. She is a dear friend I have known most of my life, and  I consider her an incredible mentor and friend! 

If you or someone you know needs help walking through the stages of grief, please do not hesitate to reach out! This is what the podcast is for! 

Josh Squires joined the First Presbyterian Church staff in January 2014. He is a graduate of Belhaven University with a B.S. in Psychology; a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) with an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy and Counseling. Josh started a private practice counseling company and was a private therapist before returning to RTS to earn an M.Div. While pursuing his divinity degree, Josh served as the Christian Education intern at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, Mississippi, and later as the Interim Director of Christian Medical and Dental Association at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He also writes for Desiring God. He is married to Melanie, and they have two daughters and three sons.

Josh has walked me through some low points in my life post-COVID. He is an incredible pastor at First Pres, and you can hear him on Sunday nights during the year! 

https://www.firstprescolumbia.org/josh-squires

The Midtown Man! Ryan is a pastor at Midtown in Columbia, South Carolina. He is in the Master's of Clinical Counseling Program at CIU. Ryan has a great perspective on pastoral care versus clinical care. 

You can find him working the front desk at the Courtyard Marriott when he is not pastoring at Midtown or in grad school. Ryan loves to travel and spend time with friends. 

One of my favorite things about him is that he loves wine. We talk about that! But most importantly, Ryan loves the Lord and is passionate about helping people learn about Jesus and mental health! 

Dr. Ben Mathew is a professor at CIU. He is starting his third year at CIU and is originally from Canada. He is first-generation Canadian; his parents are both from India. Dr. Mathew has a unique outlook on multicultural issues and how counselors can attack challenging subjects! He is an incredible professor as well as a husband and father! 

Jenna Bridgers came into my life when I needed her the most. She has been a faithful friend to me throughout this past year of grad school! 

She is a newly minted therapist with a background in storytelling, systems thinking, and late-night kitchen table conversations. After returning to grad school later in life, she brings a grounded, reflective presence to her clinical work—shaped by lived experience, curiosity, and a deep belief in personal reinvention. 

In this episode, we talk about the path to becoming a therapist, growing up in the 1980s, and how early relationships with food and body image quietly shape her work today.

I love this woman. She is also married and a mother to three! 

Below is Jenna's website for inquiries for counseling, and you can follow her on Instagram at @arisecounselingsc 

http://www.arisecounselingsc.com

What should we do with all the evil we see in the world? How do we hold people accountable when mental health, politics, and faith collide? And how do we move forward when we’ve witnessed tragedy and trauma up close—sometimes through videos we were never meant to see?

In this episode, I sit down with two of my professors, Dr. Seth Scott and Dr. Ben Mathew, and we lean into questions many of us are asking but don’t always know how to voice. We discuss the pull between silence and speaking up with family and friends who don’t share our beliefs. We ask what it means to process grief, violence, and division alongside our children and the next generation. We wrestle with the role of social media in shaping empathy, outrage, and our sense of responsibility to “say something” publicly.

Most importantly, we turn to what faith offers in these moments. As Timothy Keller wrote, “Jesus moves through the ruins with truth, tears, anger, and, finally, grace.” That’s the invitation in this conversation—to sit in the tension, acknowledge the pain, and find hope in the promise that everything broken will one day be made whole.

In complete transparency, I am very nervous about releasing this. If you listen to the podcast and disagree with anything I say, I welcome a coffee date or conversation about anything mentioned today. 

Y'all, bear with me! This is one of the earlier episodes, and I was learning my new microphones and traveling! 

Welcome, Dylan Murphy, to the podcast! This was such a fantastic episode to record with someone who works very closely with eating disorders and the struggle women (and men) have with food! 

Dylan, who married into my crazy family, lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a wife and mother! 

Below is her website linked as well as her Instagram for more information on how to contact her if you are interested in learning more! 

https://www.freemethodnutrition.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dylanmurphy.rd/

Clemson's finest. I am so honored that Ricky took the time to come on the podcast and talk to me about mental health! We talk about his journey from childhood to Clemson and then to the NFL, and how God has orchestrated people in his life to support him in the most crucial times. 

I knew Ricky in college, and to see how he has changed over the years is inspiring. He talks about his struggle with suicidal ideation and depression while playing football at Clemson. We discuss Rex Ryan and the Jets and the intervention that saved his life. Ricky played at Clemson from 2006 to 2009 and then in the NFL from 2010 to 2014. 

I am so encouraged that a man came and sat down with me to talk about mental health. Conversations heal, and this is one of those. 

Ricky is a dad to three children, a motivational speaker, and an author! He travels the country speaking and dancing, and probably has the most energy of any man I have seen in a long time. His spirit is contagious, and I am so thankful our paths crossed back in our Clemson days! 

Enjoy.. oh and Go Tigers!

http://www.TheRickySappfoundation.com

https://therickysappfoundation.com/mentorship%2Fspeaking