Can we be honest? Blame feels good — at least for a moment. It's quick, easy, and even a little satisfying to find someone else to fault. But before we know it, that "warm blanket" of blame can leave us isolated and stuck.

In this next installment of the Relational Triangles series on the Practicing Hope Podcast, Sarah Johnson joins Tanner Smith and Chase Rashad Stancle to explore the role of the Accuser and how to move from calling people out to calling people in. Together, they unpack how fear, blame, and even our brains can keep us reactive and how curiosity, confession, and prayer can open space for real connection and growth.

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why anxious systems feed on blame and how to calm them

• How to shift from accuser to challenger

• A simple prayer to slow down and respond with wisdom

Show Notes

• Stephen Karpman's Drama Triangle: Victim, Villain, Hero roles

• Brain science: amygdala, mirror neurons, dopamine/oxytocin

• Psalm 139 — "Search me and know my heart…"

• PDF: 15 Reflection Questions for Leaders — a free PDF with 10+ thoughtful prompts you can keep in your back pocket to reframe conflict and invite growth

• Slowing Down Guide — a simple, free, practical resource to help leaders pause, breathe, and show up as a peaceful presence when tensions rise

• Staying Grounded Guide — a reflection-based guide that helps you pause in the heat of tension and move from reactivity to agency, so you can show up with greater clarity, peace, and presence.

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