Living Wholehearted Podcast With Jeff and Terra

 Truth be told, conflict done well builds the greatest intimacy and trust within relationships. But who likes conflict? Lawyers and... hmmm....? Most avoid conflict due to time, their experiences in their family-of-origin, the differences in hardwiring, and lack of modeling. Many of us have a false idea that having no conflict is a good thing when actually it means we are not getting beneath the s...

We continue our conversation with Bill and Kathy Town , longtime mentors and leaders who have spent nearly four decades in ministry and marriage. Their honesty, humility, and deep faith invite us to see leadership, marriage, and family through a lens of grace, reality, and intentionality—not pressure or perfection. We talk about the early missteps, the pressures of pastoral life, the seasons of ex...

We continue the month of love by sitting down with Bill and Kathy Town , a couple whose four decades of ministry have been marked by integrity, resilience, and a deep reliance on Jesus. Their honesty about leadership, marriage, and parenting gives us a rare, grounded, hope-filled look at what it really takes to serve faithfully for the long haul. We reflect on Bill’s unexpected journey into minist...

We sit down with John and Tristan Collins , longtime friends and the husband-and-wife team behind Why Emotions Matter , to explore how our emotions shape our spiritual life, our relationships, and the way we lead. Their unique blend of theology, psychology, and lived experience helps us rethink what it really means to be emotionally healthy Christians. We talk about the stories that formed them—th...

We sit down with Summer Shore and Melissa Campbell , the co-founders of Revive Ministries, to explore the kind of identity-grounded, Christ-centered leadership women desperately need today. Their friendship, spanning twenty years, has grown into a ministry that helps women find their God-given passion, purpose, and power—and their stories reveal why this calling matters so deeply. We talk about th...

We explore how big emotions shape our children and teens as we sit down with two of our own play therapists, Sarah Dangaran and Roshana Grile . They share why play is a child’s natural language, how toys become a gateway to understanding their inner world, and what it looks like for us as parents to attune and truly see the heart beneath the behavior. We talk about the realities families are facin...

What does spiritual leadership look like when your adult kids no longer need you—but still deeply need your presence? In this vulnerable and wisdom-filled episode, we continue our conversation with Rhonda Began, a seasoned women’s pastor and mother of adult daughters, as she shares the emotional journey of burnout, the healing power of solitude, and the courageous work of becoming a safe, humble p...

What does it take to finish well in ministry and life when burnout, disappointment, and unrealistic expectations threaten to take us out? In this deeply rich and honest conversation, we sit down with Rhonda Began—a seasoned women’s ministry pastor, leader, and mother of adult daughters—who shares candidly about her journey through decades of leadership in the church. With warmth, wisdom, and humor...

How do we stay connected in marriage when life is busy, emotions run high, and connection feels out of reach? In this heartfelt and wisdom-rich conversation, we continue our dialogue with Marina Mitchell—wife, mom, and fitness educator—as she invites us into the everyday habits that have built her 26-year marriage from the ground up. With honesty and grace, Marina shares how intentional date night...

What if we’ve been going about health and fitness all wrong—not just in our methods, but in our motives? In this honest and empowering episode, we sit down with Marina Mitchell—wife, mother, fitness instructor, and master educator—to explore what it really means to pursue whole-person health from a grace-filled, Jesus-centered perspective. Marina shares her personal story of body image struggles,...

How do we reclaim our God-given sexuality after trauma, distorted messages, or years of silence? In this deeply honest and grace-filled conversation, we sit down with Melinda Arnold, MA, LPC, CST, NCC—our resident sex therapist and passionate advocate for healing and wholeness. Together, we explore the many layers of human sexuality, from the impact of trauma and church culture to the very real dy...

Leadership is not about power or position—it’s about obedience, integrity, and stewarding our influence well. In this powerful conversation with writer, speaker, and curriculum developer Connie Armerding, we continue unpacking the unique journey of women in leadership. We discuss the cost of leadership, the weight of responsibility, and the importance of discerning God's timing in stepping int...

Women in leadership face unique challenges, both internally and externally, but stepping into the spaces God has called us to requires courage, confidence, and community. In this conversation with writer, speaker, and curriculum developer Connie Armerding, we unpack the struggles many women face—doubting their place, battling comparison, and overcoming limiting beliefs. Connie shares her personal...

Conflict is inevitable, but how we navigate it can transform our relationships, leadership, and personal growth. In this episode, we explore how the Core Values Index (CVI) reveals the underlying triggers behind conflict and provides practical strategies for shifting back to the best of who we are. From understanding anxiety cues in our bodies to identifying our core conflict strategies—whether ma...

We continue our deep dive into the Core Values Index (CVI), exploring how our unique wiring impacts leadership, relationships, and decision-making. Understanding the way we prioritize tasks, engage with others, and process information can transform how we lead—whether at home, in business, or in the community. From the intuitive instincts of merchants and builders to the analytical depth of banker...

Want to take the CVI test? Go here ! In this episode, we share about the importance of living from who you are (not who you're not). We share about the Core Values Index (CVI), an assessment tool we use in our counseling and organizational development practices that has replaced all the other personality-based assessments we've used over the last 20+ years. This is the second of a 4-part P...

Want to take the CVI test? Go here ! We’re diving into the Core Values Index (CVI), a revolutionary tool with 97% reliability that reveals the unchanging ways we’re wired. Unlike other assessments, the CVI gets beneath personality and life circumstances to uncover what motivates us and helps us thrive. Jeff and Tara share how this tool has transformed marriages, parenting, leadership, and teams by...

Welcome to the Living Wholehearted Podcast ! We’re Jeff and Tara Mattson, and in this very first episode, we’re excited to introduce ourselves and share the heart behind Living Wholehearted . We’ll unpack what it means to lead with integrity—whether you’re a mom, a CEO, or someone striving to grow—and explore how relational wisdom impacts every area of life, both at home and in the workplace. We a...