Living Wholehearted Podcast With Jeff and Terra

In this episode, we open up about the often hidden cost of leadership—especially in seasons of suffering. We reflect on how narrowing our relational circles, honoring emotional limits, and learning to trust God more deeply can become sacred tools for healing. Whether you're leading in a church, home, or organization, we share real stories and biblical truths that reveal how hardship doesn'...

In this episode, we sit down with Cameron Horner to explore the depths of suffering, purpose, and the profound comfort found in Christ. Through his personal story of life-altering injury, Cameron shares how pain can shape perspective, deepen intimacy with Jesus, and become a prophetic voice within the body of Christ. We unpack the difference between inclusion and belonging, the theology of sufferi...

In this episode, we dive into the wisdom of trust—how to discern safe relationships, set healthy boundaries, and grow into a trustworthy person. We explore the concept of "green light, yellow light, and red light" people, helping you navigate relationships with wisdom and grace. Whether in leadership, marriage, or community, learning to trust wisely while becoming a person others can trust...

In this episode, we explore the profound connection between anxiety, loss, and spiritual growth. Too often, we try to control or avoid suffering, but what if anxiety is actually an invitation—an opportunity to draw closer to God? Curtis Chang joins us to discuss how leaders, parents, and believers can navigate grief, trust in God’s plan, and allow their fears to point them toward their deeper call...

Burnout sneaks up on even the most high-capacity leaders, but what if we could prevent it before it takes hold? We sit down with author and licensed counselor Debra Fileta to explore the six rhythms of soul care she uncovered in Scripture—practices that help us stay filled rather than running on empty. From setting boundaries to nourishing our bodies, embracing life-giving relationships, and truly...

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a Board-Certified internal medicine physician, speaker, and award-winning author. She is an international well-being thought-leader featured in numerous media outlets including Prevention, MSNBC, Women’s Day, FOX, Fast Company, Psychology Today, INC, CNN Health, and TED.com. She is the author of numerous books including her bestseller Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Ren...

Want to take the CVI test? Go here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/cvi Understanding conflict through the lens of the Core Values Index (CVI) has been a game-changer in our relationships, leadership, and personal growth. This week, we continue our deep dive into conflict strategies, exploring how Builders, Merchants, Innovators, and Bankers respond to tension—and how we can shift out of unheal...

Marriage takes work, but the rewards of a strong, connected relationship are worth it. In this episode, we dive into the healthy habits that help couples thrive, exploring the importance of commitment, curiosity, and growing together through every season. We discuss practical ways to stay engaged, know each other deeply, and navigate the inevitable changes that come with time. With personal storie...

What does it take to lead well, especially during challenging seasons? Matt and Rachael Gilbert share how our wholehearted leadership cohort has been a transformative space for personal and relational growth. We hear Rachael reflect on learning to pause rather than push forward, resisting the urge to perform or prove herself in the face of hardship. Matt highlights a new awareness of healthy leade...

Natalie Runion joins us to explore the challenges and hope found within church leadership and community. As the founder of Raised to Stay and author of The House That Jesus Built, Natalie shares her journey from church hurt to healing, drawing from decades of ministry experience. Together, we tackle the tension between platform and servanthood, the impact of spiritual orphanhood in leadership, and...

Want to take the CVI test? Go here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/cvi The Core Values Index (CVI) serves as a practical lens for navigating conflict in relationships, workplaces, and personal growth. We explore how the four core values—Builder, Merchant, Innovator, and Banker—highlight individual strengths while revealing unique conflict strategies. Through insights from Tara and Jeff Mattson...

People have a tendency to avoid facing their life stories. Often times we ignore them, we compartmentalize them, and we dwell on them. The difference between a wholehearted leader who is healthy and a leader who is not, is that wholehearted leaders have processed their story. They have done the work to get their baggage down to carry on size and have come to learn who they are BECAUSE of their sto...

What do you do when you find yourself lacking joy in life, or feeling a heaviness about things that you just can't quite put your finger on? What happens when you know that you want to want God in your life, but right now you don't feel like wanting Him in your life at all? Today we talk with Lisa Whittle as she shares her story of surrender to God in an outcry for Him, the only one who ca...

Healthy relationships allow space for health conversations, even conversations regarding the hot topics of our culture at the moment. Many of us have some question we are not asking those closest to us because we are embarrassed to asked, or afraid of how others will respond. Today we learn how to start hard coversations with humble hearts, because "on the opposite side of an awkward conversat...

How we listen to one another matters, especially when we are listening to the ones we love the most. In our marriages, with our children, and in our leadership roles, sometimes we can take each other for granted, falling into patterns and expectations of listening that may not be the healthiest. Let's take a deeper look today at how it is that we can continue to grow in our ability to listen t...

Meaningful mealtimes: When was the last time you sat down as a family, for longer than a half hour, without technology? During the pandemic, families all over the country were eating together, playing together and making vows never to go back to the rat race of life that we were living before everything came to a halt. Yet here we are, nearly 5 years later, and we have seemingly fallen back into t...

Big emotions. They are there whether you want them or not. Emotions are a real part of who we are as humans and we encounter them in every relationship we are involved in. Today, we discuss our wiring as it relates to emotions and offer some tools on how to regulate and care for your emotions. We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team, and co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast....

Apply to our Executive Wholehearted Leadership Cohort -https://www.livingwholehearted.com/leadership-cohorts Emotions. You either love them or wonder what's the point of having them? They often get in the way. The importance of cultivating healthy emotions to enhance one's spiritual and leadership journey is vital. Today we will be talking with guests who bring practical insights and guida...

Apply to our Executive Wholehearted Leadership Cohort -https://www.livingwholehearted.com/leadership-cohorts When leaders can see themselves and how they are wired, from the most accurate lens possible, they are able to learn to live within their limits. Today we are throwing it back to the beginning and discussing the Core Values Index (CVI) tool that we have been using for 13+ years. This tool h...

When someone asks you how you are doing, do you typically respond with "fine", "busy" or "tired"? These responses seem to be the norm these days as the treadmill of life never ends, especially for leader types. Today we want to talk about the importance of practicing rhythms of rest with a special guest who understands what it’s like to be tired of being tired. Jess Connoll...

Everyone is a leader is some capacity, and often, "The greatest challenge in leadership is leading yourself". Leading with integrity is about bringing all of who we are — our mind, heart, soul, body, and relationships, before those who we lead. At Living Wholehearted we say that when leaders lead and live with integrity everyone in their wake benefits, but when leaders don't, everyone...

Join the movement and connect with us. Go to: http://www.livingwholehearted.com/ Living Wholehearted Counseling Team https://www.livingwholehearted.com/professional-counseling How does pornography impact our lives, our relationships and our brains? Are you someone who struggles with a pornography addiction, does someone you love struggle, or are you curious about how to talk to your children about...

Calling all therapists, both emerging and seasoned, this episode is for you! Today Terra and Dr. Michelle discuss what they have discovered about themselves as experienced clinicians and share what they feel is important for therapists to know as you learn and grow and step into your authentic self in your career. Dr. Michelle is a tenured professor of counseling at George Fox University, a licesn...

What do we know to be true about digital devices and social media? Today we are talking as clinicians, executive coaches and parents about what the research is showing with regard to the impact that the digital world is having on us, our children and our teens. We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team, and co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We are the founders of Living Who...

Are you a high-capacity female leader? Join our cohort here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/womens-cohort-application The historical, societal and cultural pressures that women face to live their lives a certain way is palpable for many 20-30 year olds today. With 80% of our life's most defining moments happening before the age of 35, the pressure to bring life's biggest decisions to f...