The Steadfast Podcast

You finally get a moment to yourself—but instead of relaxing, you feel guilty about everything you could be doing for someone else. Why is taking care of yourself sometimes the hardest thing to prioritize? In this episode of the Steadfast Podcast, Jessie Evans sits down with therapist Jess Howell to explore why Christian women often struggle with rest, boundaries, and self-care. They discuss the m...

Do you ever wonder if God is mad at you—or feel like you can never do enough to earn His approval? In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast, Jessie Evans and Annalise Lind, LPC, explore scrupulosity and what happens when faith becomes tangled with fear, guilt, and the pressure to get everything right. Through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), they discuss how religious protector parts can...

“I’m fine.” “Whatever.” “Do what you want.” Sometimes the shortest responses carry the most unspoken feelings. So why is it so hard to just say what we need? Jessie Evans and Tiff Holdgate unpack the passive-aggressive patterns that show up in marriage, parenting, and everyday relationships. They explore how childhood experiences and attachment styles can shape the way we communicate, the differen...

Your child talks nonstop at home but goes quiet at school, church, or around family. How do you know when it’s more than shyness—and how can you help without adding pressure? In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast, Jess Howell, LPC, and Jessie Evans explore selective mutism and the anxiety that can make speaking feel impossible. They discuss what parents might notice, when to seek professional s...

How do you find a therapist who’s actually right for you? Whether you’re starting therapy for the first time or wondering if it’s time for a change, knowing what to look for can make the process feel less overwhelming. In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast, Jessie Evans and Tiff Holdgate break down how to find the right therapy for your needs, personality, and season of life. They explore diffe...

What if making a mistake didn’t mean you failed? In this episode, Jessie talks about why mistakes are part of growth, not proof that something is wrong with you. She shares how perfectionism can turn self-reflection into shame, why healthy relationships need repair instead of perfection, and what it looks like to get back up after something doesn’t go the way you hoped. From taking risks in busine...

What if changing how you show up doesn’t mean you’re being fake—it means you’re being intentional? In this episode, Jessie talks about the idea of the “self-edit” and why being authentic doesn’t mean acting on every feeling, impulse, or reaction. Sometimes the way we instinctively respond comes from insecurity, jealousy, defensiveness, or simply wanting to be liked or right. Jessie explores the di...

What happens when fitting in starts costing you pieces of who you are? In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast, Jessie talks about mean girl culture, belonging, confidence, and the pressure girls feel to change themselves in order to be accepted. She shares what she’s teaching her own daughters about opening the circle, celebrating other women, using their voices, and knowing they never have to a...

What does winning actually look like for you? In the Season 4 premiere of The Steadfast Podcast, Jessie Evans explores a question she’s been thinking about all summer: how do we define winning when life is about so much more than measurable outcomes? Jessie shares how the Steadfast team thinks about success, impact, and the kind of people they want to become. She also invites you to consider how y...

In this final episode of Season 3 of The Steadfast Podcast, Jessie Evans, LPC and Annalise sit down with Adam Young to talk about why our stories matter. Adam helps us understand that “story work” is not just about remembering the big timeline of our lives. It is about honoring the specific memories, wounds, joys, and moments that shaped how we experience ourselves, God, our relationships, and eve...

In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast , Jessie Evans sits down with returning guest Megan Cannon , owner of Carolina Counseling for Athletes , for a powerful conversation about the emotional side of youth sports—and what athletes really need from the adults leading them. Together, they explore how secure attachment, emotional safety, trust, and regulation impact not only performance, but a chil...

Description: In this more personal episode, Jessie shares what’s been stirring over the past few weeks and invites you behind the scenes at Steadfast. From reflecting on what it means to stay present in the middle of everyday life, to sharing exciting updates—including a new resource app and a simpler way to use your out-of-network benefits—this episode is all about removing barriers and helping y...

What actually helps people grow, heal, and mature in church? In this episode of the Steadfast Podcast, Jessie Evans sits down with Michel Hendricks , co-author of The Other Half of Church , to talk about why so many churches are strong on teaching but weak on relational transformation. Together, they explore the connection between discipleship, emotional safety, attachment, trauma healing, and spi...

What if “belonging” doesn’t mean fitting in… but finally getting to be fully yourself? In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast , Jessie Evans sits down with Charleston therapist and author Jen Jackson to talk about her book Softly Wired: Reflections of an Autistic Therapist and the journey of self-acceptance—especially for women who discover their autism later in life. Together, Jessie and Jen ex...

What if self-care isn’t a bubble bath… but a front porch? In this warm, laughter-filled episode, Jessie sits down with Southern storyteller and internet favorite Landon Bryant to talk about: Southern culture vs. country identity Emotional safety in families Hospitality as self-care Humor as connection Authenticity and integrity Letting chaos become comfort And a HUGE live career announcement 👀 Mi...

Couples counseling is not just “learn better communication and move on.” In this episode, Jessie Evans and Steadfast counselor Tiff Holdgate unpack what’s really happening underneath conflict—attachment styles, nervous system reactivity, old hurts that stack over time, and the “cycle” that can start running your marriage. You’ll hear practical ways to prepare for couples counseling, how to recogni...

When your child snaps, withdraws, rolls their eyes, or says “I don’t care,” it can feel like rejection—but often it’s communication. In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast , Jessie Evans (owner of Steadfast Christian Counseling ) sits down with Emily Coomer, LPC to help parents slow down in the moment, understand what’s happening underneath the behavior, and respond in ways that build emotional...

The “postpartum” season is bigger than we think — it’s the perinatal period , spanning pregnancy and often 1–2 years after birth . In this episode, Jessie Evans sits down with Steadfast counselor Annalise Lind to explore what happens internally when your “control panel” changes during pregnancy and early parenthood. Through an Internal Family Systems (IFS) lens, we talk about how anxiety, intrusiv...

One word is carrying way too much weight right now—and the confusion is hurting people. In this episode of The Steadfast Podcast , Jessie Evans responds to a recent Gospel Coalition article (“Why Women Are Going to Therapy Instead of Church”) and makes the case for a needed distinction: pastoral care/discipleship and clinical counseling are not the same thing. We’re not comparing apples to apples....

Welcome back to The Steadfast Podcast — and welcome to 2026. In this episode, Jessie talks about the “reentry” feeling of the first few weeks of the year: getting back into routines, resetting the home and office, and setting goals with a gentle, grounded kind of intention. Then she shares a moment with her daughter that stopped her in her tracks — a “glow up,” defined simply as being comfortable...

Unpack Your Stuff: The Gift of Secure Attachment Episode Description (use everywhere): On my 45th birthday week, I’m sharing why the #1 gift we can give our kids (and our marriages) is to keep unpacking our story . We talk IFS parts, attachment safety, repair over perfection, and why healthy couples work is often individual work in the context of relationship . I also highlight Adam Young’s Make S...

We all know gossip doesn’t feel good — but why do we still do it? In this episode, Jessie unpacks Brené Brown’s concept of common enemy intimacy — that counterfeit sense of closeness we get when we “hotwire connection” by bonding over who or what we both dislike. It feels like connection, but it’s actually built on judgment, not truth. From cancel culture to middle school mean-girl dynamics to adu...

If you’ve ever caught yourself apologizing for feeling deeply or shrinking to make someone else more comfortable, this episode is for you. In this deeply honest conversation, Jessie unpacks the “too much” part that many women carry — the part that believes that being authentic risks rejection or disconnection. Using Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, she explains how our inner world includes e...

In this short but powerful episode, Jessie from Steadfast Christian Counseling in Charleston, SC, shares how to train both your mind and body to find calm on purpose. Drawing from cognitive behavioral therapy, somatic regulation, and faith-based grounding, she walks you through simple daily steps to move from chaos to clarity. You’ll learn how to: Interrupt anxious thought loops and restore focus...

Steadfast therapists (and Swifties) Jessie Evans, Emily Coomer, and Annalise Lind unpack Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl through Internal Family Systems and attachment theory—zooming in on “Eldest Daughter,” “Father Figure,” “Opalite,” “Cancelled,” and more. Parts work, resilience, public vs. private selves, and why the harmonies might be her parts “singing together.” Come nerd out with us. Book...