A Single Double Named Therapist

Full circle moment! Mary Scott interviewed me the first time I ever publicly spoke about my life back in 2017! What an honor to sit down with her today and catch up almost 10 years later! Mary Scott is such a joy to be around. We talk a lot about what life looks like now with 2 kids and the wild journey she went on to get back to Columbia. I appreciate Mary Scott's honesty and her ability to welcome other women into her weight-loss journey. She is brave.

You can follow along with Mary Scott's journey on Instagram! I am thankful to have reconnected with her and for her friendship at this stage of our lives!

Enjoy!

I am so thankful to be able to sit down with my friend Ginny Tate! As I mentioned in the intro, this episode is a really tough one! I think it is an important topic to discuss, even if it is hard. I am blessed to know Ginny and to have witnessed the road she walked over the last couple of years! Ginny experienced Intimate Partner Violence in her marriage, and that is what we discuss today. Praise God for women like her who tell their story!

Currently, one in three women worldwide experiences IPV, which is a global health concern (Napier et al., 2023).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), VAW is a pervasive problem that “negatively affects women’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health” (WHO, 2024).

IPV is defined as “any violence that occurs within a relational context with a romantic partner, whether that partner is current or from a past relationship” (Kelly et al., 2022, p. 147), including “physical, emotional, psychological abuse” (Kelly et al., 2022, p. 147) and “sexual coercion” (Napier et al., 2023, p. 323). Physical abuse can be briefly defined as acts of physical hostility, which can include hitting, kicking, throwing, or any other form of physical coercion, with the possibility of causing harm to the individual (Mulat et al., 2022). Psychological or emotional abuse, which is often the most common form of IPV, involves emotional manipulations, including subtle put-downs, gaslighting, and other means to control a current or former partner (Daw et al., 2023). Sexual coercion or sexual assault are the undesired sexual advances, including touching, or expressions of desire that can occur at varying degrees, consistency, or invasiveness from either a stranger, current, or former partner (Foubert et al., 2021).

So happy to be back with my friend Linzy Mallon! Linzy and I connected 10 years ago when she was working at a non-profit here in Columbia, where my mother volunteered! I have enjoyed watching Linzy navigate the ups and downs of life and her honesty through it all.

Linzy sits down with me to share her story and the devastation of what it is like to suffer a miscarriage. She beautifully talks about what it looked like to lament truly and how the Lord sustained her through the deepest valleys of her life.

I am so thankful for her honesty and for her ability to articulate what it is like to experience a miscarriage. I so admire Linzy's courage and strength! I am so thankful she came on to talk about her story and how God continues to use her!

Happy Monday! Hopefully, we are fully into fall now and can start wearing sweaters! I am so excited to sit down with my friend Ashley Mack! As I said in the intro, Ashley and I have known each other for 20+ years and graduated from Hammond together! Go Skyhawks!

Ashley and her husband, Erv, recently navigated a season of life that was not part of the plan (don't we all). If you have walked with Christ long enough, you unfortunately feel the stings of sin, and sometimes that comes from the hands of believers. Ashley and I sit down and talk about when Christians hurt... and what it looks like to navigate forgiveness!

Ashley speaks to my wounded soul and is just a wonderful example of taking everything before the Lord. I am so thankful for her friendship and the example she and her husband set in walking through seasons of disappointment!

She is a blessing to so many, and I am so excited to sit down with my LONGTIME friend, Ashley Mack!

Episode 2! I am so excited to sit down with my friend Amy Young! Amy is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at CIU, where we met, and she has an incredible story!

Amy is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist and Certified Substance Abuse Therapist. You will hear her drop some acronyms in the episode, but this is what they mean! She is licensed in Georgia and South Carolina and sees people virtually!

Amy is such an overcomer, and when we were first introduced, people knew we would get along. I admire the work Amy has done personally and professionally, and this episode is raw and real. I hope listeners enjoy it.

This is not an episode you want children to hear, so headphones in!

If you hear this episode and think "Amy is the therapist for me," below is a link to contact her about therapy!

Enjoy!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/amy-d-young-dahlonega-ga/723267

SEASON 2

We are so back!

I am excited to kick off Season 2 of the podcast with my friend Anna Stuart! As I mentioned on the show, Anna and I have known each other for over a decade! Anna sits down with me to talk about grief and the way she walked through the sudden death of her older sister, Sallie, on December 25, 2023.

I love Anna's candor and her ability to describe how she felt as she walked through the hardest season of her life. She and her twin sister continue to honor Sallie today, and it is a beautiful picture of how God can use the worst moments of our lives to his glory!

I asked Anna at the end, if Sallie were sitting here today, what would she tell her, and I will let the listeners hear for themselves, but I also asked her to text her twin Catherine and ask her, and this is her response:

"That I love her, and she was a wonderful big sister, and I can't wait to see her again!"

Amen. I love this episode. I love all my episodes, but this one hit home for me because Sallie and I were the same age and lived very similar lives. She is in the arms of her Savior now, and it is an honor for me to sit down with Anna and talk about her life!

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

Dr. Scott joined the School of Counseling faculty of Columbia International University in 2019, and serves as the Program Director and Assistant Dean of the School of Counseling, Professor of Clinical Counseling, Director of the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, and Associate Director of Chinese Clinical Counseling. Seth teaches in the areas of research, faith integration, worldview formation, trauma, and clinical practice for the MA program and research, counselor identity, faith integration, and counselor education in the PhD. He is an active member and participant of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS), American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), and the American Counseling Association (ACA).

He also maintains a private practice, Sunrise Counseling, for both clinical work and supervision in the community. He is happily married to his wife, Jen, who is a potter, creating amazing ceramic products through Sunset Studio Pottery. Seth and Jen have two wonderful children, Suzie and Caleb.

I am privileged to sit under his teaching and leadership in grad school. He has tremendously affected my life and continuously encourages me. When I decided to return to the podcast, he was among the first people I contacted to give honest feedback and counsel. This episode is a quick overview of things I wanted to talk about. He does a wonderful job explaining trauma and addiction and basic counseling tools. I hope you enjoy the episode! We tackle a lot!

https://ciu.edu/faculty/seth-scott/

I called an audible on the first episode release! I initially announced my professor would be in the first episode, but life. I could not ask for a better beginning to my podcast. Hope does a beautiful job explaining what counseling means to her. She is so well spoken, calm, and confident in the work she has done. It was inspiring to sit with her.

Hope Radebaugh is the wife of a longtime college basketball coach and teaches science in Charleston, South Carolina. She is a speaker and Bible teacher of 17 years and has extensive experience working with youth of all ages (elementary to college), women’s groups, and marriage retreats.

She is a mother, grandmother, and a lifelong friend of my mom (manager). I will forever remember this interview. I sat with her for her one-liners, her ability to laugh in the struggle, and her ability to give Jesus the glory. Hope gives Hope.

Enjoy!

https://www.forgeforward.org/event-speakers/speaker-directory/hope-radebaugh/

Welcome back! So glad you are here!

I hope you come back weekly for episodes and interviews with incredible people! This episode is to thank the many people who have encouraged me along the way, and I know I left some out!

A Single Double Named Therapist is a podcast for people who want to hear incredible stories of hope, change, and the goodness of God in their lives!

Grab a fridge cig, a glass of wine, or a coffee, and meet me on Mondays! I cannot wait for this season!

The inaugural episode is with the head of my graduate program, Seth Scott. Dr. Scott sits down with me and we will talk about many different topics in counseling. He is an incredible teacher with decades of experience in trauma work and other types of counseling! It is informative!

Here we go!