For the final episode of The Sacred Sofa, Brad and Grace reflect on what they’ve learned through bringing Christian faith, theology, Scripture, psychology, and therapy into honest conversation with one another. Together, they explore why faith does not make us less human, why self-awareness can feel both unsettling and liberating, why healing often unfolds more slowly than we hope, and why being fully known may be one of the deepest expressions of grace.

Thoughtful and deeply reflective, this closing episode is an invitation to move from hiding toward honesty, from shame toward compassion, and from isolation toward meaningful connection.

On this episode of The Sacred Sofa, Brad and Grace unpack a quietly radical idea: what if the problem isn’t you — but the impossible standard of what it means to be human?

Together, they explore the tension between who we are and who we think we should be, diving into inner conflict, self-protective patterns, and the relentless pressure to “fix” ourselves. They speak candidly about shame, the limits of self-optimization, and the emotional toll of striving for a version of peace that may not even exist.

This is a grounded, compassionate conversation about therapy, grace, and the kind of change that doesn’t demand perfection, just honesty. If you’ve ever felt exhausted trying to become a better version of yourself, this episode offers a different path forward.

As the holidays draw closer, grief often becomes louder—not because it’s out of control, but because we keep asking it to stay quiet at the table. In Part 2 of our conversation with registered psychotherapist Suzanne Trotman, we move beyond well-meaning clichés and vague advice to explore what grief actually is—and why so many people feel like they’re doing it “wrong.”

Together, Brad and Grace unpack the differences between loss, grief, and mourning, why grief is not something you “move on from,” and how describing it as a neat, linear journey can actually cause harm. Drawing from both profound personal loss and years of clinical experience, Suzanne invites us to understand grief as a language that must be learned—one that speaks through the body, emotions, memories, and moments that arrive without warning.

The Sacred Sofa explores why the holidays intensify grief, how to lower expectations without giving up hope, and why joy and sorrow are not opposites—but often companions.

For those who hold faith, we gently sit with the spiritual questions grief raises—without rushing toward answers that may comfort the helper more than the hurting. This episode is for grievers, for those who walk alongside them, and for anyone willing to admit that grief doesn’t need fixing—it needs fluency. 🤍🕯️