CS
Church Staff Book Club

Get Healthy by Facing Your Shadow

March 24, 2026·32 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Every leader has a shadow — the hidden wounds, unconscious patterns, and untamed emotions formed long before you ever stepped into a leadership role. The question isn't whether your shadow exists. It's whether you'll face it before it starts leading for you.In this episode, Jonathan Malm and Jason Young dig into Chapter 2 of The Emotionally Healthy Leader, unpacking one of the most uncomfortable (and most necessary) conversations in church leadership: the parts of yourself you'd rather not look at — and why those are exactly the parts that matter most.In this episode, you'll learn:What "the shadow" actually is — and how it quietly shapes every decision you make as a leaderWhy the cave you fear to enter might hold the breakthrough your leadership needsHow your family system growing up is still running in the background of how you lead todayWhy the shadow shows up differently under stress than in everyday leadership momentsCommon ways the shadow surfaces in church leaders — from conflict avoidance to perfectionism to shutting down contrary opinionsPractical tools to start facing your shadow, including naming your emotions, using a genogram, and seeking trustworthy feedbackWhy shadow work isn't optional if you want sustainable fruit in your ministryJonathan gets personal about his "not yet" defense mechanism, Jason shares how a strength can quietly become a shadow, and both of them make the case that what you refuse to see will eventually lead you.🔗 Want a community of trusted leaders around you? Check out LobbyLabs.co — the coaching community for guest services and connections leaders.

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