The Allender Center Podcast

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton, Director of Organizational Development at The Allender Center, have a conversation about planning and remembering weddings and what it means to hold both joy and heartache at these momentous events.

Dan and Becky Allender reflect on what it means to experience failure and address it in a way that allows our lives to grow, both relationally and individually.

On this week's podcast, Dan Allender a series on facing our failures and discusses how unnamed failures can accumulate to become part of ourselves which opens the door to "the idolatry of perfectionism." How then, Dan asks, will we engage failure in

On this week's podcast, Dan Allender launches a new series on a topic that cuts to the very quick of our being and identity: failure. No one can escape failure, and yet there is a need for a better way to address our failures. Using a personal story, Da

Dan and Becky Allender have a conversation about what it means to embrace aging by owning limitations, moving forward in kindness, and holding both the levity and gravity of aging together.

Dan and Dr. Keith Anderson continue their conversation about the reality of aging and what it means to embrace a slower, yet deeper pace that accompanies this new season of life.

Dan Allender and his good friend Dr. Keith Anderson explore the realities of aging, the importance of curiosity, and the practice of listening.

Dan Allender concludes our series on scapegoating by reflecting on the movement away from endless cycles of blame-shifting and reciprocal violence.

Dan Allender continues our series on scapegoating by reflecting on the experience of being chosen to bear the violence and chaos of an entire system.

Abby Wong-Heffter and Derek McNeil sit down for a conversation that leads them to discussing the realities of trauma and the hope to live a more integrated life.

Dan Allender launches a new series about the reality of scapegoating, reflecting on the dynamics that occur when unmet desire gives way to envy and an impulse toward harm.

Dan Allender concludes our series on play alongside Russ Teubner, developer of a unique, artistic event space called Backstage Stillwater. Russ and Dan reflect on how we can create spaces of play in the world around us.

Dan and Becky Allender reflect on what deep, meaningful play reveals about living as people who are captivated by the radiance of God.

Dan and Becky Allender wrestle with some of the obstacles and demands that often keep us from engaging in play, or that relegate it to an afterthought or addendum to the rest of our lives.

Dan and Becky Allender kick off a new series all about the beauty and necessity of play by exploring the categories of risk, exploration, and restoration.

Dan and Becky Allender conclude our series on Psalm 131 by reflecting on a hope that is grounded in our deepest desires, that does not fear suffering, and that anticipates the fullness of redemption that God intends for each of us.

Dan and Becky Allender reflect on how Psalm 131 invites us to calm and quiet our bodies, minds, and hearts, so that we can navigate the loss and chaos around us in a new way.

Dan Allender continues unpacking Psalm 131 by looking at some of the messages of entitlement, demand, and pressure that often drive us to strive for a false Eden rather than resting in the work God is calling us to.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton conclude our series about spiritual abuse by reflecting on the long, slow movement out of abusive contexts, and the work of tending to small areas of growth while trusting that God is contending for us in the big areas.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton discuss how spiritual abuse shames and manipulates our bodies, often forcing us to dissociate and split off the parts of us that are wise and kind and curious.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton continue looking at how spiritual abuse hijacks our minds by fostering suspicion toward God, each other, and even our own hearts.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton launch a new series returning to the category of spiritual abuse, exploring how these heartbreaking dynamics hijack our bodies and minds, keeping us from the freedom, spaciousness, and beauty we were created for.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton continue discussing the dynamics of erotic entanglement by reflecting on the tendency for so many leaders to rely on the people they serve to meet their deepest desires.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton talk about recognizing erotic entanglement as leaders, and the very human desires that help fuel it.

Dan Allender and Abby Wong-Heffter continue discussing the costs and demands of leadership, unpacking the common tendency to idealize or scapegoat our leaders, rather than allowing them to be full, complex, imperfect human beings.

Dan Allender and Abby Wong-Heffter reflect on some of the dynamics and challenges of leadership, and the need to care for those—including ourselves—who live with the expectations and assumptions of others.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton continue discussing the experience of not doing well, exploring the movement toward doing well even in the midst of circumstances that are still unwell.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton continue discussing the familiar experience of not doing well, exploring the painful, terrifying, but essential act of turning towards community and allowing the Spirit to care for us through the care of others.

Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton begin a conversation about the familiar experience of not doing well, and the messages that tell us we need to power through the pain, not let our guard down, and not let anyone truly see us when things are not well.

Dan and Becky Allender continue discussing triangulation in family of origin, and remind us that no matter how deep the harm, and no matter how costly the healing, our stories are not yet done being written.

In this third episode of our Family of Origin series, we turn to the crucial category of triangulation. Dan and Becky Allender look back on their own families and the history of their marriage to help us unpack how these dynamics continue playing out deca

Dan Allender continues our Family of Origin series by discussing the importance of engaging both large, historic patterns and the minute details of particular stories.

Dan Allender launches a new series about the need to engage family of origin issues, beginning with the ways that both genetics and attachment history are at play in our relationships today.

Dan Allender continues his conversation with Steve Call about fostering reconnection in marriage, which is not possible without deep empathy, honest engagement of trauma, and the fundamental art of play.

Dan is joined by Dr. Steve Call, whose new book shares key findings from Steve's years of experience helping couples reconnect. Together Steve and Dan explore the hurt and shame that must be addressed if we hope to cultivate meaningful connection.

As we wrap up our conversation about how delight allows us to approach decisions with a greater sense of awe and gratitude, Dan Allender reminds us that true delight is about so much more than easy, temporary pleasure.

With some help from Marie Kondo's famous work around clutter and tidiness, Dan invites us to consider how approaching even the smallest decisions with a sense of delight might help draw us deeper into beauty and goodness.

Dan Allender launches a new series about decision-making, and how the category of delight might help us discern which path to take.

Dan Allender continues his conversation with Steve Call about fostering reconnection in marriage, which is not possible without deep empathy, honest engagement of trauma, and the fundamental art of play.

Dan and Becky Allender reflect on the year ahead, wondering about the themes and desires they feel for the coming months.

Dan and Becky Allender invite us to look back on the past year, to remember the highlights and low points, the delights and challenges, and to wonder what themes Jesus has been growing in us this year.

Dan and Becky Allender conclude our holiday series by talking about something that will be all too familiar for most listeners: family conflict.

Dan and Becky Allender continue their conversation about the holidays by discussing the deep sense of disappointment that so often leads to conflict.

Dan and Becky Allender reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of nostalgia—which can help inform our desire for goodness in the present, or can set up unrealistic expectations that inevitably lead to disappointment.

Dan Allender continues talking with therapist and author Andrew Bauman, whose book Stumbling Toward Wholeness offers a new, vital perspective on the familiar story of the Prodigal Son.

Dan Allender talks with therapist and author Andrew Bauman about his new book, Stumbling Toward Wholeness, and about the movement through shame and self-righteousness to kindness.

Dan Allender continues his conversation with Stasi Eldredge about defiant joy, honest engagement with sorrow, and the unrelenting hope that brokenness is not the end of the story.

Dan Allender is joined by Stasi Eldredge to talk about her new book, Defiant Joy, and the intimate connection between joy and sorrow.

Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel continue their conversation about The Tale, a stunning new film that raises crucial questions about arousal, contempt, and the necessity of telling our stories of trauma and abuse.

Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel talk about The Tale, a fiercely important new film from HBO that is a vital addition to ongoing conversations about childhood sexual abuse.