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Episode #: The Next Right Step: Faith, Recovery, Leadership & Finishing Well with Robert Green
6/2/2026
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1:31:15
ABOUT THE EPISODE
In this powerful conversation, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Robert Green, founding pastor of Fondren Church, husband, father, leader, and one of Mississippi’s most respected voices on faith and community.
Robert shares his journey from Starkville to college ministry, meeting his wife Susan, and ultimately taking the leap of faith to plant Fondren Church. Together, they explore what it means to trust God when the path ahead is uncertain, the risks involved in building something meaningful, and the challenges of leading with humility and integrity.
The conversation dives into the intersection of faith and recovery, including:
- Why surrender is often the hardest step in recovery and life
- The relationship between spirituality and the 12 Steps
- Mental health, addiction, and how the church’s response has evolved
- Leadership, pressure, and learning to finish well
- Pain, betrayal, forgiveness, and resilience
- Raising children, taking risks, and trusting God’s plan
- The difference between groaning to God and grumbling about God
- Why community and connection are essential for healing
Throughout the episode, Robert shares practical wisdom, personal stories, and timeless truths that resonate whether you’re in recovery, leading a team, raising a family, or simply navigating life’s challenges.
This episode is a reminder that none of us have all the answers. We’re all just fellow travelers learning to trust, grow, and take the next right step.
Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.
Meet The Hosts
Daniel Phyfer is the Director of Business Development for Defining Wellness Centers, where he oversees all business development and marketing functions — from outreach and strategic partnerships to brand growth and community engagement. He blends his personal recovery journey with professional expertise to support people searching for a new way of life — whether they’re just beginning or rebuilding along the way. Daniel’s work is rooted in connection, authenticity, and a genuine belief that recovery is possible for anyone willing to reach for it.
Courtney Milan
Alumni Director
More Episodes
Lee and Tiffany Stringer Building Camaraderie Through Fifth Squad
8/11/2026
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58:10
In Episode 20 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan sit down with Lee and Tiffany Stringer of Fifth Squad, a veteran led nonprofit creating connection, support, and community for veterans, service members, and their families.
Lee shares his journey from enlisting in the Army to serving overseas, navigating the transition home, and finding renewed purpose through serving others. Together, Lee and Tiffany discuss the power of camaraderie, the unique needs of military families, Fifth Squad’s events and assistance programs, and why taking care of yourself and your relationships matters when your life is built around helping others.
This is an honest conversation about service, resilience, family, and finding your people after the uniform comes off.
Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.
Making a Difference Wherever Your Feet Are: Ruth Ann Rigby’s 29-Year Recovery Journey
7/28/2026
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1:16:48
Episode #19: Making a Difference Wherever Your Feet Are: Ruth Ann Rigby’s 29-Year Recovery Journey. In Episode 19 of 365 Proof by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer and Courtney Milan welcome longtime friend, colleague and recovery advocate Ruth Ann Rigby for a candid conversation about survival, surrender and a life devoted to serving others.
With 29 years in long-term recovery, Ruth Ann shares how growing up in a family affected by addiction, enduring traumatic experiences and reaching a personal breaking point ultimately led her to treatment. She reflects on the acceptance, spiritual surrender and willingness to follow direction that became foundations of her recovery.
Now the chief development officer of Capstone Wellness and a co-founder of First Responders of Mississippi, Ruth Ann has dedicated her career to helping individuals and families find the right care when they need it most. The conversation explores the distinctive challenges first responders face, the importance of family involvement, the narrow window for connecting someone with treatment and why genuine human connection remains essential in behavioral healthcare.
Honest, heartfelt and filled with Ruth Ann’s unmistakable humor, this episode is a powerful reminder that recovery is possible—and that keeping it means giving it away.
Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.
From Trauma and Silence to Purpose: Tracey Trigg’s Mission to Help Survivors Reclaim Their Lives
7/14/26
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53:23
In Episode 18 of the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness, Daniel Phyfer, Courtney Milan, and Carly Caver welcome Tracey Trigg, founder and CEO of Loving Through His Eyes, a Mississippi-based nonprofit dedicated to helping women heal from trauma, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking.
Tracey courageously shares her journey from childhood sexual abuse, shame, bullying, and a severe stutter to surviving multiple armed robberies, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, isolation, and suicidal thoughts. For years, fear controlled her life and left her feeling as though she had no voice. Through faith, community, Celebrate Recovery, and a willingness to confront the pain she had carried for decades, Tracey began reclaiming her identity, confidence, and purpose.
She also explains how mission work in Liberia and the Philippines helped shape her calling to advocate for people who feel unseen and unheard. That calling eventually led her from California to Mississippi, where she founded Loving Through His Eyes.
The conversation explores human trafficking awareness, online grooming, the vulnerability of children and teenagers, the relationship between trauma and addiction, and the importance of creating safe, long-term recovery environments. Tracy shares her vision for a residential program where women can receive trauma-informed care, participate in art, dance, equine, and faith-based recovery programs, develop practical life skills, continue their education, and gradually prepare for independent living.
The episode also highlights the immediate needs of Loving Through His Eyes, including renovations, heating and air-conditioning work, flooring, contractors, financial support, church partnerships, volunteers, and community members willing to help transform the property into a safe and restorative home.
This is a powerful conversation about survival, faith, healing, human trafficking prevention, and what can happen when someone who once felt voiceless chooses to become a voice for others.
Content notice: This episode includes discussions of childhood sexual abuse, sexual assault, armed violence, human trafficking, suicidal thoughts, trauma, and addiction.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, exploitation, or trafficking, reach out to a trusted person, qualified professional, local law enforcement agency, or an appropriate crisis support organization. You deserve to be heard, protected, and supported.
Follow the 365 Proof Podcast by Defining Wellness for more honest conversations about mental health, addiction recovery, trauma, faith, resilience, and finding purpose through lived experience.
#365ProofPodcast #DefiningWellness #TraumaRecovery #HumanTraffickingAwareness #MentalHealthPodcast #SurvivorStories #CelebrateRecovery #FaithAndHealing #PTSDRecovery #MississippiNonprofit
