Being Human with Steve Cuss

In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss and guest Clarissa Moll explore how different communication and listening styles shape our relationships. They discuss the impact of mental and emotional load, the importance of listening to learn rather than to fix or defend, and offer practical strategies for fostering empathy and connection. Steve shares personal experiences about self-awareness and emotional honesty, especially as a pastor, while both emphasize the transformative power of compassionate listening for individuals, families, and faith communities. 

Biblical Passages


James 1:19-20 (ESV)


Psalm 139 (ESV)

Episode Resources:


Past Episode: Steve Cuss & Clarissa Moll: How Your Communication Style Fuels Reactivity—and How to Change It

More From Clarissa Moll:


Clarissa Moll’s The Bulletin podcast


Explore Clarissa Moll’s website


Read Clarissa Moll’s substack

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

New Candles and Journals:

https://www.stevecusswords.com/

Get the Communication Styles Guide:

https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve and Lisa explore how communication styles—rigid vs. fluid, internal vs. external processing, and rapid vs. deliberative thinking—shape relationships, well-being, and spiritual growth. They share personal experiences, unpack how trauma and certainty can impact faith, and revisit recent conversations with Cheryl McKissick (a fifth-generation Black business leader) on family legacy and authenticity in predominantly white spaces; Adam Young on self-awareness, empathy, and spiritual disciplines for healthier connection with others and God; and Clarissa Moll (The Bulletin) in a thoughtful back-and-forth.

Biblical Passages


Psalm 139 (ESV)

Episode Resources:


Learn more about the McKissack firm


Check out Cheryl Mc Kissack Daniel’s website


Cheryl McKissack Daniel’s The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers


Adam Young’s Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything


Adam Young’s website


Adam Young’s The Places We Find Ourselves podcast

More From Clarissa Moll:


Clarissa Moll’s The Bulletin podcast


Explore Clarissa Moll’s website


Read Clarissa Moll’s substack

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

New Candles and Journals:

https://www.stevecusswords.com/

Get the Communication Styles Guide:

https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive: Capable Life Intensives
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Being Human with Steve Cuss, Steve interviews Cheryl McKissack Daniel, a trailblazing African American architect and business leader. Cheryl shares her family’s remarkable 230-year legacy, beginning with her enslaved ancestor Moses McKissick. She discusses the challenges of leading a multi-generational Black-owned business, the importance of resilience, succession planning, and corporate culture, and her experiences navigating race and gender in the industry. 

Episode Resources:


Cheryl McKissack Daniel’s The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers

More From Cheryl McKissack Daniel:


Learn more about the McKissack firm


Check out Cheryl Mc Kissack Daniel’s website

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

New Candles and Journals:

https://www.stevecusswords.com/

Get the Communication Styles Guide:

https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Being Human, host Steve Cuss interviews trauma counselor and author Adam Young about his book, Make Sense of Your Story. Together, they explore how personal stories and trauma shape relationships with ourselves, others, and God. Adam shares his own journey of understanding childhood wounds, the importance of self-kindness, and how faith can become entangled with coping mechanisms. They discuss the body’s role in healing, the impact of certainty in theology, and practical steps toward emotional freedom. The conversation offers hope, insight, and tools for listeners seeking healing and deeper connection.

Biblical Passages


Genesis 37-50 (ESV) -The Joseph Story

Episode Resources:


Nervous System Regulation


What is Polyvagal Theory?


Understanding the Window of Tolerance

More From Adam Young:


Adam Young’s Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything


Adam Young’s website


Adam Young’s The Places We Find Ourselves podcast

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

New Candles and Journals:

https://www.stevecusswords.com/

Get the Communication Styles Guide:

https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this season-opening episode of Being Human, Steve Cuss and Clarissa Moll explore how communication styles can either fuel anxiety and reactivity—or reduce it through deeper connection. Instead of focusing on what we say, they examine how we say it: the hidden subtext, assumptions, and “static” that cause people (especially leaders, couples, and teams) to mishear one another. Steve shares a practical framework for identifying three key communication patterns—rigid vs. fluid, rapid vs. deliberate, and external vs. internal processing—and explains how these differences show up in marriages, workplaces, and conflict. The goal isn’t to label anyone as “right” or “wrong,” but to build awareness that leads to humility, curiosity, and spiritually grounded connection.

Biblical Passages


1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV)


Ephesians 4:26 (ESV) 

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

New Candles and Journals:

https://www.stevecusswords.com/

Join Steve at an Upcoming Intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

Get the Communication Styles Guide:

https://capablelife.com/pages/podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices