Interview: Kate Parsons on Faith, Peer Support, and Showing Up for Recovery

I've been hearing Kate Parsons' name everywhere I go in the recovery community here in Tennessee, and I'm so glad we finally got to sit down and talk. Kate is a woman in long-term recovery and a Faith-Based Coordinator with Tennessee's Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, and her story and her work are just incredible.

In this conversation, we talk about:

🔹 The difference between being sober and being in recovery.
🔹 How Kate's faith journey started in an unexpected way, including borrowing someone else's higher power before she was ready to connect with God on her own.
🔹 What Tennessee is doing in the recovery space that's unlike almost any other state.
🔹 Why peer support and social support are some of the biggest buffers against recurrence of use.
🔹 The biggest barrier for churches wanting to help.

If this interview with Kate pulls on your heartstrings, contact your local anti-drug coalition. They need volunteers with heart and passion for this work.

📖 Grab the book: When You Love Someone in Recovery.
💌 Connect with me: hello@carolinebeidler.com

Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and Managing Editor of Recovery.com, where she combines expert guidance with research to help people find the best path to healing and treatment. Her book, When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide for Understanding Addiction, was released Spring 2026 with Nelson Books. Drawing from her own recovery journey through addiction, mental health challenges, and trauma, along with training as a clinical mental health provider and addiction recovery expert, Caroline is passionate about guiding you into seasons of greater healing. Learn more about her books here.

Subscribe to her Circle of Chairs Substack community at carolinebeidler.substack.com