Searching for the Elephant (Part One): Addiction, Redemption, and Raw Faith with David Alford and Joseph Stam

Confidence and Coffee

In this deeply moving Part One episode, Ashley sits down with filmmaker David Alford and actor Joseph Stam to unpack the heart and healing behind their new movie Searching for the Elephant.

This raw, redemptive conversation explores themes of addiction, family dysfunction, PTSD, and the spiritual battle of isolation... and how storytelling can crack open the places we’ve tried to keep hidden.

Joseph shares what it took to embody the complex role of Jason, a young man battling internal chaos and generational pain, while David reveals the inspiration behind the film’s script and why authenticity matters more than perfection in faith-based storytelling.

Together, they discuss:

✨How trauma shaped the creation of Searching for the Elephant

✨The danger of Christian films that skip over real pain

✨The power of redemptive storytelling to reach the brokenhearted

✨Joseph’s deep character work and how it left a lasting impact

✨Why grace must meet us where we are—not where we pretend to be

Ashley also opens up about her own family’s experience with addiction and how this film brought up memories, healing, and even laughter in the midst of pain.

If you’ve ever struggled with broken family relationships or felt too far gone for grace... this episode is for you!

🛑 Don’t miss Part Two coming next week!! ✨

Stream the movie: Searching for the Elephant on Prime

Support the show

Connect with Ashley:
Order Ashley's New Book Confidence Is An Inside Job
Apply for Coaching with Ashley
Connect with Ashley to be your Next Speaker!
Subscribe to Confidence and Coffee here