Candace Jeffries and Mendy Shriver met when their husbands ran into each other at church after going to high school together 10 years prior. Since that day they have shared a faith-filled friendship for over 21 years. Their bond has strengthened through motherhood, ministry, and community leadership. Their friendship deepened further in 2011, when they traveled together on a life-shaping mission trip to Africa. 

Professionally, Candace and Mendy pursued different professional paths — Candace as a licensed pharmacist in functional medicine, Mendy as a personal trainer specializing in women’s fitness. Personal life trials awakened in both of them a clear calling to offer Christ-centered care for the whole person. Eventually, they each pursued careers as licensed professional counselors with a strong belief that healing happens best through a holistic approach. That shared philosophy was the inspiration for Jars of Clay Counseling and Wellness, and it anchors everything they do. 

What began as a friendship built on trust and shared values eventually evolved into a professional partnership. Today, they co-lead Jars of Clay Counseling & Wellness, a collective counseling offering holistic healing—body, mind, and soul.