Sustaining & Equipping Caring Professionals
In the demanding landscape of modern caregiving—whether in a clinical office, a church boardroom, or a seminary classroom—the weight of responsibility can often feel isolating. To meet this need, Dr. Schafer offers specialized consultation services for clinicians, ministry leaders, seminarians, lay leaders, and organizations who desire to bridge the gap between deep clinical insight and transformative spiritual care.
These consultation sessions are more than just professional advice; they are a collaborative, sacred space designed to help you navigate the complexities of the human heart with wisdom, skill, and a grounded sense of peace.
Wholistic Support for Professional Growth
Clinical Excellence Meets Spiritual Integration
For the professional clinician or the student in training, the challenge often lies in integrating psychological theory with a robust faith-based worldview. Dr. Schafer provides high-level case consultation, offering a fresh perspective on complex therapeutic dynamics. By examining cases through a lens that honors both neuroscience and theology, clinicians can deepen their work with clients who are seeking a holistic path to healing.
Drawing from her years as a seasoned Spiritual Director, Dr. Schafer integrates Spiritual Support and Practice into the consultative process. She guides clinicians in the art of spiritual formation—learning to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit within the therapeutic encounter and fostering the clinician’s own "soul care." This approach transforms the work from a mere clinical exercise into a practice of spiritual discernment and presence. This integration ensures that spiritual care is not an "add-on" to the clinical process but is woven into the very fabric of the therapeutic relationship, allowing the session to become a space of profound spiritual and emotional encounter.
Equipping the Frontlines of Ministry
Ministry leaders and lay caregivers are often the "first responders" to emotional crises, yet they frequently lack the specific training required to handle trauma or chronic mental health struggles within their communities. Dr. Schafer’s consultation for churches, seminaries, and ministry teams focuses on:
- Trauma-Informed Practices: Understanding how the nervous system responds to suffering so that the church can become a true "city on a hill"—a place of genuine safety rather than unintentional re-traumatization.
- Formative Experiential Practices: Moving beyond head knowledge into embodied wisdom. These sessions include guided exercises in nervous system regulation, contemplative rhythms, and "dual attunement"—learning to stay anchored in the Holy Spirit while remaining fully present to another’s pain. These practices shape the leader’s soul, ensuring they lead from a place of regulated peace.
- Boundaries and Sustainability: Helping leaders develop healthy care systems that prevent burnout and "compassion fatigue," ensuring that those who give care are also being cared for.
- Healthy Care Systems: Moving beyond crisis management to create proactive cultures of wellness and resilience within a congregation.
Organizational Culture and Training
Organizations seeking to transform their internal culture will find that Dr. Schafer works alongside leadership to develop environments rooted in both compassion and accountability. This work involves training teams to recognize the biological and spiritual roots of conflict and stress, moving beyond surface-level symptoms to address the nervous system of the organization itself.
By implementing trauma-informed principles, leadership can foster an environment where transparency is a core value and relational well-being is prioritized. As teams engage in this process, they experience measurable growth through the following stages:
- Safety & Trust (The Foundation): Teams move from defensive "bracing" or silos toward a shared sense of safety, allowing for honest communication without fear of retribution.
- Conflict Resolution (The Crucible): Learning to navigate disagreements as opportunities for "repair," utilizing somatic and emotional regulation to keep discussions productive.
- Shared Vulnerability (The Catalyst): Moving into a state of "social engagement" where team members can share challenges and needs, leading to increased innovation and reduced burnout.
- Operational Wholeness (The Goal): The organization begins to embody the same health it seeks to impart to its clients, resulting in a sustainable culture of high performance and deep empathy.
Dr. Schafer supports this transformation through:
- Staff Retreats & Team-Building Intensives: Dedicated space for deep relational work and vision casting.
- Ongoing System Audits: Identifying "bottlenecks" in organizational health and communication.
- Leadership Coaching: Helping executives lead from a regulated and grounded presence.
Partnership Grounded in Wisdom & Science
Our Mission
Dr. Schafer’s approach is rooted in a unique duality: the precision of clinical experience and the timelessness of faith-based wisdom. In every session, the focus remains on empowering you—the caregiver and leader—to lead and love from a place of overflow rather than exhaustion.
By seeking consultation, you aren't just improving your skills; you are investing in the long-term health of your community. You are choosing to lead with a "regulated heart," providing a steady presence for those under your care. If you are seeking to deepen your impact and move toward a more integrated model of care, Dr. Schafer’s consultation provides the roadmap and the companionship needed for the journey.