Who do I primarily work with?

I’ve gained a passion for having, and holding space for, faith-related conversations surrounding doubt, anger, disillusionment, and disappointments.

Often, my patrons are those who have had something happen that has shaken, rattled, or changed the way they interact with their faith. This could be brought on by a life altering event beyond their control, a traumatic event that they are beginning to heal from, or a slow culmination of thoughts and questions that have led them to seek an outside perspective.

My patrons are

• Those who have had a painful experience with church

• Those who have left the faith

• Those who ask hard questions

• Pastors, former clergy, and those in care-giving roles

• Those with shattered expectations who find themselves disappointed, disillusioned, and doubting.

What exactly do I do?

People are longing for a safe place to say whatever they want about faith, without worrying about wide-eyed looks they might get from others. RealTalk Chaplaincy exists to hold space for those who have doubts and questions, those who are hurt and disillusioned, and those who are wandering and disappointed.

RealTalk is by no means anti-church. I’m offering something unique: best described as a cross between Chaplaincy and Spiritual Direction.

I meet with people one-on-one or in small groups virtually and in-person.

In the fall of 2023 I will be a certified spiritual director and I use all of these tools in my conversations with people. What this looks like is a safe space to process.

How do people connect with me?

It turns out this kind of work, especially when offered for free, is in extremely high demand.

People have found me through word of mouth, and that has had me connecting with folks from

3 countries, 9 states and 4 provinces.

Why am I raising money to do this work?

When I was preparing to launch RealTalk Chaplaincy, it felt crucial to my values and integrity that I be able to offer my services freely to those who could benefit from them most. I could have certainly opted to structure this as a small business, but I wanted to engage this community of need without my patrons experiencing a financial barrier when accessing my support; therefore, I decided to operate under the umbrella of “Bridges of Hope”, a well-established non-profit that also believes in me and this work.

After I meet with patrons, some have decided to donate one-time, or monthly, towards the work of RealTalk, enabling others to receive the experience they were able to have.

But that is not how the majority of my support comes in. My support comes from a large network of people who value this work being offered, and donate to ensure its longevity.

Currently, I’m volunteering my time and energy, and am seeking additional financial support to sustain this work.

Where have I received my training, certification, and experience?

To the naked eye, it could seem like my work history is eclectic, yet I feel my many careers have led me to this point. I have worked as a Community Minister and Youth Worker in inner city neighbourhoods, been a Chaplain in various prisons, worked as an Educational Assistant with children that have seen far too much at an early age, and worked as a Career Coach at a University during a pandemic.

Through my various careers, I’ve always been people-facing and on the front-lines of service. Hearing people’s stories and valuing their lived experience is important to me and I’ve grown a passion for talking with people about the real stuff.

Along with the above lived experience I bring the following to my work with RealTalk Chaplaincy:

• Certified Spiritual Director (November, 2023)

• Internationally Accredited Certified Enneagram Practitioner

• Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry

• Completed YFC Canada’s 2-year National Academic & Field Ministry Credentialing Training Certification

Motions of the Soul iEnneagram Training
(ccmonline.org/equip/enneagram-training)

Enneagram Spectrum Training
(https://training.enneagramspectrum.com)

The Art of Growth
(https://www.theartofgrowth.org/certification)

Crossroads Soul Resources School of Spiritual Direction
(https://ccmonline.org/schoolofspiritualdirection/)