The Who, The What, The How
Since launching, many of you have reached out to me with questions. These are the FAQ's.
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.
Thank you so much for your partnership! I am grateful for the generous support I have received already!
Monthly and one-time donations account for 15% of RealTalk's 2023 operational budget.
If you see value in this work and would like to partner with me, please consider how you can invest in RealTalk Chaplaincy and be a part of the remaining 85%
