If you have experienced the trauma of abuse or want to learn to support those who have walked through it, we invite you to join us for our 2024 He Makes All Things New women’s retreat.
Our theme for this year’s retreat is Beloved, and our prayer is you walk away with a greater understanding of God’s love that sets you free to live in His peace.
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Healing and understanding of our belovedness happens in a community of support.
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At our retreat, we want to provide a safe place to be seen, accepted, and understood and for you to experience belonging and restoration in His love.
Five Things that Transformed Me at the Retreat
He Makes All Things New
Abuse, Betrayal, and Deception cut like a knife — they destroy the core of our being, producing fear, shame, and a sense of unworthiness; we are left with a belief that we are not capable of being loved. But God calls us “His Beloved.” He delights in us, and invites us to know His deep, life-changing love. It is a love that overcomes fear, anxiety, and shame.
Join Called to Peace Ministries for a long weekend and discover just how powerful it is to know our great God’s love. We invite you to rest with us as we seek to unbind the lies, fear, and anxiety that past experiences have implanted into our hearts, and walk into the freedom and peace that come from the intimate knowledge of His love.
Join Called to Peace Ministries for a long weekend and discover just how powerful it is to know our great God’s love. We invite you to rest with us as we seek to unbind the lies, fear, and anxiety that past experiences have implanted into our hearts, and walk into the freedom and peace that come from the intimate knowledge of His love.
SPECIAL SPEAKER: Naghmeh Panahi
Naghmeh Panahi found herself in the international limelight as the advocate wife of Iranian Christian hero, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned for his faith in 2012. During this time, she found herself living in constant tension from the irreconcilable realities playing out in her own life, in her family life, in the conduct of others, and on the worldwide stage as she interacted with two US presidents and well-known religious leaders.
Her fateful decision to share the truth about her husband and the betrayal and abandonment she experienced from former supporters led her into a new life of advocacy for women– a ministry born out of brokenness.
Naghmeh’s passion is to help women find their true identity in God, discover the protective care He has for His children, and participate in the love and healing He desires to bring to the world.
BREAKOUT SPEAKERS
Georgia Shaffer
Coach, Author & Speaker
Rebecca Davis
Book Coach, Spiritual Coach, Author
Renee Best
Health Counselor, Supervisor
WORKSHOP SPEAKERS
WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
BREAK OUT SESSIONS
4 Tracts will be available…
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- Domestic Abuse Survivors
- Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors
- People Helpers
- Floating Track (covers a variety of topics)
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Days until the 2024 Retreat
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Disclaimer: CTPM provides education and resources to survivors of domestic abuse and educates people who desire to help them. In no way do we seek to be a substitute for the local church. Rather, our goal is to come alongside churches as they seek to support victims of abuse. We call on experts as we deem necessary from diverse professional disciplines and theological backgrounds to share expertise and solutions for survivors. Those invited to speak on issues of faith at our events agree with our statement of faith affirming historically essential doctrines of the Christian faith as set out in the Apostles Creed. We allow for freedom of conscience in the nonessential doctrines such as divorce, remarriage, and male headship.
Amy Pfeffer
Bio / Background
Amy Pfeffer is Elysian Oak’s Life Coach and holds a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Additionally, Amy holds degrees in theology, business, administration, and technology.
Amy has worked with sex-trafficked survivors dealing with complex trauma along with serving in an advocate and mentorship role for sex-trafficked survivors with organizations in Middle Tennessee, the United States, and internationally. Amy also has experience working with adult children of alcoholics, abuse, SRA, and substance abuse. She grew up much of her adolescence with an African-American family and has built a sensitivity towards multicultural issues in American society.
Session Description
Organized Abuse: An Introduction for People Helpers and Survivors
(Led by Rebeca Davis, Carolyn Weaver, Lisa Meister, and Amy Pfeffer)
Our culture has suffered from stereotypes when it comes to domestic abuse. In the same way, we may be led to think that organized abuse happens only when children or adults are kidnapped from a safe environment by thugs.
This workshop will address several types of organized abuse, who the unsuspected criminals can be, who the nonobvious victims can be, what to look for in an adult who experienced organized abuse as a child, and how the Lord helps in the healing process.
Beth Broom
Bio / Background
Beth Broom is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, Level 2 (CCTP-II). She owns a private counseling practice specializing in trauma healing. She is also a Deacon of Care at The Village Church Denton in Denton, Texas. Beth is the founder and director of Christian Trauma Healing Network, a nonprofit organization designed to bring trauma care and healing to Christians in the Church and society. She co-hosts “Counsel for Life,” a podcast engaging in conversations about mental health and the Christian life, and she is a contributing author of Caring for Families Caught in Domestic Abuse, published by New Growth Press.
Session Description
Who Do You Think You Are?
Transforming our Beliefs in Light of the Gospel
The trauma of abuse often plants false and negative beliefs about ourselves and God into our souls. When our beliefs get misaligned, we think, feel and behave in ways that seem contrary to our integrity. This workshop will explore common belief statements, and we will discuss practical tools for uprooting false beliefs and planting the truth of our identity in Christ. We will also discuss the ways in which shame keeps us from growing and believing the truth about ourselves and God.
Brye Patton
Bio / Background
Brye Patton is a licensed clinical social worker. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received her bachelors of arts, and then obtained her master of social work. Brye founded Sojourner Counseling, a mental health private practice located in Garner, North Carolina, where she provides Christian counseling to children, teens, and women struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, cross, cultural adjustment, and behavioral difficulties. She enjoys reading, doing outdoor activities, spending time with her husband, and traveling.
Session Description
Brief synopsis: As a parent, you may wonder how to best support your child or teen following domestic abuse. Learn about how domestic abuse and trauma impact children and teens and what practical strategies you can do to foster your child’s healing.
Carolyn Weaver
Bio / Background
Carolyn “Charismata” Weaver is passionate about leading others to a place of healing and wholeness through their connection with God in the creative process, as well as through her written works and artistic expressions. As a survivor of extreme childhood abuse who has walked through decades of her own healing journey, she now loves to reach back and help others.
Session Description
Organized Abuse: An Introduction for People Helpers and Survivors
(Led by Rebeca Davis, Carolyn Weaver, Lisa Meister, and Amy Pheffer)
Our culture has suffered from stereotypes when it comes to domestic abuse. In the same way, we may be led to think that organized abuse happens only when children or adults are kidnapped from a safe environment by thugs.
This workshop will address several types of organized abuse, who the unsuspected criminals can be, who the nonobvious victims can be, what to look for in an adult who experienced organized abuse as a child, and how the Lord helps in the healing process.
Chris Moles
Bio / Background
Chris Moles, MA, is senior pastor of the Chapel in Winfield, West Virginia and an ordained minister with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He is a certified biblical counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors and the International Association of Biblical Counselors. Moles is a contributor to the West Virginia intervention curriculum used throughout the state prisons, correctional facilities, and community organizations. He is the author of The Heart of Domestic Abuse and a contributor to Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused, as well as the editor of Caring for Families Caught in Domestic Abuse.
Session Description
Main Session: The Comforting Kingdom of God
- The counseling room provides a unique space to introduce Christ’s kingdom to those alienated by sin, suffering, and circumstance.
Breakout Session (with Greg Wilson): Contributive, Not Causative: Trauma-Informed Biblical Care for Those Who Have Abused Others
- Education and accountability are critical to confronting abusers, but what are we to do when the abuser has been a victim of abuse as well? Does the Bible offer hope and practical care for those who must wrestle with the complexities of the cruelty they have experienced, which they now perpetrate on others? In this breakout, we will consider a theologically-grounded approach to understanding and addressing past trauma that also calls abusers to own and repent of present acts of abuse.
Darby Strickland
Bio / Background
Darby Strickland is a counselor and faculty member for the Christian Counseling & Education Foundation. She is the author of Is it Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims and Something Scary Happened. She also contributes to the free web-based training curriculum Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused. Darby has a Master of Divinity degree in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary, where she currently teaches a course on counseling people in abusive marriages. She and her husband, John, have taken great delight in homeschooling their three children.
Session Description
Learning to Lament as One Who is Loved.
When we grasp that God truly loves us, it changes how we approach him. We see Jesus do this, and from him, we learn that we can bring our whole hearts to Him, anticipating his help and comfort.
Dawn Perry
Bio / Background
After triumphing over 90 percent of the Top Life Stressor List Dawn has chosen to use these experiences as the training ground for the next generation of spiritual Frontline Warriors.
As founder and CEO of Kairos Coaching and Consulting, her heart holds a special place for the wounded of Christ’s Bride ~ the church. Her specialty is returning agency and voice to women who have experienced evangelical oppression inside its walls. She delights in working with the Holy Spirit to reframe stories, taking women from victims to victors in their own lives. Her refreshingly innovative strategies, tools, and techniques have educated and enriched the body of Christ on both national and local levels.
Dawn is an author, coach, speaker, non-profit founder, board member on both local and national boards, serial entrepreneur, CEO, and founder of multiple businesses in the past thirty years.
Dawn has authored two books ~ “Choosing Fierce ~ The Making of a Frontline Warrior Journal” and “Who Do You Say I am? Triumph through Trauma.”
When she is not coaching private clients, leading VIP Destination Mastermind Retreats, or small groups you can find her at home in the upstate of South Carolina living adventurously as His Beloved while enjoying her two grand princes and her rescue pup, Victory.
Session Description
He Calls Me Beloved: Walking Victoriously in Our Identity in Christ
Release defeat, discouragement, and hopelessness as you learn to walk in the power and authority that He died for you to own as His Beloved Bride.
Take away tips, tools, and techniques that will allow you to reframe your story through the lens of your belovedness in Him.
Elyse Fitzpatrick
Bio / Background
Elyse holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Trinity Theological Seminary. She has authored 25 books on daily living and the Christian life. Elyse loves to proclaim the good news of the gospel: That Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, perfectly obeyed all the Law in our place, suffered in isolation and agony as punishment for our sin, died, and then rose again, all for our justification.
A frequent speaker at national conferences, she has been married for over 40 years and has three adult children and six really adorable grandchildren. Along with her husband, Phil, Elyse attends Grace Bible Church in Escondido, California.
Session Description
Main: Unloved Beloved: When you consider the stories of many women in Scripture, you might wonder whether the Lord really loved them or not. In this session we’ll look more deeply into their lives to see how they were beloved after all.
Workshop: A Comforting Look at Some Troubling Verses S/PH (survivor, people helper): A misinterpretation of some Bible verses have caused pain and confusion for many women. In this session we’ll look at these verses to see what they really mean.
Georgia Shaffer
Bio / Background
Georgia Shaffer knows what it’s like to bounce back after repeated challenges and abuse. Her passion is to support women and help them to develop the skills needed to move from reeling to resilient. Some of Georgia’s zoom coaching groups include: ReBUILD after Divorce, Dating after Divorce, Taking Out Your Emotional Trash, and Healthy Healing Relationships.
Session Description
Building and Nurturing Healthy Relationships
If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:10 NIV
When we have experienced negative, hurtful or angry relationships, our tendency is to isolate ourselves from others in order to feel safe. This, however, only keeps us stuck and hinders our ability to move forward. Another challenge many of us face is we may have never learned nor are clear about the characteristics that define healthy connections. In this workshop, we will discuss seven key traits of life-giving relationships and the tools to nurture them. You will also be equipped with some strategies to help you minimize and protect yourself from those that are life-draining.
Greg Wilson
Bio / Background
Greg Wilson, D.Ed.Min., LPC Supervisor, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and counselor supervisor, and leads Soul Care Associates, a counseling and consulting practice in Texas. He specializes in counseling adolescents, men, couples, and families through issues such as depression, anxiety, abuse, addictions, trauma, and relational conflict. He also consults with leaders of churches and other organizations on adopting best practices for care.
Session Description
How to Help Your Kids Express and Regulate Their Big Emotions
The teenage years are a dynamic and critical time in the development of the adolescent body (including the brain) and soul. This breakout will help caregivers, parents, and counselors understand what trauma looks like in teens, the unique ways that it affects teens, and important considerations for parenting, care, and counseling.
Joint Breakout
Contributive, Not Causative: Trauma-Informed Biblical Care for Those Who Have Abused Others
Jen Pirkle
Bio / Background
Jen Pirkle is a DV survivor with a heart to empower others. She served as a Missionary for a decade overseas in Kosovo and the Philippines where she taught English, set up women’s craft livelihood programs a well as assisted local ministries. Stateside she has worked with various nonprofits with foster and refugee children as well as with hurricane survivors. Jen is a writer, painter and general creator. She enjoys many art and craft mediums. Jen found CTPM shortly after leaving her abuser for the last time in 2020 and was gifted a scholarship to attend their annual retreat. The retreat and CTPM has been instrumental in her own healing journey. Since the first retreat she has come as a vendor with her accessory business Liria Market as well as coordinated the Create Space art and craft area for retreat attendees.
Session Description
coming soon…
Joy Forrest
Bio / Background
Joy Forrest is the founder and executive director of Called to Peace Ministries. She is the author of Called to Peace: A Survivor’s Guide to Finding Peace and Healing After Domestic Abuse and the Called to Peace Companion Workbook. Joy holds an M.A. in Biblical Counseling from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and has been active in counseling ministry since 2005. She has been an advocate for victims of abuse since 1997 and held the position of Community Educator with a local domestic violence agency in the early 2000’s. Joy is a contributing expert for DivorceCare’s recovery support group curriculum and the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship’s Counseling Care for Domestic Abuse videos. In her spare time, she loves traveling and spending time with her family– especially her 11 grandchildren.
Session Description
Abuse and trauma can leave us wrecked emotionally and overwhelmed with doubt and fear. Even those of us with a once-strong faith may find ourselves doubting the goodness of God when hardship and injustice seem never-ending. Is God really good? If so, why doesn’t He step in and rescue us? It’s a question for the ages but it’s much more than that, and the answer is crucial to our very being. In this session, we will explore the reality of suffering in this life as well as ways to reconnect with God’s hope and comfort in the midst of it.
Dr. Joy Phifer
Bio / Background
Dr. Joy Kelly Phifer holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counseling and Counselor Education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Currently, she serves as a National Certified Counselor (NCC), a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS). She is an Assistant Professor and Core Faculty member in the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling at Concordia University, Irvine, CA. She also serves clients in her local community as an Outpatient Counselor with Family Solutions in Greensboro, NC. As a counselor educator, Dr. Phifer maintains a special passion for the classroom in providing experiential and transformative experiences for her students. As a survivor of domestic abuse, her areas of research interest primarily relate to the prevention, treatment, and recovery experiences of victims and survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), alongside research implications in couple and family counseling practice – all of which reflect her spiritual calling to the field.
Session Description
Understanding and Supporting Victims of Domestic Abuse from a Christian-Lens:
Important Considerations for Victims and Helpers
How does one adequately and safely support an individual in the current throws of victimization in an abusive relationship or marriage? Using a Christian-lens, the presenter will discuss important implications of current victimization and oppression in the context of an intimate relationship or marriage where intimate partner violence is present. Specifically, the presenter will provide psychoeducation, resources and strategies for supporting a current victim in an abusive marriage, including avenues for prioritizing individual and others’ (children’s) safety, research-informed delivery of psychoeducational material, and Biblical support for prioritizing survival and life beyond the context of marriage.
Kirsten Christianson
Bio / Background
Kïrsten Christianson is a biblical counselor and congregational care consultant through her practice, Side-by-Side Biblical Counseling. She is a co-founder of a local church’s crisis care ministry, through which she helps families navigate abuse and other hard issues using a team approach. Kïrsten, her husband, and her son live in Minnesota and have made peace with the snow!
Session Description
Fear can grip us in so many ways: fear of others, fear of our weaknesses, fear of being left out, fear that we are wrecking our kids, fear that the sin against us is more powerful than Christ’s blood…”God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound/self-controlled mind” (2 Tim 1.7). Let’s look at how fearing the Lord helps us to fear not and instead revel in “the of love the Father has given us that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are” (1 John 3.1)!
LeAnne Parsons
Bio / Background
LeAnne Parsons is a Professional Certified and Credentialed Coach (PCC) through the ICF, a COR.E Wellbeing Dynamic Specialist, as well as a TBRI Practitioner. LeAnne offers a transparent voice that offers struggling families assistance without judgment, empathy with hope, and a voice that says, “You Are Worthy” As the creator of Legacy Now Lived, a unique coaching program, her strength and passion centers around empowering women. LeAnne is also a coach on Leslie Vernicks Team. Her work provides insight and encouragement to the world. She challenges women to walk in their God-given identity to create relationships in partnership with God the Father while holding hands with Jesus, and giving breathing room to the Holy Spirit.
Session Description
BE-LOVED- Becoming and Embracing Belovedness: Unveiling Your Strengths and Values
Becoming the Beloved means letting the truth of our belovedness become enfleshed in everything we think, say and do…
“BE-LOVED- Becoming and Embracing Belovedness” is not just a workshop; it’s a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. It invites participants to delve into the depths of their souls, guided by LeAnne Parsons, a seasoned trauma informed coach experienced in personal development and faith-based exploration. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow participants in a safe and nurturing community while engaging in reflective inquiry. Together, we’ll explore the profound concepts of God’s love, our identity as beloved image bearers, and the unveiling of our unique strengths and values. Together we will pull the truths revealed in scripture and apply them to our core relationships, by bit to close the gap that exists between what we know ourselves to be and the reality of our everyday lives as we interact with the Holy Spirit.
Lisa Meister
Bio / Background
Lisa Meister is an educator, author, and speaker. She runs the ministry Only God Rescued Me to help those suffering extreme abuse find their way to trust God. Relationship with Him brings healing and peace. There is joy to be had here once that connection with Him can be made. Lisa lives in Indiana where she enjoys the life the Lord has blessed her with.
Session Description
BE-LOVED- Becoming and Embracing Belovedness: Unveiling Your Strengths and Values
Becoming the Beloved means letting the truth of our belovedness become enfleshed in everything we think, say and do…
“BE-LOVED- Becoming and Embracing Belovedness” is not just a workshop; it’s a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. It invites participants to delve into the depths of their souls, guided by LeAnne Parsons, a seasoned trauma informed coach experienced in personal development and faith-based exploration. This workshop offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow participants in a safe and nurturing community while engaging in reflective inquiry. Together, we’ll explore the profound concepts of God’s love, our identity as beloved image bearers, and the unveiling of our unique strengths and values. Together we will pull the truths revealed in scripture and apply them to our core relationships, by bit to close the gap that exists between what we know ourselves to be and the reality of our everyday lives as we interact with the Holy Spirit.
Naghmeh Panahi
Bio / Background
Naghmeh Panahi found herself in the international limelight as the advocate wife of Iranian Christian hero, Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned for his faith in 2012. During this time, she found herself living in constant tension from the irreconcilable realities playing out in her own life, in her family life, in the conduct of others, and on the worldwide stage as she interacted with two US presidents and well-known religious leaders. Her fateful decision to share the truth about her husband and the betrayal and abandonment she experienced from former supporters led her into a new life of advocacy for women– a ministry born out of brokenness. Naghmeh’s passion is to help women find their true identity in God, discover the protective care He has for His children, and participate in the love and healing He desires to bring to the world.
Session Description
Pursued by Love
Jesus went out of His way to pursue a Samaritan woman rejected by her own people. We will explore how His attention and interaction with her revealed His great love for her that set her free to be what God had called her to be. We will discuss how in the same way God has set us free from the bondage of abuse and shame so that we too can step into what He has called us to be and be useful for His kingdom.
Rebecca Davis
Bio / Background
Rebecca Davis is the author of the Untwisting Scriptures series (5 books so far). She helps those who have been abused through her books, at her website https://heresthejoy.com, and through private ministry. As a Christian trauma-informed book coach, Rebecca has also been helping other nonfiction authors produce their best work for more than a dozen years, through coaching, editing, and book collaboration. See more at https://rebeccadaviswordworking.com.
Session Description
Organized Abuse: An Introduction for People Helpers and Survivors
(Led by Rebeca Davis, Carolyn Weaver, Lisa Meister, and Amy Pheffer)
Our culture has suffered from stereotypes when it comes to domestic abuse. In the same way, we may be led to think that organized abuse happens only when children or adults are kidnapped from a safe environment by thugs.
This workshop will address several types of organized abuse, who the unsuspected criminals can be, who the nonobvious victims can be, what to look for in an adult who experienced organized abuse as a child, and how the Lord helps in the healing process.
Renee Best
Bio / Background
Renee Best is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Qualified Supervisor for the NC Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors. Renee holds certifications in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy) and Brainspotting. She is the owner of a mental health private practice with20 therapists situated across two locations in Raleigh and Waxhaw/Charlotte.
Renee discovered her true calling in the mental health field ten years ago and pursued a master’s degree from Liberty University. Her area of concentration involves helping clients dealing with trauma, particularly women and children leaving domestic violence homes. This experience fueled Renee’s passion for trauma support, and she continues to attend training and educational events to expand her knowledge.
Session Description
Journeying from Shame to Grace- S (survivor)
Shame is a complex and powerful emotion that often arises from traumatic experiences. When we go through a traumatic event, the weight of shame can become ingrained within us. It is crucial to explore why we carry this burden of shame and discover effective ways to move forward towards a state of grace and healing.
Shame, in the context of trauma, stems from various factors. Firstly, it can result from the belief that we are somehow responsible for the traumatic event, even when logic tells us otherwise. This self-blame can intensify our feelings of shame. Additionally, shame can arise from societal or cultural norms that impose unrealistic expectations or stigmatize those who have experienced trauma.
To move beyond shame and towards grace, it is essential to embark on a journey of self-compassion, understanding, and healing.
Tabitha Westbrook
Bio / Background
Tabitha Westbrook is a therapist who helps people who have messy, funky pasts (and sometimes messy, funky presents) live amazing, empowered lives today. Tabitha graduated with her BA in Psychology from NC Central University and her MA in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. She owns The Journey and The Process, a private practice with offices in Wake Forest, NC and Flower Mound, TX that specializes in complex trauma, with a focus on domestic abuse and coercive control. She also consults with churches on cases, as well as helping them craft written policies to properly care for victims of abuse. Tabitha is a coach, speaker, and author of the online course Taking Every Thought Captive, where she teaches practical, hands-on skills to help participants live in the present moment, survive any crisis, deal with all the feels, and work and play well with others. Tabitha is a Licensed Therapist (LMFT and LPC) in NC, TX, SD and TX. Tabitha is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Qualified Supervisor, EMDRIA Certified Therapist & EMDR Approved Consultant, a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), and a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). You can find Tabitha online at thejourneyandtheprocess.com.
Session Description
Living as the Embodied Beloved
We often intellectually know that we are called beloved of God, but do we really live that way with our whole selves? Abuse destroys our sense of self and our sense of belovedness – and we feel that in our bodies. What might it look like to fully live, in your whole body, as God’s beloved? This healing, experiential session will help attendees understand what it means to live fully embodied as beloved.
Tiffany Lesnik
Bio / Background
Tiffany is a Raleigh, NC based attorney who focuses on domestic violence, custody, stepparent adoptions, grandparent visitation, and the settlement and litigation of family law disputes. Tiffany was the single mother of two daughters and understands how challenging and expensive the legal process can be. She knows what it feels like to sit on the “client side” of the table and understands that it is frustrating when your attorney doesn’t communicate or represent you well. Tiffany is committed to walking alongside her clients in their darkest of days. She enjoys working with families and their children, in conjunction with complex psychological issues and has networked with a team of experts to work on difficult cases. She also functions as a children’s advocate in Wake County, NC.
Session Description
“You Said What? The Power of Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Inside and Outside of the Courtroom”
Learning the art of effective communication can be a deal changer for a victim whose abuser has done nothing but twist and distort words and not only confuse her but confuse everyone around her (including the court system). Abusers aren’t just good at gaslighting their partners, but they are also good at gaslighting those in the justice system. This breakout will look at many forms of communication and what the judge will be looking at in sizing up credibility. As far as evidence is concerned, communication takes the cream of the crop – from text messages, to emails, audio recordings, photographs, testimony, your facial expressions and mannerisms in the courtroom. Knowing how to artfully craft emails and text messages to your abusive ex can mean the difference between primary custody and losing custody, between receiving alimony and losing alimony, receiving an award of attorney’s fees or no attorney’s fees. Abusers are experts at twisting words and distorting communication to their advantage – this breakout will help you learn how to better respond to their messages or not respond at all and how to draft texts and emails that are pleasing to the court and don’t fall prey to his traps. We will also talk about social media and audio/video recordings and which states allow them and which states don’t. We will dive into interpreting court orders and examine ways to stop his manipulation of your court order and his manipulation of you. The goal is to help you take back your power because you are beloved and deserve to go through the legal process with dignity and peace.
Winifred Eyeri
Bio / Background
Winifred Ereyi survived a twenty two year abusive marriage. She was unknowingly drugged and incapacitated for six of those years. After escaping, she spent seven years in family court only to lose everything to her abuser, including her homes and child custody. Winifred Ereyi is a certified Trauma Integrated Brain Health Coach and Leadership Trainer. She is a passionate advocate and International speaker, serving on the national speakers bureau of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). She is currently building The Girl Force Movement which is a coalition of non -profit organizations working at the grassroots in communities in Nigeria to advocate for the girl child across the UN SDGs . She earned a B.Sc in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Masters in Telecommunications and Systems Engineering. She has founded two technology companies. eWirecommunications and it’s subsidiary, ThinkSTEM Foundation. eWirecommunications is a professional services organization that provides speaking, coaching, advocacy, leadership training, mentoring, facilitation, community building, event and project management. Their mission is to deliver customized programs that promote Leadership Development of project team members and Sustainable development of communities in order to meet the UN SDGs.Their vision is to empower leaders globally to solve intractable societal problems in their communities of influence. It’s subsidiary, ThinkSTEM Foundation is focused on building the minority female tech talent pipeline in the USA and Africa. Winifred Ereyi is the mother of two children, a son who is studying Computer Science at Stanford University, and her daughter studying Software Engineering at Princeton University.
Session Description
Beloved, you are fully resourced to flourish
Are you ready for some very good news?
Here it is. You are not stuck.
It’s true. Sometimes stories get in our heads and we think otherwise, but it simply isn’t true. Your brain is neuroplastic and you are entirely capable of change. In this session, we will explore the transformational journey to flourishing using the PERMA model of Well-being. We will discuss strategies and practices that promote self-empowerment emphasizing the capacity for personal growth and positive change. We will conclude with an interactive discussion on the available community resources that will help overcome the challenges posed by domestic violence
Barbara Hollace
Bio / Background
Barbara Hollace is a resilient woman, who is an author, editor, publisher, and speaker.
On her own life journey, Barbara has learned the power of telling your story, both writing and speaking. Her passion is to “identify the good and magnify it” through Hollace Writing Services, which includes writing her own stories, ghost writing the
stories of others, or polishing your story. As a writing coach, she helps budding authors move from the story seed through rough draft to publication.
Session Description
You are an Overcomer: Sharing Your Victory Story
Everyone has a story to tell. It takes courage, tenacity, and the right others to bring your story to life. You also need to have a basic understanding of the storytelling process and how to harness the power of your story.
This session will share the basics of the writing process as well as insight into the spiritual battle behind it. Tools and tips will be offered in a constructive, God-centered environment based on the premise that all things are possible with God.
Each person has walked through a fire in their life, maybe more than one. With Called to Peace’s help, those who attend are on the path to healing and victory. Each step brings them closer to the victorious life God has for them.
Some points to be covered:
- Mindset: Our victory story can ignite healing in others.
- Support for the journey: The power of prayer and those who surround us.
- Mechanics: Basics about writing/speaking your story (books, articles, podcast, blog, etc.)
The attendee will leave with tools and tips to direct the telling of their story. Also an understanding that their story matters and their victory story ignites the healing torch in others.
Becky Lehmann
Bio / Background
Becky is a speaker, teacher, domestic abuse survivor, and aspiring author. She is the Co-founder and Community Relations Director of Wildstream Experiential Resources, a non-profit ministry dedicated to helping individuals navigate through the “wilderness of separation and divorce.” Becky remarried 11 years ago and lives in central Tennessee with her husband Daniel. Both of them knowing firsthand the devastation of shattered marriages, felt called to start Wildstream Retreat at Eagles Rest in Monteagle, Tennessee in 2014 to encourage wounded souls on their difficult journey by providing a safe place to rest, be restored, and “re-storied”. Now, ten years later, Wildstream has served hundreds from all over the country through retreats, events, and online Zoom divorce recovery classes. It is Becky’s joy, privilege, and passion to be available to come alongside women as a compassionate listener during one of the most challenging seasons of their lives.
Session Description
In this workshop, we will be talking about the power of ZAKAR- which is the Hebrew word for “remember”. It will be a time of reflection to take our thoughts captive and the importance of remembering how loved we are by focusing on the faithfulness and goodness of God in spite of our circumstances, our past hurts or pain. To Zakar is to employ your hands and lips to engage in whatever action that remembrance requires. Biblical remembering is a body activity not merely a head one
Therefore after our discussion and sharing there will be a hands-on interactive project focusing on the powerful significance of the word “Beloved” and how the steadfast love of God holds us firmly and securely. Remembering this constantly grounds us in the truth of our infinite value no matter what we have endured. We can then share what we have individually created and its significance with one another. ( All supplies will be provided. Worship music backing this theme will be playing in the background. )
Colleen Ramser
Bio / Background
Colleen Ramser is an EMDR-certified Licensed Professional Counselor with an expertise in trauma, specifically regarding spiritual abuse and domestic abuse. She regularly trains pastors, mental health professionals, and graduate students on the intersection of trauma and spiritual formation. Colleen has over fifteen years of experience journeying with souls in the church, ten of which have fallen within the scope of her professional life. She has been a guest on several podcasts including Christianity Today’s The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill and The Slow Work. She is currently contracted with Tyndale Refresh Publishing for her forthcoming book for survivors recovering from spiritual trauma. She supervises practicum and intern students, counselors for licensure, and is a site supervisor for The Townsend Institute for Leadership & Counseling at Concordia University Irvine.
Session Description
The Embodied Soul: Engaging in Spiritual Practices After Spiritual Abuse
After spiritual abuse, going to church, reading Scripture, or even being in God’s presence can feel confusing and overwhelming. Faith itself becomes a reminder of the pain. In this experiential workshop, participants will learn what causes this disconnection and avoidance of faith-related practices as well as practical exercises to move from disconnection to connection in God’s presence.
Dr. Debra Wingfield
Bio / Background
Dr. Wingfield educates and trains professionals, community members, advocates, and therapists on coercive control, domestic and family violence, and the impacts of child maltreatment. Her work addresses both prevention and treatment of violence, abuse, and coercive control. She has over 45 years of experience training therapists and counseling children and adults who experienced abuse. Dr. Wingfield is a former faculty member at Regis University, teaching psychology and counseling. She also developed and taught a domestic violence counselor training curriculum at the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University-Pueblo) from 1994 – 2001.Dr. Wingfiled is author of multiple books, including: Eyes Wide Open: Help! with Control Freak Co-Parents, From Darkness to Light: Your Inner Journey, and Through a Child’s Voice: Transformational Journaling.
Session Description
coming soon…
Jenny Wilma
Bio / Background
Hi, my name is Jenny Serata. I’m a domestic abuse survivor and overcomer, an advocate, and a certified health and life coach. I am dedicated to supporting, equipping, and inspiring women who have been impacted by domestic abuse.
Through individual and group coaching, women are empowered to discover their value, purpose, and identity, be transformed by the renewing of their minds, break free from oppression, and find their wings.
I am excited to share on the topic of healing through worship! I use a holistic approach in my coaching, and have found worship to play a big role in my own healing.
Session Description
Workshop- Renewed, Restored Mind -S (survivor)
Are you weary of the constant negative voice of the one who abused you, still in your head? Are you exhausted by the feelings of guilt and shame, even though you know you made the right decision to protect yourself and your children? Why does it seem so hard to get the truth, which you have chosen to believe, to actually land in your heart? You’re not alone! This workshop will help you understand why you might be stuck in certain areas of your healing journey, as well as give you practical, brain-science based tools to implement. Your brain, as well as your entire being, is fearfully and wonderfully made! Come learn how to break through the barriers you face so you can experience more of the freedom, peace, and joy that God has for you.
Jolene Underwood
Bio / Background
Jolene Underwood is a trauma therapist and Christian growth coach helping weary Christians breathe again. Her personal journey towards emotional health and training in Christian counseling inform the practical support she provides for spiritual growth and emotional healing. She’s also the creator of Unleash: Heart & Soul Care Sheets and facilitator of the growth community, Cultivate Together. When she’s not coaching, counseling, or creating content, you’ll find her enjoying her new journey in Maryland, puzzling, coloring, or adding to her collection of vintage glassware with a 70s flair.
Session Description
Unleashing God’s Belovedness for You
In this experiential workshop, attendees will explore distorted messages & experiences making it difficult to maintain a deep knowing of God’s heart for them in all circumstances. Attendees will engage in an opportunity for personal experiences with God through a tool called Unleash: Heart & Soul Care Sheets.
Liz Evans
Bio / Background
Liz Evans has been a bodyworker for over 25 years and teaches a form of bodywork called Core Alignment Therapy to other bodyworkers. She has been teaching Core Transformation movement classes for over 11 years. Her love of the Bible and her own journey of healing from complex childhood and marriage trauma informs her movement practices embodying Spirit and mindfulness. Liz opened a wellness center, Wellspring Vitality, located in the awe-inspiring North Fork Valley on the western slope of Colorado in 2020. Liz is a mom of six and “Alma” to two beautiful grandboys. Life isn’t perfect, but there is joy on the struggle bus. Liz is writing a book about healing from C-PTSD and is passionate about sharing joy and hope with others on their redemptive healing journey. She loves hiking mountains, swimming in the ocean, connecting over a large matcha tea latte and learning how to live life and live it to the full.
Session Description
Heal with Faith like a Child (Pre-conference)- S (survivor)
This hands-on & heart-on workshop answers the question of what does it mean to have faith like a child and will enlist the tools of play, restorative movement, co-regulation and childlike wonder to deliver powerful healing tools through movement, connection, and writing. Come ready to play, laugh, be real and to experience the love of our Abba. Each participant will leave with a packet of tools to be used for ongoing healing support. Think of this experience as a springboard, a taste of the childlike faith that heals and preparation to journey wholeheartedly as one of Abba’s beloved.
How to erase the board when the body is keeping the score- S (survivor)
“You can happen to your body, your body doesn’t have to happen to you.”
This interactive workshop will briefly explain the effects of trauma on the body, and teach the ABC’s of Restorative Movement. All participants will be encouraged to move and experience breathwork, and simple ways to release pain and trauma from the body. We will enter into a Scriptural exploration of healing techniques that use the body to heal the body. Participants will leave with material that will continue to inspire as they research and continue to use these techniques, hopefully sharing them with family and their communities, multiplying love and healing into the world.
Lori-Estelle Terrbili
Bio / Background
Described as a modern day “Psalmist,” singer/songwriter, Lori Estelle has been harmonizing and plucking out tunes on the piano since before grade school. She began to lead worship as a teenager, and has a growing list of over 50 original songs in the works. She has a unique way of creating beautiful, dissonant sounds and rhythmic patterns as a backdrop to her simple, yet profound, lyrics.
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Lori’s songwriting journey reflects her deepening relationship with God through the hardships of becoming a single mother. Many of her songs were born out of her wrestlings with suffering and joy– she has a unique vantage point that allows her to connect and empathize with her listeners and their own personal struggles. They can expect to be drawn into God’s presence and meditate on the many scriptures and prayers she puts to song– finding space to connect with God, to worship Him, and to find peace and healing.
Lori is excited to be releasing first single, “You Restore” which will eventually be one of many Psalms, scriptures, and prayers on her next project, which she is hoping to fund and complete in 2023. Lori and her 2 sons, Josiah and Ezekiel, reside in Raleigh, NC.
Session Description
Coming soon…
Dr. Tope Keku
Bio / Background
Struggling to make sense of the turbulent storms in your life? You don’t have to go through it alone. Dr. Temitope (Tope) Keku’s passion is to help women find their way out of the storms of life and connect their story with God’s story! With over 30 years of experience as a scientist and mentor, she is also a certified life and marriage coach, speaker, author, and Bible teacher. Tope’s true passion lies in helping women discover their unique identity in Christ despite their challenges, renew their confidence, and rebuild relationships while guiding them toward more fulfilling lives. Her devotional book, Weathering Storms: Finding Treasures in the Ruins, is a powerful tool in her arsenal. Through her inspiring messages and practical tips, women gain emotional clarity, feel empowered, and find the motivation to embrace God’s love, achieve their goals, and run forward with purpose. Tope is not just a coach and mentor, she is a wife, a mother of four young adult children and even a grandma. When she is not guiding women on their transformative journeys, she can be found reading, taking serene nature walks, spending quality time with friends, nurturing the plants in her garden and whipping up delicious meals.
Session Description
Invitation to True Identity
This hands-on workshop will provide a safe and nurturing environment for women to explore and strengthen their confidence in their identity in Christ. They will learn that their past or life’s troubles do not define who they are. Women will leave feeling empowered, affirmed, and rooted in God’s love.
Andre Turrentine
Bio / Background
Andre is a pastor who refers to himself as a shepherd in the field; believing followers of Christ need to be equipped and encouraged to minister outside the walls of church. The aim is to express the same passion for people as Jesus demonstrated towards us all beginning with his wonderful wife, Judge Karlene Turrentine, and their home grown team of Matthew, McKenzi, Phillip, and Judah.
He has a Master of Divinity degree from Campbell University Divinity School, Buies Creek, NC where the Lord led him to focus on chaplaincy, and counseling. While completing his Clinical Pastoral Education requirements, Andre served as a chaplain for InterAct’s Domestic Violence Shelter in Raleigh. Combined with his personal experiences, Andre’s interaction with the women and children in the domestic violence shelter solidified his desire to see more people and organizations willing to intervene and advocate for those in volatile relationships.
Andre served for six years on the CTPM and is now one of our Church Partnership Liaisons. He and Karlene reside in Wake Forest, NC and are charter members of a Revival Hub called the Shepherd’s Well.
Session Description
Coming soon…
Dan Boeck
Bio / Background
Dan Boeck served as an associate pastor in several churches over the span of 27 years before joining the Called to Peace Ministries staff. Dan currently serves as the Church Partnerships Coordinator for CTPM. In this role, he consults with churches across the globe, presents at conferences and training events, and oversees a team of liaisons who assist in helping churches navigate the complexities of domestic abuse.
Dan graduated from Moody Bible Institute and has done graduate work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Liberty University. Dan has been a keynote speaker, seminar presenter, and conference trainer in the US, India, UK, and Czech Republic.
Dan and his wife, Shannon, have five daughters, two sons-in-law, and three grandsons. They recently co-authored the book Domestic Abuse and the Dechurched.
Session Description
Coming soon…