Welcome

You've found your way here, and that matters.

Maybe you're in a season of profound questioning. Maybe you're healing from wounds inflicted in the name of God. Maybe you're discovering spirituality for the first time, or returning after a long absence. Maybe you're simply longing for someone to walk alongside you as you navigate the sacred terrain of your own soul.

I see you. And I'd be honored to companion you.

Rivers of Love Spiritual Companioning is a space for the journey you're actually on—not the one you think you should be on. Whether you're sorting through religious hurt, deepening your contemplative practice, listening for what wants to emerge in your life, or learning to recognize the river of Love that flows through everything, you don't have to walk alone.

This is a safe, non-judgmental, trauma-aware space where your story, your questions, and your pace are honored.

This isn't about fixing you or giving you answers. It's about paying attention together—to your story, your longings, the movement of Love in your life, and the truth that's trying to surface.

Welcome. You are safe to think for yourself here. You are safe to question. You are safe to choose.

About Christy

I grew up inside Bill Gothard's IBLP/ATI system—a high-control religious organization that shaped everything from my theology to my daily choices. In my early twenties, I worked directly for Gothard. I come from evangelical spaces - the kind where questioning was discouraged, boundaries were seen as selfish, and your body's wisdom was something to override rather than honor.

I spent years learning to disconnect from myself in the name of spirituality.

But I also know trauma and harm that had nothing to do with religion. I've lived with PTSD. I've done the work—therapy, EMDR, sitting with the parts of myself I'd been taught to exile. I'm what Henri Nouwen calls a "wounded healer"—someone who companions others precisely because I know the landscape of suffering and the possibility of healing.

After leaving that high-control system, I tried to rebuild something new. I planted a new garden, if you will. But there came a time when I couldn't grow any further - there was a walled-off section I kept avoiding. Like the secret garden, I knew I had to go in and do the work or it would keep getting in the way.

Wholeness, as Baxter Kruger defines it, is when the way of my being matches the truth of my being. My healing journey was about discovering that truth - that I'm a beloved human created in the image of a God who is truly Love. And that discovery required going through, not around, my pain and shame.

Spiritual abuse is uniquely devastating because it damages our relationship with the very source we're told can heal us. As Jeff VanVonderen explains, when someone is physically abused, they don't distrust the Department of Social Services - the abuser wasn't representing that agency. But in spiritual abuse, the abuser claims to represent God. So when we're hurt, we struggle to trust the One we're told can help.

I understand if even words like "God" or "Jesus" feel unsafe. Our loving God knows this pain. God can take it when people feel bitter and want to reject the Divine - God knows they were hurt deeply in God's name. Truly God knows what you're angry about, and is angry too. There's even a place for rage in this healing journey - look at Job, Lamentations, and the Psalms.

The truth is, you can pull at all the loose threads, and even when it all unravels, Love is still there - for you, toward you, beside you, never leaving. My confidence is in that perpetual pursuit.

My husband James and I have been married for 19+ years. We both left IBLP. We both did the hard, unglamorous work of healing. We built a marriage rooted in mutuality, respect, and genuine partnership. Not because we're exceptional, but because wholeness is possible. Healing is real—and it's not just about surviving. It's about laughter and tears, freedom and discovery, becoming more fully alive.

It wasn't just an intellectual shift. It was embodied healing work that integrated what I believed with how I lived. Because I've learned that good theology is rooted in good psychology - they really do go together.

You can also read pieces I've written or visit my Facebook page—these are good ways to get to know me a bit more before we connect.

I'm a self-taught watercolor artist who makes greeting cards, and the devoted companion to a 13-year-old basenji mix named Oreo. I live in Indiana.

My Approach

I companion people through the terrain I know intimately: the sacred work of becoming whole.

Here's what matters most: I've lived this journey myself.

I draw from contemplative and trauma-informed voices like Brad Jersak, William Paul Young, Baxter Kruger, Katie Skurja, Cherith Fee Nordling, Gabor Maté, Dan Siegel, Peter Levine, and Richard Rohr, to name a few. I integrate neuroscience, somatic awareness, and a deep respect for how trauma lives in our bodies and stories. And I believe fiercely in your capacity to know what's true for you. This is why I'm deeply committed to honoring your autonomy. In our work together, I share tools and perspectives that have helped me and others heal—but you are always the ultimate authority on your own life. I'm not a pastor or therapist—I'm a companion walking alongside you. Take what resonates as life-giving. Leave what doesn't. You're safe to think for yourself here, to question, and to choose.

Now I walk alongside others doing this same sacred work. Some identify as Christian. Some have no faith background but want to explore. Some have been so hurt they're ready to walk away entirely but their heart won't quite let them. I understand all of it. My desire is simply that everyone would be able to walk in wholeness as beloved humans.

I'm also completely fine if you don't see things the same way I do. We're not cookie-cutter. We're all on a journey, all at different stages of spiritual development. I'm open and transparent about myself because I believe it's good to know something about a person before you look to companion with them. If you have questions, contact me—I'm happy to respond. And I offer a free, no-strings-attached introductory session so we can see if we're a good fit.

You Might Be A Good Fit If You Are:

Feeling like the faith you inherited doesn't fit anymore, but you're not sure what comes next
Longing for a deeper, more authentic connection with God
Healing from spiritual abuse, toxic church systems, or religious trauma
Questioning your theology or beliefs as you've known them
Feeling stuck in life, or like something's missing even though everything looks fine
Carrying ongoing shame, guilt, or the sense you're "not enough" or "too much"
Seeking God in life's challenges and everyday moments (not just the mountaintops)
Tired of going around your pain and ready to go through it
Looking to learn contemplative practices and new ways to pray
Sensing a call or stirring of something new, but afraid to name it
Dealing with ongoing anxiety, stress, or feeling disconnected from yourself
Wanting to live as your most authentic self, not the version others expect
Ready to stop performing and start being

You don't need to have it all figured out. You don't need perfect language for what you're experiencing. You just need to be willing to show up and do the work.

Contact Me