cultivating life and presence in the midst of complexity
Welcome, friend.
My name is Joanna (or Jo) and I’m glad you’re here.
I started Mindful Member Care in 2018 to help equip individuals and organizations with tools to cultivate life, presence, and sustainability in the midst of an increasingly complex world.
I have a global perspective and experience, having lived in various countries, but I am currently based in Denver, Colorado, USA, where I was born and raised. I have been doing staff and organizational care over the past decade+ and have had the privilege of working with remarkable individuals and organizations that serve alongside marginalized communities around the world.
In addition to Mindful Member Care, I also serve part-time as the Co-Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at The Refuge, a fully LGBTQ+ affirming and egalitarian faith community in North Denver.
“There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls.”
— Howard Thurman
OFFERINGS
Sustainability Coaching for Individuals and Organizations
Introductory Nonviolent Communication and Enneagram Workshops
Transition and Debriefing Retreats for Individuals and Families
Coaching & Consultation
INDIVIDUAL COACHING
If you are or have been involved in non-profit, humanitarian, or social justice work, either locally or internationally, I offer one-on-one coaching to help you thrive in your field. I can assist you with topics such as sustainability, self-care, interpersonal communication, and resilience. I can also provide personal coaching based on your Enneagram type, team dynamics, Nonviolent Communication skills, and transitions. If you have left this type of work and still struggle with unresolved issues or distress, I can offer you support or refer you to someone who can.
TEAM COACHING & MEDIATION
Working in teams can be challenging due to the different personalities and preferences of each member. I offer coaching services to help teams improve their communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration skills. I can provide general team coaching, conflict mediation, and team trainings in Nonviolent Communication, the Enneagram, and personal growth and sustainability.
I have a special interest and experience in working with non-profit teams, but I am also open to coaching individuals and teams from any sector.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONSULTATION
Creating a culture of care for your staff is a worthwhile goal that can enhance the well-being and performance of your organization. I can assist you in developing and implementing a customized plan that suits your organization’s needs and values. I have experience and expertise in consulting with various organizations on how to foster a culture of care among their staff. I would love to have a conversation with you about how we can work together to achieve this goal.
Workshops
COMPASSIONATE & NONVIOLENT COMMUNICATION
Nonviolent Communication (NVC or Compassionate Communication) is a powerful tool for self-awareness, empathy, interpersonal communication, and conflict transformation. NVC can help empower people to prevent or peacefully resolve conflicts and arrive at workable solutions that meet the needs of everyone involved.
I am available for…
- teaching introductory and intermediate NVC classes
- engaging in one-on-one coaching
- and mediating conflicts between individuals and teams using NVC tools.
THE ENNEAGRAM
I have been studying the Enneagram personality indicator since 2007 and have found that it is one of the most effective tools for self-awareness and personal/spiritual growth -- both of which are key factors in building resilience and sustainability.
Where most personality tests are a mirror to our face, Enneagram is a mirror to the soul. It cuts to the heart of the deepest needs and fears that drive us to our healthy and unhealthy behaviors and gives concrete strategies for growing in health in how we relate to God, self, and others.
I can host introductory group workshops about the Enneagram, work with teams to build understanding, or coach people one-on-one to think through this helpful tool for interpersonal and personal growth.
Transition Coaching
& Debriefing Retreats
Whether leaving your host country forever or for a temporary home visit, transitions can be difficult. In times of transition it can be helpful to take some time to process the raw emotions and experiences of the last season before beginning a new one. If you’re getting ready to leave your host county, organization, or going through another transition or a faith shift, I am available to help you process these changes through coaching sessions or retreats.
Displacement and change can also be disorienting; a personal debriefing retreat can assist in helping you land back on solid ground as we trace the different threads of your story together. I have been trained in personal debriefing methods and can work with you to create individual, family, and small group (3-5 people) debriefing retreat in person in Colorado or online that facilitates a space to rest and process your time overseas, changing organizations, or most any season of transition. Contact me for a free consult to see if working with me might be a good step for you in this season.
“If you came back,you wanted to leave again; if you went away, you longed to come back. Wherever you were, you could hear the call of the homeland, like the note of a herdsman’s horn far away in the hills. You had one home out there, and one over here, and yet you were an alien in both places. Your true abiding-place was the vision of something very far off, and your soul was like the waves, always restless, forever in motion.”
— from "The Emigrants" by John Bojer
Payments & Equity
“Mapping Your Current Financial Locale” is a sliding scale model used by Mindful Member Care that acknowledges and honors the reality of different financial experiences. Inspired by the “green bottle method” by Alexis J. Cunningfolk, using a sliding scale is an economic justice tool that enables participants to adjust payment based on access to resources.
Please take a moment to read through the sliding scale image and choose where you find yourself in this season.
Sliding Scale Fees & Payments
Check out the previous page to determine and self select your financial locale. Please be mindful that if you choose a price at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher rates, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself and your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. If you are from the Majority World and these fees are still inaccessible to you, please contact Joanna.
COACHING INVESTMENT
One Hour Sessions
Conflict Mediation, Custom Debriefings, & Introductory Enneagram & NVC workshops.
The cost of these offerings varies based on hours, location, and number of participants. To get a quote for these services, please contact Joanna for an initial Zoom/phone consultation or email her with a description of what you are looking for, the location (in Colorado, online, or other), the number of people you expect to attend, and you or your organization’s estimated budget for these services.
Joanna has a B.A. in Intercultural Studies, M.A. in Member Care, and was trained in 2014 to facilitate debriefing retreats. She is certified to administer and coach the CernySmith Stress Assessment and has studied and taught the Enneagram for a number of years. She is currently working on accreditation through the Rocky Mountain Compassionate Communication Network to become an accredited Nonviolent Communication teacher/facilitator.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Joanna leads from a place of deep experience, understanding, and awareness. She's experienced the complexity of serving on a team in a foreign culture and in tough situations of poverty and suffering. I've personally benefited from her listening ear and encouraging spirit. I'm so thankful for her intentionality, empathy, and depth. Jo takes member care seriously and has poured her life into learning how to care deeply for those who serve on the front lines of cross-cultural service.
David in India
Jo combines empathy with insight to offer member care that is just right. Her own years of experience overseas are a strong foundation for her practice.
Craig Greenfield, director of Alongsiders International, blogger, activist and author
Member care is an art of journeying with people with both compassion and expertise. Joanna's compassion is evident in how she cares out of her own journey living on the margin overseas and understanding the unique struggles of cross-cultural living. Her expertise is seen in how she is able to provide helpful resources for understanding the self, relationships, and the journey of faith, as well as being skilled in knowing how to create a safe space with silence and freedom. I have experienced Zoom member care sessions as well as a personal debriefing retreat. Zoom sessions helped me process life and have a regular place for being cared for, especially as I was single at that time. The debriefing retreat was deeply grounding and cathartic, helping me to lament, let go, and receive energy for my next season of life. I also appreciate Joanna's creativity. poetry, images, nature walks, and humor have invited me to use these tools to encounter the divine.”
Megiwa in Japan