Purpose & Mission
Our Purpose
Story is the heartbeat of God, the primary form for revealing who we are, who God is, how the world is broken, and how God intends to restore us and the world. We believe, too, that no one escapes harm over the course of their lifetime. Therefore we all have stories that need healing and restoration. Unfortunately, there are very few contexts in which the full extent of harm and heartache in the human experience can be explored in a way that brings healing. Many therapists are not equipped to address the narrative dimensions at the heart of human brokenness, and many churches and communities avoid the conversations out of fear, discomfort, or lack of training. So we live in a world of silos where narrative therapy, inner healing, and spiritual warfare are seldom integrated for the hope for restoration.
Our purpose is to step into this gap to offer story exploration experiences and to train more leaders to address harm and tragedy with informed care and holistic engagement, identifying the emotional, spiritual, and relational impacts of our core stories of neglect, loss, betrayal, or outright abuse and violence. And in this process, something truly transformative happens: we find the hope of redemption. Courageously stepping into stories of pain and harm is the very place that true healing and restoration occurs.
Our Mission
The mission of The Allender Center is to foster redemption and healing in individuals, couples, and communities by helping them tell their stories with awareness and integrity while also training leaders and professionals to engage the stories of others with courage, artistry, and care. In fulfilling this mission, we are committed to:
- Boldly engaging the impact of trauma and abuse on the human heart
- Providing healing and teaching to individuals, couples, and communities
- Training professionals to listen and enter into stories in a way that facilitates the transformation and hope of the gospel
The Allender Center, a subsidiary of The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology and a nonprofit 501(c)(3) has grown exponentially as a respected resource for training and transformation since its founding in 2011. As more people recognize the reality of abuse and trauma in our culture, the need for holistic training and true healing is more important than ever. Our hope is to meet this increased need with accessible content, more regional offerings, and expanded leadership and training models.
Our Audience
Training
We specialize in training pastors, therapists, group leaders, lay counselors, and community and business leaders to understand their own stories in order to more deeply enter the lives of those they are called to love and serve. We come alongside to equip and develop skills for wading into the difficult waters of heartache, trauma, and abuse.
We operate according to this core principle: You can’t take anyone further than you have gone yourself. Often those who are on the front lines of service have not had the opportunity to care for the stories that led them into ministry and healing vocations. Those stories are often part of unaddressed trauma that can lead to burnout. Consequently, we invite our participants to learn from their own lives as they develop theory and skills to work with others. Learn more about our professional training offerings.
Personal Care and Restoration
We offer help and healing for those seeking insight into how harm has impacted their lives, marriages, families, faith, and communities. Our trained leaders will boldly and carefully guide you in crafting your story and tending to your deepest wounds for the sake of healing and restoration. Learn more about our offerings for personal care and restoration.
Our own life is the thing that most influences and shapes our outlook, our tendencies, our choices and our decisions. It is the force that orients us toward the future, and yet we don’t give it a second thought, much less a careful examination. It’s time to listen to our own story. — Dan Allender, To Be Told