About Emma M. Churchman, MDiv

I help leaders stay anchored in the deep end

I’m Emma Churchman, a nationally certified trauma chaplain, leadership consultant, executive mentor, and 3x bestselling author.

I work with leaders who are navigating volatility, disruption, and high-stakes responsibility and who want to lead with presence, values, and resilience (not adrenaline, burnout, or performative certainty).

In 2026, my work sits at the intersection of resilient leadership and real-time trauma recovery because in today’s world, we don’t get the luxury of waiting until the crisis is over to begin healing.

Why I Do This Work

My professional training matters but my real education came from living through what most people can’t imagine.

I grew up with a mother who had 123 personalities. I lost my father and all three brothers to suicide. And in 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina and I ended up serving my tiny Appalachian mountain community as their trauma chaplain.

That season clarified something I now teach everywhere:

We can’t wait years to process trauma on a therapist’s couch. In a volatile world, we must learn to recover in real time while life is still happening.

What I'm Focused On In 2026

rESILIENT LEADERSHIP IN A VOLATILE WORLD

Leaders don’t just manage strategy- they manage nervous systems.

I support executives, entrepreneurs, and senior teams and their employees who are:

  • Leading through uncertainty, market volatility, and rapid change

  • Carrying the emotional weather of their organizations

  • Making decisions with incomplete information and real consequences

  • Building cultures that can metabolize stress instead of passing it down the chain

This work shows up through keynotes, trainings, and high-touch mentoring.

TRAUMA RECOVERY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

I’m the creator of the Trauma Recovery Certification Program, a structured pathway that teaches practical, evidence-informed tools for processing trauma in real time.

There are three levels, built on the four phases of trauma recovery:

Rescue - Recovery - Reconstruction - Evolution

This program serves:

  • Coaches and practitioners

  • Organizations and leadership teams

  • Disaster-response and humanitarian communities

"Emma doesn't just teach trauma recovery—she embodies it.

Her ability to guide leaders through real-time crisis while maintaining strategic clarity is unmatched."

~ WBENC Leadership


I specialize in working with leaders whose organizations have been impacted by natural disasters, market volatility, and unexpected crises.

Because when everything falls apart, your people need a leader who can stay present, think clearly, and guide with both strategic wisdom and deep humanity.

My Approach: The 4-Phase Framework (and what it changes)  

When everything is moving, leaders need a framework that works under pressure.

My work integrate:

  • Evidence-informed trauma recovery tools

  • Practical leadership strategy

  • A values-based, human-centered approach to decision-making

This isn’t therapy. This is based on my over 25 years of mentoring entrepreneurs and leaders in the deep end.

It’s leadership development for the real world for the moments when you don’t have time to fall apart, but you also can’t afford to stay numb.

If You're Here, You're Probably Carrying
A Lot

If you’re leading in the deep end, you don’t need more inspirational quotes.

You need:

  • A way to stay present when the pressure spikes

  • A framework for clear decisions

  • Tools that support you and your people through real human impact

If that's what you’re looking for, you’re in the right place.

Next Steps

Credentials & Recognition

Background:

  • 25+ years of business and leadership experience
  • Nationally Certified Trauma Chaplain (CPE, 2013)
  • PhD Candidate in Conscious Business Ethics (University of Arizona)
  • Master of Divinity (Earlham School of Religion)
  • WBENC Certified Woman-Owned Business (Since 2022)

Endorsed By:

  • Enterprising Women Magazine
  • FEMA
  • Mennonite Disaster Service
  • National Association of Women Owners
  • National Minority Supplier Development Council
  • National Voluntary Organizations Aiding in Disaster
  • SUCCESS Magazine
  • Women's Business Development Center
  • Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
  • Women Impacting Public Policy
  • Women Presidents Organization

Published Works:

  • The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene: 40 Days and Nights of Survival and Transformation (GracePoint, 2025) - A raw, real-time account of leading through a natural disaster
  • Unshattered: Surviving My Mother's 123 Personalities and Transforming a Legacy of Abuse (GracePoint, 2025) - Transforming a legacy of trauma into leadership wisdom.
  • Navigating the Deep End: Resilient Leadership in a Volatile World (GracePoint, June 2026) - Practical strategies for crisis leadership

Recent Speaking Highlights:

  • WBENC National Conference: 2-hour wellness session women business leaders to kick off the conference
  • National VOAD Conference: Keynote for 750 disaster response leaders (standing ovation)
  • Mennonite Disaster Service 75th Anniversary: Plenary speaker for 350 volunteers

Featured In:

  • SUCCESS Magazine
  • The Guardian
  • On Being
  • Thrive Global

About
Emma Churchman

Emma M. Churchman, MDiv is a nationally certified trauma chaplain and executive mentor who has spent over 25 years guiding individuals and organizations through the unspoken aftermath of trauma. With a rare blend of spiritual insight and strategic leadership, she has helped thousands transform pain into power—drawing deeply from her own harrowing journey through acute childhood adversity.

Emma is the founder of the Trauma Recovery Certification program, a groundbreaking training for professionals who want to address trauma at its roots—not just manage symptoms. Her teachings blend clinical understanding with soul-deep wisdom, making her a sought-after speaker for those ready to engage in real, raw healing.

Her first bestselling book, The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene (GracePoint, 2025), takes readers on an unforgettable journey of spiritual resilience during one of nature’s most recent catastrophic events.

Her memoir, Unshattered: Surviving My Mother’s 123 Personalities and Transforming a Legacy of Abuse (GracePoint, 2025), is a bold invitation to rewrite the stories we inherit.

Her forthcoming third book, Navigating the Deep End: Resilient Leadership in a Volatile World, explores navigating leadership in crisis (GracePoint, June 2026).

Whether she’s speaking to Fortune 1,000 leaders, faith communities, or trauma survivors, Emma teaches practical, evidence-informed trauma recovery techniques that empower individuals and organizations alike to reclaim agency, reconnect with their core selves, and navigate life’s storms with integrity. As a PhD candidate in Conscious Business Ethics, she bridges the gap between soulful leadership and actionable strategy.

Emma is the founder of the Trauma Recovery Certification program, a groundbreaking training for professionals who want to address trauma at its roots—not just manage symptoms. Her teachings blend clinical understanding with soul-deep wisdom, making her a sought-after speaker for those ready to engage in real, raw healing.

Her bestselling book, The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene (GracePoint, 2025), takes readers on an unforgettable journey of spiritual resilience during one of nature’s most recent catastrophic events.

Her forthcoming memoir, Unshattered: Surviving My Mother’s 123 Personalities and Transforming a Legacy of Abuse (GracePoint, October 2025), is a bold invitation to rewrite the stories we inherit.

Her third book, The Deep End: Resilient Leadership in a Volatile World, explores navigating leadership in crisis (GracePoint, June 2026).

Trusted by Brands You Know

#hurricanehelene · Dec 11, 2024
Day 75 of the Apocalypse, Gerton, NC
I practiced being a normal human being today. My friend and colleague Angie Mattson Stegall and I got together at the Biltmore Estate for a maste…Read more
#hurricanehelene · Dec 8, 2024
Day 73 of the Apocalypse, Ground Zero, Gerton, NC pop. 231
I’ve never had so much fun picking up trash. Gerton residents and others gathered together yesterday for a cleanup in the downtown area of Gerton…Read more
#hurricanehelene · Nov 28, 2024
Day 63 of the Apocalypse, Ground Zero, Gerton, NC pop. 231
Gratitude has changed for me since Hurricane Helene. It’s no longer a litany of things I am grateful for or should be grateful for. It’s not a…Read more