who we are
Our Values
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All care provided through Cleveland Abbey will be offered through the lens of compassion for those receiving care with attention and honor for their own story.
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Cleveland Abbey practitioners make space to slow down and notice. We center our motivations, behavior, and practices on God’s invitation to live in constant communion with Him and one another.
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Cleveland Abbey practitioners will always refer to one another when it is appropriate and seek to collaborate with other like-minded organizations and churches across the city.
“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness:
touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace.”
Our Practitioners
Wendy Gierhart
CO-CREATOR & SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
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After over 15 years serving in church ministry, as well as time as a hospice chaplain and in educational leadership, Wendy now offers care to individuals as a Spiritual Director and also serves as the Associate Pastor at Lakewood Vineyard.
Wendy brings a contemplative, trauma-informed and embodied approach to Spiritual Direction, creating a safe space to let your soul rest and check in with what’s stirring in life’s ebbs and flows, and to honestly explore yourself within the context of your own unique story and where God is in the midst of it. Her passion is to help people find deeper integration and healing so that they can live fully into who they are.
Credentials: Spiritual Direction Certificate through Sustainable Faith, Masters in Biblical Literature, Masters in Education & Infant/Toddler Mental Health. Further training in Somatic Trauma Care & Internal Family Systems Therapy. Doctoral student in Spiritual Formation & Relational Neuroscience. Ordained pastor.
Casey Tobik
CO-CREATOR & SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
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With over a decade of experience serving in churches and ministries across the nation, Casey has found a home in offering spiritual direction. Casey also serves as the Prayer Director for King's Church, the Midwest Region Coordinator for 24-7 Prayer USA, and the Founder/Director of 24-7 Prayer Cleveland.
Casey brings her personal experience growing up in a Catholic home, walking away from faith altogether, and finding Jesus again in adulthood to provide empathetic nonjudgmental care. Her strengths are in compassionate listening and cultivating safe environments for healing and growth. Casey is passionate about accompanying people as they discover the fingerprints of God in their lives.
Credentials: Certificate in Spiritual Direction (Sustainable Faith). Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (Tulane University). Additional training in prayer, prophetic ministry, and inner healing. Member of the Evangelical Spiritual Directors Association.
Jeff Doeringer
SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
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After spending a few years in the business world as an accountant, Jeff moved into pastoral ministry for twenty years until he launched his spiritual direction practice and serves part-time at Heartland Community Church. Jeff brings his passion for creating open space for individuals to unravel the narrative of their lives and how God may have been part of it all along. In his role as a spiritual director, Jeff employs a contemplative and empathetic approach, providing individuals with the support and guidance needed to navigate their spiritual quests. He believes that by creating open space for self-discovery, people can tap into their inner wisdom, uncovering profound connections with themselves and God.
Credentials: Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction (Loyola University-Chicago), Masters in Theological Studies, Certified to lead the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola, and aditional training in Internal Family Systems. Ordained Minister, The Christian & Missionary Alliance. Member of the Evangelical Spiritual Directors Association.
Rebecca Quella, MSW, LISW-S
THERAPIST
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Rebecca carries a bachelor's degree in social work from Cleveland State University where she graduated in 2006. Following graduation, Rebecca and her husband moved to Chicago for her to attend Loyola University, where she obtained a master's in social work and began working closely with adolescents who had witnessed and/or experienced violence and loss.
From there, Rebecca has dedicated her career focus both in Chicago and now in Cleveland to walking alongside individuals with the highest quality of support through mental health symptoms and substance use challenges. In addition to telehealth and in-person therapy, she also offers walk-and-talk therapy to individuals.
Dr. Diane Smith, DSW, LISW-S, LICDC
THERAPIST
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Dr. Smith’s practice is focused on empowered transformation. With over 15 years of mental health experience and advanced evidence-based clinical training, she develops a unique plan for change that is combined with support and accountability to help clients move beyond symptom management and into the intentional creation of their most joyful and peaceful lives. Her work pairs the latest neuroscientific and behavioral research with ancient mindfulness and contemplative practices to embrace deep healing, wholeness, and long-lasting change on all levels of being.
Credentials: Doctor of Social Work (DSW, Licensed Independent Social Worker + Supervisor (LISW-S), Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC)
Mackenzie Valley
SOMATIC PRACTITIONER
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Mackenzie has her B.A. in Performing Arts from Lees McRae College (2007) and has performed, taught and choreographed in the professional dance scene since. She began exploring concepts of movement as healing and worked closely with clinical trauma therapists, developing ideas and strategies before completing the Integrated Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate from The Embody Lab in 2023.
Yvette Givand, MSW, LISW-S
THERAPIST
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Yvette Givand carries a deep passion for helping people overcome mental health challenges to have and enjoy a better quality of life. She values the ability to authentically connect with people and provide effective interventions to develop healthy emotional/social competency skills while addressing their unique life stressors.
“I feel that relationships are important to the quality of our lives, and one of the strongest indicators of the degree of the quality of our relationships with others is the quality of our relationship with ourselves.”
Yvette also enjoys helping families discover ways to heal their past pain and build strong relationships. Her experiences serving at-risk and marginalized individuals and groups further developed her ability to recognize human potential and worth which helps shape and inform her counseling approach. With over 30 years experience working with children, teens and adults, Yvette serves individuals, families, and groups of any age. In addition to her work as a mental health therapist, Yvette’s experience includes directing Head Start programs, public school administration, and teaching as an adjunct college instructor.
Credentials: Masters of Social Work (MSW), Licensed Independent Social Worker + Supervisor (LISW-S), Certified Trauma Specialist
Dr. Lumar Vargas
COACH
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Dr. Lumar Vargas completed her professional coaching certification at Duquesne University. She has 15 years of pastoral experience and volunteers her time serving the Latino community as planting pastor of Aviva Church. She’s been an associate pastor, traveling preacher, small groups director, and church planter.
Lumar completed her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, with a research focus on transformational leadership. Outside of ministry, Lumar serves as a Managing Director of Leadership & Development for Teach for America, coaching educational leaders throughout Ohio.
Lumar enjoys traveling and going on walks with Emanuel, her husband. She loves listening to people’s stories and helping form new leaders. When she’s not having coffee with someone, she’s likely taking a nap.
In coaching, Lumar helps individuals navigate the present and future to maximize their potential. Through the lens of transformational leadership and spiritual development, you can discover your God-given purpose and potential. She offers coaching in both Spanish and English.
Partner Practices
Everwell Somatics
Offering Functional Movement, Somatics for Mental Health, Trauma Release and Nervous System Regulation, and support for motherhood.
Hope Meadows
Providing Equine Assisted Mental Health & Life Skills to adolescents, adults & families.
Our Partners
Cleveland Abbey was birthed by leaders in the Kingdom Collective, with the church and its leaders in mind. Our offerings fill a need that most churches cannot provide on their own. Since Cleveland Abbey was born out of local partnership it’s at the heart of what we do. We regularly partner together to offer events, training, and collaborate in care.
Kingdom Collective
A community of like-minded churches working together to send and support church planters throughout the communities of Northeast Ohio.
Order of the Common Life
Helping people notice and nurture the work of God through reimagining monastic vocations for the 21st century. OCL partners with individuals and local churches to invite people into a common way of life rooted in contemplative Christian practices shared in community.
24-7 Prayer Cleveland
We are the Cleveland expression of the larger 24-7 Prayer movement. We’re known for inspiring and catalyzing prayer in the most likely and least likely places, and among the most likely and least likely people. We host two 24-7 Prayer Rooms in the Cleveland area. Schedule a visit!