SUSAN NIENABER, LMFT

Susan Nienaber is a licensed marriage and family therapist, consultant, mediator and ordained clergyperson with experience in parish ministry and hospital chaplaincy. In recent years, she has worked as a denominational executive and director of congregational vitality.

From June 2004 until June 2014, Susan was a senior consultant with The Alban Institute in Washington, D.C. working with hundreds of organizations across the U.S. and Canada. Prior to 2004, Susan intertwined careers as a psychotherapist and independent regional consultant. As a psychotherapist her expertise is in helping her clients develop strong coping skills to manage the challenges of life and she is trained in EMDR to help people recover from trauma and abuse.

Susan also writes, lectures and leads training workshops and retreats on a variety of topics:

  • Managing conflict, transition and change

  • Fostering the health and well-being of leaders

  • Developing lay leaderships

  • Professional ethics and boundaries

  • The use of dialogue and discernment practices in organizations

  • Developing staff for success, handling personnel matters and organizational staffing assessments

  • Coaching leaders

  • Revitalizing organizations and options for smaller congregations

In her free time, Susan enjoys spending time with loved ones, cooking, working out, cross-country skiing and biking, gardening and axe-throwing.