Licensed counselor.
Life coach.
Award-winning author.
Lifelong educator.
Based in the farming community of Shipshewana, Indiana
Life in an Amish and Mennonite farming community has a way of stripping things down to what's real, and that's exactly where I do my best work. I'm a licensed mental health counselor, Christian life coach, educator, and author who has spent years walking alongside women, children, and families when life, faith, and family fall short of the storybook image. Whether you're navigating anxiety, a major transition, burnout, or a quiet ache you can't quite name, I'll meet you there, with warmth, with honesty, and with the steady belief that your most grounded, most meaningful life is still within reach.
Rooted in farm life
I'm Brenda L. Yoder, LMHC, a licensed mental health counselor, author, educator, parent, and grandparent. I grew up in the Shipshewana community, where simplicity, service, and faith weren't just ideals, they were the rhythm of daily life. Those values still run through everything I do. For over 25 years, I've served as a therapist, school counselor, and teacher, learning that the most meaningful change happens not in a hurry, but in unhurried, authentic connection.
“I believe the best version of your life is simpler than you think, and you don't have to find your way alone.”
My counseling and coaching practice, Still Waters Christian Services, was built on that belief. I walk alongside women, children, and families in the tender, honest spaces where life doesn't look the way they hoped, tending to their needs, helping them heal, and supporting their growth.
Truth with a Shepherd's Heart
I communicate like a pastor, teaching truth but caring for you with a shepherd's heart. My theology is grounded in the inerrancy of God's Word and the contextual truth of God's unchanging character in each of our stories. Whether I'm in a counseling session, a coaching conversation, or on a stage, my goal is the same: to help you slow down, reconnect with what matters, and live a life that feels whole. My work is trauma-informed, faith-rooted, and offered with warmth. I believe healing is possible, and that it starts with being truly seen.
Education & Recognition
- •Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- •Licensed School Counselor
- •M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Grace College & Seminary
- •B.A. Education, Purdue University
- •Contributor to: Guideposts' Mornings with Jesus, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Every Woman's Bible
- •Featured in the Washington Post, Publishers' Weekly, and recipient of the 2024 Non-fiction Book of the Year by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association
Areas of Focus
- •Anxiety
- •Work/life balance
- •Life transitions
- •Values clarification
- •Family & parenting
- •Trauma-informed, faith-based care
Ready to Connect?
Whether you're looking for a counselor, a coach, a speaker, or a book to hand a friend, I'd love to connect and find out where our paths might cross.
Get in Touch