Business Fortune
The pursuit of excellence can be challenging, and it’s tempting to settle for mediocrity and undeserved satisfaction. Our modern lives often require us to balance multiple priorities: our careers, work, family, health, and self-care. We always try to be our best and reach our full potential in every area of life.
Jodi Bryant and LifeChange Resources assist people in navigating challenging times, identifying their next steps, and supporting them in achieving their goals. Jodi Bryant and LifeChange Resources help guide people through whatever stage they are moving through.
Recently, Business Fortune spoke to Jodi Bryant about her entrepreneurial experiences and journey with LifeChange Resources. The following excerpts have been taken from the interview.
Q. What is LifeChange Resources’ story? How did the organization come about, and how has it grown over the years?
It is a lengthy tale, indeed. The company evolved from humble beginnings as a volunteer organization to achieve remarkable success.
I have a bachelor’s degree in education, specializing in music and psychology, and I taught in public schools across six districts from the early 1990s until I retired. I always felt a strong connection to the students and their families. The desire to educate and help others has been with me since sixth grade. Children everywhere, regardless of their school or background, are facing tough times and challenging situations. Many are dealing with trauma and adversity, known as Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACES. I aimed to support kids and families beyond teaching while also raising our three boys.
I used my skills as a pastor’s wife and teacher to help others. After facing health issues and life changes, I switched careers and joined a successful direct-sales business in Canada. I became a regional trainer and also started a volunteer organization called LifeChange to help people heal.
During my spiritual care credentialing, volunteers and I were able to teach a 48-week healing school. I was able to offer these adult students 15 hours of free spiritual and emotional life coaching support for trauma and life challenges. Referrals multiplied, and LifeChange grew. After earning a BA in Pastoral Ministry and volunteering in recovery support groups, I became ordained. Most clients sought spiritual and emotional assistance, even those who didn’t attend church. To expand my skills, I obtained a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.
As I developed LifeChange into a coaching and counseling business, I received questions about whether our services were faith-based, mainly from companies looking for their employees and churches looking for professional licensed Christian counselors. With my background as an ordained reverend, I was ready to address families’ needs, including their spiritual well-being. To meet various needs, I earned different certifications and learned new techniques. In addition, I have mentored aspiring counselors and successfully completed my training in Clinical Supervision. I am grateful to pass on my knowledge to those in the mental health sector, and I am passionate about my work.
Q. What challenges did you have to overcome in your professional journey, and what lessons did you learn from them?
I had to overcome many obstacles. I overcame self-doubt and the fear of disappointing others, transforming from feeling like an ‘ugly duckling’ into recognizing my talents and becoming more confident. Influences like Jesus Christ, my teachers, mentors, and husband played a significant role in this transition. Although I occasionally doubted my abilities and feared being seen as an imposter, I worked to acknowledge my accomplishments, including earning prestigious career rewards. My journey to fully accept and celebrate myself and my successes is ongoing.
I didn’t think I could sing, but after learning piano, I won a music scholarship, an international competition, and made a CD that earns money. Despite doubts about attending university, I got a prestigious scholarship and lived on campus. Despite warnings about my marriage, we’ve been happily married for over 33 years. Overcoming challenges is possible with hard work and understanding. Understanding our brain, self-belief, and overcoming negative thoughts can improve health. Moving out at 16 gave me the courage to begin and heal from childhood trauma. I had wise, praying mentors who loved me through my wounds. In my thirties, I had health problems and a tough birth, but working in network marketing, teaching, and coaching helped me. Counseling and spiritual guidance helped me better understand clients’ needs, leading to personal growth. Overcoming obstacles brings more joy and meaning to life, going from feeling like a victim to achieving victory.
Q. What are the various services offered by LifeChange Resources? Can you explain them to our readers?
LifeChange provides certified coaching, prayer counseling, professional counseling, and mental health support in Saskatoon and beyond. It works with churches, communities, clinics, businesses, non-profits, and organizations that need its services. We have helped new churches, businesses, and ministries through our charitable initiatives, LifeChange and Reconciliation Resources, part of the Great Commission Foundation.
Our charity offers healing and support to those experiencing life’s difficulties. We help through counseling interns and recovery groups for various challenges like addiction, abuse, trauma, divorce, and parenting. Thanks to donors, we provide free or low-cost services. Many who have been helped by us return as volunteers to showcase their recovery and growth.
Q. Religion plays a very strong role in your life; how did that come about? How have your religious beliefs shaped LifeChange Resources?
I wasn’t raised in a religious family, but my grandma gave me a Bible. Since Grade 6, I’ve worked in the public sector, aiming to show love to everyone around me. I believe my actions and who I am have lasting consequences, so I strive to make a positive difference both in this life and beyond.
When I was 9 years old, I went to a Bible camp in BC and experienced an incredible sense of peace. I had often felt lonely and like I didn’t belong as I was growing up, but at camp, I felt loved and enjoyed singing. One of the camp counselors helped me find peace with God, and I started wearing a pin that said, “I’ve Switched.”
As I got older, I noticed that many significant people in my life, such as teachers and friends, were Christians. This inspired me to become a public school teacher.
Jesus Christ helps me grow spiritually through Scripture, people, and experiences. As a reverend, I guide those interested in spiritual growth. Meditation and prayer can reduce stress. Balancing our body, mind, and spirit is important for overall wellness. My ongoing certification in functional nutrition promotes a holistic approach to healing.
Spiritual growth offers freedom from life’s challenges. Addressing the spiritual roots of our problems helps us heal from negative patterns. Understanding our spiritual nature helps us discover our identity and purpose. At LifeChange, we help people work on current issues and change negative behavior patterns using various methods. In our charity’s recovery groups, people share stories of transformation through healing and adopting healthier behaviors and spiritual principles.
Q. Culture in any organization is set at the top; how seriously do you take this responsibility?
I believe in loving people — all people. My husband bought me a license plate saying Liv2Luv. That’s my desire. I obviously fall short, but my intentions are to be a genuine, kind, and helpful person. The language of appreciation for those who assist at LifeChange is modeled, as is generosity. One of my goals is to also celebrate volunteering.
I continued to mature in my strengths while trying to stretch my weaknesses. I believe in and encourage others to continue to grow in knowledge. As a leader, how we lead affects those who follow. I want to be a leader who people choose to follow, rather than a leader who makes people follow. I have compassion and grace. People need space to find out who they are as leaders and will make mistakes. If they are coachable, I will never give up, and I will journey with them.
In our charity, we take time to connect with and honor our over 50 volunteers, who do what they do in the area they serve because they feel called to or have themselves come out of similar hurts, hang-ups, and habits. See some of the shared stories on our website: https://www.reconciliationresources.ca/testimonials
Q. Do you have anything to say to up-and-coming woman entrepreneurs reading this interview?
Surrounding yourself with trustworthy mentors and partners is key to success. Taking care of your well-being is essential so that you can love others without burning out. Never give up on finding your purpose and utilizing your strengths. Take risks, seek peace, and have faith. Stay humble and be mindful of your words. Embrace imperfection and show compassion for yourself. Celebrate the success of others and forgive yourself to liberate yourself. Focus on healthy patterns and let go of negativity. Seek meaning and growth in difficult circumstances. Trust yourself and your journey. Embrace your story and face your challenges. Stay true to your values in business.
Q. What are LifeChange Resources’ plans for the future?
We are embracing new opportunities and developing our work. I supervised MA students using my education and supervision skills, and now we want to reach a more diverse clientele with Josephine on board. We are also planning to go international and expand our work to make a larger impact. I want to improve my speaking and writing skills to reach more people with our healing work through different platforms.
I didn’t plan to expand LC, but it has grown on its own. People have to wait over a month to see me. We may need more counselors beyond Josephine to help new therapists. I care about all clients, especially young people seeking counseling for the first time. I also enjoy working with couples. I want LC to have experts in many areas and work in Africa and other places with fewer opportunities. I already work with BIPOC. As LC grows, our charity can make a difference. I just want to make the best next step.
Changing lives for the better
Jodi Bryant owns and operates LifeChange Resources and is the Founder and executive director of Reconciliation Resources, a Saskatoon-based charity sharing Christ’s message of love with the broken and hurting and those journeying through trauma, anxiety, the hardships of divorce, grief, addictions, and parenting and kinship issues within and outside the four walls of the church.
