“If you are looking for a safe person to talk to, I highly recommend Irene. Not only is she safe, but she listens well, has a heart of love and compassion, and patiently walks alongside you. She understands the physiological side of how we feel and act, and all the while points you to Jesus, the greatest Healer of all.”
– A client from Virginia
Coaching Services
Through Resilient Beginnings, I offer support and care to Anabaptist women from a wide variety of life experiences and challenges.
A Note from Irene
My name is Irene Bontrager. I am an older single Mennonite woman living in the town of LaGrange, Indiana who has been mentoring and coaching for the last twenty-five years. During those years, I have broadened my understanding of my relationship with Jesus and others by frequently talking with a counselor about my own life, continuing my education, and deeply investing in the lives of other women.
I offer support through a faith formed in the Christian tradition. As a mentor and coach, I offer a compassionate, supportive role in helping untangle the complexities of daily life. I offer insight and care as you clarify your personal walk with Jesus and help you grow and deepen your understanding of relationships.
I care about helping women because I know what it’s like to walk in darkness. I have needed healing for my own personal issues, and I sought out a Christian counselor many years ago for help with my depression. Though I received help for my depression and personal pain, I did not learn how to connect with the people right around me. Later in life, I sought additional counseling for deepening relationships within my family, my workplace, and my local church – and for making peace with my own driven spirit. As I discovered helpful tools to grow my internal world, and enjoyed richer, more satisfying relationships with God and other people, I began dreaming of making people care a full-time vocation.
My passion is to lead women to embrace their God-given talents, to become grounded in truth, and to discover a network of support in their homes, churches, and communities. My greatest highlight in walking with women is to see them discover freedom in their relationships and internal struggles.
I look forward to walking with you!
