Theresa is the founder of Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries and the author
of The Rachel’s Vineyard Weekend Retreat Manuals for both Catholic and
interdenominational settings. She is also the author of the 15-week
support group model Rachel’s Vineyard - A Psychological and Spiritual
Journey of Post Abortion Healing with Barbara Cullen. (Alba House)
The Rachel’s Vineyard ™ support group and retreat models are now
offered in 48 states. The international outreach of Rachel’s Vineyard
is now growing in 25 countries with translations in progress for Japan
and Korea. Over 650 retreats are held annually world wide.
Theresa has facilitated the Rachel’s Vineyard weekend for
women and men throughout the country, training retreat teams in
the method and process. She has lectured and trained professionals
internationally on the subject of post-abortion trauma and healing.
Her books include Forbidden Grief - The Unspoken Pain of Abortion with
David C. Reardon (Acorn Books) and The Contraception of Grief –
The Genesis of Anguish Conceived by Abortifacients and Sterilization.
Forbidden Grief is also available in Spanish, Mujeres Silenciadas:
Como se Explica el Sufrimiento de la Mujer que Aborta (Sekotia). Theresa
has also published a new retreat program specifically designed for those
who have suffered sexual abuse entitled Grief to Grace - Reclaiming the
Gift of Sexuality Dignity. This new retreat model offers healing to victims
of abuse, including those who have survived sexual abuse from clergy.
Theresa serves as a Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and for the
newly formed Apostolic Society - Missionaries of the Gospel of Life.
She is frequent guest on EWTN and served as host of the television series
Making Abortion Rare. She has recently appeared on PBS, the Religion and
Ethics News Weekly, Focus on the Family, EWTN’s Defending Life with Fr. Frank
Pavone and has been interviewed for numerous radio, television, print
magazine and news stories.
Theresa's counseling work has focused on women's issues,
bereavement, pregnancy loss, sexual abuse, eating disorders and
anxiety management. She is the co-administrator and founder of
Covenant Family Resources, a licensed Children and Youth
Agency which supports couples as they build families through
adoption. Theresa and her husband ran The Mother's Home, a
pregnancy residence, which provided housing and computer job
training for women in crisis pregnancy and their children.
Theresa holds an undergraduate degree from in English
Communications with a concentration in social work; Theresa went
on to earn a Masters Degree and Doctoral Degree in Counseling
Psychology. She is a Nationally Certified Psychologist, a
Certified Diplomat of the American Psychotherapy Association, a
Licensed Professional Counselor and a Diplomat of the American
Board of Forensic Counselors. She holds membership in the
Society for Catholic Social Scientists, The American Counseling
Association, The American Academy of Bereavement and the
American Association of Christian Counselors. Theresa is the
proud mother of 5 children.
