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Meet Jenny

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Hey! I’m Jenny Smith — a nervous system practitioner, writer, pastor, and trauma-informed guide who helps people face what hurts so they can live with clarity, courage, and compassion. My work weaves together somatic experiencing, nervous system attunement, inner child work, Internal Family Systems, and a progressive, spacious Christian spirituality. I support individuals in tending the memories, sensations, and stories held in the body so they can move through life with more grounding, self-trust, and presence.

With a Master of Divinity and over 20 years of experience as a pastor, spiritual companion, and retreat leader, I’ve walked with individuals and communities through change, loss, and profound personal growth. My approach blends soul care, embodied coaching, and pastoral care—rooted in curiosity, compassion, and deep respect for your story.

As an autistic and ADHD pastor-turned-somatic-practitioner, I understand what it means to hold both deep calling and deep overwhelm. My own journey taught me that healing doesn’t come from pushing harder; it comes from listening inward, honoring limits, and allowing the body’s wisdom to guide us toward what’s true. I bring that same grounded, nonjudgmental presence to every session.

Healing is sacred work. It’s brave to slow down. It’s brave to tell the truth. And it’s brave to reclaim your life in ways that honor your body, your boundaries, and your becoming.

If you’re longing for softness, depth, and a healing space that meets you where you are, this is a place where you can breathe, be held, and gently find your way home to yourself.

Work With Me

Some turning points in my story

My brother died five weeks ago
I’m a writer. I love putting words together to paint a new perspective or story. It’s magic and love when these words then meet truth in you. I adore the power of words. But I hate this sentence: My brother died five weeks ago. Maybe if I write it a
the gentle wayJenny Smith
This is autism
In honor of autism acceptance month -- Apparently April is autism awareness month. It feels weird to write a post about this. There was nothing about exploring my neurotype that felt like, “Awesome - now I can participate in another awareness raising activity.” It felt more like peeling back a million assumptions, patterns, and stereotypes while fighting for my deepest self. More like an epic internal quest than a social media campaign.
the gentle wayJenny Smith
The first week on ADHD medication
I heard music playing in the background but when I stopped moving, my brain was quiet. No pinging thoughts. Hmm. Then I looked around and noticed something new. There were no emotions attached to anything. That’s odd. This is not something I walked around noticing about myself. Then it hit me. A big part of ADHD is emotional dysregulation. I’ve long been ashamed of my deeply sensitive nature. An intense inner emotional world is my norm. The medicine seemed to be helping me separate that a bit.
the gentle wayJenny Smith
It takes a lot of energy to hide
The shocking ease after naming my autism -- I’m pulling a fascinating thread right now that I want to tell you about.Since my autism diagnosis, I’ve been sketching out how I would tell you. I have pages and pages of notes. Articles and links. Memes and reflections. My entire structure of self was deconstructing for the past year so yes, it made sense that my brain ran around collecting stories and explanations.
the gentle wayJenny Smith
A truth is easing into view
Turning 43 and nodding yes -- I turned 43 on Sunday. I took myself to a new-to-me coffee shop to do one of my most favorite things in the world. Write poetry and work on a new project.My body melts with joy as I hit play on the perfect playlist. Noise-cancelling headphones turn the people noise to background. I open my book software and check the status of my latest project.
the gentle wayJenny Smith
“Mom, none of them look nervous.”
The one where I tell you about OCD -- My newly minted twelve-year-old anxiously observes from the back seat, “Mom, none of them look nervous.” My face smiles. My brain screams. My heart breaks. It seems to still be human nature to assume our internal chaos is a unique and isolated event. She looks out her rainy January window as we pull up to her middle school for the first time after Christmas break. “See, Mom. They’re fine.”
the gentle wayJenny Smith
The sound of safety
Small signs of healing in a neurodivergent home
the gentle wayJenny Smith
What justice sensitivity feels like
neurodivergent humans have a frustrating quirk in their nervous systems called justice sensitivity it’s not just an opinion or a strong feeling about something it’s a full-body event when something unjust happens it’s not just sad or upsetting my body registers it as danger it’s like
the gentle wayJenny Smith
A life update + vocational transition
Telling the truth is hard + beautiful -- This past weekend I shared some big news with the church I serve. I want to tell you about it. But I’m also out of words this week. Sometimes all the words get spent through emotional connection and presence with people I deeply care about.
the gentle wayJenny Smith

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