Transforming Presence
Longing to be Authentically Present With Yourself and Others...?
Pathway to Authenticity
Where are You Stuck???
Many people find themselves stuck in cycles of reactivity, redundancy, and resentment—unresolved pain, fear, and misperception hijack our ability to be truly present. This Pathway to Authenticity is an invitation to:
- Recognize how past trauma and stored anxieties trigger present responses
- Understand the role of perception and the autonomic nervous system in shaping thought and behavior
- Learn to distinguish between instinctive reactions and Spirit-guided responses
- Cultivate safe, trusting relationships where fears and misperceptions can be shared and healed
1: Recognize What’s Not Working
Identify the cycles of reactivity, emotional pain, or self-neglect that keep you stuck. This is the moment where authenticity begins—with awareness and curiosity, not shame.
2. Reflect
Learn to process instead of perform.
Develop the inner space to feel, think, and reflect before reacting. Whether through journaling, prayer, or pausing, this stage invites you to explore your internal world with compassion.
3. Respond
Live with purpose, presence, and freedom.
Choose connection over control. Develop healthier patterns in your relationships and decisions, rooted in who you are becoming, not who you've been told to be.
The Pathway to Grace Stewarding
Inspired to Serve?
The Grace Steward Pathway is a transformational process that helps you move from simply understanding your perception… to stewarding it for others.
This isn’t just about inspiration or information. It’s a continuum of equipping, healing, and empowering that forms believers into spiritually discerning, emotionally grounded, and relationally present followers of Christ.
Whether you’re a seeker, a pastor, a therapist, or someone who has walked through trauma and transformation, this pathway gives you a place to grow and serve.
Stage One: Understanding
Purpose: Receive insight. Begin the inner work.
This stage offers resources for healing, clarity, and spiritual awakening. You'll explore the connection between perception, presence, and the way you relate to God, yourself, and others.
Offerings include:
- 📘 The Grace Steward Guide & Workbook (individual or small group)
- 🧠 Therapy & counseling (TN residents only)
- 💬 Introductory workshops on trauma-informed spiritual formation
- 🕊️ Self-guided “Perceive & Unveil” practices
Best For:
Seekers • Survivors • Individuals in transition • Spiritual wanderers
Your Next Step:
Start With the Guide
Stage Two: Equipping
Purpose: Learn to walk with others.
This stage focuses on forming Grace Stewards who understand the weight and gift of presence. You'll develop the skills and spiritual habits needed to walk with others through emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges.
Offerings include:
- 📚 Grace Steward Equipping Cohorts (6–8 week guided small groups)
- 🧭 Peer mentoring and trauma-sensitive spiritual listening training
- 🏛️ Church/Ministry leadership trainings and Grace Steward Team development
- ✍️ Printable tools, scripture reflections, and practice guides
Best For:
Lay leaders • Therapists • Coaches • Discipleship volunteers
Your Next Step: Coming Soon!
[Apply to a Cohort] [Equip My Church]
Stage Three: Embodying
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Purpose: Multiply healing through ministry.
This final stage mobilizes Grace Stewards into their callings—not only in churches but in neighborhoods, homes, shelters, coffee shops, and hospital waiting rooms. It's about becoming present in places where the Spirit longs to unveil truth and healing.
Offerings include:
- 🤝 Grace Steward Circles: peer-led spaces of healing and presence
- 🌎 Outreach & ministry deployment partnerships (church or para-church)
- 🎓 Commissioning & coaching for Grace Steward facilitators
- 🧵 Custom consulting to weave this model into your church or nonprofit
Best For:
Called leaders • Recovering survivors • Mentors • Outreach teams
Your Next Step:
[Start a Circle] [Bring This to My Community]
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Not Sure Where to Begin?
You don’t have to know the whole path. You just have to start walking.
“Becoming a Grace Steward isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.”
👉 [Take the First Step] – fill out a brief form so we can help guide you.
👉 [Book a Discovery Call]
About Transforming Presence
Paul Highfill, MMFT
Over the last 25 years, His grace and strength have empowered me to be authentically present with many who desperately need someone to trust and share their growth opportunities. God has worked through my education in Psychology, and Marriage/Family Therapy to provide discernment and connection to those seeking guidance and a desire to reach God's full potential.. Whether you are a business, sole entrepreneur or individual I would love to connect to explore what God has planned for your direction.
(Supervised by Brooke Stephens, LMFT #1492)
Serve With Us
At Transforming Presence, we believe in the power of community. Our goal is to empower individuals through education and resources, creating a supportive environment for growth.
Understanding Human Presence
The Basics of Human Design
- Humans are complex creatures formed from innumerable atoms, DNA, neurons, and nerve endings. In relatively recent times, philosophers and scientists concluded that the human beings can be divided into three areas known as Mind, Body, and Spirit.
- The body or physical area of human nature gets the most attention due to the necessity of its well-being, for survival. The mind and spiritual parts are less understood due to their hidden/invisible location/nature.
- Over the last half dozen decades humans have become more familiar with the mental part of their being due to advancements in the studying the brain. Science and research have developed tests and studies to measure intelligence, define thought processes, and map brain chemistry.
- The spiritual area of the human being is the least understood and most controversial regarding its existence and location in the human being. Depending on one's beliefs the spiritual part of human existence can be denied altogether, and those who believe in its existence have varying opinions about where the origination of human spirituality originates.
The Basics of Human Need
Physical
Just as the physical area of our being, physical needs are the most obvious area of deficiency. While food, shelter and clothing are the staples of physical need, this the most expansive and interconnected area of need as physical illness and/or wellness impact all areas of human beings.
Mental
Mental Health awareness has increased exponentiallyover ove the last 3 decades and as recently as the last 3-4 years. The brain and mind are arguably the most complex areas of the human form and hence the least understood. Understanding our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and recognizing unhealthy and unproductive thoughts, feelings and beliefs is a significant need for most human children and adults.
Spiritual
The spiritual element of the human being has been an area of curiosity and controversy since the beginning of time. Theories and opinions abound about the existence and plausibility of an invisible essence that is part of and/or separate from the physical and mental area of the human being. Spiritual needs are as broad as the range of belief and disbelief about the existence of spirituality.
More About Us
What We Believe
- Transforming Presence Ministry aligns with the belief that the One, True, Living, and Eternal God (Deut 4: 35, 39; Jer 10:10) created humans as beings (Gen 1:26) in His image consisting of body, mind and spirit (Romans 5:8-7.)
- Transforming Presence believes humans have needs in each area of our being: physical (Matthew 6:31-33) mental (Phil 4:6-7) and spiritual (John 7:37-38.)
- Transforming Presence believes that Jesus is the living Son of God (Matt 17:5) who died as a perfect sacrifice (1 John 2:2) in our place to save us from eternal death.
- Transforming Presence Ministry exists to provide support and guidance to believers (Grace Stewards) who have identified or wish to identify their spiritual gift(s) (1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Cor 12:4-11) and recognize/follow His call to serve those that have physical, mental and spiritual needs according to His provisions (Phil 4:9.)
