Our Founder, Our Story
Known affectionately by many as Pastor Cathy, Dr. Cat, or Miss Cathy - and lovingly as "Honey" by her husband, Tony - Dr. Cathy Ames Turner embodies compassion, wisdom, and resilience in her work as the founder and visionary of Community Healing Coalition.
A Life Shaped by Relationship and Calling
Dr. Turner brings her authentic self into every space she enters. She intentionally carries her identity as an African American Christian woman; a scholar-practitioner; and a wife, sister, auntie, Oma (grandmother), and mother into her leadership and service. As a respected leader in the greater Charlottesville, Virginia area - and as a scholar-practitioner and family healing coach - her life’s work centers on bringing healing and transformation to individuals and families who have often been overlooked.
Witnessing the Ripple Effects of Incarceration
As the founding pastor of Radical in Christ Ministries in Central Virginia and a clergy member at a local regional jail, Dr. Turner witnessed firsthand the devastating ripple effects of incarceration on individuals, families, and children. Many within her congregation and the surrounding community had loved ones in jail or prison. Prayer requests carried the weight of separation, fear, and uncertainty, while fractured families navigated life on the outside bearing the emotional, financial, and relational costs of incarceration—often in silence. In response, she began volunteering at the local jail in Charlottesville—listening to stories, building relationships, and walking alongside individuals navigating incarceration, reentry, and family reunification.
From Pastoral Experience to Scholarly Inquiry
These personal and pastoral experiences led Dr. Turner to pursue advanced study, culminating in a doctorate from Fielding Graduate University in 2023. Her dissertation, The Lion Speaks: A Qualitative Study of Formerly Incarcerated African Men’s Experiences of Family and Community Integration, examined the reintegration journeys of six formerly incarcerated African American men, revealing that successful reentry is deeply relational and most effective when supported by families, faith communities, and reentry professionals.
Dr. Turner brings both personal insight and professional expertise to her mission. Her work centers on guiding individuals and families through the complex realities of the carceral system, foster care, and other trauma-inducing life experiences. She walks alongside them as they rediscover identity, rebuild relationships, and reintegrate into their homes and communities with purpose and dignity. Community Healing Coalition emerged from Dr. Turner’s lived experience and deep listening within her faith and local communities.
Those early experiences continue to shape how CHC responds to the often unspoken relational, emotional, and spiritual needs of the community it serves today. What became clear—through both research and lived experience—was this: healing after incarceration cannot happen in isolation. While personal commitment to growth is essential, lasting restoration occurs when families, faith communities, community-based organizations, and systems work together to create a stable and supportive network.
The Birth of Community Healing Coalition
Community Healing Coalition began by serving children impacted by incarceration and its ripple effects—including foster care—through trauma-conscious, arts-based programming at Music Inside Out Arts Camp. From there, CHC expanded to include the Wounded Healers Women’s Support Group, supporting women impacted by incarceration through their own experiences, foster care, or the incarceration of loved ones.
As CHC continues to grow, it is expanding to include healing spaces for men, along with Family Healing Circles designed to help families move toward shared understanding, repair, and restoration.
A Vision for Shared Restoration
Dr. Cathy Ames Turner’s life and work stand as a testament to the power of faith, community, and love to break cycles of trauma—and to build enduring pathways toward healing and wholeness.
A Life Shaped by Relationship and Calling
Dr. Turner brings her authentic self into every space she enters. She intentionally carries her identity as an African American Christian woman; a scholar-practitioner; and a wife, sister, auntie, Oma (grandmother), and mother into her leadership and service. As a respected leader in the greater Charlottesville, Virginia area - and as a scholar-practitioner and family healing coach - her life’s work centers on bringing healing and transformation to individuals and families who have often been overlooked.
Witnessing the Ripple Effects of Incarceration
As the founding pastor of Radical in Christ Ministries in Central Virginia and a clergy member at a local regional jail, Dr. Turner witnessed firsthand the devastating ripple effects of incarceration on individuals, families, and children. Many within her congregation and the surrounding community had loved ones in jail or prison. Prayer requests carried the weight of separation, fear, and uncertainty, while fractured families navigated life on the outside bearing the emotional, financial, and relational costs of incarceration—often in silence. In response, she began volunteering at the local jail in Charlottesville—listening to stories, building relationships, and walking alongside individuals navigating incarceration, reentry, and family reunification.
From Pastoral Experience to Scholarly Inquiry
These personal and pastoral experiences led Dr. Turner to pursue advanced study, culminating in a doctorate from Fielding Graduate University in 2023. Her dissertation, The Lion Speaks: A Qualitative Study of Formerly Incarcerated African Men’s Experiences of Family and Community Integration, examined the reintegration journeys of six formerly incarcerated African American men, revealing that successful reentry is deeply relational and most effective when supported by families, faith communities, and reentry professionals.
Dr. Turner brings both personal insight and professional expertise to her mission. Her work centers on guiding individuals and families through the complex realities of the carceral system, foster care, and other trauma-inducing life experiences. She walks alongside them as they rediscover identity, rebuild relationships, and reintegrate into their homes and communities with purpose and dignity. Community Healing Coalition emerged from Dr. Turner’s lived experience and deep listening within her faith and local communities.
Those early experiences continue to shape how CHC responds to the often unspoken relational, emotional, and spiritual needs of the community it serves today. What became clear—through both research and lived experience—was this: healing after incarceration cannot happen in isolation. While personal commitment to growth is essential, lasting restoration occurs when families, faith communities, community-based organizations, and systems work together to create a stable and supportive network.
The Birth of Community Healing Coalition
Community Healing Coalition began by serving children impacted by incarceration and its ripple effects—including foster care—through trauma-conscious, arts-based programming at Music Inside Out Arts Camp. From there, CHC expanded to include the Wounded Healers Women’s Support Group, supporting women impacted by incarceration through their own experiences, foster care, or the incarceration of loved ones.
As CHC continues to grow, it is expanding to include healing spaces for men, along with Family Healing Circles designed to help families move toward shared understanding, repair, and restoration.
A Vision for Shared Restoration
Dr. Cathy Ames Turner’s life and work stand as a testament to the power of faith, community, and love to break cycles of trauma—and to build enduring pathways toward healing and wholeness.
Learn more about how this vision takes shape through Community Healing Coalition’s programs.