Our Story
A Calling to Care. A Vision to Equip. A Commitment to Multiply.
The Keystone Center for Care and Education was born from a calling that has unfolded over more than fifty years of Christian ministry, pastoral counseling, education, and service.
Throughout those years, founder Dr. Theresa Vaughn devoted herself to ministering to individuals, couples, and families facing emotional wounds, relational difficulties, and the lasting effects of painful life experiences. Her ministry was strengthened by extensive education, specialized training, and the wisdom of both licensed professionals and respected Christian ministry leaders.
Theresa and George Vaughn — partners in life, faith, and ministry.
Yet nearly thirty years ago, she reached a turning point.
Despite years of preparation and experience, she found herself increasingly troubled by a recurring reality: people often experienced comfort and temporary relief through counseling, yet continued to struggle with the effects of wounds inflicted many years, sometimes decades, earlier.
For Dr. Vaughn, this raised a deeply spiritual question. She believed that God's heart for the brokenhearted involved more than helping people feel better for a season. She longed to see lives genuinely changed, relationships restored, and individuals experience the freedom and renewed hope promised in Scripture.
Discouraged enough to consider leaving counseling ministry, she turned to God in prayer, asking Him to show her how He wanted to minister through her.
What followed was a season of renewed learning, discovery, and growth that profoundly changed her approach to caring for wounded people. As she incorporated new understanding and more intentional methods into her ministry, she began witnessing meaningful and lasting changes in the lives of those she served.
Her enthusiasm for ministry was renewed.
Individuals experienced greater freedom from the continuing effects of past hurts. Relationships with spouses, families, and others were strengthened. Many experienced renewed hope and a deeper relationship with God.
As word spread, requests for counseling reached beyond her immediate community and across national boundaries. Licensed professional colleagues referred individuals to her, including members of their own families.
Before long, other ministers began asking her to train them. But another realization was taking shape.
Dr. Vaughn understood that effective pastoral care required far more than learning a particular counseling approach or mastering a set of techniques. Those called to minister to hurting people needed comprehensive preparation that brought together biblical truth, spiritual maturity, an understanding of human behavior and trauma, practical ministry skills, and ethical responsibility. The need was too great, and the calling too important, to be addressed by training only a handful of people in a limited set of skills.
She recognized that the work needed to multiply.
Over the years, family members, friends, and professional colleagues encouraged her to preserve and share the knowledge, experience, and insights she had gained through decades of ministry. They recognized that what she had learned, developed, and practiced could help prepare others for the challenging and deeply personal work of pastoral care.
In 2020, Dr. Vaughn sensed a specific call from God to establish a school dedicated to comprehensive education and certification preparation for those called to pastoral care ministry.
Throughout her decades of ministry, Dr. Vaughn's husband, George, was her faithful, though largely unseen, partner.
Every day, he prayed for her and for those to whom she ministered, without ever knowing their names or the private
details of their struggles. Through his steadfast love, encouragement, and provision for their family, he helped make
her years of ministry possible. His quiet faithfulness was an enduring part of the work God was accomplishing through her.
That same year, her beloved husband, George, was diagnosed with ALS.
For the next several years, caring for him became her primary vocation. Although plans for the school were set aside, the calling remained.
Following his death in late 2024, after nearly fifty-six years of marriage, Dr. Vaughn entered a season of grief. In time, remembering her
husband's steadfast encouragement to complete the work she believed God had entrusted to her, she returned to the vision.
The family, friends, and professional colleagues who had supported that vision were still there, ready to help bring it to life. With their
encouragement and the commitment of a dedicated Board of Directors, The Keystone Center for Care and Education, Inc. was officially
founded on December 13, 2025.
Today, Keystone exists to equip individuals called to pastoral care ministry through biblically grounded, trauma-informed education,
spiritual formation, practical skill development, and ethical preparation.
Through The Keystone School of Pastoral Care Ministry and Trauma Recovery Coaching, the Center seeks to prepare knowledgeable,
compassionate, and responsible practitioners who can serve individuals, couples, families, churches, and communities across cultures and nations.
The vision extends far beyond one person's ministry or one geographic location. It is a commitment to multiply the number of people equipped to offer wise, compassionate, hope-filled pastoral care wherever God calls them to serve.
What began as a personal calling to care for the hurting has become a commitment to equip others for that same sacred work -
trusting God to accomplish the healing and restoration that only He can bring.