Living “Life According to You” Through Spiritual Care

Chaplain Karyn Naber serves residents across all levels of living at EverTrue Meramec Bluffs, but her approach is simple and consistent: meet people where they are, and honor who they’ve been all along.

“I always ask, ‘Tell me what is holy ground to you?’” Karyn says. “Whether it’s a prayer, a practice or a tradition, I want to meet people there. My goal is to honor each person’s faith journey with respect and love.”

Her role isn’t about directing someone’s faith, but about respecting it. Karyn sees her work as walking alongside EverTrue residents on whatever path their lives are taking. “Some are winding down, some are still going strong,” she says. “Just walking beside them, sharing space and witnessing their wisdom and love for each other, it’s a sacred privilege.”

Karyn is one of many EverTrue chaplains across the EverTrue network who provide spiritual wellness support to residents and clients through everything from private counselling to group Bible studies.

While Karyn leads spiritual services, much of her work happens in quieter moments. “I love the unstructured times, sitting with someone working on a puzzle or having coffee,” she says. “That’s where the most genuine conversations happen, and real connection is made.”

That focus on connection reflects EverTrue’s guiding principle of Life According to You. For Karyn, it’s both practical and deeply spiritual. “It’s a philosophy and a prayer,” she explains, referencing Psalm 139: ‘You have searched me and known me.’ “We want each resident to live fully, with purpose, in the way they were created to live. I’m just here to walk that journey with them.”

One way she does that is through her Focus Group, where she meets weekly with residents who may need extra support, or simply someone to talk to. “We check in on how they’re doing physically, emotionally and spiritually,” she says. “It’s about really seeing the whole person.”

Support groups are another important part of her ministry. Karyn helps facilitate groups for grief, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diagnoses. What makes them different, she says, is their shared approach. “We don’t just support those living with a diagnosis, we support their caregivers, too. It’s a shared journey, and everyone deserves care and understanding.”

That sense of shared journey extends to families as well. Transitions into senior living can be difficult, emotional and tinged with fear. Karyn recalls walking alongside a family whose loved one struggled to accept new care needs. “It took time and honesty,” she says. “We talked through the resident’s fear, and she finally saw that receiving care is also receiving love.”

For Karyn, those moments are the heart of her calling. “Being invited into someone’s story, that’s what means the most.”

In each conversation, each quiet visit and each shared cup of coffee, Chaplain Karyn Naber honors the stories entrusted to her – treating every life, every faith and every season with care.

Learn more about EverTrue Spiritual Wellness Resources: Spiritual Wellness – EverTrue