About

Burnout and high staff turnover are all too common within nonprofits and churches. We believe there is a better way.

Day 7 provides curated and affordable self-care resources to help nonprofit and ministry organizations and staff thrive.

We offer a range of programs to support physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

When you invest in your self-care, you will not only become a healthier person, you will find more satisfaction in your career and your life.

OUR MISSION

To provide nonprofit and ministry staff with accessible wellness resources that reduce burnout, enhance individual well-being, and foster cultures where teams are effective, supported, and respected.

Workshops

WHO WE SERVE

Center for Nonprofit Excellence of Middle TN

Nashville State Community College FOundation

Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

The Tennessee Higher Education Initiative (THEI)

WHO WE ARE

Leadership

Candace Surface

Executive Director

About Candace

Bremelly Luna

Executive Administrator

About Bremelly

Liz Veyhl

Operations & Development Director

Board of Directors

Teri Forsythe Sloan
Board Chair

Pathways Kitchen

Chief Operating Officer

Kristen Salaman

Blankenship CPA Group

Audit & Quality Control Senior Manager

Amy Lyles Wilson

Self-Employed

Writer & Story Coach

Ross Hildabrand
Board Secretary

Holland & Knight

Associate

Shreyams Shetty

Vanderbilt University

MBA Candidate 2027

Mark Kuhn

byPareto

Co-Founder

Candace Surface

Day 7

Executive Director

Allison Porter

HCA Healthcare

Value Based Care Program Manager

Rev. Dr. Kortney M. Warren

State Street Baptist Church, Bowling Green

Senior Pastor

Advisory Board

OUR HISTORY

In 2004, Marsha Crownover discovered the world of life and executive coaching. Coming from her own professional background in counseling, she knew that days could be grueling, and of the immense value that a coach can provide to someone as they process the challenges of personal and professional life. She observed that helping professionals may be the ones who could benefit the most from having a coach.

However, Martha saw a gap. She noticed that coaching was not always accessible to those within the nonprofit sector. Coaching is expensive and something not everyone has the luxury of pursuing. So Martha founded Coach Approach, Inc., with the mission to fill this gap and provide affordable life and executive coaching to those in nonprofit helping professions.

In 2015, Peter Ferguson experienced his own need in ministry. As a third-generation pastor, he saw that too often pastors lack the confidential support necessary to work from a place of vulnerable health. He knew firsthand the reality of burnout and how the lack of authentic community impacts those in ministry. Unrealistic expectations are put on pastors and their families to live without mistakes, and when mistakes inevitably happen, pastors often have nowhere to turn. There is a lack of support and barriers to care due to resources being too expensive. Peter founded Day 7, Inc. to provide confidential health resources, including counseling and retreats, to pastors and their families.

In 2017, Candace Clippard was in a place of work and life transition. With a background in nonprofit ministry that partnered with other nonprofits on a regular basis, she saw and experienced firsthand the effects of burnout and turnover and the negative impact those had on organizations. Also having experience in church ministry, teaching, and fitness coaching, she understood the need for balance and health, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She also saw a lack of affordable options for those in nonprofit and ministry jobs and the barriers they faced to accessing the resources and tools needed to help combat burnout.

Day 7 Executive Director Candace Surface

In late 2017 and early 2018, in a serendipitous series of events, Candace connected with both Marsha and Peter. They all quickly realized that their hearts aligned in the way they each wanted to care for the caretaker, and they each believed that in order to care well for others, you must also care for yourself well. By June of 2018, Candace had taken over both Coach Approach and Day 7. Through partnerships with wellness providers across the city, we began to offer various types of health resources to nonprofit helping professionals and pastors. In 2019, Day 7 and Coach Approach officially merged and we are now operating as Day 7, Inc. We look to the future as we work as one united organization to help nonprofit and ministry professionals passionately thrive.

OUR COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Jack C Massey Foundation

Ramston Capital

The Frist Foundation

Interstate AC

Freeman Webb

The Community Foundation

Richards & Richards

CMI Equipment Sales, Inc.

The Center for Living & Learning

TESTIMONIALS

"Day 7 provided a significant ministry during a challenging season of life and work. Their goal to serve ministry professionals so that we can, in turn, serve those we are called to is evident in their creative offerings to grow and heal. I'm grateful for the chance to breathe deep, renew and refocus."

Day 7 Find Rest Cohort Participant Attendee

"I appreciated the freedom of the structure during the down time, but would have liked it even more if that freedom would have been explicit rather than being given exercises to go through. Most people in my small group neglected the exercises to take naps, go on walks, cook, clean, etc. Directed Sabbath is difficult."
Season of Life Virtual Retreat Attendee

"I believe the retreat was helpful because I was coming into it with an attitude of failure and to talk to my peers about it really made me feel hopeful. Do I think it was beneficial, unsure? On one hand, I feel better after going but on the other, I wonder what just a full two days off for our pastors would have done. It didn't feel so much like a retreat as it did more work."

Season of Life Virtual Retreat Attendee

"I enjoyed the fact that Day 7 handled most of the logistics. I was unable to attend the afternoon small session and I'm sorry I missed that conversation. I needed to hear more than what I received in the morning."

Season of Life Virtual Retreat Attendee

"The Day 7 stipend has been huge for my family. As a 4 person family with only a teacher and non-profit salary, our budget is tight. With the stipend covering my monthly gym membership, my family's monthly expenses have gone down without my physical fitness suffering and without having any personal guilt about having a membership at all. Physical fitness is the main way that I manage stress as well as an hour that I allow myself to mentally take a break from anything else going on, so it keeps me both physically and mentally healthier."

Self-Care Plan Participant

"Day 7 has transformed how I as a leader am able to care for my staff. Nonprofits are notorious for burnout, lack of boundaries and high turnover. I have always vowed not to let this happen to me or my team and Day 7's strategic method of encouraging our staff to take care of themselves has helped us not only provide options but more had helped us create a culture of self care."

Self-Care Plan Participant

"I have enjoyed my sessions with Day 7. The offerings were diverse enough to reach a broad audience, accessible from the workplace, and very positive. I definitely learned new things in each session I joined that will help me better care for myself at work. "

Day 7 Self-Care Summit Participant

"Been very helpful in pausing during the day"

Day 7 Self-Care Summit Participant

"Day 7 has offered specific paths of comfort and hope when I have been weary and discouraged. They follow through with lifestyle coaching in many areas to help make this work healthier. I'm so thankful for their support, especially through the pandemic."

Day 7 Find Rest Cohort Participant

"Day 7 has provided a much needed dedicated time for staff to be able to learn and practice self-care at a reasonable rate."

Day 7 Self-Care Summit Participant

"Day 7 is spot on with the types of workshops they offer. The information is very helpful and has made my days much better."

Day 7 Self-Care Summit Participant

About

Burnout and high staff turnover are all too common within nonprofits and churches. We believe there is a better way.

OUR MISSION

WHO WE SERVE

WHO WE ARE

Leadership

Candace Surface

Bremelly Luna

Liz Veyhl

Board of Directors

Teri Forsythe Sloan Board Chair

Kristen Salaman

Amy Lyles Wilson

Ross Hildabrand Board Secretary

Shreyams Shetty

Mark Kuhn

Candace Surface

Allison Porter

Rev. Dr. Kortney M. Warren

Advisory Board

OUR HISTORY

OUR COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Jack C Massey Foundation

Ramston Capital

The Frist Foundation

Interstate AC

Freeman Webb

The Community Foundation

Richards & Richards

CMI Equipment Sales, Inc.

The Center for Living & Learning

TESTIMONIALS

Thanks for your message!

Teri Forsythe Sloan
Board Chair

Ross Hildabrand
Board Secretary