Hi, We're Claire & James!
There's a million ideas that can help you. How do you know where to start?
Life can get messy, ever feel you just want to bail?
Do you find yourself yelling at your children, frustrated with your spouse, or feeling terrible about yourself, with no idea what to do about it? We've been there.
It's miserable to want to step up as a friend, parent, spouse, or leader... and feel like you're falling short. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. People often find it's hard to show up the way they dearly want to, despite wanting things to be different.
It's miserable to want to step up as a friend, parent, spouse, or leader... and feel like you're falling short. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. People often find it's hard to show up the way they dearly want to, despite wanting things to be different.
Meet The Duo
Claire Penner
Claire is the kind of person who brings people together—with intention and care. Her experience organizing groups of young adults and working within diverse communities highlights her gift for fostering meaningful relationships and promoting emotional well-being. She holds a Bachelor of Education and has completed Level 1 Gottman training, equipping her with both a strong academic foundation and practical, evidence-based tools to support healthy connections. The personal challenges she has faced—feeling out of place as a youth, grappling with self-doubt as a parent, and at times feeling misaligned with her community—have shaped in her a deep well of empathy. Today, Claire draws on that empathy to create spaces where people feel seen and supported. She is deeply committed to helping others find their own sense of connection and understanding.
“In life and work, Claire is a poet: attentive to every word and each person, she creates magic by bringing them together. At Urban Pioneer, she made us feel like the most important humans on the planet. The weekends that she led helped us laugh hysterically together and confide deep, painful secrets to each other. Her community has become a living poem, shaped by her constant and
meticulous care.”
— Rachel Robinson
meticulous care.”
— Rachel Robinson
.avif)
James Penner
James earned his Master’s in Sociology under Dr. Reg Bibby at the University of Lethbridge, graduating in 1995. For over three decades, he has taught Sociology of Youth in universities and colleges across Canada. James’ work focuses on the ways macro-level social forces shape micro-level human connections and emotions. Through both extensive research and personal growth, he has cultivated wisdom that guides his teaching and practice. One of his most impactful projects was the landmark research study Hemorrhaging Faith, which explored the experiences of young adults and the harmful dynamics they encountered in church communities. This work reflects his passion for supporting others on their personal and spiritual journeys. James is especially committed to fostering emotionally intelligent families and faith communities—places where Generation Alpha (born 2010–2024) and Generation Beta (born after 2024) can thrive.
“James is a superb resource for people who care about youth. He is one of very few Canadians who is both a skilled researcher and experienced practitioner, allowing him to thoughtfully discern what’s happening with youth as well as explore how those who value youth might respond. Penner further fuses findings with faith, and presents his insights with clarity, warmth, and passion. I commend him most highly.”
— Dr. Reginald Bibby, Professor Emeritus, University of Lethbridge
— Dr. Reginald Bibby, Professor Emeritus, University of Lethbridge
Our marriage shouldn’t have worked.
We’ve been married for over 40 years and have been working side by side professionally since 2014. The crazy thing is, we’re probably one of the most unlikely couples to thrive in such close collaboration—and yet we do, and we love it (most of the time).
We have learned to understand each other’s interior maps. We “get” each other in our darkest places, and we have learned to advocate for each other’s healing. We are experiencing an inner transformation we didn’t know was possible. This has come with deep pain, and at the same time totally worth the journey.
We have become good friends. We have found a synergy in the messiness. We are living an interior adventure we wouldn’t trade for anything. And we are seeing that our vulnerability and becoming whole is impacting the young adults around us.
We have learned to understand each other’s interior maps. We “get” each other in our darkest places, and we have learned to advocate for each other’s healing. We are experiencing an inner transformation we didn’t know was possible. This has come with deep pain, and at the same time totally worth the journey.
We have become good friends. We have found a synergy in the messiness. We are living an interior adventure we wouldn’t trade for anything. And we are seeing that our vulnerability and becoming whole is impacting the young adults around us.
Hemorrhaging Faith
In 2012, James Penner and Associates (that’s us) partnered with a range of Canadian
trinitarian young adult focused organizations in a groundbreaking collaborative
study called Hemorrhaging Faith.
The research involved 72 in-depth interviews and a national survey of over 2,000 young adults who were raised in Canadian churches—both Protestant and Catholic. One of the most compelling findings was this: young adults who had received emotional support from their church were significantly more likely to remain engaged in their faith communities.
As we dug deeper, one insight became crystal clear—the younger generation has highly attuned “BS detectors.” On a gut level, they tend to withdraw from adults—including their parents and church leaders—if they don’t perceive them as emotionally safe. When asked to define “safe,” these young adults consistently pointed to people who are comfortable in their own skin, emotionally present, and actively working through their own inner wounds. These are individuals whose outer lives reflect the integrity they’re cultivating internally.
In many ways, the young adults in our study are like canaries in the coal mine. Their disconnection from the church serves as an early warning sign—a call to the broader community to address the emotional and spiritual toxins in our midst. At James Penner and Associates, we’re passionate about helping people pursue emotional wellness, let go of what’s toxic, and become the kind of grounded, authentic adults young people want to be around.
What’s true of the church as a social institution is just as true in other areas of society. We believe children and young adults instinctively distance themselves from any environment led by emotionally immature adults.
trinitarian young adult focused organizations in a groundbreaking collaborative
study called Hemorrhaging Faith.
The research involved 72 in-depth interviews and a national survey of over 2,000 young adults who were raised in Canadian churches—both Protestant and Catholic. One of the most compelling findings was this: young adults who had received emotional support from their church were significantly more likely to remain engaged in their faith communities.
As we dug deeper, one insight became crystal clear—the younger generation has highly attuned “BS detectors.” On a gut level, they tend to withdraw from adults—including their parents and church leaders—if they don’t perceive them as emotionally safe. When asked to define “safe,” these young adults consistently pointed to people who are comfortable in their own skin, emotionally present, and actively working through their own inner wounds. These are individuals whose outer lives reflect the integrity they’re cultivating internally.
In many ways, the young adults in our study are like canaries in the coal mine. Their disconnection from the church serves as an early warning sign—a call to the broader community to address the emotional and spiritual toxins in our midst. At James Penner and Associates, we’re passionate about helping people pursue emotional wellness, let go of what’s toxic, and become the kind of grounded, authentic adults young people want to be around.
What’s true of the church as a social institution is just as true in other areas of society. We believe children and young adults instinctively distance themselves from any environment led by emotionally immature adults.
