Our Mission
At LifeTouch Ministries & Counseling Center, our passion is helping people return to JOY. We strive to accomplish this through Biblical and clinical counseling, life coaching, and our speaking and teaching ministry. We offer these services through our team of compassionate, trained professionals.
Meet The Staff Of LifeTouch
Jeff France
Founder, Executive Director, MS Education Administration
Jeff has over 30 years of educational experience both as a classroom science teacher and as a middle school administrator. As a classroom teacher, he taught in a juvenile detention center in Fort Wayne, IN; a residential placement center in Mishawaka, IN; and in public schools. The last 18 years of his 30 years in education were spent serving as a middle school assistant principal/athletic director for the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation. Currently, Jeff serves as the Executive Director for LifeTouch!
Darla France
Founder, Lead Counselor
MA Director of Counseling & Teaching, MA Clinical Counseling, MA Biblical Counseling, Certified Trauma Specialist
MA Director of Counseling & Teaching, MA Clinical Counseling, MA Biblical Counseling, Certified Trauma Specialist
Darla has been a speaker for churches, schools and business groups for more than twenty five years. She is a counselor and the Director of Counseling and Teaching at LifeTouch Ministries and Counseling Center, (LTMCC). Wife, mother, and grandmother, Darla began her speaking ministry as a Bible teacher for Bible Study Fellowship International. Popular demand brought her to various opportunities for women’s groups and workshops as well as church and business events. After working as an elementary school counselor for several years, Darla established LifeTouch Ministries in 1997.
Dr. Bill Krogel
Counselor, D.Min., MA Biblical Counseling, LMFT
Bill graduated from Grace Theological Seminary with a Doctorate of Ministry and from Grace College with a Masters in Biblical Counseling. He comes with over 30 years experience as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist seeking to interweave Biblical Faith into one’s everyday life. He was a senior pastor for eight years and has spent the majority of his career in marriage counseling and helping men develop a meaningful faith in their everyday lives. Five of those years were spent in ministering to adolescents. He was also a professor at Grace College for 19 years. His heart’s passion is to deepen his faith walk with Jesus, and to help others develop their own personal walk with Him. Learning Jesus’ life lessons is thrilling, and through them he learns about his Savior. His desire is to help others find a deeper and meaningful joy in knowing Jesus better. Bill has been married for 46 years, and has three children and six grandchildren.
Debbie Messenger
Counselor, M. Ed. Counseling Psychology
Debbie Messenger graduated from Columbia College with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and the University of Missouri with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. Her work experience includes outpatient counseling as a licensed counselor in a community mental health setting, teaching substance education classes and providing advocacy for individuals in a criminal justice setting
and managing treatment programs for the developmentally disabled. Debbie has passion for helping those struggling with anxiety, depression, grief/ loss and generally adjusting to life’s challenges. Abuse, trauma, and women’s issues are near to her heart. She is a wife, mother and stepmother in a blended family. She loves movies and hiking and finds a special joy in life through animals.
Sandy Stauffer
Counselor, MA Mental Health Counseling, LMHC
Sandy is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and holds a Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling from Grace College. She believes that everyone needs a place to be heard and a path to discover who God created them to be. She integrates Biblical principles with clinical expertise to help people achieve better mental health by aligning their view of themselves with what God says about them. She works to help people struggling with grief or loss, anxiety, depression, issues surrounding aging, parenting adult children, and career counseling. Sandy has been married 45 years. She and her husband have a one grandson.
Jim Thompson
Counselor, MS Educational Counseling
Jim Thompson graduated from Grace College and has a Masters degree in counseling from Indiana University. Jim’s experience includes working at a mental health inpatient unit, outpatient counseling in a community mental health center and at a church counseling center. The majority of his professional experience is as a school counselor and mental health therapist. He has worked for over 20 years in several area schools. His work in schools includes counseling students individually and in groups, classroom guidance, collaborating with teachers, staff, and parents, crisis intervention, behavior interventions and planning, and other activities with students. Jim specializes in working with children and adolescents ages 5-18 and their families. He is a husband & father of four children and is glad to be a part of Lifetouch Ministries and Counseling Center.
Jim Zaugg
Counselor, MA Biblical Counseling
Jim Zaugg graduated from Grace Theological Seminary with a MA in Biblical Counseling. He has served as a pastor for 20+ years, a corporate chaplain for 12 years, and a Certified Dream Manager. He's also spent years helping people find hope and freedom as they seek to become all that God created them to be. He is committed to helping people find hope, regardless of their present situation, and he enjoys working with clients to help them navigate through their struggles and find purpose and joy through the process. He specializes in marriage counseling, helping people find clarity through personal life issues, helping men take control of their life choices, and helping people find their true identity. Jim is married, has three grown children, and has six grandchildren. He loves spending his free time taking pictures, following his grandkids, and helping people.
Paula Gast
Counselor, MA in Pastoral Psychology & Counseling
Paula Gast is the online counselor for LifeTouch Ministries & Counseling Center. She earned her MA in Pastoral Psychology & Counseling from Trinity Divinity School, and has worked privately with individuals over the years. As a pastor's spouse, she informally counseled many individuals and couples. Continuing education included spiritual formation and prayer counseling or inner healing. She currently works remotely with clients to identify and resolve issues. It is her pleasure to help people identify and resolve underlying toxic emotions and thoughts, and live more productive, joy-filled lives. She and her husband, Chip, reside in Florida.
Stephanie Compson
Counselor, MA Counseling
Stephanie Compson graduated from Grace College with a Bachelors in Communications and later returned to Grace to complete a Masters in Counseling degree. She chose this career path because she is passionate about helping people find truth, hope, and freedom in their lives. Her work experience includes outpatient counseling as a counselor in a community mental health setting helping adults and teens struggling with anxiety, depression, moderate mental health issues and addiction. She is a wife and a mother to two active little boys. She loves people, coffee, being out in nature and finding joy, gratitude and laughter in the moments of each day.
Jen Petersen
Counselor, MA Counseling
Jennifer Petersen graduated from Grace College with her Master’s in Counseling in 2003. Since graduation, she has been working in the Christian Counseling field. Jen believes that prayer is a crucial part of therapy and integrates it into each session. Her specialties are anxiety, depression, and children of divorce. Jen is married and has 3 children that she adores. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, music, and all kinds of animals
Angie Hall
Certified Life Coach, CCLC
Angie is excited to serve on the LifeTouch team as a certified Christian Life Coach. As a young wife and mom, she lived 20 years in Papua New Guinea helping to plant a church, disciple women, and translate the Bible into a tribal language. She later served on the Member Care team with her mission organization providing spiritual and emotional support for fellow missionaries. She also spent several years on staff at a Bible College in Wisconsin as a Dean of Women and other roles mentoring young women. Angie has a passion to help others experience the abundant life and joy Jesus offers each one of us. She considers it a high honor to walk alongside others providing emotional and spiritual support, cheering them on to live out their beautiful God-given identity and purpose.
Stefanie Essick
Director of Administration
Stefanie is the Director of Administration for LifeTouch Ministries & Counseling Center. She graduated from Grace College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. Stefanie has worked in banking, higher education, and in logistics before working at LifeTouch. She loves that she can use her gifts to help others. Stefanie lives in Warsaw with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
Beth Knight
Receptionist
Beth is a part-time receptionist for LifeTouch Ministries & Counseling Center. She's served as a receptionist at several area businesses over the years, and she loves to help clients feel welcomed, loved, and safe. Beth has been married for over 30 years and is the mother of three grown children. She enjoys facilitating Bible studies at her church, as well as reading and cross stitching. But above all, she loves to serve her Lord Jesus.
Caroline Aukeman
Communications Specialist
Caroline graduated from Grace College with a Bachelor's of Science in Graphic Design in 1998. She worked as a marketing communications professional at an insurance company for 14 years and as a freelance graphic designer for over 18 years. She specializes in graphic design, business communications, marketing strategy, and website design. She loves to help people tell their stories and connect with others to serve, communicate, and teach. She's been married for over 25 years and is the mother of two. She enjoys nature photography, bird watching, good stories, and rich coffee.