Jenni Shafer, PhD, CRC
I earned my master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Psychology from the University of North Carolina in 2009 and worked in clinical research for several years after.
In 2013, I sustained a traumatic brain injury, as well as aphasia, apraxia of speech, and right-sided hemiplegia. After a year of intensive speech therapy, I learned strategies to manage my communication impairment.
I made the decision to return to school and entered the Speech and Hearing Sciences doctoral program at UNC in 2016. I earned my PhD in 2021 and accepted a postdoctoral fellowship in the Program on Integrative Medicine at UNC.
Through my personal and professional experience, the need for providers well-versed and trained in how to communicate with people who have acquired communication disorders and their families became clear.
I am a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification #111734).
My practice provides a comprehensive, holistic approach to living with (or caring for someone with) a communication disorder: how it impacts mental health, physical health, occupation, and relationships. My mission is to help improve quality of life for people with communication disorders and their loved ones through integrative rehabilitation counseling.
In my free time, I enjoy powerlifting, rock climbing, reading, and keeping up with my young daughter. I also serve as a lead study coordinator for the Institute for Trauma Recovery at UNC.
Chris Moore, MA, MLiS, CPSS
I earned a master’s degree from Salisbury University in Literature in 2014, followed by my master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2016. My research areas include disability advocacy, universal design, and the first year student experience for non-traditional students. Since graduating I have worked in first year academics, disability services, substance use disorder support, and crisis advocacy.
In 2021 I was fortunate to be in a position to start working on my own struggles with substance use, specifically alcohol. I entered into a recovery community and began working through my own struggles with the support of a Peer Support Specialist. In 2023 I received my Peer Support Certification in the state of South Carolina, and in 2024 I received my certification in North Carolina.
Through my own recovery I found a strong connection could be built through role playing games (RPG’s). This led to research of the therapeutic capacity of RPG’s, and to the organization Game to Grow. This model focuses on empowerment and communication strategies in creatively designed structures and puzzles. There is a cathartic practicality to the gamification of complex emotional regulation. I became certified in the Game to Grow Therapeutic Model in 2023.
Currently I work directly with crisis advocacy programs in the North Carolina area, and connect clients with applicable resources in the communities they reside. I am dedicated to empowering individuals facing substance use disorders, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Through lived experience and professional training, I provide compassionate, relatable guidance tailored to each individual’s unique journey.
Peer support programs offer a compassionate and understanding community where individuals with shared experiences come together to inspire and uplift one another. In sessions, building on the strength of peer connections is critical by providing a non-judgmental space for encouragement, empathy, and shared strategies for overcoming challenges. Every journey is unique, but no one travels it alone.
Shafer Integrative Rehabilitation, LLC 