LeAnn Gardner

Education

M. Div., Baylor University
MS in Social Work, Baylor University
BA in Human Development/Family Studies, Samford University

Research Interests

Sexuality Education and the Church
Sexual Development
Resiliency and Faith
Integrating Spirituality into Trauma Treatment
Child Welfare
Child Maltreatment

Background

In addition to being on faculty at the Garland School, LeAnn maintains a small private practice in Charleston, SC.  She also leads sexuality education workshops in churches and the community where she focuses on helping caregivers empower their children through clear, supportive and authentic communication around difficult topics. 

LeAnn also has a background in working as a forensic interviewer and trauma therapist at the Dee Norton Low Country Children’s Center.  She has also served on a church staff. She has taught in the Garland School residentially in 2007-2009 and from 2009-present, she has taught online.  LeAnn loves connecting with students and learning how to navigate and appreciate technology and distance learning.

LeAnn’s passions are finding the intersection between faith and social work issues, particularly how people find resilience and healing through their faith after a traumatic event occurs. She also enjoys helping parents navigate 21st century issues with their children, with special attention to sexual development, using intuition as a protective factor, helping establish healthy communication patterns between parents and their children, and helping to mobilize a community of trusted adults to share in the privilege (and daunting) task of loving and rearing children. 

LeAnn is married to Andrew Wertz, and together they have two sons, Ellis (2011) and Palmer (2014) and live in Charleston, SC.  They are avid supporters of both Baylor and Clemson football.