Our Team

Dr. Brett Travis

Dr. Brett Travis

Founder, Executive Director

Dr. Travis is the clinical director of the Emmaus Center for Christian counseling. He was an Army chaplain & combat veteran with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring in 2008. He is licensed through the National Christian Counseling Association (NCCA). He completed his clinical pastoral education through Dr. Wayne Oates/Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, his mental health training through Liberty University and his internships through Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC, individual & family crisis interventions at S.H.A.P.E. HQs, Casteau, Belgium, and behavioral therapy at Landstuhl, Germany. He completed his doctoral studies at Fuller Theological Seminary with an emphasis on advanced Family Counseling. His last assignment was with Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA as a senior chaplain and behavioral health clinician conducting mental health assessments and therapy with soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. He has 28 years of experience dealing with individual, family, addictions, marital crisis & conflicts, pre-marital counseling, grief, wounded warrior resiliency issues, and emotional issues, and directly dealing with resiliency, men’s anxiety & depression issues.

Pam Travis RN

Pam Travis RN

Child & Youth Counseling

Pam was raised in a small church where her father was the music minister. After attending college for a year she married her husband Brett. Six years later they had two daughters Misty and Erin. Over the past thirty years she has traveled extensively throughout the United States and overseas as a home missionary.

During this time she has raised a family worked as a nurse and conducted ministry primarily with women and children. She is a parish nurse for Emmaus Abbey parish and a Christian counselor for women at Emmaus Centre for Christian Counseling and sees that God has definitely prepared her for this new church planting ministry supporting the needs of both the staff and the church. She has over twenty two years’ experience in psychiatric and geriatric nursing.

Pam is a graduate of Kentucky State University school of Nursing, AAS; Cornerstone University (BA); Bachelor’s in Christian Counseling; working on Master’s Degree in Counseling from Colorado Theological Seminary. She is a graduate of St. Jude, Parish Nurse Program; Licensed Liturgical Minister, Diocese of Georgia. Her affiliations: Tennessee Association for Nursing, National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA), Sarasota Academy of Christian Counselors (SACC).

Wayne Lewis

Wayne Lewis

Counselor

Fr. Wayne is a priest with over 26 years in U.S. military chaplaincy. He has extensive service ministering to soldiers and families throughout the world. He brings his knowledge and pastoral experience into our diverse Knoxville community. He has a wide range of biblical practice in the field of pastoral counseling in the areas of crisis intervention, individual, couple, and marriage counseling. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Alternative Medicine (Cum Laude) from Everglades University, Masters’s degree in Pastoral Counseling (ABD) from Colorado Theological Seminary. He will be applying to enter the Doctor of Theology program upon completion of his dissertation from the Colorado Theological Seminary.
Nichole Zawisza

Nichole Zawisza

Counselor in Training

Nichole was born and raised in Northern Michigan. Her father retired from the U.S. Air Force and became a Methodist pastor and missionary which qualifies her as a missionary kid (MK) and well versed in what it means to have lived all over these United States. Her passion was music in high school and college. She is a counselor in training (CIT) completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Christian counseling. She will continue to work on her Master’s Degree in Counseling becoming a Certified and Licensed Christian Counselor through Colorado Theological Seminary while conducting her counseling practicum’s through Emmaus Center for Christian Counseling in Knoxville, TN.

She is a Licensed Liturgical Minister (LLM), through the Charismatic Episcopal Church and lay counselor for women ministries at Emmaus Abbey here in Knoxville. Among her many talents in the ministry, she loves conducting missions in Kentucky, sewing, substitute teaching, raising four daughters in which two are married, one in college and one in high school. She is married to Mr. Tim Zawisza who is an avid runner and men’s bible teacher. He is on the parish council for Emmaus Abbey Church.

Maribel Sage

Maribel Sage

Therapy Dog

I can’t wait for my first day at the office and I am sure my new clients will love me! Bark~