Sitting Down with Trevor Hislop: Faith, Leadership, and the LiveWell Summit

Dr. Trevor Hislop is a respected marriage and family therapist, author, conference speaker, workshop presenter, and former pastor of 20 years. As a founding member of LiveWell Behavioral Health, he is passionate about helping people cultivate emotional health, relational depth, and spiritual clarity. He and his wife, Mindi, live on the Space Coast, while their two adult sons reside in South Florida and Virginia.

LiveWell is hosting a one-day Leadership Summit on October 14, 2025, at Christian Care Ministry Headquarters in Melbourne. Pastors, nonprofit leaders, and faith-driven professionals are invited into a sacred space of worship, wisdom, and connection—an opportunity to invest in their own health and the strength of their teams. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., participants will experience a day designed to renew vision, strengthen leadership, and recharge their calling.

I reached out to Trevor to learn more about the Summit and his vision for LiveWell as a faith-driven organization in Brevard County:

Connor Mahoney: What first drew you to Brevard, and how has this community shaped your work and calling?

Trevor Hislop: In 2011, my family and I moved to Brevard County to serve at a local church, believing God was opening a door for both ministry and community. What we found was more than a place to work; we found a place to raise our boys, build deep relationships, and put down roots. Brevard has been a wonderful place to raise a family. It’s a rare kind of community, one that blends innovation with neighborliness, where people are both ambitious and deeply connected. That environment has shaped how I lead, love, and serve. Whether I’m walking with a family in crisis, coaching a leadership team, or teaching at a workshop, I carry that same sense of personal investment and shared hope that this community has shown me from day one.

CM: You’ve served as a pastor in the past, but now you’ve moved into a secular professional field with LiveWell. Do you feel that your pastoral background has shaped the way you approach therapy and leadership counseling?

TH: Without a doubt. From the beginning of my journey, more than 25 years ago, my pastoral and clinical training were integrated by design. I never saw them as separate callings, but as different expressions of the same mission: to walk with people toward healing, growth, and purpose. My work with LiveWell is still deeply ministry-minded and fully missional. I may not be preaching every Sunday, but I’m still helping people restore relationships, renew their purpose, and reconnect with what matters most. Whether I’m in a therapy room, a boardroom, or a conference space, I’m still doing Kingdom work, just with a different set of tools.

CM: Do you ever struggle to balance the clinical and spiritual aspects of your work? Do you find limits working with clients who are closed off to one or the other, and how does that impact their healing process?

TH: That balance is something I take seriously. The truth is, healing happens best when we treat the whole person—mind, body, and soul. At LiveWell, we believe that offering clinical care and faith-informed insight aren’t in competition; they’re complementary. Some clients feel more comfortable starting with the clinical side, while others are open to exploring spiritual foundations. I never push either, but I always stay present to the deeper invitation. When people are closed off to one side of the process, it can limit the depth of their healing. But when they begin to open up, on their own terms and timeline, it creates space for transformation. Whether someone names it this way or not, I believe serving our community with compassion, excellence, and hope is a deeply missional act.

CM: You’ve carved out a part of your business to specifically offer clinical care and strategic guidance to pastors and ministry leaders. What made you realize this was a need, and how is LiveWell addressing it?

TH: After spending decades in church leadership myself, I began to recognize the weight that pastors and ministry leaders carry behind the scenes. They’re often pouring out in every direction, but rarely have a place to refill. I saw good people getting worn out, isolated, and sometimes stuck in survival mode, all while trying to lead and love others well. That’s what moved our team to act. At LiveWell, we’ve created intentional spaces—through therapy, intensives, coaching, and leadership development—designed specifically for those who lead. We want to offer more than support; we want to provide strategic, soul-level care that honors both the human and the holy work leaders are called to.

CM: Having been both a pastor and now a counselor to pastors, what key advice would you offer to Christian leaders who want to cultivate healthy organizations?

Start with your soul. The health of your organization is a direct reflection of the health of your leadership, and the health of your leadership begins with how you care for your own heart. Protect your rhythms. Prioritize your marriage—practice vulnerability in safe spaces. Invite wise counsel. Don’t confuse your worth with your productivity or your identity with your role. When leaders build a culture of emotional safety, spiritual depth, and relational honesty, they don’t just survive; they multiply their impact. Healthy leaders create healthy cultures, and healthy cultures transform communities.

CM: Tell me about the upcoming LiveWell Leadership Summit. Who is it for? What can participants expect? And what lasting impact do you hope participants walk away with?

The LiveWell Leadership Summit is happening on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Christian Care Ministry Headquarters (4150 W Eau Gallie Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32934). It’s designed for church leaders, nonprofit leaders, marketplace leaders, and their teams who are ready to lead from a place of renewed strength, clarity, and connection. This year’s theme is Leader Care and Team Health—because we believe that healthy teams start with healthy leaders.

The Summit will feature powerful keynotes from Jimmy Dodd, founder of PastorServe and a trusted voice in pastoral leadership and soul care, and Matt Bradner, leadership coach and corporate consultant with Chick-fil-A, known for helping teams build trust, clarity, and momentum. Their insights will equip leaders to navigate the real challenges of leadership with wisdom, courage, and emotional integrity.

Beyond the keynotes, the day will include times of worship, space for personal reflection, meaningful conversations with other leaders, and intentional moments for teams to reconnect and realign. It’s more than a conference—it’s an experience of rest and refocus that will leave leaders refreshed and teams recharged.

Whether you’re leading in the church, in the marketplace, or in the nonprofit world, this Summit is for you. We’d love to have you join us—and if you’re bringing your team, group rates are available for 10 or more.

You can register for the Leadership Summit on October 14th at: www.livewellbehavioralhealth.com/summit

— Christians of Brevard is a multi-church initiative that seeks to amplify the voices of local churches and ministries for the purpose of encouraging the local body of Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God. Join our Facebook community @ChristiansOfBrevard