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About us
Welcome to the SMI Foundation, where we believe in the power of community and support during life's toughest challenges. Our faith-based organization offers hope and practical resources to individuals and families facing grief, emotional stress, trauma, and more. We focus on prevention, education, and peer support rather than clinical treatment, walking alongside you every step of the way. Together, let's navigate your journey, because no one should have to face their struggles alone.
Beverly Hensley began Stephen’s Ministry, Inc. as a way to heal from the loss of her 19-year-old son, Stephen, in 2008. Her career began in nursing, but after experiencing extreme grief with the loss of Stephen, she developed an interest in working in the mental health field. Beverly has worked in crisis triage, inpatient, detox, and correctional settings. She is a licensed, ordained minister with over 20 years of ministry experience. She is also an IBCC certified Pastoral Counselor and TN Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS). Beverly provides pastoral grief support for individuals and facilitates a monthly grief support group. Along with her husband, Steve, she also engages in mental health advocacy across West Tennessee, seeking to partner with and strengthen recovery supports in our rural communities.
Steve Hensley is a minister with forty years of experience. For the last few years, he has worked alongside his pastor and the church’s ministry team at FPC Lexington, Tennessee. Steve has worked in children, youth, nursing homes and jail ministries. Steve has also pastored several churches of his own. After losing his 19-year-old son Stephen in 2008, Steve redirected his efforts to minister to those who are struggling emotionally. Steve is involved in recovery ministry, grief support, and community advocacy. He also serves as SMI's chief administrator for the ministry's benevolence program.
Angelique Hensley Lackey is the daughter of Steve and Beverly Hensley and younger sister to Stephen. She started in church ministry at a young age—singing in the children’s choir, performing solos, attending church camps and youth groups, and helping with outreach. She graduated from Gateway Homeschooling with honors while completing dual enrollment at Jackson State Community College and an internship at the WTHC Rainbow Center for special needs children. During this time, she also became an ISSA-certified personal trainer and nutritionist, working for Anytime Fitness, Planet Fitness, and Pulse Fitness. In the early part of her career, she worked in crisis triage, inpatient care, and on a Crisis Stabilization Unit as a mental health technician and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership from Bethel University. She is a TN Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPRS) and is currently enrolled at Liberty University working toward her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
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In addition to serving as the office manager for SMI, Angelique provides peer support services and psychoeducation. Her passion is holistic wellness and her goal is to incorporate her training in physical fitness and nutrition into SMI's programming and services.