John McAndrew and Joseph Palacios, founding partners of Sensible Spirituality Associates, bring professional experiences to this Spiritual Counseling Consultancy from many worlds: academia, parochial ministry, hospice work, marriage preparation, social justice advocacy, spiritual direction, addiction treatment and recovery, detention ministry, counseling, diversity programs, interfaith dialogue, retreats, workshops, executive coaching, liturgical leadership, community organizing, grief recovery, and foundational human development.

Their experience in the Spiritual Care Department at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA— as Director (John), and Inpatient Spiritual Counselor (Joseph)— encouraged them to take the best practices of Spiritual Care from that context and integrate their own practical experience to address Sensible Spirituality in our time.

The goal of Sensible Spirituality is to help individuals and organizations identify and understand their own soul and spirit, in order to build relationships of shared principles, values, and practices. 

John McAndrew, MA, MDiv, is a spiritual teacher, counselor, theologian, musician, hospice chaplain and poet. With a background in literature, theology, music, and counseling, he served as a parish priest for nearly 20 years. John has also worked in educational settings, corporate consultancies, detention facilities, and treatment centers. During his tenure as Director of Spiritual Care at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA, he began to incorporate all these experiences into foundations which took shape in Sensible Spirituality Associates. John currently resides in Arroyo Grande (San Luis Obispo County, CA), and recently retired from full-time Spiritual Counseling for Wilshire Hospice. He continues to facilitate Retreats and Workshops for people in recovery, and offers Spiritual Counseling, Grief Counseling, and Recovery Support services for individuals and organizations seeking deeper spiritual development.

For over 30 years I have practiced the philosophy of "care of the whole person" focusing on the integration of a person's values, skills, spirituality, personal vision, and work goals.  I have applied this philosophy to my work as a leadership coach, mentor, consultant, professor, and organizational sociologist. If you need someone to help you with the integration of career and professional goals, community service, and personal life, then I can help you initiate a coaching process that moves you to setting achievable goals to get to your higher callings in life through sensible coaching.

I specialize in assisting people in personal and career transition, as well as navigating company "transformations" such as layoffs, restructuring, and retirements. I also help in addressing issues of stress, negative habits, family, and relationships affecting work and achieving goals.

My primary experience in coaching and mentoring over the past 30 years has been as a Professor of Sociology (Ph.D. UC Berkeley) at UC Berkeley, Georgetown University, and the University of Southern California. As a sociologist specializing in the study of organizations, I developed courses with organizational leaders to develop collaborative research projects that required students to do engaged research in Washington, DC, Santiago, Chile, and Los Angeles. In turn I took on the role of coach for managers and students to develop their personal and organizational goals in line with this research and service. In Washington, DC, I developed three non-profit organizations focusing on social services, advocacy, and socio-cultural change. I have served on the Board of Directors of several U.S. and international non-profit/NGO organizations.

My strength has been helping organizational leaders vision and implement their mission, practical goals, and strategic planning.  Prior to my academic career I worked in human resources with a focus on work force analysis and affirmative action personnel development at two San Francisco companies. At Castle & Cooke (The Dole Company) I was the Corporate Affirmative Action Manager where I coached minority and female employees in their career development in order to fulfill company and legal diversity targets. Following my corporate career I decided to enter theological studies for ordination to the Catholic priesthood and have served as a priest in parishes in California, Washington DC, and Mexico.  With both my sociological training and non-profit and corporate experience I have helped parishes develop lay leaders and establish community outreach and social change advocacy programs. 

Julia Fromme is a Spiritual Counselor, educator, coach, transformational bodyworker, and organizational business consultant. While serving over 30 years in public education, thriving in the classroom and co-writing grants and multiple curricular projects, she also obtained her Master’s degree in Organizational Management (MA,OM).  Her spiritual journey has been energized by her own recovery, studies in the healing arts, and religious and cultural studies in Mexico and Central America. She stays grounded and creative by practicing meditation, yoga, guitar, and songwriting.

Dr. Jaime Romo is a healer and teacher. Following a career in K-12 and teacher education, he has taken an active role in developing Healing Community practices in values-driven organizations. Dr. Romo is a Trauma Informed Care SAMHSA consultant, a Commissioned Minister in the United Church of Christ, and a certified Primordial Sound Meditation instructor. His most recent book is Healing the Sexually Abused Heart: A Workbook for Survivors, Thrivers, and Supporters.