About
Dr. Shirley Huisman

Passionate about helping your team grow and evolve

For over 30 years, Dr. Shirley Huisman has dedicated her life to transforming the way we understand and respond to trauma. A seasoned social work practitioner, educator, and trauma specialist, she has worked extensively in mental health, higher education, and community engagement. Through Oasis Consulting Services, she is pioneering a new standard of compassionate, trauma-informed care—helping businesses, healthcare systems, and organizations create environments that support healing, resilience, and long-term success.

"To create environments where people feel safe, heard, and empowered to thrive."

The Heart Behind My Work

A Calling, Not Just a Career

Dr. Huisman’s expertise goes beyond the classroom—her work has shaped policies, programs, and initiatives designed to bring trauma-informed practices into schools, businesses, hospitals, and communities nationwide. In 2021, she was instrumental in founding Columbia College’s Institute for Building Resilience through Trauma-Informed Practices, helping organizations apply scientifically backed trauma-informed models to build healthier, more effective workplaces.

However, Dr. Huisman’s passion for compassionate care is deeply personal. As a breast cancer survivor, she has witnessed firsthand how medical professionals communicate—and sometimes fail to communicate—in ways that can make or break a patient’s ability to heal. After undergoing a double mastectomy, she experienced subpar care, inadequate support, and dismissive treatment from medical providers, reinforcing the urgency of her mission. She firmly believes:

"What a provider has to offer is important. But HOW it is given determines whether or not you can use it."

This realization drives her Compassionate Care Training Program, an initiative designed to equip professionals across industries with the tools they need to engage with empathy, respect, and effectiveness.

Transforming Trauma Into Change

Dr. Huisman’s journey into social work was not a simple career choice—it was a calling. From an early age, she was drawn to listening, understanding, and helping others navigate life’s challenges. After earning her undergraduate degree from Dordt College and completing her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Syracuse University, she immersed herself in community mental health, working with clients facing poverty, chronic mental illness, and life-altering trauma.

As she transitioned into higher education, she merged her real-world practice with academia, teaching and shaping the next generation of social workers. Now a tenured professor at Columbia College in Columbia, SC, she serves as the Program Chair, BSW Program Director, and Associate Professor, specializing in trauma-informed perspectives in both mental health and education.

The Compassionate Care Training Program

Through Oasis Consulting Firm, Dr. Huisman has created a 12-week certification program that trains businesses, healthcare providers, and work teams in compassionate, trauma-informed care. Participants will:

Become Certified as a Compassionate Care Trained Provider
Gain access to yearly refresher trainings with the latest scientific research
Enhance their résumés with a certification that demonstrates professional growth
Develop leadership skills to foster healthier, more effective work environments

She is currently working with hospitals, clinics, and corporate organizations seeking to transform the way they support employees, clients, and patients. In addition to structured training, she offers stand-alone workshops and keynote speaking engagements tailored to conventions, leadership retreats, and team-building events nationwide.

A Legacy of Advocacy & Mentorship

Dr. Huisman is more than a consultant—she is a mentor, leader, and advocate for ethical supervision, resilience-building, and workplace well-being. Her research and community partnerships include collaborations with Everyblackgirl, Black Lives Matter, Sowing Seeds Into The Midlands, College Place United Methodist Church, and the Eau Claire Community Council.

Her work has been recognized through numerous awards, including Columbia College’s Experienced Innovative Teaching Award. She is also a published author, contributing to research on storytelling as a tool for social work education.

Family & Personal Life

Dr. Huisman’s work is built on meaningful connection, a principle that extends to every part of her life. She is proud of her children and grandchildren who all carry on her resilience and strength in their own unique ways. She shares her love for others through baking incredible cakes, crocheting works of art, and rehabilitating pit bulls, perhaps one of the most traumatized breeds of dogs.

She understands firsthand how life’s experiences shape us, and she carries that same perspective into her work, whether in the classroom, the therapy room, or a boardroom leading trauma-informed initiatives. She resides in Lexington, SC, where she balances the demands of her career with the simple joys of family, resilience, and the ever-evolving journey of lifelong learning.

Above all, she believes that compassion, resilience, and ethical leadership are the cornerstones of every successful profession. Whether training future social workers, guiding teams toward trauma-informed excellence, or working one-on-one with clients, her goal remains the same: