Join Meredith Andrews, Dove Award winning Christian artist, in a concert to benefit She’s My Sister and celebrate the conclusion of the She’s My Sister Bike Tour. Each $10 ticket will provide Scripture-based trauma care to one abused woman in the Congo. The concert will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Easton, Pa. on Friday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. Purchase tickets online at www.congosister.org or contact Hannah Wildasin for group sales at 610-360-3864.
Filed under Abuse, Christianity, counseling
Those interested in trauma recovery work in international settings where rape is used as a tool of war will find this article on CNN to be of interest. WARNING: Not for those who are easily triggered by trauma stories!
Here’s a couple of reasons to read the article.
1. Why do this work?
They believe that listening is acknowledgement — and that acknowledgment is a kind of apology. Listening, they say, is the least the world owes.
2. Impact of this work?
You will experience secondary trauma. Don’t think you won’t.
3. How to do this work?
Start with an open question: Tell me about your experience. Look them in the eye. Don’t look at your notepad. If they say, “No, I don’t want to talk,” then leave. If they say, “Yes,” and tell you horrible things, wipe the emotion from your face. Get over being surprised they would tell a stranger, you, such intimate violations.
Know they are telling you because they need to tell someone, for whatever reason. And bearing that in mind, make no promises. Different victims want different things — revenge, financial compensation, asylum, prosecution of their attackers. Tell them that you can only listen, and do only that.
Filed under Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Rape
My supervisor, mentor, and colleague, Dr. Diane Langberg has been telling us for some time that “trauma is the mission field of our time.” Recently, however, a few Christian NGO/Missions leaders have heard this line in one of her talks and have become electrified by it. I cited it last week in a board meeting at Biblical as I was trying to make the case that developing postgraduate trauma training at Biblical fits our mission: following Jesus into the world.
But, some of you have not heard her give one of these talks. For you, I point you to the World Reformed Fellowship website so you can read a report she made on June 5 regarding the problem of trauma and the opportunity of the church to have a hand in healing this man-made scourge. Below is an excerpt of that short report. Do go to the WRF link and read it in its entirety. The report is not long but it is powerful and includes a couple of specific comments from two leaders in Africa.
We are the church. That means we are the body of Jesus Christ and He is our Head. In the physical realm, a body that does not follow its head is a sick body. That is also true in the spiritual realm. We are His people and I believe with all my heart He has called us to go out of ourselves and follow Him into the suffering of this world bearing both His character and His Word. And we do go – we send missionaries and the Scriptures; we provide food, clean water, education and jobs for many. And we should. We have rarely, however, seen trauma as a place of service. If we think carefully about the extensive natural disasters in our time such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis and combine those victims with the many manmade disasters – the violent inner cities, wars, genocides, trafficking, rapes, and child abuse we would have a staggering number. I believe that if we would stop and look out on suffering humanity we would begin to realize that trauma is perhaps the greatest mission field of the 21st century.
Recovered. Healed. Better. Restored. Resolved. Whole. What words do you use when describing positive change regarding traumatic events like abuse, the pain of adultery, or other like experiences? And more importantly, what do those words convey to yourself and others?
Why am I thinking about this? Soon, I will begin teaching an on-line summer class called “Healing Trauma in International Settings.” To be honest, I’m a little uncomfortable with the title I chose. Words matter and “Healing” conveys a message. Imagine replacing “healing trauma” with
Trauma treatment
Trauma recovery
Trauma care
Now, maybe I’m being overly sensitive but consider some of these other kinds of problems we face
My examples all convey a resolution of a problem where the problem recedes, maybe even disappears. But what about trauma? Is there a form of resolution and healing of rape or sexual abuse or domestic violence where the memories disappear? Should there be? Wouldn’t forgetting these experiences place the person in danger of living in unreality and, in some cases, at risk of re-injury? Here are some important questions:
As a counselor I do not want to under or over-sell the recovery process. Victims do find tremendous healing but to assume all vestiges of a traumatic experience go away would be false. Unfortunately, we who have not been traumatized sometimes expect the kind of recovery where victims go back to a way of life and thinking as if the trauma never happened.
If we are honest, we wish to live in a world without lasting consequences from sin and suffering.
We want people to “get over” their pain and go back to a way of life as if it never happened. It would be like asking a person who lost a leg to hope they will run exactly like they did before losing the leg. Indeed, they may run again. But never as fast and never as easy. There will be a stump to care for, a hip to learn new motion, phantom pains to re-interpret, and limits to accept.
This world of limits is one God wants us to live in and one we detest. Our first parents saw the limits of their wisdom and desired to get wisdom on their own. We too love the happily ever after story where humans obtain health and healing apart from limitations. We tell the stories of miraculous healing as if we no longer live in a broken world.
Let us endeavor to tell true stories of healing that glorify God and remind us that we depend upon him for every breath.
Starting July1 I will be teaching an on-line course, Healing Trauma in International Settings. Here’s the introductory video for students to watch during week one that tells what I plan to have them do during the course. Don’t worry, most of the course ISN’T watching me talk. You can see the full syllabus here.
Diane Langberg and I are scheduled to do a three hour webinar for the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) on the topic of complex trauma and sexual abuse. It will run live April 19, 2011 from 6p to 9p. You can learn more about the content of the webinar by visiting this link.
Use the above link to register. Cost is $59 to “attend” via your computer or $69 if you want CEUs. AACC is able to give 3 CEUs for those needing APA and NBCC approved continuing ed.
Our presentation will be broken into 4 segments with Q & A. Topics include: overview, differential diagnoses, 3 phase treatment approach, educating the church about trauma, connecting victims to God, counselor self-care, and next steps for church leaders.
Sometimes a line you say strikes a nerve. It happened this morning when Diane Langberg made a passing comment to attendees at the She’s My Sister impact summit. Diane was to make some introductory comments about the nature of trauma and the fact that God’s children, the body of Christ, “are to follow the head” into the problem of injustice. Following her I was to make some summary of the trauma healing advisory council’s work from the previous day.
To a room full of ministry leaders (from World Relief, IJM, Saddleback Church, American Bible Society and other international societies), Diane made this statement,
Trauma is the greatest mission field of this time.
Soon after a number of folks began running with this idea. Trauma, they could see, is an opportunity serve others and bring the Gospel to bear in word and deed. Trauma is everywhere. The need is overwhelming. The Gospel has something to say about the experience of suffering and what the Christian life offers to suffering people. One of the first ways people heal from traumatic events is when they are able to speak their experience; when they feel heard and cared for. They realize they matter.
Abolition of slavery was the great mission field of the 19th century. Trauma may be that field for this season.
I’ve mentioned the conference before here on this site. But here is additional information for those considering the conference in order to acquire either graduate academic or continuing education credit.
NOTE:
Continuing Education at Biblical Seminary
March 17-19, 2011
The Biblical Call: A Christian Response to Human Trafficking and Sexual Abuse[i]
Mental health professionals and clergy interested in attending this seminar may be able to acquire 10 contact hours of continuing education by attending this conference. Biblical Seminary is an accredited graduate institution and thus is qualified as a pre-approved provider of continuing education in the form of graduate coursework by Pennsylvania’s State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors (§47-49.36) and Pennsylvania’s State Board Of Psychology (§41.59). (Attendees who wish to receive academic credit should follow directions in the footnote below.)
While Biblical Seminary provides verification of attendance and a transcript showing completion of the CE course, attendees are responsible to verify acceptance of these hours by their particular licensing boards prior to registering and paying for CEU credits.
The following information may be used to apply for approval to your licensing body.
Speakers:
Diane Langberg, PhD; Bethany Hoang, MDiv; Pearl Kim, JD; Robert Morrison, MBA; Philip G. Monroe, PsyD
Seminar Overview:
This conference continues the “Conversations on Christianity and Culture” series focusing on sexual violence and injustices in a variety of contexts: domestic and international settings and sexual abuse in Christian communities. Attendees will explore these issues from biblical, psychological, legal, and sociological perspectives. The conference will conclude with a focus on practical intervention and prevention strategies.
COST:
The conference is free for all attendees. Register here. Those who wish to receive CE credits will be charged $20.00 per CE unit (0-9 credits) or $180.00 for all 10 CE units. Attendees will be billed following the conference and certificate of attendance will be held until payment is received.
Educational Objectives:
Tentative Schedule:
Thursday, March 17
| Speaker | Title | Time length |
| B. Hoang | Biblical Call: Response to Violence (obj. 3) | 1:15 |
| D. Langberg | Biblical Call: Global Violence against Women and Children (obj. 1-3) | 1:15 |
Friday, March 18
| Speaker | Title | Time length |
| B. Hoang | International Human Trafficking (obj. 1) | 1:15 |
| D. Langberg | Domestic Human Trafficking (obj. 1) | 1:15 |
| Breakout Sessions (choose two as each session is repeated; total length: 2:30) | ||
| B. Hoang | Follow up from morning session (obj. 3) | 1:15 |
| D. Langberg | Follow up from morning session (obj. 1-3) | 1:15 |
| P. Kim | Spiritual Warfare and Criminal Prosecution (obj. 3) | 1:15 |
| R. Morrison | Mobilizing all Christians in Effective Action Against Human Trafficking (obj. 4) | 1:15 |
Saturday March 19
| Speaker | Title | Time length |
| D. Langberg | Sexual Abuse in Christian Organizations (obj. 1-4) | 1:00 |
| Panel (all speakers) | Panel Discussion (obj. 1-4) | 1:30 |
[i] This course is also available for one (1) academic credit. Credit students will be required to complete additional readings and coursework after the seminar. Those interested should view the course syllabus on our school’s website and complete a brief, online non-degree application. Cost for a one credit course is $447.
Am working with a student on building a future course for students, licensed mental health providers, NGO workers to train them on the matters of trauma treatment in international settings with the course goal to take these trainees to a location where they train local trainers to use lay trauma healing measures. I am imagining a course that is primarily on-line (using a course website, discussion board, webcasts, etc.) with some face-to-face time just prior to having the international experience. The course would enable licensed therapists to receive continuing education credits with the ultimate goal that those who complete this experience would be then prepared to replicate it in other parts of the world. Topics would include:
I have two reasons for a course like this: 1. trauma is everywhere, and 2. interventions need to be sustainable (not relying on western therapists to keep doing the direct service) and maintained by local individuals.
So, here’s my question: If you had an opportunity to shape a course like this, what would you want to see as part of the course? What would you want to avoid?
Filed under Abuse, counseling, counseling science, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Caught a portion of the PBS Frontline show, The Wounded Platoon, documenting the extensive combat trauma in the 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry stationed in Fort Carson, CO. Click the above link to watch it on-line if you missed it.
It is heartbreaking and mind-boggling to consider that so many of these young men are now in jail or dead due to suicide. The PTSD is evident to all. The men admit to massive drug and alcohol addiction, trauma, domestic violence, etc. What is even more mind-boggling is the interviews with some of the platoon leaders–some of whom are quite matter of fact. Yes, they say, it is bad. But it is part of what we get. Too much demand for soldiers, too few to meet the demand. This equals spending longer rotations in theatre thus more PTSD.
They discuss the amount of psychiatric meds prescribed for these soldiers while in Iraq. While this means they are getting some treatment, others see this as merely allowing them to suffer more damage while still being able to fight the next day.
I’m thankful for my freedom in the US. But never forget the cost. And do remember that few of these men get any decent treatment once they return.
Filed under Uncategorized
Musings on Faith and Psychology 