Overview
We all want to support people in our communities who are hurting, especially those who are isolated and need caring relationships. In fact, God commands us to look out for those who are vulnerable and to share His love and hope with them. The reality is that we live in a world that’s been deeply wounded, with many individuals who have experienced trauma: Past wounds so deep that a person’s body and mind continue to be affected in the present, sometimes changing how they behave, think, feel, and form relationships.
This mini-course was created to help answer some common questions about trauma, with the goal of helping all of us be able to connect better with adults who have experienced trauma. You’ll meet individuals from around the U.S. and Canada, who will walk you through these questions, help you think about what it looks like to form relationships with adults who’ve experienced trauma, and give you practical tools to connect well.
Download the Discussion Guide as a tool for groups to talk through how to apply these concepts to your own context.
Included In This Article
- Video 1: What is Trauma?
- Video 2: What Does Trauma Look Like for an Adult?
- Video 3: How Can I Support Someone Who's Experienced Trauma?
- Video 4: What If My Help Doesn't Seem To Be Helping?
- Video 5: How Can I Set Healthy Boundaries In This Relationship?
- Video 6: How Can Churches And Ministries Be A Supportive Place For Adults Who've Experienced Trauma?
Video 1: What is Trauma
In this lesson Courtney Ross, CarePortal Regional Manager with Bridge a Life, shares:
- What we mean by the word "trauma"
- How trauma can impact someone's body and behavior
- The "Iceberg" concept
- "Giving you a hard time" vs. "having a hard time"
Video 2: What Does Trauma Look Like for an Adult?
In this lesson Courtney Ross, CarePortal Regional Manager with Bridge a Life, shares:
- An overview of how trauma can affect an adult's behavior
- The importance of "felt safety"
- "Fight, flight, or freeze" fear responses
- "What's wrong with you?" vs. "What happened to you?"
Video 3: How Can I Support Someone Who's Experienced Trauma?
Ashley Smith, CarePortal Child and Family Advocate, shares with us:
- Why we need to recognize what we all have in common
- We all experience pain and stress
- We all value personal power
- We all have needs (think about consider intangible needs vs physical needs)
- It's important to “connect not correct”
Video 4: What If My Help Doesn't Seem To Be Helping?
Trina Jones of CarePortal Ohio shares mindsets to build healthy, hopeful relationships, from her lived experience as an adult who's experienced trauma,:
- Recognizing that healing from trauma is not a quick fix
- How expectations for change can harm our relationships
- Seeing the opportunity for mutual growth and friendship
Video 5: How Can I Set Healthy Boundaries In This Relationship?
Aaron Earlywine, CarePortal Regional Manager of Greater Dayton, shares biblical wisdom for setting healthy boundaries in a relationship:
- Knowing what we are and are not responsible for
- Physical, emotional, and spiritual boundaries
- The biblical basis for relationship boundaries
Video 6: How Can Churches And Ministries Be A Supportive Place For Adults Who've Experienced Trauma?
Tim Smith of CareImpact shares wisdom for how churches and ministries can be a safe place for adults who have experienced trauma:
- Identifying ways to prioritize "felt safety"
- Attending to our own self-care
- Recognizing that an individual's behaviors may intensify when they feel safe with us
- Forming circles of care
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