🧵. I am a firm believer that biblical counseling is helpful for many things. BUT I think it needs some help in the area of trauma. I’ll share a bit of my own story and explain why I say this. 1/
In Strong in the Broken Places 5 childhood traumas are listed: Physical abuse, sexual abuse, parental substance abuse, extreme neglect, and witnessing domestic violence.
My daily life was made up of 3 out of these 5. Another one was for about a 2 year period. So I score a 4. 2/
My daily life was made up of 3 out of these 5. Another one was for about a 2 year period. So I score a 4. 2/
I took this trauma into my marriage, into the pastorate, and into my own parenting. (As a side note, praise God, my kids would score a 0 out of 5).
3/
3/
A little glimpse into what trauma does as a pastor.
I send an email to a member of church where I’m a little nervous about their response. Twelve hours go by with no response. Anxiety, fear, negativity start churning in the background. I don’t even know why. I just feel... 4/
I send an email to a member of church where I’m a little nervous about their response. Twelve hours go by with no response. Anxiety, fear, negativity start churning in the background. I don’t even know why. I just feel... 4/
Then I finally get a response. All is well. Immediately all those feelings go away. I start to notice the sun is shining.
Now, how does most biblical counseling deal with this little snippet? 5/
Now, how does most biblical counseling deal with this little snippet? 5/
We probably start addressing my fear of man. We talk about a theology of God’s presence. We talk about not letting my emotions rule me but focusing on truth.
All these are fine and can be helpful. But they actually don’t get at the root of what is really happening... 6/
All these are fine and can be helpful. But they actually don’t get at the root of what is really happening... 6/
What is really happening is that my body is telling me “you’re in danger” when it actually isn’t. Or maybe it is but not at that level.
My body is replaying my childhood and maybe also that 6 month period at a previous church when I had people mad at me almost daily. 7/
My body is replaying my childhood and maybe also that 6 month period at a previous church when I had people mad at me almost daily. 7/
This is where biblical counseling IS helpful but if it doesn’t deal with the trauma it’s not going to accurately help. I need to heal the trauma so I stop responding out of it. 8/
Theology helps. Biblical counseling helps. But the thing with trauma is that even though you read the Bible correctly your trauma makes you apply it poorly. 9/
My issue with my email anxiety isn’t merely that “I need to stop fearing this person and fear God” it’s that I need to know God’s presence in past trauma AND in the present iteration. I need body help. 10/
Biblical counseling has been incredibly helpful in my journey. But I also needed grounding exercises, insights from CBT, and trauma counseling. (I still do).
That’s why I’d love to see biblical counseling movement grow in dealing with trauma. /end
That’s why I’d love to see biblical counseling movement grow in dealing with trauma. /end
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