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Christian Trauma Counseling

Black woman sitting with head on hand, looking upset. This photo could depict someone needing Christian trauma counseling in Chicago, IL and beyond.

Trauma is a deep wound of the heart that lasts a long time. It can wreak havoc on our relationships with others and God.

 

The Trauma Healing Institute notes that “trauma can be caused by a single event, a prolonged event, or a repeated event.  It overwhelms us with intense fear, helplessness, or horror, and there is nothing that we can do to stop it from happening.”

 

If you’ve experienced trauma and struggle to put the pieces back together, you are not alone. 

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Our team of Christian Counselors would be honored to walk alongside you on your healing journey.  We want to connect you with a Christian counselor who can meet you at your pain point and show you how to navigate your healing journey from a Christ-centered lens.  Our team specializes in bible-based trauma-informed care. We integrate scripture, prayer, and mental health principles to help you release the pain from your past and draw closer to God.

What is Christian trauma counseling?

Our team of counselors integrate the Bible and trauma-informed care principles into our approach.  We invite the Holy Spirit, scripture, and prayer into each session, while utilizing mental health principles to help you to:
 

  • Identify the areas of your life that need healing, and how the trauma experienced has impacted your life.

  • Understand how God’s word speaks to trauma, and how you can utilize it as a source for healing. 

  • Incorporate healing practices into your daily life so you can begin to release their pain, strengthen their faith, and no longer allow the traumatic experiences from the past to hold them captive. 

 
Our team believes that healing from trauma is possible because with God, all things are possible.   
 
Connect with one of our Christian counselors today.

What type of events cause trauma?

Sometimes we endure a painful event in our lives and are unaware that we’ve been traumatized.  A person is traumatized when they are experiencing a lasting shock as a result of an emotionally disturbing experience or physical injury. There are certain events that are easier to identify as traumatic, due to the egregious nature of the incident or a level of cultural awareness surrounding that issue (i.e. sexual assault, gun violence, or natural disasters).  
 
However, some traumatic events are not as easy to recognize.  For example, being betrayed by someone you trusted can be traumatic.  Spiritual malpractice or harsh treatment by a church member or leader can leave a person traumatized.  As the definition above reveals, when you experience a painful event that leaves you feeling helpless, fearful or horror, you experienced trauma. 
 

A few examples of events that cause trauma are:

A man with his head in his hand who could be in Christian trauma counseling in Chicago IL

  • Covid-19

  • Sexual violence

  • Domestic violence

  • Gun violence

  • An accidental death

  • Infidelity 

  • Divorce

  • Betrayal

  • Physical injury

  • Illness

  • Systemic racism

  • Moral Injury 

  • Traumatic Brain Injury

 
This is not an all-inclusive list, and just because you experienced one of these incidents, does not mean that you were traumatized by them.  Our counseling team will work with you to identify the impact these events have had on your life, and explore the steps that you can take to recover and begin to heal.

 What is secondary trauma?

You can also be traumatized by events that happen to someone else.  This is called secondary trauma. Whether these events impact someone you personally know or someone that you are aware of (such as a celebrity), the news of the events can bring about a similar biological and psychological response, as if you experienced the trauma.

 
 

 

 

 


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a girl who is crying who may desire Christian trauma counseling

 What effect does trauma have on your life?

Trauma affects everyone differently.  Two people might go through the same thing, and one has a major trauma response.  Whereas the second person seemingly is totally fine. 
 
Each person’s journey is unique, and their ability to recover and heal from a traumatic event is primarily influenced by their support system, if they had a mental illness or emotional issues prior to the traumatic event, or if they experienced previous trauma, especially painful events from childhood.
 

Although there are a number of ways in which trauma can impact a person's life, below are a few symptoms that you might experience after surviving a traumatic event.

 Some symptoms of trauma include:

  • Having nightmares or flashbacks about the event

  • Thinking about the event all of the time

  • Having a hard time sleeping at night

  • Struggling to maintain focus while doing simple tasks

  • Being on alert all of the time

  • Having a hard time controlling your emotions

  • Avoid any reminders of the event by either indulging in addiction or not allowing yourself to interact with anything that would remind you of the event.

 


If experiencing several of these symptoms, a doctor might diagnose someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 
 
In addition to the symptoms outlined above, trauma resides in the body.  Some people discover that the chronic pain that they experience is a result of unresolved trauma that is resting within. 
 
Although the trauma may have had a significant impact on your life, it doesn’t have the final say; God does.  
 
Begin your trauma recovery journey today by connecting with one of our Christian Counselors. 
 
Schedule a free consultation with our counseling team today.

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