Trauma, Triggers & Theology
A conversation between clergy & clinicians
A collaborative gathering designed to strengthen the partnership between clergy, clinicians and the faith community by exploring how spiritual leadership and clinical mental health practices work together to address trauma, emotional wellness and holistic healing.
The problem and purpose
For years the church has carried the sacred responsibility of tending to the heart of God’s people. Clergy have stood at hospital bedsides, counseled broken marriages and held space for grief that words could not fully express. Yet in recent years, something has shifted. The weight of trauma in our congregation has grown heavier, more complex, and more layered than ever before.
Pastors are encountering members who are not just discouraged – they are dysregulated. Not just hurting, they are traumatized. And while prayer, scripture and pastoral care remains essential many clergy quietly admit they are facing situations that stretch far beyond their limits of spiritual counseling.
At the same time, clinicians are meeting clients whose faith is central to their identity, yet whose spiritual experiences are often misunderstood or minimized in traditional therapeutic settings. Many clinicians desire to honor the spiritual frameworks of the people they serve, but they lack access to the pastoral voices who shape those frameworks
As church member often don’t know how to navigate the space between spiritual support and clinical care. Many fear seeking therapy means lack of faith. Others feel torn between the pastor they trust and the therapist they need. Many simply don’t know where to start.