mending the soul - azcadv.org€¦ · connie chapman retired city of ... facilitating mending the...
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MENDING THE SOUL
A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Connie Chapman
Retired City of Phoenix Prosecutor’s Office
Part time Family Ministry Assistant with Red Mountain Community Church in Mesa
Part time Project Director for the Arizona Coalition for Victim Services – AVAA
Facilitating Mending the Soul for 7 years
Tanya Harris
Licensed Associate Counselor
Master of Arts in Professional Counseling through Ottawa University and Phx. Seminary
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Christian Counseling
Director of Small Group Training for Mending the Soul
Barbara Mac Dermot
Abuse Survivor
Retired LA Police Officer
Leader of Celebrate Recovery
Facilitator for Mending the Soul for 7 years
Objectives For Today
Overview of the material and it’s authors
How this can help you and/or victims in your community
Survivor’s Story – Why this curriculum helped her complete the healing process
Questions and updates on any upcoming trainings
Development of MTS
Celestia Tracy – licensed professional counselor
specializing in abuse saw the need for free
counseling
Asked Steve, a seminary professor and former
pastor, to write a book - textbook
Celestia then wrote the workbook as a companion
to the textbook to process victim’s feeling
Celestia Tracy
Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in abuse for over 18 years
Adjunct professor at Phoenix Seminary
Works internationally to bring healing models with high levels of trauma
Currently working in: Honduras, Mexico, Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan
Steven R. Tracy
Professor of Theology and Ethics at Phoenix Seminary
PhD in New Testament studies
Pastor for 15 years with extensive counseling experience with victims of abuse as well as marriage counseling
Serves on the Governor’s Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women
How This Is Helpful
Great resource for those that can’t afford
traditional counseling or no abuse specialist in
their area
Victims who have not reported abuse
Victims of faith who are looking for recovery
that lines up with Biblical truth
How This Is Helpful
Support group that is specific to abuse
recovery – works well with traditional
therapeutic counseling
Can work with non-churched and non-
believers as long as they understand the
Christian focus
Overview Of Material
Textbook – Steven R. Tracy
Cites many secular research studies
Abuse is a perversion of the image of God
Explains all the types of abuse including spiritual
abuse
Explains the devastating effects of abuse
Offers a means of healing
Explains the complicated often misunderstood
Biblical meaning of forgiveness
Overview Of Material
Workbook – Celestia Tracy
Addresses the same topics as textbook but
allows for processing/journaling of responses to
questions
Questions are intended to explore feelings
attached to the abuse
Attendees fill out a timeline of both major abuse
and also positive aspects of their life
May be the first time victims may have written or
told anyone the whole story
Major Points Of Group
Abuse was not God’s original design
Abuse is rampant and has been since Cain
and Abel
Shame – difference between toxic shame and
healthy shame
Types of Abuse - Wheel
Major Points Of Group
Healing Model
Safety
Honesty – stop denying, comparing and
minimizing
Talking and Feeling – through group or
counselor
Major Points
Healing model continued
Dare to hope – moving forward with new
coping strategies and a new perspective
Give yourself time – Healing takes a lot of
time and allow mistakes
Identify triggers and how to respond to
them
Major Points
Stop believing lies and see the truth of how
God sees you
Turn away from unhealthy coping strategies
Important to feel pain to heal
Turn to the Savior and healthy individuals to
process
Don’t “should” all over yourself
Forgiveness
What it is NOT
Saying abuse was okay
Letting the person off without consequences
(although the victim may choose to do that)
Having no negative emotions about the abuser
Allow a relationship to re-occur simply because
they say “sorry”
Types of Forgiveness
Judicial – only God can wipe the slate clean – not
within our power
Psychological – Releasing the bitterness and need
for revenge and turning it over to God and
authorities. No need to be in relationship with
abuser to do this
Relational – Coming back into a relationship after
repentance by abuser and “fruits” of change
Forgiveness
Last chapter in the book because it’s the last
part of healing and the last thing we do, not
the first
It’s a process not an event – it can take time to
come to peace with it. You may take two
steps forward and one step back
Cannot be demanded by anyone, even the
church
After the group
Celebrate Recovery- AA type support group
Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend – It’s a
book, workbook, an can be a class
Reading lists and group classes that enhance
healing and can introduce healthy people
Counseling
Process for starting a group
Church elder and pastor approval
Identify volunteer facilitators and have them attend group and go through training
Advertise in church and on MTS website
Have attendees complete an intake form
Intake Meeting
Allows participants to meet facilitators
Allows facilitators to ask questions and determine if
this is the appropriate time for the class
Request they don’t start anything new that is not
necessary
It will be one of the hardest things they ever do
Intake Meeting
Go over group guidelines
Go over expectations
Won’t be healed in 14 weeks
New perspective
Sign forms –
Non-suicide agreement
Confidentiality
Partner letter
Barbara’s Story
Other Materials & Resources
MTS – Student Edition – for teens and young adults
Princess Lost and Princess Found – Girls coming out of trafficking
MTS website - http://mendingthesoul.org/
Articles
Store
Find a group
Training videos
Other Materials & Resources
Upcoming trainings
Caring for the Vulnerable Child
Basic Training
Advanced Leadership Training
Adolescent Training
Professional Development Training
Trainer Certification Training
Intimacy Intensives
Free webinars
Questions????
