As I wrap up my doctoral studies, I am excited to see how the concept of becoming “trauma-informed” in ministry is starting to pick up steam across the country. Far from being behind the curve here in Montana, we are on the cutting edge in terms of integrating the expertise of the medical and social …
Tag Archive: ACEs
Mar 18
Following in Brother Van’s footsteps by building trauma-informed ministries
As the chaplain at Intermountain’s residential program, I often hear the stories of families parenting children who have experienced trauma and how hard it is for them to find a church that “gets them.” One mother shared with me, “The hard thing was, just as my daughter’s behaviors were getting worse and I needed a …
Feb 09
Chaplain Chris to speak at Trauma and Resilience Conference in Portland, Oregon
There is an exciting conference coming to the Pacific Northwest, and Chaplain Chris Haughee has been invited to present. The conference is called “Trauma and Resilience” and is hosted by the University where Chris is completing his Doctor of Ministry. CLICK HERE for more information on the conference. This conference aims to tackle some of …
Nov 13
Was Jesus’ ministry “trauma-informed?” [part 4]: Responding to trauma within the compassionate Kingdom of God
There is a movement taking shape across the country when it comes to ministry settings: becoming trauma-informed. I am personally invested in this movement and I am intrigued by the ways I see connections between Jesus’ teachings and trauma-informed ministry principles. In the first post in the series, I focused only the first identifier of …
Oct 11
Trauma-Informed Ministry Training and Workshop a success!
Last month, twenty clergy and other caregivers attended the Trauma-Informed Ministry Training and Workshop, presented by Intermountain Chaplain Chris Haughee and ACE Master Trainer Brie Oliver. ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences and Chaplain Chris and Ms. Oliver taught the group about the importance of caring for children with ACEs in a way that does …
Sep 18
Advocating for Rachel, part 3 – guest contributor, Crystal Amundson
(In this final post in the series, we see where Rachel is after the first nine years of her life. She is a survivor, but she’ll need a lot of help going forward. In case you missed the earlier posts, please go back to the first post, and learn just how much this young lady …
Sep 06
Advocating for Rachel, part 2 – guest contributor, Crystal Amundson
(In a previous post, we met Rachel and followed the first part of her journey. In this second installment, we will continue to look at Rachel as a case study and interject ways in which faith communities can reach out to these precious children that are slipping through the cracks. There is a great deal …
Sep 01
Sign up for the Resilience Fall Summit in Helena!
Everything is NOT fine, despite what people in our churches may be telling each other during the coffee social following worship! Montana’s children, youth, and families are in trouble, and we have the ability to do something about it! In an effort to pull together the tremendous resources our faith communities possess, I’ll be facilitating …
Aug 05
Everything is not fine! A call to action as a faith community
Has your church heard about ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)? If not, I am sure you have seen the effects in your communities and your worshipping communities. Those in our congregations as well as those in our neighborhoods are struggling under the weight of unresolved trauma, persistent toxic stress, and the dysfunction that results from broken …
May 03
What is the ACE study and does it matter in your ministry?
What is the ACE study and why does it matter in ministry? As to what the ACE Study is, I will let the video do the talking, for the most part. ACEs are “Adverse Childhood Experiences.” Adversity in childhood is much more common than we might care to recognize at first, and it crosses social …