Although he was a son, [Jesus] learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. —Hebrews 5:8-9 (ESV) Obedience is a tough word for anyone affected by trauma. Abusive relationships often demand obedience. Great physical, psychological, and relational harm has been done …
Tag Archive: Trauma-Informed
Sep 12
Trauma-Informed Ministry Interview with “The Catch” (9 mins)
Here are the written responses to the interview Chris Haughee had with Erik Cave of the Pacific NW Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. The ECC is represented in Montana by two of Intermountain’s supporting Churches: LIFE Covenant and Headwaters Covenant Church, both located in Helena. Quick Links: Contact Chris at haughee@gmail.com or 406-465-9693 Intermountain Ministries: http://www.intermountainministry.org What …
Apr 08
Focus on Your Family’s Mental Health: Battling Anxiety While War Rages
It has escaped no one’s attention that there is a major military conflict going on in Eastern Europe between Russia and Ukraine. Turn on the evening news, listen to the radio, or scroll through your social media news feed, and you’ll see evidence of gross atrocities, senseless violence, and doomsayers suggesting that this is the …
Mar 01
Becoming an authority in trauma-informed ministry
“ Becoming an authority in trauma-informed care” with Rev. Dr. Chris Haughee. Presented as part of the New Wine, New Wineskins conference on the Church and Mental Health, 2/27/2021. This workshop examines the interplay between legitimacy and power in the Church’s call to become an authority in trauma-informed care. While using for a framework the …
May 04
Handling Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in a trauma-informed church
I recently had two events that caused me to think purposefully about what a responsible approach to the upcoming holidays of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day may be for a church that is seeking to be sensitive to the trauma histories that their worshipping community may have. The first was an invitation to preach at …
Jan 10
Intermountain Moment: Safety first! Working with trauma-affected individuals
Safety. It’s something that many of us take for granted. But for many of the clients Intermountain works with, and especially the trauma-affected children that come to us in our residential program, safety is certainly not a “given.” While it may seem odd to those who have not experienced childhood trauma or …
Dec 10
Chaplain Chris’ curriculum, “Bruised Reeds & Smoldering Wicks” is now bigger and better!
I am pleased to announce that a NEW, 8-week version of the study, “Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks,” is now available. Two additional weeks of materials have been added to address caring for adults who are experiencing trauma and a “where do we go from here?” lesson on implementation and strategic next steps for congregations …
Oct 18
Intermountain Moment: Helping the trauma-affected child succeed at play, with Kathleen Slack, M.S.
Play time can be hard for any child, but is especially difficult for trauma-affected children. Children that have been affected by early childhood trauma and severe stress are often given any number of labels to describe the symptoms of that trauma or adverse childhood experience: PTSD, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention …
Sep 13
Finding healing after trauma: Elizabeth Smart (courtesy of Goalcast)
One of the most common questions I get from the trauma-affected children I serve is, “Why did God allow [insert really awful, tragic experience] to happen to me?” I imagine it’s a question that most pastors, ministers, chaplains, and those Christians who share their faith with others face. It’s fundamentally a relational question, not a …