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 service fields into how we do ministry in Montana. At Intermountain, and through our sister organization ChildWise, we are part of a conversation that has the power to positively impact the lives of tens of thousands of hurting children, youth, and families.
Embedded in this post and available on the “Video” tab of the ministry site is 50 minutes of a training I was able to give at the 2017 New Wineskins Conference on Trauma and Resilience. They were not equipped to film ever breakout, but they did record audio. So, what you have here is the PowerPoint presentation with the audio from the training. It takes a little time to get through, but would be a valuable resource to any church or faith community seeking to understand the impact of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in their community and how the Church can respond.
Other great resources are available for introducing these concepts to your community and church can be found on this site, including:
- What does it mean for a ministry to be trauma-informed (a helpful 2-page article with discussion questions for examining ministry settings)
- List of Resources for Churches interested in learning more about ACEs
Finally, a curriculum for introducing trauma-informed ministry principles to churches seeking to address the needs of traumatized youth in their communities is being vetted by over 50 ministries and mental health practitioners in 23 states across the country. Entitled Bruised Reeds and Smoldering Wicks, the curriculum includes a copy of Paper Tigers and a resource DVD with interviews and discussion starters from several of Intermountain’s staff. I am hoping the curriculum will be available for wider distribution later in the year.
Blessings,
Chaplain Chris Haughee
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