PCTS: Church and Trauma Links
Organizations and individuals consulted as part of the "constituency development" process of the Clergy Trauma Training Project.
- Loyola College Pastoral Counseling Department;
- Wesley Theological Seminary Pastoral Counseling Department;
- OASSIS (Organization of Attempters and Survivors of Suicide in Service);
- General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church;
- Pathways to Promise
- PRAISE Project, Mental Health Association of Maryland
Sites addressing Trauma from a religious perspective
A review of sites on the internet reveals the following sites which address trauma from a religious perspective. We do not necessarily endorse any of these sites; they are displayed to give an idea of the variety of approaches which exist.
- PTSD Support Services for the Christian Community. This agency offers training programs to Christian churches.
- Pastoral Counseling syllabus from the BTC of Southern Africa -- an unusual pastoral counseling syllabus that includes PTSD.
- Agape Post War Counseling Program in Croatia sponsored by the Presbyterian Church, USA.
Trauma and Mental Illness
When people refer to "serious mental illness", they generally are referring to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and clinical depression. While post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is sixth in prevalence among mental illnesses, it should be noted that a significant result of PTSD is depression.
Another way of distinguishing between mental illness and trauma is to think of trauma as a mental wound rather than mental illness. Groups like NAMI refer to mental illness as "brain disorders," which arise as biochemical disturbances of brain function, usually without human agency. Trauma, on the other hand, is most destructive when, as in combat, rape, domestic violence, child abuse, terrorism and holocaust, the trauma is overwhelming, it is intentional, it involves betrayal, and it involves fear for one's life. There are important points of convergence between the two perspectives. Damage to the brain -- mental illness -- is traumatic and involves pain. Painful trauma, on the otherhand, can cause damage to the brain. Regardless of the distinctions between trauma and mental illness, many of the approaches recommended to congregations are similar.
In addition, a symptom-based approach may lead to a mental illness diagnosis but does not necessarily uncover underlying trauma. A trauma-based approach typically discoveres that large numbers of persons diagnosed with mental illnesses are also trauma survivors. A trauma approach would assert that the mental illness cannot be adequately addressed without also addressing the unresolved trauma issues.
Given this strong interplay between trauma and mental illness, the National Conference of Viet Nam Veteran Ministers became an institutional member of the national interfaith organization Pathways to Promise: Ministry and Serious Mental Illness.
Linkages to pages of various faith groups addressing mental illness may be found at the Mental Illness Page of the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society.
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