Applied redemptive theology
. I write to Pastors who believe that Christ died for our sins, that is, He redeemed us.
I suggest that redemption has applications for survivors of sexual abuse / sexual trauma.
Scripture has many verses about redemption, healing and restoration.
We find hope in the scriptures to counter despair experienced by many in recovery.
As a Christian survivor I relate to being in recovery rather than a survivor
though I am very much a survivor.
the Psychology dimension. Releasing the memories slowly, one at a time
A good sexual assault counsellor or a trauma informed psychologist can be helpfull particularly during the safety and stabolisation process.
Processing memories I find for male survivors www.1in6.org helpfull
The Lord sometimes heals our memories as in healing the wounds releasing the trauma
the memory is historical fact which remains.
Therapies such as EDMR may be helpfull
Emptional Freedom Technique eg Clinical FFT ( Taping ) is for the neurological impacts and reversing scripts
Physiological "The Body Remembers" Barbette Rothchild
"The Body keeps the score" Bassel Van Der Kolt
sexual assault leaves trauma in the body
ie the body holds traumatic memories which need to be released.
I find remedial massage and/or physiotherapy released trauma
as can reflexology
As a Christian I progress prayerfully exercising discernment taking care to withdraw from new age influences.
Prov 3v 6 I trust the Lord to prompt me.
My suggestion to Pastors is to be informed to read up to go to Seminars such as The Byron Clinic in Australia
NICABM have on line Seminars.
sadly many psychologists and Counsellors don't do these courses
narrative therapy helped me in the beginning but there came a time when I wanted to get off
what became going around the same merry go round.
I still have a phychotherapist who understands the neurology and has done some of these courses.
I am gratefull to Pastors who have prayed with me and supported me as I walk my recovery road.
I emplore pastors to provide ongoing care
I have built an interdisciplinary team
Whilst some survivors feel so betrayed by the church they don't want Pastoral Care
I emplore Pastors to be available.
I found not only was I abandonded during the sexual abuse
but abandoned by many "profesionals" as soon as they reached the end of their expertise.
God is all knowing.
God loves and restors ( Psalm 23 ) Isaiah 61
God's powerfull love casts out fear ( and I suggest trauma)
Requests - what to avoid
- applying a specific case to all survivors. we are all different
- simplistic responses to neuro physiological dimensions
- assuming how we will respond best to ask listen pray and read / research
- sending us to "a profesional" without making enquiries and being available to a debrief and in between the typical one hour weekly sessions
- whilst forgiveness negates bitterness and resentment it should not be forced and should not be sen as the cure all although some survivors report great progress after forgiving. If memories have not surfaced or processed some may like me not be ready top forgive until I faced what happened eg the betrayal and abandonment and conceilment and that took years. many years.
- time limits or time frames. recovery needs to be one managable step at a time.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
is about stopping to give first aid
and taking a wounded man to a safe place
to recover.
without conditions
purely obeying the command
to love ones neighbour
Prayer
Listening to the story of a survivor with love grace acceptance and compassion is very helpful
it's parallel to narrative therapy with one addition - prayer.
My suggestion to any Pastor not sure what to pray is a simple prayer.
God help [ name ]
This simple but powerful prayer gives a Christian survivor hope.
no longer alone. We will have asked God to help.
God is all knowing
He knows the survivor's story and need.
I suggest the role of an evangelical or Pentecostal Pastor is to build faith
to encourage the survivor to "hope in God."
Many times the Lord has brought Psalm 42 to my mind
Part of a multidisciplinary team
from the point of hearing a survivor's disclosure and offering comfort and support
and Mandatory Reporting the disclosure
and hopefully arranging ongoing Pastoral Care
we as Pastor's are , or should be part of a multi disciplinary team
even if the professionals are not connecting
As a Christian survivor I want and need my Pastor to be part of the team.
on the contarary please do not attempt to "be the expert" no one is.
Survivors need:
sexual assault counsellors
trauma release counsellors
and a range of health care professionals