Trauma Counseling

Trauma literally means “wound” or “injury”, and it can refer to both physical wounds and emotional injuries where the psychological symptoms can remain long after the physical injuries have healed.

Trauma is a set of reactions and responses to an event or circumstance that was experienced as overwhelming. This sense of being overwhelmed has biological, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, and societal consequences which can remain if not healed.

Trina Wisecup, DO, MDiv is a member of ITEC’s medical training program. Her understanding of both biblical counseling and medicine made her a perfect candidate to share when a seminary in the Dominican Republic had a desire to equip their students with an understanding of a biblical approach to trauma counseling. While ITEC’s medical training typically addresses physical ailments and community health needs, the need for biblical insight for addressing the emotional wounds of the heart is also vital for the global church. 

Wounds of the heart can make people feel isolated from their relationships, their bodies, their thoughts and their faith. From natural disasters and war to emotional and physical abuse, trauma-inducing events heavily impact the world. As followers of Jesus, equipping our brothers and sisters in Christ is an opportunity for them to meet needs of their community as a door opener for the Gospel.

Listening to the needs and finding training that will fit that need is what ITEC is all about. As we seek to serve the indigenous church by developing new tools and training systems to help them meet the needs of those in their communities, we are so thankful for the work of other like-minded organizations doing the same. There are several organizations working to equip others in an understanding of trauma and offering resources, including the American Bible Society and the Trauma Healing Institute. 

Could training and equipping national Christ followers with technical skills in a practical way open doors to the Gospel and make at the hard to reach accessible? At ITEC, we believe so! If you or your church would like to learn more about taking training on your next short-term trip, we would love to connect with you! 

You can connect with us here.