Horrific Traumata: A Pastoral Response to the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Horrific Traumata shares the stories of persons whose meaning, hope, and faith were ripped from them by others or traumatic events and who live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since the Vietnam War, therapists have come to understand victims of severe emotional trauma with new understanding and, with better ability, have come to learn how to heal the awful effects of their traumas. Now the ranks of traumatized Vietnam veterans are joined by others who have also experienced horrific traumata and need help to rebuild their lives from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)--victims and survivors of incest and rape, hostage situations, and other events outside the range of ordinary human suffering.

Duncan Sinclair provides direct insight into the clinical and psychological aspects of PTSD. He presents a clear and workable understanding of the nature of PTSD which gives clergy and other involved persons direct insight into the causes of many behaviors. Horrific Traumata focuses on the church’s readiness and obligation to incorporate traumatized victims into the center of grace and healing. Clergy of all specialities now have a means of seeing behind the masks of hurt and isolation to the long-standing and disabling trauma. Sinclair shows how to promote the healing process through a range of parish activities as well as in clinical settings. Guidelines for promoting healing include the key concepts of how to listen compassionately and how to create safe places in which victims may heal during the rebuilding of hope and faith. Scriptures used throughout develop a hopefulness that must be maintained for healing.

Based on the quintessential understanding that current life stressors open past wounds in ways that leave them open, Sinclair guides professionals and clergy in treating the whole traumatized person. Clergy of all specialities, pastors, chaplains, pastoral counselors, seminary students, clinical pastoral educators, and students will find healing words for hurting people in this book. Clinical specialists in all disciplines who wish to view clients’lives from a clinical and faith position will find the stories and clinical suggestions in this book to be a modern goldmine.