Disclaimer: This season is about trauma, and it might be difficult at times for some listeners. It’s not graphic, but each episode does cover sensitive topics.

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As we comfort other sufferers, their pain and trauma can take a physical and emotional toll on us. In this season, we’ve shared tools you can use to support others, but in this episode, we want to focus on the comforters!

When someone is sharing their trauma story with us, we are encountering a great evil in their life. The tension of sitting in the midst of unresolved suffering and questions about God’s goodness and sovereignty can be difficult and exhausting. Not only do sufferers need care and comfort on their journey to healing, but we also must steward our minds and bodies well to avoid feeling physically and emotionally depleted.

Sufferers and comforters may find it easy to shrink our worlds to the size of suffering rather than recognizing the truths of God’s Word and His character. In this episode, we offer tools to remind ourselves of His goodness and of the beauty around us when evil tempts us to despair.

We hope this season is only the beginning of your trauma awareness and further training, and we’ve included resources below to continue your education. We can all become effective comforters through commitment to learning, grace for ourselves when we fail, and the Holy Spirit’s continued guidance.

Resources:

Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy by Aundi Kolber

Strong Like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things--and Experience True Flourishing by Aundi Kolber

The Healer Within: The New Medicine of Mind and Body by Steven Locke, Douglas Colligan

Being Known Podcast with Dr. Curt Thompson

50 Biblical Counseling Resources on Trauma and Trauma Care by Bob Kelleman

In Our Lives First: Meditations for Counselors by Diane Langberg

Season 1 Ep. 2 / Superpowers

Season 9 of Conversational Counseling on “Trauma.”

To sign up for free visuals and discussion questions for this season click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As Isaac⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This podcast is made possible by engineer and producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shane Selby⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, executive producer ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Meleah Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠generous donors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Known Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex Kocher⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Brenda Payne.