Spiritual Trauma in Vulnerable Communities: Advocacy for Inclusive Healing Strategies
Conference Strand
Practice, Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions
Abstract
Join us for a compelling presentation on spiritual trauma and vulnerable populations, focusing on gender and sexual minorities, exploring the profound impact on mental well-being. Delve into the topic of spiritual trauma, gaining insights to enhance support systems. An enlightening session that bridges understanding and practical strategies for ways to advocate with and for our clients.
Evidence
Abu-Raiya, H., Pargament, K., Krause, N., & Pargament, K. I. (2016). Religion as problem, religion as solution: religious buffers of the links between religious/spiritual struggles and well-being/mental health. Quality of Life Research, 25(5), 1265-1274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-1163-8
Becker, J. (2010). Why do women endorse hostile and benevolent sexism? The role of salient female subtypes and internalization of sexist contents. Sex Roles, 62(7-8), 453-467.
De Vynck E., Boynton H. M., Burns V. F. (2023). Pulled from the shoreline in search of spacious spirituality: Journeys of spiritual distress, resilience, and posttraumatic growth for women of Evangelical Christian backgrounds in a Canadian context. Religions, 14(9), 1193. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091193
Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (1996). The ambivalent sexism inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 491–512.
Thomas, Megan S., "Church Hurt: A Therapeutic Approach for Treating Religious Trauma and Spiritual Bypass" (2023). Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects. 25. https://encompass.eku.edu/psych_doctorals/25
Slade, D., Smell, A., Wilson, E. & Drumsta, R. (2023). Percentage of U.S. adults suffering from religious trauma: A sociological study. Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry, 5, 1-28. 10.33929/sherm.2023.vol5.no1.01.
Format
Individual Presentations
Biographical Sketch
Sabrina Evans, MA is a doctoral student in the Counselor Education and Supervision program at Lindsey Wilson College, as well as a Children & Youth therapist at Helen Ross McNabb Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. Prior to repatriating to the USA in 2022, Sabrina lived and worked abroad for ten years in Prague, Czech Republic, where she helped found a small counseling clinic in an underserved area and worked in both faith-based and community contexts. During her time abroad, Sabrina had the opportunity to offer psychoeducational resources and/or workshops to partners in the surrounding region – including in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. She also had the opportunity to work with Ukrainian refugees in 2022, including providing trauma-informed workshops for children. Currently, Sabrina’s specific research interests include multicultural competence, trauma-informed counseling, spirituality and counseling, and the impact of benevolent and hostile sexism on women’s identity and mental health.
Tiffany Brooks, PhD, APC, NCC is an Associate Professor and Online Regional Academic Director in the School of Professional Counseling program at Lindsey Wilson College. She completed her MS in mental health counseling in 2011 from Lee University and her PhD in Counselor Education at the University of Tennessee in 2015. Tiffany worked with college students in career, counseling, and residential environments, as well as with children utilizing child-centered play therapy in school and agency settings. Currently, she teaches multiple sections of career counseling, multicultural counseling, and clinical experiences every semester, while clinically seeing adolescents and adults via secure telehealth with Resonance Counseling Center in GA. Her specific research interests include counselor identity development, play therapy, at-risk children, career counseling, and multicultural competence, particularly Black ally identity development. She is actively working as a part of a mother scholar collective who is currently researching the effects of the pandemic on academic scholars of young children. Tiffany serves as the President Elect for the Lookout Counseling Association and the President Elect for the TN Counseling Association.
Location
Room 161
Start Date
3-7-2024 2:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Evans, Sabrina and Brooks, Tiffany P., "Spiritual Trauma in Vulnerable Communities: Advocacy for Inclusive Healing Strategies" (2024). National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Research, Action, and Change. 14.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ccec/2024/2024/14
Spiritual Trauma in Vulnerable Communities: Advocacy for Inclusive Healing Strategies
Room 161
Join us for a compelling presentation on spiritual trauma and vulnerable populations, focusing on gender and sexual minorities, exploring the profound impact on mental well-being. Delve into the topic of spiritual trauma, gaining insights to enhance support systems. An enlightening session that bridges understanding and practical strategies for ways to advocate with and for our clients.
Description
The proposed topic, "Navigating Spiritual Trauma and Vulnerable Populations," aligns seamlessly with the conference theme, "We Are Many: Building Community and Promoting Strategic Social Justice, Advocacy, and Change." It addresses a critical aspect of mental well-being within vulnerable communities often overlooked in social justice discourse. The presentation aims to shed light shaping effective advocacy strategies for the vulnerable populations, specifically gender and sexual minorities, affected by spiritual trauma.
The specific objectives include unraveling the nuanced dynamics of spiritual trauma in gender and sexual minorities, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges these communities face. By exploring the multifaceted impact of spiritual trauma, the presentation seeks to empower participants with insights that can inform targeted social justice initiatives.
Furthermore, the proposal emphasizes a commitment to practical and workable solutions. It recognizes the need for actionable strategies that can be implemented in the therapeutic relationship and the community levels. From fostering culturally sensitive support systems to advocating for policy changes that address the spiritual well-being of vulnerable populations, the presentation aims to equip attendees with tangible tools for enacting positive change.
In essence, this proposal bridges theory and practice, intertwining theoretical insights with actionable steps. By fostering a deeper understanding of spiritual trauma in vulnerable populations, the presentation aligns with the conference's overarching goal of community-building and promoting strategic social justice. It positions spirituality as a crucial element in the social justice landscape, emphasizing the imperative to advocate for change that is holistic, inclusive, and addresses the diverse needs of vulnerable communities.