“Healing through Resiliency.”
Everyone experiences trauma in life, but there is life after trauma. Resilience is necessary to overcome trauma. We all love a good comeback story, the triumph of the underdog, the person who took back their life and experienced healing. Stories of resilience inspire hope and give others the courage to keep going, to get back up, to stay in the fight.
Are you helping to create a culture in your home and church that fosters healing through resiliency by promoting secure attachments to both others and God? As parents and spiritual leaders, we can help create an environment that promotes wholeness and healing.
Merriam-Webster defines resilience as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” Treating Trauma in Christian Counseling outlines four phases of healing and recovery from trauma: the initial trauma, the physical and/or mental decline connected with the trauma, recovery time, and experiencing the “new normal.”
Genetics, an environment of support, and self-determination are factors that influence a person’s ability to recover from trauma, but one of the most important is what researchers call “secure attachment.” Secure attachments begin to form in infancy as babies bond with parents or other caregivers, but the process continues over a lifetime as we develop relationships with friends, fellow believers, and the larger community. Individuals who develop a secure attachment to a father or spiritual leader may find it easier to develop a secure attachment with God. They often will have healthier relationships and are less likely to become dysregulated when problems arise. Without the development of these secure attachments, healing from life’s traumas may be delayed.
People may see a minor who exhibits “bad behavior” and proceed to label that person as “bad.” But the bad behaviors are surface level symptoms of a lack of peace. It is important for parents and spiritual leaders to look below surface behaviors to the root of the issue. Jesus ministered to outcasts who demonstrated surface level “bad behavior” and healed their core issues. When we minister to broken people, it fosters and supports healing and resilience.
Parents and ministry leaders are responsible for helping create a culture in the home, church, or youth group that fosters secure relational and spiritual attachments. The home and the church should be a sanctuary from the tribulation of the world. When we create this culture of security, people can find healing and recovery after trauma.
( FROM: UPCI Family Ministries – family@upci.org )