Tuesdays
5-6:30pm
Richmont Trauma Center
1815 McCallie Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37404
Men who have suffered trauma are invited to participate in a supportive, confidential peer group. This group is built upon an ancient scriptural (biblical) foundation, for the purpose of promoting healing from the effects of trauma (e.g. sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, warfare, disasters, etc.)
Leader: Jay A. Spalding, PhD, psychologist
More information: (423) 308-1888
Trauma is central to the historical and theological truths that form the foundation of Christianity. Christianity is a faith in which its center and ultimate historical and spiritual reality is the bloody death of a innocent victim. It’s the story of the offering of an innocent lamb (an completely innocent GOD/ man) to be killed and the resurrection of the same lamb who was then beholden as Lord of all. Christianity is the story of one who has power and authority over the enemy, Satan (Genesis 3: 15, Romans 16: 20, Hebrews 2:14, 1John 3:8) and who can free those trapped in the enemy’s web as well as share in their suffering, “by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death … And that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:14a - 18).
God made us to love Him (Deuteronomy 6) and to love others (1Peter 4:8). God made us to be connected to Him and to others, as well as to safely belong with others and with Him. We are created to have confidence and trust in our perceptions of our connection and place of belonging with others and with God.
The enemy, Satan, attempts to use trauma to break what God has made. He distorts the minds of men, their perceptions of what God has established as true. The enemy promotes the shame-motivated hiding of the truth of traumas experienced by men. He uses false ideas (lies) about the traumas to re-harm those who have been traumatized. Triggered memories colored by these lies make life and emotions less manageable. The enemy uses triggered memories of recalled aspects of trauma to undermine confidence in oneself, one’s perceptions, one’s connections with others, one’s place of belonging with others and with God, and one’s vision for the future.
Trauma, and its recollections, is used by the enemy to promote, emotional dis-control, self loathing, anger, fear, anticipated hurt and rejection, mistrust, problems connecting and staying connected with people, and problems holding onto and trusting in that which is true eternally and relationally. Ample scientific evidence supports the statement that trauma leads to many psychological, physical and social ailments. Our understanding of spiritual aspects of trauma’s consequences is based on a biblical understanding of hundreds if not thousands of therapeutic and faith-walk observations.
This group is intended to provide a safe, supportive, and affirmative environment to work through traumatic recollections in the context of men who affirm God’s presence and His healing truths. We hope to provide the opportunity to better understand one’s own story in the light of one’s faith and in the context of the stories of others and of the biblical narrative.
It is our hope that in this process members will be able to identify and renounce false ideas that have been connected to their traumas and better understand and embrace what is true. We also hope that members will seek and gain a hope filled vision for their future. We hope to promote substantive psychological, relational, and spiritual healing.