Trauma Informed Approaches to Pastoral Care (Interview With The Rev. Kerri Erbig)

Post Author: The Rev. Ali Van Kuiken

As an Episcopal priest who has spent her entire career working full-time in psychiatric or medical hospital settings, I often find it difficult to translate my experiences and knowledge of mental health and illness in ways that are useful for parish clergy. I operate in a very boundaried setting with set hours. My patients don’t have my cell phone number nor do they know where I live. I’m part of an interdisciplinary treatment team that I can consult with and give feedback to. These boundaries allow me to meet with patients for pastoral care beyond the usual limit given by my Diocese of three sessions before referring to a mental health professional. I can meet with patients on a weekly basis for years. Given these significant differences, there are still learnings I want to pass along to other pastoral care givers–tips and tricks, if you will. So as you read the articles in this series on mental health and illness, please keep your own boundaries and constrictions in mind. I am hopeful that some of what I have learned will be applicable not only in individual pastoral care sessions but also as you craft sermons, preach, teach, and speak to parishioners casually after church or over a cup of coffee.

The first article in this series addresses how to give pastoral care in a manner that is trauma informed.

The sun setting on an autumn day.

Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care

According to the American Psychological Association, “Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster.” A common feature of a trauma is feeling out-of-control of the situation or powerless. For this reason two good places to start for someone recovering from a trauma are present moment awareness and access to choices. Judith Herman who wrote Trauma and Recovery identifies three stages of recovery from trauma: 1. Establishing safety, 2. Remembering and mourning (trauma processing), and 3. Reconnecting with ordinary life. 

I spoke with The Reverend Kerri L. Erbig about trauma-informed best practices for pastors and pastoral caregivers. Rev. Erbig is a Reiki Master, Certified Yoga Teacher, and mental health chaplain working in an inpatient hospital setting. She suggested that the best place to start for someone new to the concept of trauma-informed care is the first stage that Herman names. You don’t need specialized training to work to establish safety. We can create it by building trust and making a space for someone to do something different if that is what they need. Rev. Erbig emphasized this point to me in our conversation. Maybe there is a reason they are doing something differently. While it can be tempting to label it as “difficult” or “rebellious,” use your sense of curiosity and openness to find out more.

Along with creating safety, Rev. Erbig encouraged pastoral caregivers to be curious by asking “What is going on here?” if someone is “difficult.” What may have happened in that person’s life to contribute to the “difficult” behavior? Instead of telling someone to stop acting a certain way, cultivate a curious mindset that allows for compassion toward the person with the problematic behavior. Furthermore, if you are asking this question about one individual in particular over and over again, take note. To be pastoral with this person, you may need to do some personal preparation including grounding yourself and noticing if you are being triggered by them. Then, once you are prepared and grounded, you can proceed to engage with curiosity. This sort of curiosity can be the basis of a pastor’s trauma-informed care in their congregation. 

When I asked her how liturgy can be trauma-informed, Rev. Erbig pointed to the importance of being aware of what your congregation needs. Knowing your people and what types of trauma have been endured by them is the starting point. No matter the level of trauma endured by your congregants, one approach to keep in mind is to allow choices for those participating. Instead of telling folks to stand or sit at certain times, give the option. Use invitational language so that people regularly hear that they have a choice. Use less direct, commanding language, and inform the people of what is coming so there aren’t surprises.

Rev. Erbig also encouraged awareness of common triggers: 

• sudden, loud noise
• touching someone without permission
• power language in liturgy
• masculine language for God

The last two particularly apply to anyone whose traumatic event involved power disparity or a male perpetrator. If your denomination uses prescribed prayers as mine does, you may not be able to control power language or the use of masculine pronouns for God. However, you can be aware of how you address those concepts (God as “almighty” or “king,” for instance) in your preaching.

Trauma is deeply personal. Rev. Erbig called it a “soul wound.” Getting to know the people in your care is vital to this work. In the process of becoming more trauma-informed, you can also make an effort to educate yourself. For instance, movement-based healing therapies are very effective for someone recovering from trauma. You don’t need to go out and become a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor or a Reiki master. Nevertheless, you can make your church a place where these therapies are offered, especially in an affordable way. You can help educate others on the resources available to them in your area. You can be willing to ask how trauma is perpetuated in the systems that you are part of. To be truly trauma-informed, the entire system needs to be aligned in this goal. Finally, the church can get in touch with its own trauma. Trauma is not something outside of us. We have it too, both personally and communally. Remembering, mourning, and telling our personal and collective stories are part of creating trauma-informed, healing spaces for those who need them, including ourselves.

Resources:

Judith Herman, author
Sounds True Podcast trauma summits
SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Trauma Informed Churches, a British organization