When Spirituality and Trauma Collide

As our collective awareness of trauma expands exponentially, timely and well-honed resources like this are in great need. As a practitioner of the art of spiritual direction I find this book to be a beautiful and necessary companion for my work with those carrying the heavy burden of unprocessed trauma. I will return to this guide often to sharpen my practical skills and raise the levels of awareness needed to better serve my directees. The resources and guidance offered here are timely and applicable for all spiritual directors, not just those working with survivors of trauma. And, as the director of a spiritual direction training program this book will be a requirement for all of our new spiritual directors!

If you are tasked with the awesome and humbling responsibility of providing pastoral care for others, then this book is an absolute necessity. I read this book with a mixture of conviction and relief. Conviction because it challenged me to strive for better in the way I understand and care for those dealing with deep trauma and pain. Relief because I recognized an author familiar with the difficult terrain often navigated in pastoral care and counselling and who offers practical, insightful and loving ways in which we might help others. This book will help both trauma victims and pastors not only investigate their pain and trauma, but given time, open up pathways of transformation. This should be on every pastor’s bookshelf.

Karen Bartlett masterfully “threads the needle” in this handbook for spiritual directors on the impact of trauma on spirituality! As an experienced spiritual director, Karen knows what I also know: it is only a matter of time when a spiritual director will encounter a directee who has been deeply wounded by abuse. Though our role is not to counsel, spiritual directors can, as Karen points out, provide a way of being with directees that will assist them in their journey of healing. This handbook provides thoughtful and practical insight for any spiritual director who desires to become a better healer!

A gem of a book which I recommend to spiritual directors but also to chaplains, clergy, ministers and all who have the privilege of listening to people sharing something of their stories with them. Trauma informed work is a growing field and I welcome this contribution to the spiritual direction literature. As someone who has spent their working life training those who minister to children, young people and families, this is a must-read book too, particularly the exploration of attachment. If we can offer appropriate interventions earlier, that may help people flourish as God intended. This book reflects Karen's passion and commitment to being a trauma sensitive and ethical spiritual director who wants to see people growing into all that God has for them. This is a short, accessible book from which I learnt new insights which I can implement in my practice, a great resource. 

In my work as an advocate for those who have experienced childhood trauma, including Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA), stories of unintentional harm that results from seeking spiritual help are all too common—most often due to a lack of understanding of the impact of trauma. In When Spirituality and Trauma Collide, Karen Bartlett weaves neuroscience, attachment theory, and best practices for spiritual direction into an accessible guide that needs to be in the hands of everyone who desires to provide
spiritual guidance and support to those impacted by childhood trauma. I highly recommend this resource! 

I have sought to be an effective agent of God's healing for four decades. It has always been challenging, but today human brokenness seems especially stubborn, complex, and nuanced. My experience makes me grateful for the insights of Karen Bartlett's new book, When Spirituality and Trauma Collide. Caregivers of all kinds will be equipped, made wiser, and encouraged by her work.