The Dangers of Trauma-Informed Care/Therapy

Bereans:

This past Sunday I mentioned that a significant emphasis at the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) annual conference that we attended last week was a biblical critique of the newest fad in secular counseling: Trauma-Informed Care. Trauma-Informed Care (or
Therapy) has generated a lot of buzz in the world of psychology, but it is simply another iteration of man trying to solve man's problems with man's worldview.  Just like all the other secular theories of psychology that have come before it, this one will also fall by the wayside someday, only to be replaced by a new method.  Unfortunately, it will do much damage before it is replaced.

The sad reality is that apostate and doctrinally weak churches are often the means by which the secularists spread their falsehoods.  Many church leaders often adapt the world's methods and attempt to "Christianize" them by adding Bible verses or Christian teachings to them.  However, the core philosophies of these methods undermine the authority and sufficiency of Scripture by claiming that we cannot properly address a person's mental needs without special secular knowledge.  Applied to counseling, they teach that only the "trauma" specialist can be equipped to deal with a person's unique "trauma."  However, Scripture itself claims that it has everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).  Sadly, even churches in our own area are already promoting this type of Christianized secular therapy.

We should also note that this secular counseling method also redefines "trauma" with a much broader definition than what Scripture, or even society in general, has traditionally defined as traumatic.  Of course, the more things they include as "trauma," the more people will need the trauma specialist to help them overcome their trauma.  You can see where this is going. I'll share more on this in a future post, but for now, I'll give you a couple of links to podcasts that will help you understand the Bible's perspective on trauma-informed care.  (The interviewee, Dr. Ernie Baker, was one of Cheyne's and my professors at The Master's University.)

https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/discerning-trauma-informed-therapy/

https://biblicalcounseling.com/resource-library/podcast-episodes/engaging-trauma-biblically/

Grace and peace to you,

J.W.