Bearing the Unbearable

Trauma, Gospel, and Pastoral Care

Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger

• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN:
  9780802871039
• eBook ISBN:
  9781467443531
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

A Christ-centered approach to dealing with trauma on both a personal and a communal level Traumas abound. Post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional and sexual abuse, unbearable anxiety and fear, and a host of other traumas afflict people everywhere. In this book Deborah van Deusen Hunsinger weaves together threads from the fields of psychology and pastoral theology as she explores the impact of trauma on people’s lives and offers practical strategies and restorative practices for dealing with it. Not only a teacher of pastoral theology but also an experienced pastoral counselor herself, Hunsinger draws on the resources of depth psychology, including object relations theory, trauma theory, family systems theory, nonviolent communication, and restorative circles. She then places her findings in a Christian theological context, emphasizing God’s work in and through Jesus’ passion, death, and resurrection, to present a cohesive, faith-based vision for healing.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. Bearing the Unbearable
• 2. Rooted and Grounded in Love
• 3. Christian Forgiveness
• 4. Keeping an Open Heart in Troubled Times
• 5. Prayers of Lament
• 6. Practicing Koinonia
• 7. Members of One Another
• Appendix 1: Criteria for PTSD
• Appendix 2: Professional Quality of Life Scale
• Index