If you’re feeling the weight of past trauma and struggling to heal, then you are not alone! The journey to healing from abuse and trauma is often filled with challenges, and finding the right tools to navigate this journey can be overwhelming. But what if there was a resource that could guide you through this process and help you cultivate well-being?

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Explore the transformative power of Therapy in healing from abuse and trauma and reclaiming your well-being.
• Uncover the impact of narcissism in church leadership and gain insights into navigating the complexities of this issue.
• Discover the invaluable benefits of professional mental health support and how it can positively impact your healing journey.
• Understand the profound connection between attachment issues and trauma recovery and how it influences your healing process.
• Embrace the role of self-regulation in effective leadership and learn how it can enhance your personal and professional growth.

My special guest is Dr. Chuck DeGroat

Chuck DeGroat is a professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, where he also serves as the founding executive director of the clinical mental health counseling program. He is a licensed therapist, spiritual director, author, retreat leader speaker, and faculty member with the Soul Care Institute. As a therapist, he specializes in navigating issues of abuse and trauma, pastoral (and leadership) health, and doubt and dark nights on the faith journey. He trains clergy in handling issues of abuse and trauma, conducts pastor and planter assessments, and facilitates church consultations and investigations of abuse. Before transitioning to training and forming pastors, Chuck served as a pastor in Orlando and San Francisco. He and his wife, Sara, have been married for 30 years and have two adult daughters.

Listen to our previous episode with Chuck DeGroat on EPS 42.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:11:03 – Faux Vulnerability in Church Leadership

00:13:09 – Misuse of Self-Work for Immunity

00:13:40 – Dysfunctional Dynamics in Churches

00:14:58 – Toxic Leadership and Manipulation

00:19:06 – Nervous System Dysregulation

00:22:10 – Healing Attachment Wounds

00:25:52 – Transformation and Non-Anxious Presence

00:26:17 – Recognizing Patterns of Toxic Behavior

00:27:24 – Accountability and Systemic Change

00:29:15 – Rebuilding for the Future

00:30:49 – Understanding Shame Dynamics

00:35:15 – Rediscovering the Goodness of the Heart

00:39:20 – Men Doing Deeper Work

00:40:02 – Bullying and Women

00:41:15 – Complimenting Each Other’s Work

00:41:39 – Encouraging Curiosity and Healing

00:42:42 – Embracing Curiosity and Healing

00:53:11 – Finding Healing and Freedom

Trauma is not what happens to us, but what happens within. – Chuck DeGroat

• Pre-order Healing What’s Within by Dr. Chuck DeGroat on his website chuckdegroat.net. Join the Launch Team.
• Join the Patreon community at www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference to access exclusive content, including additional insights from Dr. Chuck DeGroat.
• Explore additional resources recommended by Dr. Chuck DeGroat at the end of each chapter, such as Dan Allender’s To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Life and Frederick Buechner’s Telling Secrets.
• Engage in introspective and mindful practices to support your healing journey, such as deep breathing, visualization, EMDR and brainspotting.
• Gift Healing What’s Within to friends or loved ones who could benefit from the valuable tools and insights shared in the book.

Follow the podcast here:

• https://www.aworldofdifferencepodcast.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/aworldofdifference/
• https://www.twitter.com/@awodpod
• https://www.youtube.com/@aworldofdifference
• https://www.facebook.com/A-World-of-Difference-613933132591673/
• https://www.instagram.com/aworldof.difference
• https://www.patreon.com/aworldofdifference

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Lori Adams-Brown Podcast Host & Producer

Lori Adams-Brown is Senior Manager, Global Leadership and Development in a Silicon Valley tech company, hosts the A World of Difference podcast, speaks internationally on global leadership development and sits on the board of Justice Revival where she is helping to pass the ERA with people of faith. As a former international relief & development leader, Lori has led diverse global teams in multiple cultures and has lived in Singapore, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Jason and 3 teens.