Helping those suffering from trauma: 5 views

War and trauma

The consequences of the war in Ukraine are having a ripple effect through Eurasia and the world on many levels. When the current phase of the war started in 2022, many of us went to help refugees in Poland. One thing we did to prepare was take various crash courses on psychological first aid. We also read as much material as we could find on trauma and its effects. These were all useful.

But after arriving in Poland, the limits of what we learned soon became clear. As time passes, we continue to learn about the effects of trauma, accumulated trauma, big “T” trauma and little “t” trauma. Furthermore, we have learned how trauma can impact physical health, how it can be passed on to others, including children. The more I read, the more I realize just how widespread the impact of trauma is and how little we really understand.  

Our seminary partners in Ukraine soon realized that they needed more robust training in preparing leaders to minister to those who have been traumatized by war. In fact, many agree that in Ukraine, this will be a necessary skill for ministers of the Gospel for at least three generations. So, the question then becomes, how does a minister help those who are suffering from the effects of trauma? What approach is “Biblical?” Is that even the right question? At a minimum, this issue sits at the intersection of a complex set of values and ideas that are pivotal in any worldview. Our understanding of human value, the human soul, the mind, what we mean by “healthy,” what we mean by “wellbeing,” and even our understanding of eschatology all influence our approach to psychology.

Looking for good resources

I was talking this over with a good friend at one of our partner theological institutions. He said two interesting things to me. He said, “First, we know that the West has more resources than we do in this area. The problem is that all the resources are not good resources. But we are not sure which are good, and which are not.” The second thing he said was, “As a start to address this problem we read the book, “Psychology and Christianity: Five Views.” I thought that was a great idea, so I also read the book.

The book really didn’t give me answers. But it did clarify some categories and gave me a framework that will help in my search for answers. I agree with my dear brother. This is a good starting point. The book starts with a historical overview of the interaction of psychology and Christianity. It pays special attention to the 20^th and 21^st century. Then, a representative of each of the five “Christian” approaches to psychological care explains that particular approach to mental and spiritual health. After each presentation, each of the other representatives responds to the presented view. I found this very helpful in clarifying the categories that are available for the follower of Christ and it shows just how complex an issue this is.

Five views

The five views are: 

• Levels of Explanation 
• Integration View 
• Christian Psychology View 
• Transformational Psychology 
• Biblical Counseling 

In an attempt to better understand the various Christian approaches to psychology, I am endeavoring to summarize the various approach in six blog posts. The primary purpose is not to gain a deep understanding of each approach. Instead I want to help readers gain a framework for interacting with each approach. This framework will hopefully guard us against building or accepting straw man arguments when reviewing, discussing or even thinking about each approach.

An overview of each view

I will present an overview of each approach for the purpose of understanding the essence of each view from a credible representative. The goal is to help avoid misunderstandings concerning Christianity and psychology. I want to help promote healthy dialogue about mental and spiritual health and wellness. To achieve this, I will look at four aspects of each view.  

• The representative of the view
• The presentation of the view
• The assumptions of the view
• The view’s approach to healing

Next, I will summarize how I think a counselor from the current view might approach helping someone suffering from war-related trauma in Ukraine. 

I will then include a summary table of five attributes and how each view relates to these attributes. These categories were suggested by the book editor, Eric L. Johnson as areas “that distinguish the approaches toward psychology and counseling represented in this book” (40). The attributes are: 

• Sources of psychological knowledge for the view.
• Attitude of the view toward contemporary psychology 
• Goal of psychology in this view 
• Primary allegiance of this view. Is it the church or the broader community of scholars and practitioners?
• Primary task of those holding this view. Is it the acquisition of knowledge about human beings or the renovation of human beings and the cultivation of goodness, moral character and love?

The empty table is presented here, and I will populate it as blog posts are published. 

Summary of attributes 

Finally, I leave it to the reader to investigate further if desired. 

My hope is that these blog posts will encourage healthy, respectful discussion of the topic. I want to help ministers of the Gospel make good decision not just about training options, but also about approaches to bring healing in the name of Jesus. I hope they bring the kind of healing that is real, authentic, God-honoring, Christ-centered, and available to both believer and unbeliever.