Classic Program: Starter Facilitator Handbook for Healing Groups

Discuss the skit, bringing out the Scripture passages in Section 5. Time-savers

• Section 4 is most familiar to people. If you have to skip something, skip this. Or, just get feedback from two or three people, summarize by saying that we know God uses suffering in our lives in many ways, and move on. • Use the closing exercise as a devotional the next morning.

LESSON 2: HOW CAN THE WOUNDS OF OUR HEARTS BE HEALED?

Prepare the listening skit below in advance. Observe the actors practice it and give feedback. It is much more effective if they can act out the skit rather than just reading it. This lesson takes at least two hours. Allow for more than one period. Take time for

the listening and art expression exercises. We can be traumatized when we are overwhelmed with intense fear, helplessness, or horror in the face of death, serious injury, rape, or other forced sexual acts. We can also be traumatized secondarily, whenwe listen to someone else’s traumatic experience (Lesson 7), especially if it is a family member or close friend. Trauma leads to grief, as it involves loss of some sort. But we can experience grief without trauma (the slow death of an elderly parent, for example). Not all emotional pain is trauma, and not all problem behaviors are the result of trauma.

GRIEF

TRAUMA/ HEART WOUND • intense fear • helplessness • horror

Trauma always involves grief, but we can experience grief without trauma.

Learning objectives By the end of this lesson, participants will be able to: • Define the concept of trauma as a “heart wound”

• Identify behaviors that may indicate a heart wound in self and others • Give biblical support that shows God accepts our honest emotions • “Treat” heart wounds by listening to a person share their pain • “Treat” heart wounds by doing an art expression exercise • Manage strong feelings through a breathing exercise

The Lessons

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