HEALING THE BROKEN-HEARTED:
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN HEALING FOR TRAUMATIC ABUSE

Since the Vietnam War, a growing body of information has been gathered on the effects trauma has on the human soul. What used to be called "shell shock" or "battle fatigue" has been seen as the lingering effects on the mind and emotions of the powerful trauma of war. Intrusive flashbacks, triggered emotional reactions to loud noises, nightmares are all symptoms of what came to be known as "Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." With the terror of September 11, 2001 still fresh in our national psyche, millions became aware of these reactions to trauma firsthand as their eyes were fixed to the television sets and collectively experienced "9/11." Across the media, psychiatrists and psychologists have been explaining the symptoms of PTSD to the nation.

Unfortunately, these reactions to trauma are not limited to war or terrorist acts. They are altogether too familiar to many survivors of family abuse - emotional, physical and sexual. If experienced early in life these events can actually fracture the soul. These traumatic events indeed do "break the heart."

The ancient Orthodox Church has kept, from the times of Christ, effective remedies for healing wounded souls. When our Lord Jesus Christ introduced His public ministry in Nazareth He announced, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted." (St. Luke 4:18a) St. John Chrysostom referred to the Church as a "hospital" and much of her work as "therapy" for souls. Her prayers, her sacraments, and her profound understanding of the human soul and person, provide hope, not merely for feeling better, but for the actual wholeness of a transformed human being in Jesus Christ.

This past September 12-15, 2002, St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church in Kansas City, MO sponsored a conference to address these issues. Bringing together the combined wisdom of both sacramental and psychological insight, the conference approached this inner healing from two vantage points:

• First, survivors of abuse were given guidance on beginning the healing process and then made aware of the tremendous healing resources available to them within the Church and within the therapeutic community.
• Secondly, caregivers of survivors were given direction and training on how to effectively support the healing process for those that have suffered in these areas. This included a workshop for priests on what to look for in trauma survivors and how best to minister to them.

Dr. Matsakis is an Orthodox psychotherapist who has appeared on over forty radio and television appearances, including NBC's "Today Show" and CNN.

She is the author of:

• I Can't Get Over It - A Handbook for Trauma Survivors;
• When the Bough Breaks: A Helping Guide for Parents of Sexually Abused Children;
• Trust After Trauma: A Relationship Guide for Trauma Survivors and Those Who Love Them;
• and many other books and papers.

She received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Maryland. She is an adjunct professor in Counseling and Psychology at John Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, and Montgomery College. In addition she is called upon as an expert witness in post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, civilian trauma, chronic illness.

You can visit her website at http://www.matsakis.com.

Fr. Stephen Plumlee is an Orthodox priest and a psychologist in clinical practice in Sarasota, Florida. He specializes in Imago Relationship Therapy, a modality of treatment that emphasizes relationships as the matrix of the personality and early childhood experience, including abuse and trauma, as the foundation of life patterns.

Fr. Stephen has worked with multiple personality and other dissociative problems as well as recovering addicts. He has been a fieldwork supervisor at St. Vladimir's Seminary, Dean of Residents and member of the teaching and supervisory faculty at the Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute, and instructor in counseling at Fordham University. He has written numerous articles and presented workshops on transforming relationships. In May 2002 he presented a workshop on Eastern Christian spirituality and Imago relationship therapy at the 10th annual conference on Conflict Resolution, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Lyn Breck has degrees in Nursing, Addiction, and Psychology. As a clinician in private practice, she has extensive experience assisting individuals and groups in personal awareness and growth in Christian life. Her background in biblical studies and psychodrama fosters creative exploration of scripture as it applies to real life situations.

She is the former Instructor of Spirituality at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New Rochelle, NY. Since 1988, she has offered many Renewal Retreats and Workshops throughout the United States and Europe. With her husband, Fr. John Breck, she directs St. Silouan Retreat, an Orthodox Christian pastoral ministry in South Carolina for clergy and clergy wives.

Carla is an Orthodox psychotherapist specializing in trauma with children. Presently she has a private practice in mid-town Kansas City, MO.

This past February she spoke on "Dealing with Terror from an Orthodox Perspective" at the 9th Annual Ancient Christianity and African-American Conference in Kansas City, MO.

View the 2002 Conference Schedule:

 Schedule (HTML pop-up; use CTRL-P to print)
 Schedule (Acrobat)