Each session will begin with a brief time of trauma education and information on the processing techniques we will be using. We will also lead you through a series of grounding, breathing, and meditation practices to prepare you for processing and to help you feel calm and relaxed. 

From there, we will move into a time of guided processing. We will help you identify an incident that happened in the past and rate how distressing that event feels to you today on a scale from 0-10. We will not ask you to share about your experience with the group or dwell on the details of what happened.

Instead, we will bring your attention away from the distressing incident and towards a positive and distracting focus. We will then guide you through a series of body-based methods (including bilateral stimulation) and Christian meditation strategies that aim to reduce feelings of distress connected to the past incident and help you gain new insight into your experience. 

Participants will listen to the instructions, will process on their own, and will not be asked to interact with others in the group. Each session will conclude with information on further resources and a time for Q&A. 

Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is any kind of stimulation that occurs alternately on both sides of the body. Depending on the specific group session, we may use tactile and/or auditory bilateral stimulation. At times you may use your hands to tap on alternate sides of your body. Other times, we may use music and tones that alternate from ear to ear as a form of auditory bilateral stimulation. 

Many people find that bilateral stimulation has a calming effect on the nervous system. Stimulating alternate sides of the body can also facilitate the processing of information across the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Brief exposure to a traumatic incident followed by diverting your attention to a positive focus paired with BLS has been shown to reduce the distress connected that incident. For many people, this can have a positive impact on present day symptoms. More information on the mechanisms behind our processing approach will be provided at the beginning of each session. 

The processing strategies we use are designed to avoid increased anxiety and distress as much as possible. However, while most participants report reduced distress and positive processing experiences, participating in a group processing session comes with potential risks. 

• Distressing, unresolved memories might surface during our time of group processing.  
• Some participants may experience reactions during a group processing session that neither they nor the group leader may have anticipated, including a high level of emotional or physical sensations.
• After the processing session, the processing of material may continue and other dreams, memories, flashbacks, feelings, sensations, etc. may surface.

To reduce the risk of causing negative reactions among participants, we do not spend significant time dwelling on the past distressing situation. Instead, we provide brief exposure to a distressing incident and then focus your attention in a positive or pleasant direction. 

 At the end of every processing session, we offer support and appropriate referrals for people who may need continued individual counseling. We also spend significant time teaching participants coping strategies to use to calm any difficult experiences that may arise. 

Attendees will not receive a recording of the processing session.  We want to respect the confidentiality of attendees to the fullest extent possible in a group setting, and recordings could compromise the privacy of people who attend. 

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer refunds once you sign up for the event. 

Yes, if you are unable to afford the cost of a session, please email info@christiantraumacounseling.com and indicate which session you would like to attend. We will send you a coupon to access the session for free, no questions asked.

When you join the session, you will enter a Zoom room where you will be able to see everyone who is in attendance. You are welcome to keep your video off for the duration of the session, but the name you have saved to your Zoom account will display on your video screen.

Group leaders will maintain the confidentiality of participants to the fullest extent possible, including not disclosing who has attended the event. Group leaders will maintain confidentiality of information presented during the Q&A, except in cases of disclosure of child abuse or if someone is a danger to self or others.  

We ask all group participants to maintain confidentiality of other group members, including the presence of other participants within the session and anything discussed within the time of Q&A. However, confidentiality between group participants cannot be guaranteed, as it is not possible to ensure that all participants will abide by this agreement. Please keep this in mind as you decide what information to share during the Q&A. 

Yes, you can register for as many sessions as fit your life experiences.