Beyond the Mission : A Guide for Pastoral Counselors on Traumatic Stress in Missionary Relief Workers

Pastoral counselors play a crucial role when Christian servant missionaries return from relief work bearing the marks of traumatic stress. Drawing upon his own experience in ministry in Haiti and Kenya and reflecting upon the resources of Christian counseling, Dr. Abel St. Amour presents invaluable tools for pastoral counselors assisting servant missionaries to draw upon the rich resources of faith to find healing. The first part of this guide presents a theoretical overview of the servant missionary's work, trauma, spirituality, faith, and methods for coping with life. The second section of the book explores practical ways the counselor's own faith and spirituality can support the servant missionary's search for healing. St. Amour offers a broad and deep array of insights, including how trauma stresses the spiritual life of a missionary; how a pastoral counselor can intervene effectively in the midst of an emergency; how to promote the use of rituals of faith for personal support in the midst of the servant missionary's stressful daily work; how to incorporate personal spirituality and faith into counseling treatment; and how to recognize the effective limits of these insights in the work of pastoral counseling. Beyond the Mission recognizes that courage, patience, understanding, biblical knowledge, and the gifts of the Spirit all play vital parts when a pastoral counselor works with servant missionaries carrying the burden of traumatic stress. By engaging the offered insights of faith and practice, you may find your heart softened and your wisdom increased, thus bolstering your service.