Just as we visit a doctor for physical pain and illness, seeking professional Christian counseling for emotional or mental distress is a courageous step toward overall health and well-being. Through Christian counseling, we can begin to name and understand what we carry—often for the first time.
One of the most common reasons individuals seek counseling is to process and heal from unresolved trauma. Though our nervous systems are highly adaptive and resilient, trauma is the emotional response to a frightening or distressing event in the absence of an empathetic witness.
Not all distressing events lead to trauma. With proper care and support, some experiences can even lead to post-traumatic growth. Science continues to shed light on complex developmental trauma—the result of prolonged exposure to childhood stress, abuse, or neglect.
How Trauma Affects the Brain and Body
Trauma often changes how the brain processes memories and how the body carries stress. It can fragment our experiences and identity, leading to forms of dissociation and disconnection from ourselves and others. Early developmental trauma can alter the nervous system’s baseline, later manifesting as functional freeze states (“My body is here, but my mind is somewhere else…”), chronic fatigue, or emotional numbness.
The body also “remembers” trauma. It can show up as chronic pain, digestive issues, depression, autoimmune disease, or emotional dysregulation. Healing, therefore, must involve the spirit, mind, and body.
Integrative Approaches to Healing Trauma
Traditional talk therapy can be helpful, but it may not always be enough to fully heal trauma. That’s why, at Faithfully Guided, we integrate somatic and body-centered therapies such as:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
- Brainspotting
- Embodied Storytelling
These modalities help individuals process experiences stored in the body and build a coherent, truthful narrative. Through this work, pain becomes integrated rather than fragmented or compartmentalized.
Healing involves reclaiming truth, restoring a deep sense of safety and agency, and developing a healthier relationship with our body and the people in our lives.
Practical Strategies for Healing Trauma
Some of the practical strategies we teach include:
- Grounding techniques to stay embodied, present, and calm the nervous system
- Somatic experiencing to release stored tension, pain, and trauma
- Building supportive, authentic relationships that nurture safety and belonging
- Developing awareness of bodily sensations to foster emotional regulation and resilience
- Reclaiming identity and rediscovering purpose from pain and brokenness
The Importance of Understanding Your Story
You may wonder, “Why go back? What’s done is done.”
No one wants to revisit pain, but to make peace with our past and experience a healthier future, we must first see and honor the full picture of our story. Just as we would never bandage an unclean wound, we must tend to the parts of our story that went unseen and continue to ache beneath the surface.
At Faithfully Guided, we help each person understand their personal timeline—the stories they carry and how those experiences shape current patterns. By identifying and grieving what has been lost or hurt, we can finally say goodbye to lingering pain. This process helps prevent unhealed experiences from reappearing through stuck behaviors, emotional dysregulation, repetitive toxic relationships, or unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Healing does not mean we erase the past. With God’s help, we can transform our relationship with the past.
Becoming Whole in Spirit, Mind, and Body
When we begin to understand our story and tend to the spirit, mind, and body, we discover a deeper sense of peace, freedom, and vitality. This is the work of becoming whole. This is the work of healing.
Scripture reminds us of the embodied nature of our faith, integrated healing, and peace:
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Begin Your Healing Journey
You no longer need to go through a Discovery Process to begin counseling. Simply inquire here or call us at 352-512-0631 to schedule your first Christian counseling appointment.
We are now welcoming counseling-only patients, including individuals, couples, families, and children (starting at age 7).
Wishing you abundance,
Ashlee Seek & Jamie Schofield
Co-Founders & CEOs
