In TRAUMA RECOVERY, you provide a guide to understanding trauma and healing based on biblical reflection, psychology, attachment theory, and personal experience. Why was this an important book for you to write?

This book is especially close to my heart, as my own experience with trauma and recovery fostered a deep compassion for others on similar journeys. My passion is to help people discover that healing is possible and that greater emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being can open the door to a life of renewed wholeness and purpose.

You describe trauma as affecting the brain, body, emotions, relationships, identity, and faith. Which of these areas do you think is most often overlooked?

This is a challenging question, but if I had to choose, I would say the impact of trauma on spiritual wellbeing is often the most overlooked. There has been significant research—and growing public awareness—about how trauma affects the brain, emotions, relationships, self-worth, and, increasingly, the body through studies such as the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study. By comparison, the spiritual consequences of trauma receive far less attention. Yet it is understandable that traumatic experiences can damage a person’s trust in themselves, in other people, and in God. Traumas can raise profound questions about meaning, safety, purpose, and faith, making spiritual healing an important, though often neglected, part of recovery.

Why do you think the gardening metaphor resonates so strongly when talking about trauma and healing?

A gardening metaphor resonates strongly when talking about trauma and healing because:

• It captures the impact of environmental factors on growth. Just as poor weather, insect pests, lack of water or nutrients, and poor soil can impede a plant’s growth, so also abuse, neglect, and other traumatic experiences can hinder human growth and development.
• It reflects the reality that trauma recovery is usually a process. Just as a garden requires time, care, patience, and the right conditions to flourish, so also does healing from trauma
• It acknowledges both vulnerability and resilience. A plant may be bent by a storm, yet survive and grow in new ways. Likewise, trauma can profoundly impact a person’s life without determining their future.
• It conveys hope. A well-cared-for garden can produce new life, beauty, and abundance even after hardship. In the same way, people who have experienced trauma can experience healing, growth, and renewed purpose when given the care and support they need.

If readers could take away just one message from Trauma Recovery, what would you want it to be?

If readers could take just one message from Trauma Recovery, I would want them to align their hearts with God’s caring heart for those impacted by trauma. When we begin to see ourselves and others through the lens of God’s compassion, healing becomes more possible. This perspective encourages healthy growth in self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-care—not as acts of self-indulgence, but as responses to God’s grace and love. My hope is that readers will come away with a deeper understanding of trauma and a greater commitment to extending the same compassion to themselves and others that God extends to us.

Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads