Chaplain Lynne writes:

Hope and Spirituality are linked to Trauma Recovery.

Spirituality has a deep healing impact on the recovery of individuals experiencing a traumatic event. Healing fundamentally centers around the spiritual impact of hope. Recent studies have discovered that spirituality is a significant factor in the attitude of Hope. In the studies conducted at institutions such as Stanford, having hope and a spiritual influence, actually demonstrated in studies and predicated whether veterans developed PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

The Chaplaincy courses at Living Shield Ministries help us learn the importance of Hope.

What is Hope? Hope is essentially a belief that things can get better. Trauma draws a person deep within and in that moment of crisis, they have no hope. They are surrounded by their pain and the noise of their circumstance blocks out hope that anything can be any different than they are at that moment.

Imagine what a loss of Hope does to an individual. It limits the ability to make decisions, to look forward and move out of the Survival state the mind automatically evolves into. No expectation of anything, ever being different then it feels right now … and you have lost hope because your loss is deep … dark … forever gone and hope is swallowed up in it. What is more… that dark cloud can overlap everything … everything in your life… touching everyone in its path… including those who love you … are close to you and even those who desire to help you. Without a forward-looking perspective, people can become trapped in their suffering. Hope allows an individual to move forward and enables trauma survivors to imagine possibilities beyond their current pain and crisis. Small steps forward, allow the hope to grow, the decisions to be made and a future to be moved toward.

A hope-based focus, centered around spirituality, leads the individual who is in pain and suffering, to look beyond themselves and to an entity that has greater reach than they do.

Spirituality lays the groundwork, nurtures and feeds the hope. Hope heals. Prayer is an impacting factor in building hope and healing. Scientific research shows that prayer can significantly alter the brain’s structure, improving emotional regulation, reducing stress, and increasing feelings of peace and hope. Dr. Caroline Leaf, a cognitive neuroscientist, states that consistent prayer can detox our minds resulting in a renewal of our thought patterns. When we pray, our brain forms new neural pathways that align with hope and a focus on our foundational beliefs, rather than fear, anxiety, or past trauma. The Bible affirms this by calling us to renew our minds (Romans 12:2). Through prayer, we train our brains to trust in Gods sovereignty, replacing worry and fear with faith and hope.

Many Chaplains draw on their own experiences of hardship and healing to support others facing similar challenges. By cultivating and sharing hope through service, they help foster healing in themselves and others, turning adversity into compassion and purpose and growing more Hope.

Chaplain, where is your Hope today?

As a Chaplain, it is essential you are aware of your Hope. The pain filled questions of a hopeless person can affect your foundation. Make sure your foundation is grounded in Hope and sustained in prayer!

Blessings, Chaplain Lynne

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” ~ Romans 12:12 ESV