Teens’ Program overview
Our teens need help. The trauma they endure and the pressures they live with threaten their lives every day. Many suffer at the hands of abusers, face neglect and abandonment, struggle with conditions of poverty and poor living conditions, and live with the realities of violence and domestic abuse.
The church is meant to be a place of refuge and healing. The Bible tells us that Jesus sent his disciples into communities to “proclaim God’s kingdom and to heal …” (Luke 9:2). Several times we see that the proclaimers of the good news of God’s kingdom are also sent to help those in need of healing. The same is true of those who follow Jesus today.
How can we help teens?
By offering healing in the name of Jesus. This book is the facilitator manual for “Life Hurts. Love Heals,” a program that provides an experiential approach to healing wounded hearts and finding hope together. This manual can be used to help structure a trauma healing ministry in the church. It is designed for those who work with youth and are familiar with their needs and lifestyles.
Each lesson offers basic mental health principles for working with traumatized teens within a biblical framework. Scripture is used throughout the Life Hurts. Love Heals. curriculum, as the knowledge of God, God’s character, and God’s relationship with people provides the foundation for the emotional and spiritual healing that transforms victims into survivors and eventually even into celebrants.
The materials are designed to be used with youth between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, but the journal does not specify a target age, and the program can be adapted to work with older youth as well.
Working with traumatized teens
This program is intended for those who already have considerable experience working with teens. Traumatized teens can be challenging to work with, given their emotional deficits and sometimes difficult behavior. It takes an experienced teen worker to be able to respond lovingly and appropriately and with wise behavior management and safe engagement. Here are some things to remember.
- Trauma of any kind leaves emotional wounds that must be addressed for healthy ongoing development.
- If these heart wounds are not addressed, there will be long-term negative effects on the teen’s physical health, social behavior, and ability to maintain long-term relationships.
- There is no trauma that cannot be healed. It may take a long time, but God is able to heal broken, shattered hearts.
