HTH B22 - When Clergy Harm

Course Description

Clergy have been abusing vulnerable children, women and men for decades. Public awareness of the sheer numbers of abused and abusers have increased, bringing clients forward who continue to live with symptoms directly related to the abuse. Other clients have relapsed into their symptoms as they have come to understand how little Church leadership seems to have done to prevent further predatory behavior. Many of the abused report lives devastated by the abuse and seem unable to integrate the abuse and their resilience into their understanding of themselves and are "stuck." Many clinicians, unaware of discreet injuries that are activated, shift therapeutic work from depth to support, thus accidentally exacerbating client symptoms.