The Best of You:

Summary

It is hard to deny a self you have never been taught to respect. Yet, so many survivors of trauma are struggling with that dilemma. Sometimes, the Christian call to “self-denial” can get misconstrued, especially for clients recovering from complex trauma where a victim’s selfhood is denied and obliterated by a perpetrator. At the same time, we live in an age when allegiance to “self” has been co-opted by secular culture to be the ultimate goal. In this presentation, Dr. Cook will discuss healthy selfhood vs. selfishness so participants can help their clients forge a healthy relationship with themselves that is characterized by the fruit of God’s Spirit.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

1. Describe how to approach misconstrued church messages such as “deny yourself” or “you can’t trust yourself” in the context of complex trauma
2. Apply key interventions to help Christian clients uncover and claim their true identities in Christ
3. Identify key strategies to help heal codependent relationship tendencies rooted in distortions of selfhood

Continuing Education Statement

Approved for 2.0 ASWB and 2.0 IBCC CE Credits

The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) offers some psychologists, therapists, counselors, social workers, and play therapists Continuing Education (CE) credit due to good standing with certain states and a limited number of professional organizations. It remains the responsibility of each participant to be aware of state licensure and CE requirements. Participants should check their state and/or local regulations regarding required Continuing Education hours. For more information on Light University Continuing Education programs, please visit www.lightuniversity.com/continuing-education-statements/.