Description
*IMPORTANT**
We are pleased to announce a new policy regarding NBCC credit for non-live CounselTalk webinars. Effective immediately, participants can now earn “On-Demand” NBCC credit for CounselTalk webinars that are not attended live. To receive this credit, participants must complete a 10-question quiz and an evaluation following the On-demand CounselTalk webinar.
Please note the following details:
- The CounselTalk webinar will switch to “On-Demand” credit after 11:59 pm on the day of the webinar.
- Participants must sign up for the CounselTalk webinar prior to its start time to be eligible for this type of credit.
- We believe this change will provide greater flexibility and convenience for our participants.
Thank you for your continued engagement and commitment to professional development.
Healing the Attachment Wound with God After Spiritual Trauma: Applying Attachment Theory, Somatic Experiencing, and EMDR
Thursday, April 16th.
6:00 – 8:30 PM ET
Level: Beginner
Presenter:
Colleen Ramser, M.A., LPC, is an EMDR-certified and somatically trained therapist specializing in trauma—particularly issues of spiritual trauma, domestic abuse, and complex trauma. She is also a speaker, author, and podcaster who meets Christ-followers at the intersection of trauma and faith. Colleen has appeared on Christianity Today’s “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” and “The Slow Work.” Her first book—for survivors recovering from spiritual trauma—will be published by Tyndale Refresh in 2026. As a survivor of trauma, Colleen is a compassionate witness on the journey, bringing not only her clinical expertise but a deep knowing of dark nights and the breath of new mercies.
Summary:
After spiritual abuse, many wounded individuals struggle to connect with God, engage in spiritual practices, or even remain within a church community. Their attachment to God often feels ruptured, unsafe, and disembodied. When spiritual abuse results in spiritual trauma, clients may begin to associate anything related to God with the original harm.
This raises a critical question for providers: what is the clinical roadmap when clients are experiencing a trauma response to their faith? Many clients may desire to restore their relationship with God and the church, yet struggle to find resources that are not retraumatizing.
This session will equip Christian providers to identify symptoms of spiritual trauma, support clients with stabilization and nervous system regulation, and gently restore connection using attachment theory, Somatic Experiencing, and EMDR-informed interventions. Participants will also learn how to develop a personalized plan that honors clients’ pace while fostering safe, ongoing attachment to God.
While this training is accessible to clinicians from a variety of backgrounds, prior training in EMDR is strongly recommended, as many of the concepts and clinical applications discussed assume familiarity with EMDR theory, language, and phases of treatment.
Learning Objectives:
- Assess for markers of spiritual trauma, including attachment disruptions, spiritual capacity, and nervous system responses that emerge in clients’ relationship with God and spiritual practices.
- Educate clients about common experiences after spiritual trauma such as spiritual cynicism, a spiritual “dark night,” and decreased spiritual capacity.
- Apply Somatic Experiencing-informed and EMDR techniques to stabilize and support safety, regulation, and readiness before trauma processing.
- Utilize EMDR-informed interventions and Somatic Experiencing-informed techniques to process spiritually rooted trauma while maintaining attunement to clients’ faith-related attachment wounds.
- Collaboratively develop a trauma-informed plan to expand clients’ spiritual capacity and support gradual and ongoing restoration of a safe, secure attachment to God.
Continuing Education
Approved for LPC, LMFT, LCSW, and IBCC *Note: This webinar is not approved for APA CE credit.
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 https://www.lightuniversity.com/continuing-education-statement/.
*Webinars MUST be watched LIVE to receive CE Credit.
