Joy Forrest

Joy Forrest is the founder and executive director of Called to Peace Ministries.  She is author of Called to Peace: A Survivor’s Guide to Finding Peace & Healing After Domestic Abuse and the Called to Peace Companion Workbook.

Sessions

The Spiritual Impacts of Abuse

The spiritual impacts of abuse creates confusion. When we cannot find meaning or purpose for our suffering, we often look elsewhere to find it and to escape the pain. This session will open your eyes to the various ways we try to find peace outside of God, how these attempt to escape usually intensify our suffering, and how we can replace these items this session will open your eyes to the various ways we try to find peace outside of God, how these attempts to escape usually intensify our suffering, and how we can replace these idols with the one true God.

Darby Strickland

Darby Strickland is a counselor and faculty member for the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation. She is the author of Is it Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims. She is also a contributor to the free web-based training curriculum Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused.

Sessions

Will God Renew and Redeem Your Story? (Main Session) 

Domestic violence victims carry a story about what has happened to them. The first draft sounds like one laced with guilt and shame. It is likely that the people around you, including your abuser, contributed to your shame-filled version. Over time these stories need to be more accurate and reflect what actually happened. Your story needs to be about what happened to you, the wounds you carry, and God’s disdain for the abuse you endured. It is powerful to tell yourself the truth and even more healing for your story to emerge in community. Your story will benefit the hearts around you and, eventually, be about what God has done.

Rewriting Your Story (Breakout)

This workshop will walk participants through the plenary session. Giving them structure and time to write the first new draft of their story. Abuse has often done so much damage to one’s relationship with the Lord. So, it is critical to restore your ability to speak to him about the hard things you face and how you feel about him. This workshop will facilitate honest lamenting before the Lord.

Sexual Abuse in Marriage (Breakout)

Sexual abuse in marriage occurs in about 70% of the Christian women I counsel. Many are not even aware what they have endured is abuse. I will define marital sexual abuse, explain what it looks like and address the false teaching that has harmed too many women. 

Georgia Shaffer

Georgia Shaffer knows what it’s like to bounce back after repeated challenges and abuse.  Her passion is to support women and help them to develop the skills needed to move from reeling to resilient.  As an author, professional certified coach and licensed psychologist in PA she offers individual and group coaching.

Sessions

Spiritual Principles for a Better Tomorrow

“The path you have chosen spiritually, emotionally and relationally will determine where you end up.” Andy Stanley 

As you develop characteristics like resilience and grit, you will strengthen your spiritual and emotional immune systems and promote your ability to deal with uncertainty, anxiety and the challenges brought by loss and trauma. This workshop will cover the spiritual principals, tools, and steps needed for you to build a better life.  

Rebecca Davis

Rebecca Davis is the author or collaborating author of 20 books for children and adults. With over 40 years of study of the Scriptures, she writes her adult books to help Christians have a deeper understanding of the true God and His love for them, to help those who have been abused find hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to help Christians better understand how they can help those in need.

Sessions

Untwisting Scriptures

God’s Word has been used against you to keep you in a place of bondage to those who wish you harm. In fact, for some, the Scriptures have been so badly twisted that they can’t even read the Bible. But because the Bible is where we find the hope and heart of God, untwisting these twisted Scriptures needs to be a priority for everyone who wants to know Him. This workshop will give you some practical tools to be able to untwist these twisted teachings for yourself so you can know the true God as He really is.

Carolyn Thompson

Evangelist Carolyn J. Thompson is an ordained and licensed Minister of the Gospel, serving as an associate minister at Cornerstone Christian Community Church. She has 23 years of legal and judicial experience. She founded Abigail’s Veil Ministry to equip the faith-based community to combat domestic violence using Scripture and the law. 

Sessions

Legal Issues

A panel discussion with Judge Carolyn Thompson and Attorney Tiffany Lesnik as they discuss the ways that you can best be prepared for Court whether you are representing yourself or are working with an attorney. Topics to be discussed include: how to find favor with the Court; best evidence to collect and present; how to be an asset to your attorney rather than a hindrance, how to tackle alienation claims; dealing with a narcissist opposing party, getting the best custody outcomes, special considerations with domestic violence, how to handle fees and expenses; and more.

Legal Q&A with Tiffany Lesnik and Judge Carolyn Thompson

Greg Wilson

Greg Wilson, D.Ed.Min., LPC is a licensed professional counselor and board-approved counselor supervisor in the state of Texas. He leads Soul Care Associates, a counseling and consulting practice in Flower Mound, Texas. Dr. Wilson is the co-author of When Home Hurts: A Guide for Responding Wisely to Domestic Abuse in Your Church.

Sessions

The Church Can (And Must) Be A Place of Safety and Peace

This session will describe how the church can be safer for victims and dismantle the systemic conditions that allow abuse to exist. We will consider how the church should respond to abuse by caring for victims, confronting perpetrators, and making the changes that are necessary to create peace and safety.

Inside the Mind and Heart of an Abusive Person.

Why do abusers do the things that they do? How should victims, advocates, counselors, and church leaders think about perpetrators of abuse? What kinds of help and services does he need? These are the types of questions that will be answered in this session.

Debra Wingfield

With over 45 years training therapists and counseling children and adults who experienced child maltreatment and family violence, Dr. Wingfield now educates and trains professionals, community members, advocates, and therapists on coercive control, domestic and family violence, and the impacts of child maltreatment.

Sessions

Tips to Parent Traumatized Children

Christine Chappell

Christine is passionate about advocating for biblical one-another care and discipleship in the context of the local church. Christine serves her local church as a biblical counselor and lives in South Carolina with her husband and three children. Her writing has been featured at Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and Risen Motherhood.

Sessions

Help! I’ve Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder

When we’ve been diagnosed with a mental disorder, it can feel like our entire world is being redefined. We may wrestle with questions like: Does this label define me now? How can God redeem this? What hope is there for change? In this session, author Christine Chappell addresses common fears and concerns about what a disorder diagnosis does—and doesn’t—mean for life moving forward. Speaking from her own experience of God’s transforming grace, Christine helps women to consider stabilizing biblical truths about their personhood, purpose in life, and potential for experiencing progress on their post-diagnosis journey. It’s our prayer that women would walk away from this session feeling encouraged, equipped, and empowered to face their nuanced challenges with fresh perspective.

Shannon McCoy

Shannon is a retreat and conference speaker. She serves on the Biblical Counseling Coalition Council Board and is a contributing blogger for them as well.

Sessions

What Helps, What Hurts: Replacing Shallow Substitutes for the One True God

When we experience abuse, it can be difficult to make sense of what is happening. Our world feels turned upside down, and we may feel like we are going crazy. In times like this, it is easy to turn to other sources for comfort and meaning. We may seek out things or people that can give us a sense of control or power over our lives. But these substitutes for the One true God are counterfeit gods that cannot truly satisfy or heal us. In this session, we will explore some of the most common counterfeit gods and learn how to replace them with the Son of God.

Michael Gembola

Michael Gembola is executive director of Blue Ridge Christian Counseling in Southwest Virginia. He is a licensed professional counselor and an ordained minister. He holds masters degrees from Westminster Seminary in Counseling (MAC) and in Biblical Studies (MAR), and has done continuing education in trauma recovery.

Sessions

Divorce & Mercy

“Divorce and Mercy” presents the Bible’s teaching on God’s mercy to those who experience profound suffering in marriage, and the nature of his provision of divorce, as well as common Christian understandings. We’ll consider how best to navigate the complex decision for ourselves or those we love.

Sharmen Kimbrough

Sharmen specializes in navigating life and relationships from a Christ-centered perspective. She brings a strong sense of optimism to the table and is often able to reframe issues in a way that brings insight and motivation to change.  She loves speaking hope into hard situations and watching people grab hold of that hope to work toward a breakthrough in the mess they’re facing.

Sessions

Spiritual Self-Protection Bootcamp

God’s truth always leads to life, light, and freedom for your soul.  And wisdom tells us to seek truth above all else.  But, what are we relying on as our source?  Most often it is some sort of “authority” in our lives, like our pastor or church, a spouse, or people in our lives we view as more spiritually mature than ourselves.  Jesus, however, told us that God himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, is our authority.  He has the final say.  He makes the final judgement call about the status of our soul.  We’re going to account to him for our personal journey with him.  Not for the journey someone else may have decided for us.  So the question becomes, how do we walk with God as our authority, making room for the people around us to be where they are without losing our soul to them and their ways?  How do we use boundaries to show up well, love well, and maintain who God has designed, called and purposed each of us to be?  We will talk about how to structure your life in such a way that you walk steadfastly, consistently, and honorably as a daughter of the Most High King, created for such a time as this. 

Dale & Faith Ingraham

Dale and Faith are co-founders of Speaking Truth in Love Ministries and strong advocates for victims of abuse and domestic violence. Dale and Faith have been serving in ministry since their marriage in 1984.

Sessions

Hope & Healing for Survivors

This session looks at both Biblical and Practical ways to promote healing for abuse survivors. 

LaTonya Allen

LaTonya is a wife, mother, advocate, and public speaker. A domestic violence survivor, she speaks in support, and sometimes on behalf, of children, women, and men whose lives have been impacted by domestic violence. 

Sessions

Fill Your Own Cup: Healing From Trauma

As a survivor of domestic violence, I will share my healing journey and include some practical tips on how to heal and recover. This session will also cover the relationship between grief and trauma. 

Tiffany Lesnik

Tiffany focuses on domestic violence, custody,  including high conflict custody, stepparent adoptions, grandparent visitation, and the settlement and litigation of family law disputes. Tiffany was the single mother of two daughters and understands how challenging and expensive the legal process can be – having gone through domestic violence and a divorce herself.

Sessions

Legal Issues

A panel discussion with Judge Carolyn Thompson and Attorney Tiffany Lesnik as they discuss the ways that you can best be prepared for Court whether you are representing yourself or are working with an attorney. Topics to be discussed include: how to find favor with the Court; best evidence to collect and present; how to be an asset to your attorney rather than a hindrance, how to tackle alienation claims; dealing with a narcissist opposing party, getting the best custody outcomes, special considerations with domestic violence, how to handle fees and expenses; and more.

Legal Q&A with Tiffany Lesnik and Judge Carolyn Thompson

Tabitha Westbrook

Tabitha teaches skills that help her clients feel better in their lives and work through the traumatic events getting in the way of their day-to-day life. Tabitha believes hope and healing is possible, no matter how bad circumstances have been. She especially takes joy in helping her Christian clients know God more deeply as they heal.

Sessions

Managing Your Mind to Help Manage Trauma Aftermath

Abuse and trauma can do a number on our minds and souls. We can have thoughts and beliefs that get stuck, flashbacks, nightmares, and a whole host of other things that try to keep us from moving forward. We know God says to set our minds on things above. Additionally, research shows learning to refocus your mind on the present moment can reduce depression and anxiety as much as medication when you practice these skills as little as 10 minutes a day over eight weeks. But the question often is – “How do we do this? What are the tools? What does it practically look like to set our minds on things above?” In this session, Tabitha Westbrook, LMFT, LCMHC, LPC, CCTP will teach you exactly that – practical skills to help refocus your mind so these things don’t continue to haunt you. This session will be experiential and participants will leave with a list of tools to help them in this present moment begin or continue to take back their lives after experiencing trauma and abuse. 

Hands-on EMDR Restorative Skill Demo & Activity Training

Licensed Counselors Tabitha Westbrook and Norma Digeso will provide a brief overview of EMDR therapy and lead a small group (limited to 15 participants) in a hands-on, Scripture-based restorative skill demonstration and activity. This optional session will last 60 minutes and will help participants use scripture and self-tapping to reduce feelings of distress.

Heather Elizabeth

For over forty years, I let toxins attack me from every direction. I took care of others, but I had no idea how to take care of myself. My body was sick. My mind was tormented. My spirit was broken. I endured abuse of every kind and barely crawled through each day. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Sessions

Rebuilding After Abuse: Body, Mind & Spirit

I will share how I chose to remove toxins from all areas of my life, connected with counselors and holistic doctors and made major lifestyle changes by establishing healthy habits. 

I have been on a fierce and intentional journey to heal after a lifetime of abuse.

Childhood abuse laid a foundation for other forms of abuse and at age 42, I was sick in my body, mind and spirit.

In a 3.5 year span of time, I was diagnosed with multiple chronic illnesses, separated, divorced, lost my faith community and empty-nested.

Ann Maree Goudzwaard

Ann Maree Goudzwaard is the Executive Director of Help[H]er. She is the co-author of Help[H]er: A Churchwide Response for Women in Crisis (CDM, 2020).

Sessions

Walking in Heels

Many women know what it feels like to walk in high heels. That common bond between us when it comes to shoes is also a dynamic when it comes to our relationships. Women get other women. We have the ability to feel each other’s pain. We may not share the exact same experience, yet God has gifted each of us (as helpers) with the capacity to walk in another woman’s shoes.

Beth Broom

Beth Broom is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) and Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (CCTS-I). She owns a private counseling practice specializing in trauma healing. She also serves as the Care Minister at The Village Church Denton in Denton, Texas.

Sessions

The Good Shepherd’s Delight in Your Healing Journey

Relatable testimony and encouragement for the journey of healing. Beth will teach on Psalm 23 as well as stories from the gospels about His care and kindness. She is very passionate about communicating the love and gentleness of Jesus toward those who are healing.

The Helper’s Role in Healing Trauma

Take a deep dive into how trauma affects the helping relationship. You will gain information on how the brain processes trauma (so helpers can understand the need for slowness, trust-building and connection with traumatized people), and also some basics of the ways to go about walking with someone through processing their trauma.

Renee Best

This verse touches my heart and reminds me why I started my journey in the mental health field.  As a Christian, I am passionate about combining faith and spirituality into therapy. I want to help people remove the negative stigma attached to seeking therapy. I love to see people grow and heal from their past and I want to be a part of their journey to feeling whole.

Sessions

ANEW YOU: Giving Yourself Grace on a Journey to a New You

You ever wonder if you made the right decision or what is next in my life?  In this session we will focus on you, the woman and what that means.  God tells us that  “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalms 139:14 NKJV).  As women we tend to focus on our roles and forget our own hopes and dreams.  We will explore your hopes, fears and strengths.  We will challenge and decrease the symptoms associated with intrusive thoughts.  We will learn how to set new goals for ourselves by using self-care and coping skills.  In essence, we will work to get back to who we are as women and what that means in the aftermath of domestic violence.  By the end of the session I pray you will be able to answer this question:  Who am I?

Liz Evans

Liz Evans, LMT is an emotionally destructive marriage survivor, a mom of 6 kids, a grandma,  and has been practicing massage therapy and bodywork for over twenty years.  She has pioneered an incredibly gentle & non-invasive form of bodywork called “Core Alignment Therapy” that she teaches to other bodyworkers.

Sessions

The ABC’s of Restorative Movement

So many of us live in our heads, playing the same records of self-doubt, filled with jarring notes of stress and anxiety.  We are cut off from our bodies and stuck in fight or flight, frozen in chronic tension.  Often we are not even aware of the insidious soundtrack of our lives, but our bodies are taking these messages in very deeply.  Join Liz Evans of HandsOnBodyworks, to learn strategies to become aware of these stress patterns. Explore how to listen to your body and discover what it can tell you about your emotional health. Move with Liz as you take in these trauma-informed strategies for communicating with and calming the central nervous system with breath work, restorative movement, holistic self-care strategies and deep body awareness.  Your body does not have to happen to you, let Liz teach you how to “happen” to your body.

C-PTSD: Mapping Your Way to Healing

Almost everyone has C-PTSD which is first and foremost an attachment disorder according to Pete Walker, the author of C-PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving.  If the DSM-5 were to subtract all of the misdiagnoses that are actually C-PTSD, cites another expert in the field, it would be a pamphlet, not a huge tome of disorders. Most of us know that we have it.  I am on the journey of healing from it’s insidious effects and it is powerful to know what it is,  how it manifests and the beautiful healing process that can be yours as you become who you were fully created to be.  Explore hands-on somatic strategies for walking this path and doing it in community.  You will find that things you thought were just you, could be the C-PTSD. 

Peter Escue

Peter Escue is a cybersecurity professional with a major software company.  He clients include governments and major universities, and he helps them strengthen their defenses against ransomware, advanced persistent threats, and other cyber attacks.

Sessions

Tech Safety

Technology can make our lives easier in some respects, but it can also be used to track, harass, and harm our clients.  This session with help you understand some of the ways perpetrators can use our cell phones, home automation devices, Internet services, and other technologies to further or continue the abuse of their victims.

Carolyn Weaver

Carolyn “Charismata” Weaver is a lover of Jesus, wife, homeschool mom, artist, blogger, and author of The Invitation. As a CPTSD survivor/overcomer, she is passionate about bringing others into an intimate, healing relationship with God through the artistic process and through her writing.

Sessions

Art for Trauma Interactive Class: Becoming a New Creation in Christ

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

I will be giving step by step instructions on how to paint the butterfly and leading them through listening exercising on how to listen to the Lord through healing art.