Christian Trauma Healing Network (CTHN) offers avenues for training, collaboration and resource-sharing among Christian mental health professionals, pastors, agencies and lay ministers. We aim to make the Christian community the best place on earth for healing the wounds of trauma.
Our primary services include training and development through online and in-person workshops and member networking meetings. We offer written content through our website, as well as opportunities for individual and agency-wide consultation with expert trauma healing specialists.
What Prompted Our Beginning:
The National Council for Behavioral Health reports that at least 70% of Americans have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetimes. Trauma healing is an essential goal in the mental health profession, yet very few graduate programs for mental health professionals and clergy require courses in trauma healing. Most mental health providers and clergy enter the profession with little to no understanding of how to help and care for those who have been traumatized.
Upon researching Christian mental health organizations, we discovered no organization or association devoted exclusively to trauma healing from a Christ-centered perspective. We also discovered through interviews and collaboration that many trauma healing professionals reported a need for resources and encouragement in their vocations. National organizations designed for Christian counselors often include very few posts, podcasts and training opportunities devoted to trauma healing.
In July of 2021, we provided an online workshop called “Fundamentals of Trauma Healing.” Seventy percent of our attendees were lay counselors and ministry volunteers, and 30% were mental health professionals. Upon completion of that training, 90% of the participants surveyed stated that they needed ongoing support in their work with trauma survivors. They asked for networking, collaboration and additional training and content. Out of these recommendations, Christian Trauma Healing Network was founded. What began as a Facebook group grew quickly over six months, and the official 501(c)3 nonprofit was founded in December of 2021.
What We Believe
We affirm the unique authority of Scripture as the inerrant Word of God, and we are committed to its primacy and sufficiency. We believe God has given us His Word as the revelation of His character, promises and commands.
We believe mankind is created in the image of God, fashioned by His perfect design and given dominion to work and carry out His sovereign will in the world. We use our bodies, minds, emotions and volitions to bring about flourishing for all of creation.
We believe unity with God was fractured when mankind voluntarily rebelled against God’s commands for flourishing. As a result, sin and death affect every element of creation, bringing about all kinds of suffering.
We believe human beings suffer as a result of their own sin, the sins of others, and living in a fallen world. All types of suffering are a devastation of flourishing and therefore need healing and redemption from God.
We believe salvation is a gift from God received only by grace through faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. His sacrificial and substitutionary death paid the penalty for our sin, and His resurrection sealed the promise of our eternal life with Him.
We believe the Holy Spirit is given to every believer in Christ as a guarantee of salvation. The Holy Spirit speaks to believers and brings comfort, teaching, conviction, wisdom and communion with God.
Our Ministry Philosophy
We seek to minister alongside Christians from a range of theological perspectives, including all those who are believers in Jesus Christ and who seek to minister the hope of the gospel to those they serve. Our content, training and collaborative events are built on the foundation of the Word of God and the ministry of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We respect and consider the advances of scientific research and professional practice in the content we provide. While we believe the Word of God is primary and must be foundational in all things, we understand that God gives common graces and gifts of wisdom in many forms. Such forms may include advances in scientific knowledge of the body and brain, as well as increased understanding of the dynamics of human relationships. We do not believe that secular psychology can ever provide a holistic vision of flourishing because of its human-centered approach. Therefore, our utilization of secular materials will be limited to those which confirm principles found in God’s Word.
Board of Directors
Christian Trauma Healing Network is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and registered in the state of Texas.
Beth M. Broom, LPC-S, CCTP-II
President
Ashley Sherwood
Secretary
Kenny Broom, CPA
Treasurer
Greg Wilson, D.Min, LPC-S
Board Member
Mallory Gerner, LPC
Board Member
Sami Jo Graff
Board Member
Danett Green
Board Member & Social Media Manager
Meet the Team
Beth Broom
Founder and Executive Director
LPC-Supervisor, CCTS-1
Beth created CTHN with the vision for Christian leadership and mental health professionals to collaborate on the healing of trauma. She owns a private counseling practice in Denton, Texas specializing in trauma healing. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor – Supervisor (LPC-S) and Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (CCTS-I).
Ashley Sherwood
Executive Administrator
Ashley serves as an administrator for CTHN. She has served in church-based counseling ministry for over a decade and has a heart for walking with those who are have experienced trauma and are seeking Christ-centered healing. Her professional background is in software development and management. She has a passion for learning and implementing technology to further the vision of CTHN.