Dawn Stary wants to educate the Church on the importance of being trauma-informed and creating safe Churches for survivors of trauma. She used grant funding to develop a curriculum that equips church leaders to offer a trauma-informed response in pastoral care, especially for survivors of domestic abuse. Her research included consulting with colleagues at the School of Theology, with the Rev. Becca Stevens of Thistle Farms and with the Rev. Kim Jackson of the Church of the Common Ground in Atlanta.
Stary offered the curriculum to lay and ordained leaders in the Diocese of San Diego, and received valuable responses and suggestions from them. She hopes to offer it to a wider audience in the church, and to develop preaching content and forum series along with youth group content.
She believes that trauma-informed pastoral caregivers are better prepared to offer hospitality, to take care of and watch over those in need, and to love their neighbor as themselves. Through this they will offer Good News to all.
