SACRED WOUNDS: A PATH TO HEALING FROM SPIRITUAL TRAUMA

Chalice Press, October 20, 2015

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Trauma therapist Teresa Mateus (formerly Teresa B. Pasquale) offers healing exercises, true-life examples, and life-giving discussion for anyone suffering from the very real pain of church hurt. Pasquale, a trauma survivor herself, understands the immeasurable value of our wounds once we've acknowledged them and recovered in community. That's why the wounds are "sacred," and the hope this book offers is a powerful message to anyone suffering from this widespread problem.

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This book explores the nature of emotional wounds, trauma, and spiritual hurt that come from negative religious experience. Some of the features are:

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• Stories from a wide range of persons hurt by negative religious experience

• Healing and contemplative practices to help readers explore their own spiritual story and practical ways to move towards personal healing

• A journey through the experience of trauma in religious settings and how it is both relatable to other forms of trauma and distinctive -- outlining both facets

• An exploration of the author's own personal and professional understanding of hurt, trauma, PTSD, and the power of resiliency and healing.

"So many people have been wounded by religion. So few understand the personal, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of these wounds. As a pastor and a professional therapist, Teresa Pasquale is the first person I would go to for help in processing spiritual pain. Now, her gentle wisdom is available widely through Sacred Wounds. It is beautifully written and pastorally rich. Highly recommended!" --Brian D. McLaren, Author/Speaker

"Sacred Wounds is an incredible tool of hope! Teresa B. Pasquale is an amazing guide, tender and wise, and offers her own experiences, other's powerful stories, and practical, gentle, and meaningful exercises for healing. I will be sharing it with the many people I know longing for hope after experiencing religious trauma." --Kathy Escobar, pastor and author of Faith Shift: Finding Your Way Forward When Everything You Believe Is Coming Apart