Page 140 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 6

Christian Psychotherapy

werful Peace of God” used in a way that honors This is desirable early on in counseling. Ho-
their spiritual struggles? How does this apply, wever, I believe that wholeness and health ul-
or does it, to clients who do not self-identify as timately come about not through keeping the
Christian , or to clients whose God-concept is dissociative barrier thick, but rather, through
distorted by their traumatic developmental pro- processing the abuse memories so that the past
cess (e.g., an incest survivor viewing God the no longer has any more power in the present.
Father as punitive)? In this view, the thickness of the wall would
actually decrease rather than increase as sexu-
The Inner Wall al abuse survivors become more whole. This is
I found Vilppola’s discussion of “the inner wall” because the past is increasingly able to beco-
interesting; it is not a concept I have previously me integrated into the identity structure of the
encountered. Once again, I think that her eluci- survivor without the trauma being triggered
dation of this concept would be strengthened by and posttraumatic symptoms interfering with
explaining in greater detail how these ideas fit healthy functioning. Perhaps a permeable bar-
within phased treatment. For example, it seems rier might be a better metaphor for wholeness
to me that work on strengthening or thickening than a wall; a barrier in which information is
the wall might be primarily Phase1 or Phase 2 able to flow freely from one side to another. In
work. It makes sense to me that a strong wall other words, I agree that a thick wall is essential
would be necessary before doing the trauma to containing posttraumatic symptoms earlier
processing work that can be potentially destabi- on in the healing process, but this should only be
lizing (Herman, 1997). seen as a temporary measure. I see wholeness as
While I agree that containment of trauma sym- the result of increased integration between past
ptoms is essential for better functioning in the traumatic experience and present reality. To be
here-and-now, I do not resonate with the idea fair, Vilppola does talk about the importance of
that developing a thick wall can be equated with trauma processing with increased integration
reaching health and wholeness. As I mentioned as the desired outcome. I am just not sure that
in the previous paragraph, I think that a thick the wall analogy adequately describes phases 3
wall is important in the first two phases of treat- and 4 of the treatment process.
ment as Vilppola describes them. Often sexual
abuse survivors come into counseling to over- In Closing
come posttraumatic intrusive, re-experiencing I trust that these observations will lead to
symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and further refinement and integration of the prin-
intense, perhaps dissociated emotions. I agree ciples Vilppola outlines in her article. I appre-
that stabilization of such symptoms, or as Vilp- ciate the opportunity to have some input into
pola states, the importance of the client being such an important topic.
“able to separate past from present and to react
in real time” is essential. However, I disagree References
that “through building up the inner wall the Gingrich, H. D. (2013). Restoring the shattered self: A
psychological resilience, wholeness and healthi- Christian counselor’s guide to complex trauma.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
ness increases.” Herman, J. (1997). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath
In my book, Restoring the Shattered Self, A of violence - from domestic abuse to political terror. New
Christian Counselor’s Guide to Complex Trau- York, NY: Basic Books.
ma” (Gingrich, 2013) I present a rationale for
using the lens of the concept of dissociation as
a framework for both understanding symptoms
and treating complex trauma survivors, inclu-
ding working with those who have been sexual-
ly abused. Thickening the “wall” could be view-
ed as akin to increasing the dissociative barrier
between past trauma and current reality.

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