Parenting is a daunting endeavor. I always felt like it was the most monumental task I ever attempted, yet I had the least training of anything else. There were classes and books available, but they were all over the place regarding theories and practices. My parents got some interesting advice from their religious peers, which only caused me more confusion when considering how I would tackle this challenging road ahead.
As I experimented with different approaches, I found something that worked with the firstborn but could have done better with the strong-willed middle child. My third child was magnificently different from either of them, and then religion and being a pastor muddied the water even further. It was like an excursion with no map and bad travel guides. Everyone had a theory, but no coherent way forward emerged.
To add to the mix, I entered parenthood with a reasonable amount of unaddressed trauma that I did not even realize I had. During the early years of parenthood, there was not enough time to breathe, much less address shadow material or consider such things. Their lives depended on us, and we did our best to keep our heads above water.
Evolving From Religious Trauma is a book created by Karl and Laura Forehand © 2024
Images are courtesy of Filmora®
https://thedesertsanctuary.org/
Religious Trauma Resources
The Desert Sanctuary Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-desert-sanctuary/id1345562241
Karl Forehand is a former pastor, podcaster, and award-winning author. His books include Out into the Desert, Leaning Forward, Apparent Faith: What Fatherhood Taught Me About the Father’s Heart, The Tea Shop and Being: A Journey Toward Presence and Authenticity. He is the creator of The Desert Sanctuary podcast and community. He is married to his wife Laura of 35 years and has one dog named Winston. His three children are grown and are beginning to multiply! You can read more about the author here.
The Desert Sanctuary 
Leave a comment