Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling Program in Amman
MECC Accompanies a Group of Priests and Lay People Spiritually and Psychologically
After the forced hiatus due to the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches resumed the “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling” program, and implemented a new training in Amman entitled “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6: 31). This training was dedicated to a group of 16 participants, which included Priests from different Churches, and lay people working in different pastoral sectors or social services. They came from Amman and other regions of the Kingdom, as well as from the West Bank in Palestine, the Holy Land and the Gaza Strip. The sessions took place between 19 and 23 June 2022, at the Rosary Sisters Visitation Home in Amman, and were organized by the program coordinator Sister Emilie Tannous.
The participants were accompanied by a team of specialists in spiritual guidance and psychology who presented and discussed many chosen daily topics. The first day was entitled “why did you strike me?” (John 18: 23), and was centered around human and psychological trauma, and the feeling of emptiness due to injustice. The second day took the slogan of “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15: 34), and tackled the spiritual trauma and the feeling that God had abandoned Man.
“Father, forgive them” (Luke 23: 34), was the theme of the third day, which revolved around the healing from human and psychological trauma and progress towards reconciliation and forgiveness. As for the last day, it was entitled “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11: 25) and focused on the spiritual healing to which the Christ, Risen from the dead, leads us, as well as moving with the spirit of life victory over death by the spirit of Resurrection.
The daily program included morning sport exercises, followed by special Prayers dedicated to the topic of the day. Then the beneficiaries participated in spiritual presentations and psychology lectures, in addition to sessions for discussions. In the afternoon, everyone participated in workshops on soft skills and competencies, followed by individual meetings with the spiritual guide and psychological guide. Each day was ended with a meeting for evaluation and an entertainment segment. On the third day, the participants gathered for a dinner in a restaurant in the town of Al Fuhays.
The attendees expressed their gratitude for the program and wished that MECC organizes similar trainings later on. From his end, the Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar said that this training "succeeded despite its organization in a short time. This what encourages us to continue the implementation of the previously scheduled program as soon as possible."
He added, "After the sessions that were implemented in the previous years in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, and now in Jordan, we are currently preparing for a new training in Lebanon and another one in Syria for the Bishops and Parish servants, in addition to a course for trainers that may be implemented in Lebanon as scheduled."
