Spiritual First Aid in the Midst of Disaster: A Conversation with Jamie Aten

Hey, my friend. Welcome back to Let’s Encourage One Another.

I’m not sure where you live, but it seems like every location these days is experiencing some sort of disaster: wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods.

It’s one thing to experience that on a personal level—let’s say your basement floods after a heavy rain. But it’s another thing to experience that as a community or entire region.

I’ve learned that I often have no idea of either the short-term or long-term impact of such a disaster. Not until I had this conversation with Jamie Aten.

Jamie is the co-founder of Spiritual First Aid. He also provides leadership in several programs for humanitarian and disaster relief, including the Trauma Certificate Program at Wheaton College.

On a personal level, though, he has experienced disaster and trauma of his own as a Hurricane Katrina and late-stage early onset cancer survivor.

So Jamie has not only done the research, he has experienced it for himself. And what he has to share is enlightening and encouraging.

If you or your church have been praying about ways to support those experiencing the impact of disaster, I can’t wait for you to hear what he has to share.

We start by defining disaster and then move into the impact disaster can have on someone’s life and how we can support them. He isn’t just generous with his knowledge; Jamie has a ton of examples to share along the way.

And if you like what you hear, be sure to register for the Church Mental Health Summit, coming up on October 10, to learn more. You can register at lovedoesthat.org/mentalhealth23.

Now, let’s dive into my conversation with Jamie.

[interview]

Hey. Popping back in here to remind you that you can sign up for the Church Mental Health Summit by going to lovedoesthat.org/mentalhealth23. That is an affiliate link, so by using that to sign up, you help support this podcast.

Remember, you can attend the summit, watch videos on demand, and join in the live trainings—all for free. You also have the option to upgrade for longer access. Choose whatever is right for you.

And that is all for today, my friend. Until next time, let’s encourage one another.

MEET JAMIE:

Jamie Aten, P H.D., is Co-Founder of Spiritual First Aid. He is also the Founder and Co-Director of Humanitarian Disaster Institute, Blanchard Chair of Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership, and Co-Coordinator of the Trauma Certificate Program at Wheaton College. Personally, he is both a Hurricane Katrina and late-stage early onset cancer survivor. Professionally, as a disaster psychologist he has responded to and researched disasters and mass traumas around the globe. He is cohost of The Better Samaritan Blog and Podcast at Christianity Today. You can follow Jamie on Twitter at @drjamieaten.

RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:

• Church Mental Health Summit: http://lovedoesthat.org/mentalhealth23
• Spiritual First Aid: An 8-session certification course on responding to trauma
• Episode 16: Trauma-Informed Care: Being the Cover for Those Who are Hurting with Kristen Brock

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