"When a person tells his story and is truly heard and understood, he undergoes actual changes in his brain circuitry that corresponds to a greater sense of emotional and relational connection, decreased anxiety, and greater awareness of and compassion for others’ suffering."
-Curt Thompson, M.D.
At Canyon Debriefing we intentionally listen in a structured and safe format, allowing your stories to be communicated fully in a healthy, wholistic way, without interruption or correction.
"Telling our story to one another is perhaps the most sacred thing we do because God shows up in the words, emotions and crafting of our words."
-Keith Anderson
We walk with you, unpacking trauma and different events in ways that bring to light how God was present in these times, allowing for lament and restoration within yourself, with God, your family and even those in the ministry.
In-person debriefing -
We offer a 5 day, in-person debrief here on location in beautiful Flagstaff Arizona. We structure time together to go through topics like stress, transitions, trauma, and grief. Lots of space to sit with the grief, tears and all the ranges of emotions. We work with you to review the journey God has you on, to acknowledge the ups and downs, to allow whole picture perspectives to bring about closure and healing. Finally we guide you on to building a plan going forward in order to enter the next season with health the focus.
Virtual debriefing -
Though in-person debriefing is always preferred, we KNOW that life in foreign ministry doesn’t always afford us the ideal! We can work with your circumstances to provide care and help in processing your journey and experiences wherever you are. It may look a bit different, but we can practice many of the same exercises to get to the goal of closure and healing, with building healthier rhythms for the next season of life or ministry.
Core Topics we cover together…
Paradox
1
Cross cultural life is filled with paradoxes. We experience some of the best times of our lives on the field, as well as some of the worst. Incredibly joy-filled experiences along with devastating pain. Love for our host country while missing our passport country. We’ll help you accept these seemingly contradictory feelings without impairing your ability to move forward.
Stress
2
Stress can be positive as well as negative. Cross cultural workers endure more stress than they are usually aware of. This session will help identify the sources of negative stresses and will lay the foundation for later suggestions on how to cope. We will also explore the positive benefits of stress and how it can enhance your personal growth and ministry.
Grief & Loss
3
Grieving is a way of acknowledging the value of what was lost, but unprocessed grief can have long-term negative affects. All missionaries deal with myriad losses in the normal course of service. In this session we will explore the reasons for allowing ourselves to grieve those losses, and how to move on in a healthy way.
Transitions
4
In this session we will talk about issues related to re-entry along with changes in life and ministry. Whether you are returning to the U.S. or another change in a long series, transitions can be unsettling and chaotic. We’ll help you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Often cross cultural workers are so wrapped up in the work of the Lord that they lose sight of the Lord in doing the work. Our souls can feel anemic, parched. We will pour living water on your thirsty soul. And we’ll offer tools and resources to help you refresh yourself now and in the future.