The Chreia Guide

Written by J.T. Young

This guide was created for JT’s local church, but the resource has been shared to be adapted and applied to your local congregation and community!

Trauma Training Takeaway: Having to go from one resource to another and ask for help and tell your triggering stories and experiences again and again can lead to the re-traumatization of individuals who are suffering to navigate the complexities of poverty.

When someone comes in seeking help, keep in mind that while this might be the first time that you have heard their story… it is likely not the first time that they have had to be humble and honest. If someone responds to you with rudeness, anger, sarcasm, or frustration- it is often not directed at you personally but is the result of having to relive their struggles again and again. They can also be frustrated with how other people have treated them when they have asked for help which might make them defensive with you when they first come to seek support. Working to see past their reactivity and treating them with kindness, compassion, and dignity can go a long way to not only meeting their physical/tangible needs but also to helping to rebuild their trust with systems, structures, and people.