We all desire the church to be a safe place, where people with trauma know what it is to love and be loved (Matt. 22). In this workshop, we will explore the need for our youth ministries to become trauma-informed so that we may disciple students holistically and prevent further harm. We will discuss what trauma is, how the hope we have in Jesus speaks directly to any past, and when to seek a counseling referral.
Listen to the episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or watch the episode on YouTube!
Creating Safe Places for Students
How can the church become a safe place for students who are carrying trauma or difficult experiences? In this workshop from Rooted 2025, Liz Edrington helps youth pastors, parents, and ministry leaders think intentionally about what it means to be trauma-informed. Rather than diagnosing students or trying to become their therapists, we can learn to notice when there may be more beneath the surface. Healing is a difficult journey, but we can faithfully walk with students along the way.
About Liz
Liz Edrington serves as the Associate Director of Care for McLean Presbyterian Church. She received her M.A. in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, and she’s taught as an adjunct professor in the psychology department at Covenant College. She is an emeritus member of the Rooted steering committee, and she’s the author of Anxiety: Finding the Better Story (P&R Publishing, 2023), which won The Gospel Coalition 2023 Book Award for Bible Study & Devotional Literature. Pickled things delight her, as does her snuggle beast, Bella the Dog.
In this episode, you’ll hear…
- How trauma can affect the way students experience their bodies, relationships, emotions, and behavior
- How giving students the choice to decide when to share can help them feel safe
- The importance of boundaries, clear expectations, and child-safety policies in ministry
- How seeing students as image-bearers reminds us that every child is valuable to the body of Christ
- How lament can help churches acknowledge the brokenness of the world and walk through grief together
Rooted Resources
- Matthew 22
- Helping Teenagers Process Graphic Violence: An Interview with Counselors Rahab Marshall and Gordon Bals – Rooted Ministry
- On Handling Crisis in Your Youth Ministry – Podcasts
- Creating a Child Protection Policy for Your Church – Rooted Ministry
- Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates.
- Register for the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville.