Therapy Groups for The Spiritual Journey
Led by Kristina Tucker, an experienced licensed professional counselor, Therapy Groups for the Spiritual Journey will provide a soul-enriching combination of therapy, spiritual practices, reflection, and embodiment work. Join a unique group unaffiliated with any church, denomination, or overarching religious body to allow you to again experience flourishing in your spirituality. Groups will meet weekly from February through April on Zoom.
This group might be good for you if…
you are navigating faith change, deconstruction, and/or reconstruction
you have experienced trauma within a church and/or religious setting
you miss engaging with spirituality, religious practices, and exploring spiritual meaning making in group settings
you have a lingering longing for spiritual community
you experience distress and anxiety when entering a church setting, but you still want to engage with spiritual and/or religious practices
you want to address and process the possible sadness and anxiety related to your spiritual journey
you enjoy or are curious about group therapy and group work
you enjoy church, but find yourself desiring deep, emotionally healthy spiritual conversations in a group setting
you want to learn how to support others and be supported without the use of cliches, spiritual bypassing, platitudes, and/or spiritual bandaids
you want a space and setting to explore the questions you have, a space where your questions, doubts, and possible different interpretations are held with curiosity and with listening versus legalism and absolutes
This group is designed to help you know yourself better, develop and use coping skills effectively, process spiritual trauma, navigate faith change, and support your emotional and spiritual health.
A unique offering for engaging with spirituality and spiritual practices within a trauma-informed framework.
Each group meeting is composed of 3 parts:
Education
Spiritual formation/exploration exercises
Group process
Education
Each meeting Kristina will provide teaching and relevant resources related to a designated weekly theme. Topics to include: window of tolerance, Polyvagal Theory, resourcing and coping skills, exploration of outdated defenses/coping patterns, Core Self as taught in IFS therapy, embodiment practices, purpose of and processing of emotions, exploration of narrative, and theories on identity formation.
Spiritual Formation/Exploration Exercises
A large chunk of each group meeting will be spent engaging with a designated practice. Practices will provide an opportunity to connect with the teaching from the week in an experiential way. We will use a mixture of art, poetry, sacred writing from the Christian tradition, trauma-informed yoga and embodiment practices, guided mediation, and breath work.
All texts, artwork, and poetry are to be considered with a non-authoritative lens allowing you to engage how you need and feel most comfortable. Participation in each practice is voluntary. While continued participation and commitment to group is necessary for group cohesion and process, participants are given absolute agency and choice in level of participation within each group meeting.
Group Process
Following the standards of traditional group therapy, a large portion of group will be spent in conversation and exploration with one another. A commitment to “We do not have to agree to belong,” mutual respect, and curiosity will be guiding tenants of the group process. Max of 8 group members.
Informed by the writings and teachings of
Hillary McBride, Deb Dana, Daryl Van Tongeren, Nityda Gessel, Kate Bowler, Aundi Kolber, Jenna Riemersma, K.J. Ramsey, Emily P. Freeman, Sarah Bessey, Curt Thompson, Richard Rohr, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Barbara Brown Taylor, Rachel Held Evans, and many others.
Need more specifics?
Outline for weekly Themes:
Week 1: Orientation to group and group rules, introduction to mind-body connection and trauma with guided meditation
Week 2: Window of tolerance, grounding, regulation, and resourcing
Week 3: Theories of Identity Formation
Week 4: Window of Tolerance II and Polyvagal theory- Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn responses
Week 5: The purpose and function of emotions
Week 6: Exploring the Core Self using insights from IFS therapy model
Week 7- Triangle of experience and sitting with emotion
Week 8- Working with our defenses, self compassion, and parts work
Week 9: Leaning into desire- examining old stories, and using language of defenses, triangle of awareness, and connection to your body
Week 10: Leaning into anger- examining old stories, and using language of defenses, triangle of awareness, and connection to your body
Week 11: TBD to meet group needs and interests
Week 12: Closure
Details
Wednesdays 10:00-11:30 or 11:30-1:00 depending upon needs of group. One time will be chosen by beginning of February to allow for planning.
Meets weekly for 12 Wednesdays
February 5-April 30 (no group April 9)
$65 per group ($65 to be charged weekly to credit/debit/HSA card on file after each group therapy session)
Groups hosted virtually on Zoom
**Group is for Georgia residents and/or those located in Georgia only due to state licensing requirements.
Still trying to decide?
Schedule a free 10 minute consult with Kristina to ensure this is the right group for you and to have all your questions answered.
Dates/timing doesn’t work for you?
Join the waitlist by filling out the form below to be the first to know about other groups. I’d love if you’d indicate times that would work to help in helping me establish groups in the future. “i.e. Put me on the waitlist. I’d love a group on Tuesday or Thursday evenings!”
Prefer to write out your questions? Or not quite ready to schedule a consult?
Fill out this form, and I’ll follow back up for us to continue chatting.
Ready to Sign Up?
Send me an e-mail at kristina@healingrootscounseling.com, book a consult via the link above, or fill out the form above saying so, and I will get you all the remaining details and reserve you a spot!