Spiritual Dimensions of Trauma and Posttraumatic Growth: An Ethnographic Exploration

Abstract

Cradled in the Arms of Compassion is an autoethnography chronicling the spiritual dimensions of recovering from childhood sexual abuse. This article summarizes the results of that autobiographical research with particular attention to the spiritual dimensions and soul injuries of childhood sexual abuse experienced by the author and the spiritual resources that were discovered in the recovery from such abuse. It concludes with ten distilled coordinates that guide and support sexual abuse recovery as a resource for therapeutic and spiritual caregivers working with sexual abuse survivors.

Keywords

• trauma
• recovery
• spiritual practice
• compassion
• contemplative practice
• autoethnography