AGM 2026 & Spiritual Secondary Trauma
AGM 2026 & Spiritual Secondary Trauma
We will start the day at 10am with training on “Spiritual Secondary Trauma: How to care for our own faith journeys and souls as we care for others” by Dr. Heather Evans; the AGM itself will take place from 1pm to 4pm.
10:00 - 12:00 Spiritual Secondary Trauma: How to care for our own faith journeys and souls as we care for others
For those who walk alongside survivors of abuse—especially spiritual abuse—this workshop creates space to name and tend to the unseen impact of the work we carry.
When we sit with stories of spiritual abuse, we are not only hearing trauma. We are witnessing experiences where God, scripture, community, and authority have been distorted or weaponized. This shapes those we serve—but it also shapes us.
Together, we will gently explore and normalize the internal responses that often emerge, including confusion about God, anger toward institutions, loss of spiritual innocence, compassion fatigue, and, at times, a deepening empathy and spiritual maturity.
This workshop invites participants into a trauma-informed process of reflection and formation, asking:
- How do we care for our own souls well in this work?
- How do we sit with suffering and evil without being shaped by it?
- How do we remain openhearted while also wise, discerning, and grounded?
Through guided reflection, practical tools, and spiritually integrative practices, participants will be equipped to engage their work with greater clarity, resilience, and intentional formation.
At its core, this is the work of choosing what shapes us—so that even as we bear witness to trauma, we are continually being restored by the One who heals.
Learning outcomes
- Recognize the spiritual impact of exposure to spiritual abuse narratives.
- Understand secondary trauma in spiritually-oriented work.
- Reflect on how this work shapes their own spiritual lives.
- Learn practices to care for their spiritual selves.
Trainer
Dr. Heather Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and founder of a group counseling practice in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of clinical experience, she specializes in complex trauma, sexual abuse, and sex trafficking. Heather is the author of two books based on her research on complex trauma and posttraumatic growth among sex trafficking survivors and is the creator of the Voices of Survivors Project. She is committed to equipping service providers, faith communities, and organizations to become trauma-informed and survivor-centered in their care. She co-founded Valley Against Sex Trafficking in Pennsylvania, helping to lead anti-trafficking efforts throughout the Lehigh Valley, PA. Heather has also served as an Adjunct Professor with the Global Trauma Recovery Institute, traveling internationally to train leaders in trauma healing and recovery.
13:00 – 16:00 AGM
Agenda and papers will be sent to members in due course.
Ticket options
AGM 2026
Saturday 11th Jul, 2026, 10:00 - 16:00
No tickets are available for purchase as this is a members only event.
Please note that the booking is for one member. If there is more than one ACC member within your household, you will need to book and join the meeting separately in order to be able to vote, and also for us to be able to issue CPD certificates after the event.