Trauma Informed Ministry

Walking with the Wounded after Betrayal

Presenter: Dr Barbara Steffens

This unique two-day training, delivered online, is designed specifically for pastors, church staff, lay leaders, and faith-based therapists, and other professionals, who want to respond wisely and tenderly to individuals impacted by sexual betrayal trauma—especially women of faith.


The training will be lead by Dr Barbara Steffens who has specialised for over 20 years in the area of sexual addiction and providing help for the partners of sexual addicts.   She is also the co-author of Your Sexually Addicted Spouse.

 
 

Trauma Informed Ministry
November, 7 & 8, 2025, 9:00AM-3:00pm NZDT

The primary focus/purpose of this training is to quip ministry leaders and faith-based professionals to walk with the betrayed—with compassion, clarity, and Christ-centered hope.

Specifically, attendees will learn how to:

  • Understand the effects of trauma after betrayal using the APSATS Multidimensional Partner Trauma Model (MPTM)

  • Recognise the spiritual crisis that often accompanies betrayal, and how to gently support faith deconstruction and reconstruction (support during a crisis of faith)

  • Provide compassionate care without over-spiritualising or minimising pain

  • Navigate sensitive topics like forgiveness, trust, reconciliation, and boundaries from a biblically grounded, trauma-aware perspective

  • Distinguish between helping the betrayed and enabling the betrayer—even within the same congregation

  • To be a first responder who is a safe, steady presence for women and couples walking through confusion, grief, anger, and deep spiritual questions.

This training isn't just about information—it's about transformation. It will give you tools, language, and posture to walk more faithfully with the wounded.

When betrayal enters sacred spaces, the Church must respond with truth, tenderness, and unwavering integrity.

About Barbara

Dr. Barbara Steffens has provided mental health counseling in diverse clinical settings for nearly thirty years. She specialises in helping women recover from sexual betrayal and is a sought after speaker and presenter on special issues related to partners of sexual addicts. She is the founder and past president of The Association for Partners of Sex Addicts Trauma Specialists – an organisation that provides training and certification of clinical partner specialists and partner trauma coaches.

Her book, Your Sexually Addicted Spouse: How Partners Can Cope and Heal (New Horizon Press, 2009), co-authored with Marsha Means, has dramatically affected change in the lives of those who are victims and the professionals who are trained to serve them.

As an educator, Barbara works with Liberty University as an assistant professor in their Masters professional counselling programme. Moreover, through APSATS she has trained approximately 300 people who want to specialise in helping partners heal, has presented at numerous professional conferences and community trainings in the US, Canada, the UK, Singapore, Sweden, Australia, Finland and New Zealand.

 

Earlybird Price: $375, $400 after 10 October
Location: Online
Date/Time: November 7&8, 2025, 9am NZDT -12:00 pm, followed by a 30 minute lunch break and then 12:30-3:00pm.

Registration: Click below or email our administrator to register. Upon receipt, you will be sent a confirmation email. A Zoom link will be emailed out a few days before the training.