Traumatic Grief and the Church
 

My Story by Lew Cox

I remember that day, August 9th, 1987, as if it were yesterday. I had just returned from a mission trip to the Philippines, so I needed to go to my office and catch up on business. As I opened the door, the phone was ringing. It was my son, Darren, and he gave me the devastating news that my 22-year-old daughter, Carmon, had been murdered two days before. It was an indescribable and heart-wrenching moment, that forever changed my life. Instantly, I entered a world of grief, despair, and affliction, only to be compounded by the death of my wife, two months later from a brain tumor.

Accepting the death of my daughter was undeniably a difficult time. Because of my faith, I asked God to use me, even as I walked through the steps of recovery. During this time of emotional instability, I needed validation. Was my experience natural or was I going crazy? At that time, as a member of a pastoral staff, I looked to the church for guidance and support. It did not take long for me to realize that the church leadership had little or no training in traumatic grief. This set me on a course of education in grief and trauma. From that moment to this day, I have been providing support, training, and group facilitation to those who have experienced traumatic grief.

This ministry specializes in providing training to members of the clergy on the topic of traumatic grief. By equipping clergy with this form of training, the church will be better prepared to meet the challenges that may arise.

Please check the Training Page in the menu for the specific type of training the ministry offers members of the clergy on traumatic grief. If you have questions, you can contact me at 253-222-2728 or email me at Cox.Lew39@outlook.com. I am always happy to provide you with more information about the services. I will provide references upon request.

Respectfully yours,

Chaplain Lew Cox