When caring for others, it’s important to know when we are out of our depth. In most lines of work, there will be limits to a person’s competence. On a day-to-day basis, I am happy finding my way around my laptop. But that doesn’t make me competent to open the Windows Registry and start making changes. (Actually, I wasn’t even sure I meant the Windows Registry. I had to ask someone if that illustration worked!)
So, what about pastoral care? In our efforts to support someone, might we might find our way into the pastoral equivalent of their Windows Registry and not even know it? Is that a real danger and, if so, how do we avoid it?
On the other hand, perhaps these are exaggerated concerns. What if it’s our fear of doing harm that is the real danger because it causes us to pull back when we should be moving toward? Are there people in our churches who are feeling more isolated and less helped because others are unnecessarily fearful of a pastoral misstep?
When trigger warnings are necessary
I suspect there is some confusion about trigger warnings. A confusion that exists in Christian circles as well as in …