Karen Bartlett
Karen Bartlett resides in Wichita, Kansas. She is married to Rick Bartlett and has two young adult children, Grace and Tobias. Her passion for learning has resulted in obtaining the following: Licensed Master of Social Work, Masters Certificate in Theology, M.Ed in Neuroscience and Trauma, and a certificate in Spiritual Direction. Karen currently works as a school social worker during the day and as a spiritual director in the evenings. She feels honored to work with spiritual directees who have experienced trauma, and has witnessed healing and wholeness through creating sacred space to explore the intersection of spirituality and trauma. Karen believes the holistic approach of mind, body, and spirit is essential in spiritual formation and trauma healing.
Continuous learning, being outdoors, running, cycling, working out, and meeting up for coffee bring her life and energy. Having lived in the UK for seven years and traveling through many different countries over the course of her life, she has been privileged to see breath-taking scenes throughout the world - be that a quaint village in England, the old city of Antioch, the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the beautiful islands of Greece, the wineries in Spain, the coffee plants in Columbia, the sunsets in Costa Rica, or numerous other places of beauty. However, the people and their stories are what always create the memories for her in any given location. The world is a wonderful, amazing, and holy place that hosts God’s presence in people and nature, and Karen looks forward to continuing her exploration of places yet unknown to her and meeting more inspiring people on her travels.
Healing Deepest Hurts (Paperback)
We may be disconnected from our authentic selves because of past hurts and alienation from God. Sometimes the hurt stems from childhood or from trauma in our life or through the actions of people in the church. Social worker and spiritual director Karen Bartlett understands the hurts and gently leads us to the presence of God and to hope.
Healing Deepest Hurts is a heartfelt guide that explores the interplay between faith, neuroscience, attachment patterns, and life experiences. Alongside striking illustrations by her mother, Karen Bartlett extends a guiding hand, inviting you to approach the wounded areas of your life with vulnerability and intentionality.
You will:
- Unearth previously dismissed wounds
- Investigate your core beliefs and examine long held inner narratives
- Find healing and solace through intentional soul archeology and inner work
- Rediscover your unique worth and come back to who you were created to be
- Be invited to encounter the healing presence of God who delights in you
More than a therapeutic book with quick answers, Healing Deepest Hurts: When God Feels Distant and Hope Seems Lost will encourage you to pause and consider life events that have shaped you and where you might find healing. Each chapter examines significant areas to explore within your life. You will find questions after every chapter that will help you to reflect on your unique life experiences, wounds, and thoughts.
When Spirituality and Trauma Collide
A Guidebook for Practitioners of Soul Care
No part of us is unaffected by trauma. Our mind, our body, and our spirit – especially our ability to experience God as loving and good – are wounded when we face pain, abuse, and suffering. Yet, as spiritual leaders, we are often unaware of the ways trauma impacts the spiritual life – and how many of our well-intentioned responses can actually be hurtful for someone who has experienced trauma.
Social worker and spiritual director Karen Bartlett has been there many times before. This led her to seminary to study theology and a master’s program to study neuroscience — all to better understand how trauma impacts our view of God.
When Spirituality and Trauma Collide brings together her learnings and breaks them down into a simple field guide that will equip you to respond to trauma in spiritual formation settings without inflicting harm.
Discover:
- How trauma works in the brain and body and how it can impact someone’s view of God
- Attachment style, safety, and the stress response as it relates to the spiritual life
- How to spot signs of dysregulation and discomfort during a session
- Best practices for when to slow down, stop, ask permission, or use different language with someone
- Permission to not always have all the answers and to instead guide someone into an experience with God
Walking alongside others on their spiritual journey is a sacred calling that requires care for the whole person: mind, body, and spirit. This guide will empower you to quickly understand the basics of trauma, so you can help others heal the wounds that keep them from connection with God.