Individuals often experience feelings of shame from sexual abuse and other forms of trauma when they experience "survivor's guilt" and believe that they should have done more to resist or help others.  Mental health workers refer to such trauma reactions as “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Researchers have been trying to help those with PTSD for 40 years. Although some people with mild forms of PTSD are able to receive some help, most therapists and doctors just refer them for medications that numb their feelings of anger, grief, and shame. They offer little hope of actual healing or relief.

A 2001 research project called the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study found that the more childhood traumas a person has, the more mental health problems he has. Traumas often lead to feelings of grief, anger and shame, which in turn lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, thought disorders, smoking, and taking psychiatric medications. The National Academy of Science, a group of independent researchers, carefully examined various treatments for those who had experienced trauma, and concluded that nothing helped except one treatment known as "Exposure Therapy," which helped only a very small amount.

Dr. Gardner has found that the faith-based treatment described on this website, has quickly helped release traumatized persons from their destructive feelings of shame from sexual abuse, violent assaults, and other traumatic experiences. There are three steps for overcoming feelings of shame that people experience as a result of trauas. 

A man came to me for counseling who had been to prison. He had come from a violent home where his father had literally killed his mother and buried her in their back yard, so he had some deep emotional issues in his life. While he was in prison he was saved and became a serious follower of Jesus, and when he was released he regularly got up at 4:30 each morning so he would have time to pray and read his Bible. His wife witnessed this profound change in him and others who knew him liked and respected him because he always had a smile on his face and talked with others about Jesus. I always looked forward to our sessions when we were able to talk about the Lord.

One day when he came to our counseling session he told me, “I need to talk to you about something. When I was a young man I did something that I am very ashamed of, and every time I think about it I feel bad.” I asked him if he had talked with the Lord about these things and he said that he had. I asked him if he believed the Lord had forgiven him and he said, “I believe the Lord is a forgiving God and He has forgiven me.”

 “That’s good,” I replied, “but do you feel forgiven?”

 “No, I don’t feel forgiven” he responded.

 “Would you like to feel forgiven?” I asked. He said that he would, so I instructed him to close his eyes and think about what he had done that was so shameful, then I prayed and said, “Lord, what do you want this man to know about his belief that he is dirty, bad, and shameful because of these things that he did as a young man?”

This man suddenly burst into tears and began sobbing. I asked him what thought had come into his mind and he said, “The thought that popped into my mind when you prayed was ‘You’re my child.’” I asked him how that made him feel and he said it made him feel good. Then I asked him if I could say another prayer for him and he said I could. I prayed and said, “Lord, is there anything else that you want this man to know about his belief that he is dirty, bad, and shameful because of what he did as a young man?”

He again burst into tears and began sobbing. I asked him what thought had come into his mind this time. “You’re already clean, whiter than snow,” he said. “Does that feel true to you?” I asked. He said that it did. “How does that make you feel?” I asked. “It makes me feel great!” he said.

 “So, think about what you did as a young man that made you feel so shameful,” I said. “How do you feel now when you think about that?” “You know” he said, “I know that what I did was wrong, but I also know that I am completely forgiven.”

Just like that, this man was set free from his feelings of shame that had held him bondage for so many years. I have had many opportunities to speak with him since then and he confirms that he still feels free of any feelings of guilt or shame. He knows that the Lord has forgiven him and he feels forgiven.