Processing Africa-Part 1-How It Started

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Two years ago, during a conversation in Romania with a friend who had established a school in Liberia, Africa, she expressed her desire for teachers to adopt a trauma-informed approach. Little did I know that this conversation would sow a seed that would eventually lead me back to Africa. A year later, while assisting with a women’s retreat in Vietnam, the organizers mentioned plans for the following year’s retreat in Africa. When asked if I […]

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The final phase of the re-entry journey – the Settling In phase (2 – 5 years).

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Welcome to the final phase of our re-entry journey- the Settling In phase (2 – 5 years). As we continue to embrace the rhythm of life in our passport country, we are invited to reflect on the transformative journey we’ve undertaken thus far. Our goal in this phase is to support you as you complete your adjustment or maintain integration within your home culture. Completing Your Adjustment or Maintaining Integration: The Settling In phase is

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Phase 4 of the re-entry journey – the Adjustment phase (6 months – 2 years).

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Welcome to Phase 4 of our re-entry journey – the Adjustment phase (6 months – 2 years). As we continue to settle into our lives in our passport country, we are met with the ebb and flow of reentry stress. But fear not, for this phase is an opportunity for growth, resilience, and self-compassion as we navigate the complexities of returning home. Navigating Reentry Stress: Transitioning back to our passport country can sometimes feel like

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Phase 3 of the Re-entry Journey the Initial Landing (3 – 6 months).

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Welcome to Phase 3 of our re-entry journey – the Initial Landing (3 – 6 months) or ‘Shock and Disorientation“. As we find ourselves back in the embrace of our passport country, we may encounter the ebb and flow of emotions that accompany reverse culture shock. But fear not, for this phase is a sacred opportunity to rediscover ourselves and realign with the paths that lead to a thriving future. Recognizing and Processing Reverse Culture

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Phase 2 of Your Re-entry Journey – Entry (0 – 3 months).

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As you find yourself back on familiar soil, you might experience a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. Rest assured, you are not alone, and we are here to provide you with the support and guidance needed to navigate this phase with grace and ease. Settling into a new living space is an important step towards establishing a sense of stability and comfort. During this phase, we will work together to find suitable accommodations that align

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Embracing the Journey Home: Phase 1 – Preparing for Re-entry

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As you find yourself standing at the crossroads of departure, embarking on the journey back to your passport country, I want to offer you a warm embrace of support and encouragement. The process of re-entry is a unique and transformative experience, one that begins long before you set foot on familiar soil. Today, we’ll explore Phase 1: Pre-departure Preparation, a crucial period that sets the tone for a successful re-entry. In this initial phase, I

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Part 3-The Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field: How to Start Healing From Trauma

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In part one of this series on trauma, I explained what trauma is and what it does to us. In part two, I told you about James’s story. As we think about his story, we notice that he is not in this situation because of one big, traumatic event. Instead, it was small experiences that piled on top of each other that he wasn’t able to process (although there were some big ones in there too). James was

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Part 2-The Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field: How Trauma Shows Up on the Field

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This is the second article in a three-part series about the Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field. Today we will explore the way trauma shows up on the mission field. As I mentioned in Part 1, the first place we notice trauma is in behaviors and reactions. If you do a google search on trauma reaction, you will probably find the three most common responses to trauma: fight, flight, and freeze. Fight is usually associated with someone who can’t control their

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The Unseen Trauma of the Mission Field: What Trauma Is and What It Does

missions, trauma /

In 2008 my husband and I took our four children to East Africa to serve in a Bible translation project. We didn’t go overseas until our early 30s. We thought that having some life experience would give us a little bit of an advantage over those joining missions right out of college. But my second year, I still cried and highlighted the entire book Expectations and Burnout by Sue Eenigenburg and Robynn Bliss.  Our time overseas had its

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person writing on brown paper

Welcome to the New Website and Blog

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With some help from my kids and friends, I am finally able to share my continued journey with you! If you want to find out where I started, or what I affectionately call my first path on my life journey, check out https://ingramfamily6.wordpress.com/. A blog I wrote during our Africa season. Now it is time to share my second path! Be forewarned that I am not the same person I was back then. I have

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