Thoughts and Encouragements for Wounded Helpers
Joined to a Healing God
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Thoughts and Encouragements for Wounded Helpers
Joined to a Healing God |
 |
André H. Roosma is a tall guy who loves God and the companionship
of friends & relatives, and who has a heart for listening and
is fond of empowering others.
One of his specialties, it is said, is his ability to simplify and present
complex matters in a way everybody can understand.
Besides this, he also likes sailing and researching,
is not afraid of challenging the status quo a bit, and will enjoy
a good piece of 'appeltaart' (Dutch applepie) or the warm sunlight of
summer on a heatherfield. 
Relationships, both with God and other people, have played and continue to play an important role in the life of André.
Back in November 1972, some students - members of the local chapter of
the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) at
Eindhoven University - almost covered the university buildings with big green
posters saying "God is not far - Jesus is The Way".
They so drew the attention of André.
By January 1973, at a national retreat conference, he experienced the grace
of getting to know God personally and becoming a Christian.
From 1973 till 1981 - while studying and subsequently working for
a big electronics firm - he had the opportunity to actively serve in this
student chapter as one of its Bible group leaders.
Part of the time he also served as teamleader of the chapter (1976-1978).
In this period he got his first training in Bible study, Christian
leadership, Evangelism and Pastoral care, at local, national and
international levels; mainly within the IFES (the International Fellowship
of Evangelical Students).
For many years since december 1981, André held a full-time job for a large Dutch telecommunications company, where he started as researcher and later worked as strategist, internal consultant, market analyst, senior telecoms-architect and innovator. Especially in the late 1980's, this included a lot of world-wide travel, giving presentations to international colleagues in the field and listening to theirs. In this way, André got somewhat acquainted with various cultures and religions, including Christian work in those situations. His work also got him involved in thinking about organizational behaviour, human resource management and management & leadership issues in general.
From 1982 till 1985 he gratefully completed a three-year part-time course
in pastoral care given by Rev. Jack Bogaard of the pastoral foundation
Shalom in Geldrop (near Eindhoven).
This helped to further strengthen his foundations in the Bible and
practical theology.
From 1983 till 1991 he served on the participating board of this
organisation.
In the period 1990 till 1998 he happily participated in Bible group
leadership and, occasionally, in preaching in a local church in Zoetermeer,
also receiving further training within this denomination, as well as through
various national seminars and home study (it helped that through his work
in Research he was among the first Dutch to have access to the Internet).
In 1996 and 1998, he participated
in courses Helping by Blessing and Helping by Blessing applied to
Healing of Sexual Abuse Traumas, both given by the foundation De Kracht
van Vrede.
From the Fall of 1999 till the end of 2001, he had the privilege of
working as a trainee within this foundation, co-working with an experienced
psycho-pastoral worker in pastoral care, helping survivors of incest and other
severe child abuse.
He also did some volunteer work for De Kracht van Vrede -
a.o. serving as a small group leader in three editions of the course
Helping by Blessing applied to Healing from Power Abuse (Falls
of 2000, 2001 and 2002), and as its newsletter- and website-editor
(Fall 1998 - Summer 2005, and Summer 2001 - Summer 2006, respectively).
In
the period 1999-2002, he was blessed richly through participating in
Pastoral Care Ministry schools of Leanne Payne (Germany, Nov. 1999,
and the Netherlands, Jan./Feb. 2002) and a similar Journey to Wholeness in
Christ seminar by Leanne Payne's co-workers Conlee and Signa Bodishbaugh
of Mobile, Alabama (USA) (Germany, Aug. 2001).
Since January 2002, he has been building up his own part-time practice in
pastoral work & training.
From the beginning of December 2002, André decreased his other
activities (those in telecoms) in order to spend more time in counseling
methodology research, set up this website and prepare a new course on pastoral
counseling: Helping by Blessing and (Dis)Connectedness.
As a spin-off, he gives small workshops and lectures with titles like:
Learning to live from the connection and joy that God offers.
Besides training in person, André actively uses the web to equip,
encourage and stimulate others - his three websites thrive as usage has
grown to over 10 000 page views each month.
Dissiminating information, and training and educating others have always
been among André's passions, so it is no surprise that he really
thrives when sharing about the richness of God's precious designs and the
tender way in which God can restore what has gone wrong amidst our broken
world.
A central point in the course on (Dis)Connectedness is the importance the
Bible attaches to our connections - with God, with each others and within
oneself -, and God's joy over us as a vital given in our identity formation
and in any recovery process.
This is remarkably corroborated by developmental psychology and recent
neurological findings.
Regularly, the newest insights from
neurology, psychology and more insights from the Bible are incorporated.
Right now (February - May 2009) the course runs in Arnhem.
Like the five earlier editions since 2003, in various
cities in the Netherlands, it is richly blessed.
Over and again it has been used and is being used richly by God as a
vehicle to spread His love and connectedness, rsulting in peace and
well-being for many. God surely is gracious and good!
Since 2004 André is also connected to the Life Model / Thriving Recovery (see
also Thrive
Today) ministry of E. James (Jim) Wilder et al, upon observing the
parallel discoveries.
From the beginning of the Life Model Forum in 2006
till the end in 2008, he served as moderator of its Dutch section.
He also translated several Life Model materials into Dutch.
With Martien Jan de Haan of Archippus, he was involved in the
translation of Wilder's book Living with Men (Dutch: Met vreugde
man zijn).
Since the beginning of 2008 André is a member of the
ESTD (European Society for Trauma & Dissociation).
Focus points in André's psycho-pastoral approach can be found in his Psycho-Pastoral Kitchen.
The year 2008 became a milestone in the Accede!
ministry.
As per December 2007, André's part-time job in telecoms innovation
ended, freeing him to devote all his time and energy to pastoral work &
training within Accede! as well as within his
local Church.
A course in OT Hebrew, in de Fall, gave him the opportunity to extend
his understanding and study of the original languages of the Bible.
Regularly, he is invited as a speaker at various seminars for pastoral
workers, as well as in Sunday (or Shabbath!) services.
Assisted by a team of 6 other pastoral workers in his local church,
he developed a balanced recovery program and led a very successful recovery
group.
He is open to help other churches set up similar programs as well.
Your prayers for this ministry are gratefully acknowledged!
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More information is available from the editor of this site, André H. Roosma, who also welcomes your ideas, experiences or other suggestions. André is reachable via e-mail: andre.roosma@12accede.nl.
André H. Roosma