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Trauma-Informed Children's Ministry: A Practical Guide to Reaching Hurting Kids
James used to laugh and joke with the other third graders. Now he was angry, aggressive, and defiant. James was hurting, but Pastor Becky didn’t know how to help. Like many children’s pastors, she didn’t realize that a child in her ministry was experiencing symptoms of trauma. She wasn’t sure how to respond to his big feelings and challenging behaviors.
Trauma-Informed Children’s A Practical Guide to Reaching Hurting Kids helps children’s ministry leaders understand trauma and strengthen their ministries to serve and disciple hurting kids.
Divorce, bullying, adoption, abuse. Learn how trauma touches the children you love and what most churches get wrong when it comes to teaching and disciplining children who have experienced trauma.
Why does Isaac keep talking back? Why is Sara under the table crying? Make sense out of the most frustrating, confusing, and heartbreaking child behaviors.
Through inspiring, real-life stories, discover practical, research-based strategies to begin transforming your ministry this Sunday .
Good intentions are not enough. Our changing society craves authentic churches equipped to reach all children. This powerful, groundbreaking book will help Cultivate caring relationships. Eliminate challenging behaviors. Encourage your team. And amplify your church’s impact in the community!
Trauma-Informed Children’s A Practical Guide to Reaching Hurting Kids helps children’s ministry leaders understand trauma and strengthen their ministries to serve and disciple hurting kids.
Divorce, bullying, adoption, abuse. Learn how trauma touches the children you love and what most churches get wrong when it comes to teaching and disciplining children who have experienced trauma.
Why does Isaac keep talking back? Why is Sara under the table crying? Make sense out of the most frustrating, confusing, and heartbreaking child behaviors.
Through inspiring, real-life stories, discover practical, research-based strategies to begin transforming your ministry this Sunday .
Good intentions are not enough. Our changing society craves authentic churches equipped to reach all children. This powerful, groundbreaking book will help Cultivate caring relationships. Eliminate challenging behaviors. Encourage your team. And amplify your church’s impact in the community!
- GenresChristian
214 pages, Paperback
Published April 13, 2022
23 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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July 25, 2023Read this with my team at work! Super helpful and practical for us as we care for kids carrying heavy stories. Has already influenced our practices and will continue to for years to come! Highly recommend!
November 8, 2023
Super practical and informative. Looking forward to recommending this to many of my church ministry friends.
December 1, 2022
What an amazing book! Every kids minister and leader should read this book. So many things Crosby talks about are true from my 25 years in ministry. What is suggested works. It takes time but it helps our kids. I highly recommend this book!
October 18, 2025
As both a mom of kids who have experienced trauma and a children’s pastor, this book hit home in so many ways. Trauma-Informed Children’s Ministry: A Practical Guide to Reaching Hurting Kids is more than just theory—it’s a compassionate, practical resource that helps you truly understand what’s going on beneath the surface of kids’ behavior.
Robert and Lori do an incredible job explaining how trauma shapes a child’s brain and responses, but what I appreciated most were the real-life examples and ministry applications. It’s not just “what trauma does,” but how we can respond in ways that bring safety, connection, and hope.
I found myself underlining entire sections and thinking, “I wish I’d had this years ago.” It gave me language for things I’ve seen in my own kids and in the classroom—meltdowns, withdrawal, big emotions—and offered tools that actually help.
If you work with kids in church or at home, this book will change the way you see and respond to them. It’s grace-filled, practical, and deeply rooted in the heart of Jesus for every child.
Robert and Lori do an incredible job explaining how trauma shapes a child’s brain and responses, but what I appreciated most were the real-life examples and ministry applications. It’s not just “what trauma does,” but how we can respond in ways that bring safety, connection, and hope.
I found myself underlining entire sections and thinking, “I wish I’d had this years ago.” It gave me language for things I’ve seen in my own kids and in the classroom—meltdowns, withdrawal, big emotions—and offered tools that actually help.
If you work with kids in church or at home, this book will change the way you see and respond to them. It’s grace-filled, practical, and deeply rooted in the heart of Jesus for every child.
July 4, 2023
Deserves more than give stars
This book should be required reading for anyone engaging with children and young people in church and beyond. It is so readable, clear, not patronising or preachy and based on real life examples. And yet sets out real fundamental principles that could break through the most dyed-in-the-wool disciplinarian and open their eyes to the vulnerable heart of a child that hurts.
Thank you, Crosbys for such an insightful book presented in such an approachable form. I have worked with children such as these before and used many of the strategies mentioned here (loved it and miss it these days) but felt inspired reading this.
My only caveat is that it is in an American setting so talks about teachers and classes and grades and much bigger churches, which may be a little alien to the British reader, but that does not detract from the wisdom contained in it at all.
This book should be required reading for anyone engaging with children and young people in church and beyond. It is so readable, clear, not patronising or preachy and based on real life examples. And yet sets out real fundamental principles that could break through the most dyed-in-the-wool disciplinarian and open their eyes to the vulnerable heart of a child that hurts.
Thank you, Crosbys for such an insightful book presented in such an approachable form. I have worked with children such as these before and used many of the strategies mentioned here (loved it and miss it these days) but felt inspired reading this.
My only caveat is that it is in an American setting so talks about teachers and classes and grades and much bigger churches, which may be a little alien to the British reader, but that does not detract from the wisdom contained in it at all.
April 25, 2025
Such a valuable resource for children’s ministry, but also for anyone that works with kids. Having adopted 6 kids with varying levels of trauma, it has been so helpful to have children’s and youth ministers that have been mostly understanding to our kids’ behavioral issues. Having trusted and loving adults in your kids’ corner is beyond valuable. I love the relationships my kids have made with their youth leaders and the way that they can talk and depend on them.
This book reminded me of how much we have to be grateful for our kids’ volunteers and how important it is to invest in them. Last year I bought all the kids’ volunteers a copy of this book because of how informative and valuable it is!
This book reminded me of how much we have to be grateful for our kids’ volunteers and how important it is to invest in them. Last year I bought all the kids’ volunteers a copy of this book because of how informative and valuable it is!
December 1, 2023
I wish I had read this book years ago. It has some really great resources for anyone who works with kids in any capacity. I plan to beg everyone I know who works with kids to read this book, because it will entirely reshape their responses to children. For those who lead children’s ministries, it is vital for our churches to begin applying these principles. The author has such a compassionate outlook on things like behavioral issues and relationship building, and I believe that every parent, volunteer, teacher, school administrator, and children’s pastor, even those who aren’t religious, can glean so much from this compassionate approach. A must read!
August 1, 2023
I highly recommend this book for anyone working in kids ministry. Since Covid my eyes have been opened to children who have or still are experiencing trauma. This book will give you practical application for your ministry. You will have tools in your belt to help Johnny process his feelings instead of lashing out at a teacher and Suzy to feel safe and loved instead of isolated and afraid.
This book will help your team support families who may be hesitant to come to church, feel more welcomed and understood than ever before
This book will help your team support families who may be hesitant to come to church, feel more welcomed and understood than ever before
October 6, 2023
Truly one of the best and most practical books I’ve read for children’s ministry. Every leader should read it. I’m happy to say that we do most of these things but even after 20 years in kids-min i still added some tools to my belt through this book.
June 3, 2024
A revelatory read, not only for the way I approach teaching and working with youth, but for myself as well.
January 29, 2025
Really well done and research driven. Gets beneath the surface with very practical advice.
October 30, 2025
A class read!! Some parts were hard to read but overall super helpful.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews