Trauma in the Pews: The Healing Arts

Highlighting ministry collaborations with Shalom Creatives

This series of posts is a gathering of resources for Trauma in the Pews: The Impact on Faith and Spiritual Practices that will hopefully be helpful in encouraging ministry leaders to become trauma-informed/sensitive/responsive.

Introduction to Trauma in the Pews Resource Content
Trauma in the Pews Resource Index

Healing Arts: Shalom Creatives Healing Arts Ministry

Sometimes people are the very best resources! This past week I saw that my friend, Amy Hall, had posted a video about a new collaboration with the Fairview Christian Church which was explained in the post:

“Exciting news from Fairview! We're thrilled to announce a new ministry partnership with Shalom Creatives, led by Rev. Amy Hall. This innovative program combines mental health support with creative arts to bring hope, healing, and joy to our community.”

The video is worth watching! The Shalom Creatives website includes all the various avenues for healing that Amy envisioned during her own healing. One of the most important avenues to healing is expression—through writing and the creative arts. I share this today to encourage ministries to think outside of the box.

BTW: Amy’s story in Trauma in the Pews is the only one in which I used a true name—with permission of course.

A Bit About Our Friendship (Written for Trauma in the Pews 2.0)

I met Amy through a mutual friend. She had read Brave and dropped by to chat with me. We sat on my friend’s screened-in porch as she shared her story. What impressed me about Amy was her desire to follow God, but also her determination to stand strong against the rule book kind of faith that had permeated her childhood. She realized that her love for art was the avenue that would bring her healing. With the help of art therapy and other supportive mentors, she began to transform her life. One day, I received an invitation to her ordination service. This surprised me since she had not been part of a denomination that ordained women. When I reached out to learn more, I was even more surprised to hear about her goal of pursuing ordination. “I am looking toward becoming an art chaplain at the psychiatric unit at our hospital and in other local mental health places.” I could not have imagined a better blending of her talents and graduate work in ministry! Ever the creative soul, her coaching services, courses, and information about the Forest Church can be found on her website: Shalom Creatives Taking time to view the website will help you think outside the box!

Meet Amy—Shared from the Shalom Creatives Website

Rev. Amy Hall
Founder/Director of Shalom Creatives

As a creative thinker, artist, coach and ordained minister, Amy offers diverse pathways for personal growth and life transformation. She designs spaces of artistic play and creative expression that invite people to engage in self-care, peer support and healing.

Amy builds bridges between individuals, churches and communities that lead to new expressions of community beyond the walls of the church. She facilitates a forest church series at local parks where creativity, creation and community intersect.

Amy is an endorsed chaplain through Baptist Chaplaincy Relations with 25 years of pioneering ministry and leadership experience. She is a certified trauma-informed therapeutic art life coach. And she is a certified mental health coach with a specialization in suicide prevention. Amy currently serves on the Board of Directors for Virginia Baptist Women in Ministry and YWCA Central Virginia.