About

Ginny Barker is one of those people you can count on to keep it real, and because of that I have loved her from the moment I met her. She was a part of the church plant I helped start in Asheville, North Carolina. We went through a lot of church trauma together, and this conversation is about all of that. Spiritual trauma, dark night of the soul, narcissism in spiritual leadership, and so much more. If this topic touches you personally, I think you can brace yourself for some lightbulb moments, and stick around to the end, because we talk about how to heal as individuals, and whether a healthy church community is even a thing. As you hear Ginny’s story, may you find healing, hope, and maybe even a few giggles.Ginny's blog: Cheetos for breakfastGinny's piece on Tears of EdenShe’s also an avid reader, so there’s an extensive book list of her recommendations that you’ll hear her cite throughout, and most of which are included here:Ecaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin HumphreysIn the House of Friends by Kenneth J. GarrettWhen Narcissism Comes to Church by Check DeGroatSomething's Not Right by Wade MullenNarcissism in the Church by David Orrison, PhDThe Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen Broken Trust by F. Remy DiederichA Church Called Tov by Scot McNightRedeeming Power by Diane LangbergSoul Repair by Jeff Van Vonderent and Dale and Juanita RyanHealing Spiritual Wounds by Carol Howard MerrittJames Fowler's stages of spiritual development