This article seeks to bring hope to the men I work with. They report occasional searching sensations and viewing of erotic images. These are sincere humans who desire to follow Christ, feeling conflicted and in pain. My passion is to bring hope and healing to these men I love.

You will find this piece builds upon what is called foundational theory. This means we examine underlying causes of searching and viewing behaviors with Biblical evidence based solutions in mind.

The foundational theory of this work is the person and work of Christ as reflected in the Scriptures. The solutions are not only rooted in Scripture but 40 years clinical practice with healthy results.

Specifically, there are two behaviors which are addressed: searching sensations for erotic content, and viewing. I have separated these actions to assist with helpful treatment. The goal is the ability to “log off” of erotic material with confidence and gratitude to God.

Searching sensations are what the Bible calls “temptation”. Jesus was tempted, yet without sin. He is our model and our guide. We will look at the grief, isolation, and threat triggers for these chemical reactions in the body. Secondly, we attend to a healthy process if erotic images are being viewed. The success of this treatment plan looks like “trigger awareness”, and the resilience to log off erotic image sites. Am I aware of the triggers for searching, and do I have the competence to log off from erotic content?

Perhaps the most tender topic in life, I believe, blends the Bible and human sexuality. After several decades of educating faith-based people on Biblical intimacy and safety, failure has taught many things. With great care and attention to the Scriptures, the life of Jesus, and the people we love, healing can happen. My passion seeks to bring a sense of calm and hope to sensitive conversations for families.

Teaching sexual health content can be thought of as a continuum. On one end lies “saying little to nothing” about the Bible, sexual intimacy, and safety. All my clients report a silence of healthy conversation from both the church and family. The other extreme on the spectrum misuses Biblical sexual content.  Alleged experts proof-text by cherry-picking specific verses. This extreme on the continuum often projects the personal politics of celebrity speakers and authors.  Both extremes share equally in the harm.  

My prayer is to land in the middle of the spectrum.  Is it possible that our families can embrace both the Scriptures we love with the life of Jesus? What if healthy Christlike conversations can speak to current sexual politics with neither neglect nor misuse, but rather compassionate truth?

As we begin, Jesus and Paul both spoke on sexual content using a practice I call, the spiritual discipline of “judgment resistance”. Please see Key Vocabulary. Christ’s messaging landed on wholeness and healing without unprocessed shame. Paul, too, practiced judgment resistance without condemning sincere Christians. Drawing healthy Biblical boundaries, Paul’s preaching never damned the infant church over sexual matters. This is what I call the spiritual discipline of judgment resistance. Originating with the life of Jesus and Paul, judgment resistance for sexual content is not new technology, but I find in my practice it can be transformational.

The Gospel’s judgment-resistant sexual health message very well may address a neurological phenomenon called “trauma shutdown.” This may in part explain sexual health education failures. Shutdown is a neurobiological process that experts assign to, the polyvagal system. Please see the key Vocabulary for trauma shutdown and the polyvagal system. When faith-based people experience omission of healthy content or celebrities inflict unscriptural propaganda, the brain wires to these injuries. Without intervention, the traumas of neglect and misuse of Scripture wire a neurological system unable to process sexual health content. When the anxiety of shame escalates, the prefrontal cortex begins to disable. This brain region, responsible for reason, compassion, and sexual awareness, becomes deprived of arterial blood flow and functionally goes “offline”.  Judgment and condemnation with their shame can shut down the processing part of the brain. The result? The people we love cannot hear sexual content.  The following are several examples of judgment resistance in Biblical sexual health narratives.

Adam and his wife were both naked and without shame…Adam made love to his wife, and she conceived…. (Genesis 2:25 and Genesis 4:1)

Blessed are those who mourn, they shall be comforted…But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.  (Matthew 5:1 and Matthew 5:32 )

Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes…I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children…It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality (mistranslation for sex trafficking, par-NAY-ah Strong, g4202) among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping (is having) with his father’s wife. (1 Corinthians 4:5,14 and 1 Corinthians 5:1)

The premier sexual health teachings of the Book of Genesis begin without shame. (Genesis 2:25 and Genesis 4:1) Before Jesus and Paul delivered sexual content, they practiced “judgment resistance”. First came compassionate truth and, in many cases, direct statements to reduce shame. Then after priming with judgment resistance, their first-century listeners were able to receive healthy content.

I wish to offer the same compassionate truth for this conversation. Without judgment, my prayer is that you may find freedom and wholeness. You will be safe. Feel free to challenge, explore, and hold me accountable to Scripture and the life of Jesus. Your participation is invited, and questions, expected.

My private practice comprises, in large part of faith-based males reporting occasional searching for erotic media, then viewing images of sexual acts. These episodes typically trigger by grief, isolation, or threat. The duration of these incidents lasts several minutes up to an hour or more. In this piece, these faith-based males are referred to as “clients”. In truth they are men God has blessed me with and whom I love.

My clients report profound spiritual guilt for searching and viewing sexual content. The injury they feel escalates to a debilitating sense of unprocessed shame. Like a software program operating in the background of a computer, the shame triggers easily. These searching and viewing behaviors repeat with an irregular, seemingly uncontrollable cycle. Experiences of grief, isolation, or threat, bring on unprocessed shame, acting out behaviors, followed by more sensations of shame. The result? My clients report they feel unable to stop these specific behaviors.

12-step sex addiction groups often categorize these searching and viewing events as relapse in recovery. Church and spiritual mentors assign the terms, “sin” or “backsliding” to these incidents. The shame from searching and viewing magnifies with threats from support networks. Consequences for this occasional behavior can result in church discipline with catastrophic loss of paid positions in ministry. Divorce with dissolution of family is not unheard of.  Most female marriage partners I work with feel covenant betrayal due to searching, and viewing. Female spouses at times, finalize divorce based on Biblical grounds of covenant breaking due to these behaviors. The clients’ overall sense is failure, pain, threat, and despair.

Christian speaker and licensed mental health therapist, Andrea Jordan, MA, terms the effects of erotic image use, “ontological injury.” (Jordan, 2025) I agree with this definition and humbly add,  “ontological injury originating from misuse of the image of God”. Please see the Key Vocabulary for ontological injury and misuse of God’s image.  According to Carnes, when a male partner is caught or confesses to using erotic material, the act equals the trauma response of incest or rape for female spouses. (Carnes, 2012) The wounding of a female marital partner is complex. Some do not recover. Others require years to repair ontological injury.

My male clients report a profound threat for searching and viewing behaviors. Angst is not imaginary. These behaviors can accompany a catastrophic loss of marriage, family, church community, and career. If they survive these consequences, their marriage and children may suffer years of repair and trust building.

I would like to suggest an alternate assessment for these occasional searching and viewing episodes. Perhaps this conversation may help with higher success rates for clients?

Despite current sexual politics, behavioral dependency does exist, called process addiction. Process addictions include compulsive gambling, internet, erotic image use, and genital self-stimulation. These practices can become problematic, negatively impacting work and relationships. The gambler lies to his family, and gaming increases until perhaps catastrophic loss. Erotic image viewing can escalate, with increasing intensity of content. Once image use habituates brain structure, users may progress by connecting to sex traffickers through web cams and direct messaging.  Sexting nude images and money may be exchanged for in-person sexual encounters. The child porn user views online, then escalates by downloading and transmitting criminal content.  Genital self-stimulation can alter brain chemistry and structure, increasing duration and frequency, negatively impacting marriage, intimacy, and career.  Physical  damage to genitalia may result by compulsive stimulation.  All of these behaviors can then wire together, called a constellation. Each piece depends on the other to function. Process addictions feed on the energy of the entire system. One component impacts another, cascading through trillions to quadrillions of interconnected neural pathways.

My clients report they need to know if their acting out behaviors are addiction. Most are convinced they are in the cycle on uncontrollable dependency.  Process addictions can be assessed by increased rewarding behaviors. This neurological process is called habituation or tolerance. Please see Key Vocabulary. When the brain becomes accustomed to the chemical transfer from a behavior, neural pathways change in composition. Decreasing the behaviors causes withdrawal symptoms like heightened anxiety, physical pain, urges to use, restlessness, irritability, and depression. A clinical assessment requires escalation of behaviors to diagnose a sex addiction.

My clients who occasionally search and view erotic images do not experience the biological need for greater intensity or duration. Therefore, I propose that these specific clients do not assess with addictive erotic image use. Do these behaviors miss the mark, undermining the relationship with God and family? My clients emphatically report, “yes”. Are these occasional incidents sex addiction? Not without escalation.

Enter unprocessed shame. The client who searches, views, and occasionally self-stimulates confesses these acts to faith-based networks. This community comprises support groups, sponsor, spouse, and or clergy. The responses vary: “relapse, sin, backsliding or covenant breaking”. Failure to abstain brings escalating unprocessed shame, but clients report the occasional searching and viewing continue unchecked.

The brain can wire to the components of this system called the constellation. Please see Key Vocabulary. The unprocessed shame and threat from the support network, very well may become the addict system itself. The energy for this constellation feeds on condemnation and judgment. Remove sensations of shame, then withdrawal symptoms emerge, triggering searching, viewing, and self-stimulating behaviors. Shame becomes the underlying driver of the searching and viewing behaviors. The addict system now requires shame, judgment, and condemnation to function. The addict system is the sum of all the pieces of the constellation. Without treating each part including the unprocessed shame and judgment, the addict system continues.

Sex addiction can be assessed by the presence of unprocessed shame, escalating behaviors, then more shame, with the inability to cease searching and viewing.  The cyclic condemnation of the support network now participates in the acting-out behaviors. The client, who on occasion searches and views erotic images, cannot escape because the system will not permit him. The more shame the client feels, the more susceptible he is to acting out. The shame-based thinking of the support network drives the addict system. The client may become, in fact, a victim of the addict constellation orbiting him. My clients feel they cannot escape. The energy of the system feeds from the unprocessed shame of judgment and condemnation.

The Biblical concept of sin is, “missing the mark.” Does sexual gratification apart from one’s spouse miss the mark? Yes. Can this behavior be called sin? Yes. Can covenants of marriage be broken? Yes. Are these specific practices addictive relapse? No. Addictive systems escalate by intensifying content and duration. My male clients report no increase in symptoms.

If not “addiction” then what is this apocalyptic alien beast bursting from the bowels of the Book of Revelation?  Why have current recovery movements been unable to treat it? Why do the men I care for suffer such pain? Where is the Good News of our faith for this population?

The foundation for this conversation bases on the life of Christ and the Bible.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks to first-century ontological injuries with the blessing of God. Christ comforts the grieving, the isolated, and those threatened by persecution. (Matthew 5:1-12)  In Matthew 7:1-2 Jesus concludes this beautiful sermon by giving the early church the mandate for judgment resistance. “Do not judge or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Apostle Paul mirrors the same judgment-resistant message in Romans 2:1, “You who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Is it possible that judgment and condemnation inspire unprocessed shame? Could it be unprocessed shame is a misuse of God’s image? Is it reasonable the compassionate truth of God’s Spirit can heal the ontological injury of searching and viewing behaviors?

Jesus and the Apostle Paul participated in the healing of sin’s ontological injuries. The infant church thrived in a maelstrom of dehumanizing sexual violence. The early church achieved this remarkable outcome without condemnation. Is it possible that judgment resistance with compassionate truth can restore the image of God? Can compassionate truth heal ontological injury?

Here are some examples of judgment resistance with compassionate truth from the life of Jesus and Paul the Apostle.  

Jesus is queried about a man born blind. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus said.  “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:2-3)

Jesus then spits into dirt and filth, smearing masticated mud onto sightless eyes.  Christ kindly invites cleansing the mess in a communal pool. Myopia clears, the blind man “sees”. The ontological injury, the pain, the unprocessed shame, all blend for as Jesus says, “so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” The takeaway seems to be that injuries have the potential to reflect the glory of God and are not intrinsically sinful.

Religious elitists seduce an unsuspecting woman with a lurid tryst. During coitus illicitus, the perverse politicians violently arrest her on grounds of sexual misconduct and bring her to Jesus. The hostile ploy attempts to level an accusation against Jesus by betraying and dehumanizing this woman.  First-century Bible scholars cherry-pick Scripture, demanding execution. If Jesus whinces, he invites liability.  Once again, Christ trusts in dust and filth.  He stoops to inscribe divine words with human fingers.  He then delivers perhaps the most brilliant pensive response in history. Jesus halts the hostility, cold turkey. He interrupts the violence with, “Let any one of you who is without (sexual) sin, be the first to throw a stone.” All leave, except the victim. Could it be that Jesus’  response triggered a trauma shutdown in the politicians? Jesus tenderly practices judgment resistance with the survivor, “Has no one condemned you?” She responds with the only three words her heart can muster, “No one, sir.” Christ transforms tragedy with compassionate truth, “Then neither do I condemn you, from now on, do not miss the mark.” (John 8:3-11; Glen Maiden translation from NT Greek) Jesus is completely honest about the damage of sin. He does not deny, deflect, or shut down. Christ beautifully uses compassionate truth to redeem both perpetrator and victim. He does so without damning anyone. (John 8)

Paul speaks of intense, personal, chronic injury. Prayerfully pleading three times, pain gives the Apostle a beat down. A Good Father tenderly responds, “My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul reflects, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) Great men often possess powerful weaknesses. Paul has no immunity from human frailty. Pain with weakness is, in fact entry point for the dynamic grace of God. Is it possible, the searching and viewing sensations pinpoint the location of God’s healing grace? Are dirt and filth ground zero for hope?

Romans 7 relays the personal struggle of history’s second-greatest Christian celibate. The chapter begins with marriage and sexual intimacy. Paul’s personal angst ends the piece, “Although I want to do good, the evil is right there with me. …I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.  What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:21-23). Does Paul reflect the ontological injury of the men I work with? They feel incarcerated by repeated cycles of unprocessed shame, acting out, followed by more unprocessed shame. The response from their support network? Condemnation. Could it be that Paul’s treatment for this misuse of God’s image begins in Romans 8:1? “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin nd death.” Judgment resistance may be the beginning of restoring the image of God to the clients I work with.  Ontological injury can be healed by the God who sent, “his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh.” (Romans 8:3) Therefore, we do not judge, nor do we participate in damning the sexual sins of others. In doing so, perhaps condemnation contributes energy to the addict system with its acting out? Or, is compassionate truth the healing path for these good men?

The Prophet Isaiah foresees the messianic character of Jesus in Isaiah 53. Although unattractive to casual observers, rejected and shamed by humankind, Christ willfully took our pain.  He bore our suffering pierced for our “missed mark” of unrighteous relationship. Though crushed for our failure, his punishment brought us ontological peace within. The wounds of Jesus healed the image of God within. (Isaiah 53:2-5) Can the ontological injuries of my clients whose trauma has never been defined, be the place of God’s healing presence? I wonder if that is why Jesus used dirt and filth as a healing balm? Perhaps the humble dust from which man came begins a new creation?

What if we participate in the healing of each step in the process of seeking and viewing?  What might outcomes look like, if we address each piece of the constellation?  

Seeking sensations reveal ontological injury. But is the searching sin? In Christian theology, we call this temptation or in counseling “pressure testing”. Please see Key Vocabulary. Jesus was tempted. Pressure testing in itself is not missing the mark of right living. In fact temptation is affirmation of sonship, the character of the Christian life. Enduring pressure is the example of Christ.  

Where do these sensations come from if they are not personal sin? Every man I work with who on occasion searches for and views erotic images has a history of sexual trauma as a child. Every single one. Research suggests 80% of sex addicts have experienced sexual trauma. My clients are devout Christians who love God and their families. They feel passion to honor both faith and marriage vows.  The clients also report they cannot overcome these searching and viewing episodes. It appears to them God refuses to answer pleas for relief. This may parallel Paul’s reflection on his ongoing, “thorn in the flesh.” But on the other side of the same coin, as Paul says, what if the seeking sensation is the entry point for grace and power? Could it be, this wound exists for the glory of God? Can Christ heal the abuse of the image of God to restore others?

Perhaps we have viewed these searching and viewing events from the constellation orbiting my clients? Could it be that the unprocessed shame of sexual trauma underlies the weakness to overcome? 

Is it reasonable, that trauma shuts down the decision-making portion of the brain? Can the atonement of Jesus touch the core of this injury? What if the goodness of God can heal the trauma driving the searching sensations?

I would like to suggest that the focus on healing the ontological injury of searching and viewing erotic images begins with compassionate truth. As we move through healing these wounds, let’s process this with the spiritual discipline of judgment resistance.

Awareness of Searching Sensations

When you notice searching sensations, can you journal the grief, isolation, or threat you sense? Are you able to take your pulse rate and journal the level of your anxiety state, 0-10? 0 is no anxiety and 10 borders panic. Between 80-100 heartbeats a minute, the prefrontal cortex begins to disable. Can you practice your breathwork by inhaling 4 seconds and exhaling 8? The exhaling triggers a parasympathetic calming response. This meditation can assist to bring your prefrontal cortex back online, restoring the brain’s ability to choose. What value would you give your current sensation of shame on a scale of 0-10? Zero is none and 10 is extreme shame? When you sense your shame diminishing, lets take the next step. What is your anxiety state and heart rate now, and is decision-making online or offline?

Compassion for Trauma

If you are logged on and viewing images, do you see a connection between this erotic media and your personal history of sexual trauma? Are there specific triggers in the content? Can you name them in your journal?  For example, “The images are specific to the trauma I experienced….” Can you do your breathwork of 4 seconds inhaling and 8 seconds exhaling until your heart rate decreases? As anxiety diminishes, blood flow returns to the brain region responsible for decision-making. While you exhale, can you log off within 8 seconds? 

One of my clients asked this question: “Is the intention (of this treatment plan) to give permission to have slips or to bring God’s grace into the situation after a slip has happened?” I felt some anxiety about this, too, when crafting this treatment vision. This specific population are not addicts making excuses for acting out or giving permission to view erotic images. The target group is sincere Christian gentlemen who understand the threats of using sexual media. The treatment suggests, if grief, isolation, or threat disregulates the decision-making portion of the brain, it is possible to bring the prefrontal cortex back on line with awareness and prayer. The result? The underlying driver of erotic image use finds healing and wholeness.

Now, can you take pleasure in a nutritious beverage? Secure your electronic device with gratitude. Go for a walk? Call a trusted support person? I call this caring for the image of God within.  After you log off, can you journal a prayer of gratitude for your awareness? Are you able to be grateful for connecting images to personal trauma? Thank Him for the newfound strength?

In reflection how long was the duration of this event? Was the screen time less than in the previous episodes? Did the content upgrade? What are the sensations in your body now? What is your level of shame?  What gratitude do you notice?

Finally, are you comfortable reaching out to a safe person in your network and sharing your experience? Can you do this with compassion for yourself? The truth is, “you are not an addict”. You are a survivor overcoming deep wounds. Compassion gives this gift to others.

God is finishing the good work He began in you. (Philippians 1:6) The Spirit of God nurtures you to wholeness. (Genesis 1:2) He is making all things new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) As Joseph speaks about his trauma in Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Can searching and viewing become the entry point of God’s grace? For some of us, this amazing truth can be known only in saliva and dust.

Key Vocabulary

Addictive Process: An anxiety reaction begins the initial transfer of chemicals from neuron through axon to neuron, called feedback. If anxiety state continues at an elevated level, the brain adjusts to restore balance, by changing structure. In terms of alcohol addiction, the alcoholic drinks six beers. The ethyl alcohol metabolizes to dopamine and the result is the intoxicating feeling of euphoria. During the transfer of dopamine through axons, the tubes conducting the neural chemicals expand four to five times carrying the greater volume. The change in axon structure is called tolerance or habituation (May, 1988; Carnes, 2014). After chemical transfer, axon diameter decreases in size but not as small as the original. The axon is now larger in diameter and requires more dopamine to have the same euphoric feeling. The next time the alcoholic consumes six beers, she will need more ethyl alcohol to have the same soothing effects because the diameter of axons has increased. Since the axons have tolerated or changed in structure, more of the intoxicating substance or behavior is needed to have the same analgesic or pain reducing effect. If anxiety reaction continues, the brain achieves a state called adaptation (May, 1988). Brain cells transform in composition, personality alters, DNA changes. This addict state now depends on the substance or relationship which began the anxiety reaction whether chemicals, sex, erotic images, gambling, working, etc (May, 1988, Carnes, 2014). 

Adaptation: When axons tolerate or change in structure, more of the intoxicating substance or behavior is needed to have the same analgesic or pain reducing effect. If anxiety reaction continues, the brain achieves a state called adaptation (May, 1988). Brain cells transform in composition, personality alters, DNA changes. This addict state now depends on the substance or relationship which began the anxiety reaction whether chemicals, sex, gambling, working, etc (May, 1988, Carnes, 2014). 

Anxiety State: There are four anxiety states in the human body. 1-Homeostasis is a balanced state of awareness, The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) is online with spiritual connection. 2-Striated muscle anxiety is a lower anxiety state in which hands and fingers move, eyes blink, facial muscles respond to emotion. This state means the brain is capable to process, be intimate. 3-Smooth muscle anxiety is an anxiety state in which deeper muscles are effected and the body seems stiffer. A person sits without expression or facial muscle movement. The subtle facial reactions of smiling, blinking, itching disappear. The brain is disabling and not able to process content in a compassionate, reasonable, aware state. 4-Cognitive perceptual distortion is a disabled state in which the mind cannot process information and in fact may distort input. Words can be misinterpreted, conspiracy thinking presents, sight and sound altered.

Assessment: The healthy process of gathering and discussing character and behavior from multiple and diverse sources to develop intimacy with God and others. Scripture uses the term “test”. (1 John 4:1) In the Old Testament, assessment is achieved by the “test”imony of 2-3 witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19:15 and 1 Timothy 5:19) Assessment is source driven without unhealthy judgment or condemnation. Traits of assessment are:

Provide accessible and actionable information supporting spiritual growth.

An aspect of intimacy in which we can understand authenticity and embrace value. 

Align with Biblical purpose to support knowledge transfer.

Create opportunities to recover the image of God

Promote justice

Association and Dissociation: Association is a regulated brain state in which the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is engaged/online with awareness, intimacy, compassion, and reason. This state can be termed, spirituality-activated. Dissociation on the other hand is a dysregulated brain state in which the preftontal cortex (PFC) is disengaged/offline. The white matter wires connecting the hemispheres begin to separate due to elevated anxiety with loss of arterial blood flow to the PFC. This produces a dissociative brain state in which people, places, things, sights, sounds, smells may not be associated. The dissociative brain is now “unaware” and cannot be intimate. This spiritual state is deactivated or offline. 

Cognitive Perceptual Disruption: Cognitive perceptual disruption refers to a disturbance or alteration in the way an individual processes thoughts, perceptions, and sensory information. This can manifest as difficulties in understanding, interpreting, or responding to stimuli from the environment. Such disruptions may affect attention, memory, decision-making, and overall cognitive function, leading to challenges in navigating daily activities and interactions. This phenomenon is caused by various factors, including stress, anxiety, fatigue, or neurological conditions, impacting how one perceives the God of our understanding and engagement with the world around them.

Communion: The final act of the Nature Immersion Creation Walk is communion. The Greek term for communion, eucharist, means “giving thanks”. Sharing the cup and the bread of Christ gratefully celebrates the redemption of humankind from sin to intimacy with God through Christ by His Spirit.

Constellations of Addict Systems:The constellation model of addiction recovery views dependency as a symptom of a larger system including unresolved trauma. The goal is to reveal and treat these hidden dynamics to break the cycle of addiction. (metataos.org.) Constellation also refers to the neurology of complex and interconnected genetic and brain connections that contribute to addiction.  Research suggests that individual differences in brain connectivity can make a person more vulnerable to addiction, a vulnerability shared with other brain-related disorders. This “constellation” of genetic and neurological factors is a key area of study for understanding and treating addiction. When a person replaces one addiction with another, or is struggling with two or more addictions, it is called Addiction Interaction Disorder. This phenomenon simply means that the individual in question is using one or more compulsive and obsessive behavioral patterns to get over another. These connections become components of the constellation, which can become dependent on one another.

Creation: The natural order of beings formed by the intentional will of a compassionate Creator God. Creation by God refers to the divine act of bringing the universe and all its beings into existence. It encompasses the intentional and compassionate will of God, who forms and shapes beings with purpose and meaning. According to theological beliefs, God’s creation is often viewed as not just a one-time event, but a continuous process of nurturing and sustaining life.

In many religious contexts, creation is celebrated as a reflection of God’s character, reflecting His creativity, power, and love. The natural world, with its intricate ecosystems and diverse forms of life, is seen as evidence of God’s glory and artistic expression. 

Furthermore, the idea of being created in the image of God establishes a connection between humanity and the divine. This belief emphasizes the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, suggesting that each person carries an aspect of the Creator’s character within them. 

Ultimately, creation by God is viewed as an invitation for humanity to engage with the world, recognizing the sacredness of life and the importance of stewardship over the environment. Through this lens, all creation is a manifestation of God’s ongoing involvement in the world, encouraging believers to experience and reflect on the divine presence in every aspect of life.

Created Beings: The use of the term “being” affirms the image of God in the Creation. This moves meaning from an object or item only concept like a “rock” to a more accurate connection of a solid complex creation of essential minerals and compounds. This term can de-objectify the created order focusing rather on benevolent intention of God. Historically culture “objectifies” humans distancing them from the image of God to become items, commercial containers for economic gain, and or ultimately victims.

Creation Theology: God exists always creating, changing, restoring, redeeming, healing, and speaking. The Holy Spirit in Creation constantly nurtures the natural order as a mother cares for her young. (Genesis 1:1-2) The Created order “declares the glory of God”.

Feedback: Chemical transfer in the brain when anxiety reacts. The purpose of feedback brings balance or homeostasis. For example, when new prescription glasses are worn for several days the prescription may be uncomfortable until the brain responds chemically to reduce the anxiety. When walking on the beach, the brain responds to the sound of crashing waves with feedback to block the sound. Suddenly, attention is drawn to the sound of the waves breaking on the beach and awareness that the brain was blocking the sound. Dairy farms smell pungent. The farmer however no longer reacts to the smell because the brain has adjusted chemically to the acrid aroma bring system balance reducing anxiety.

God Speaks in Creation: The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal “intimacy with God”…their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. (Psalm 19:1-4)

Habituation (Also called Tolerance): The initial transfer of chemicals from neuron through axon to neuron is called feedback. If anxiety state continues at an elevated level, the brain adjusts to restore homeostasis or balance, by changing structure. In terms of alcohol addiction, the alcoholic drinks six beers. The ethyl alcohol metabolizes to dopamine and the result is the intoxicating feeling of euphoria. During the transfer of dopamine through axons, the tubes conducting the neural chemicals expand four to five times carrying the greater volume. The change in axon structure is called tolerance or habituation (May, 1988; Carnes, 2014). After chemical transfer, axon diameter decreases in size but not as small as the original. The axon is now larger in diameter and requires more dopamine to have the same euphoric feeling. The next time the alcoholic consumes six beers, she will need more ethyl alcohol to have the same soothing effects because the diameter of axons has increased. Since the axons have tolerated or changed in structure, more of the intoxicating substance or behavior is needed to have the same analgesic or pain reducing effect. 

Homeostasis: Neurological homeostasis refers to the state of balance and stability in the brain’s functioning and processes. It involves the regulation of neurotransmitters, neural pathways, and overall brain activity to ensure optimal functioning. In a state of homeostasis, the brain is able to effectively process information, maintain emotional stability, and perform cognitive tasks efficiently. This state is characterized by a well-functioning prefrontal cortex, which is involved in reasoning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. When homeostasis is disrupted, it can lead to various issues, such as anxiety, stress, or other mental health conditions. Overall, achieving neurological homeostasis is crucial for maintaining mental and spiritual well-being.

Humility and Generosity: The PFC focus with Nature Immersion.

Image of God:The “image of God” (Latin: imago Dei) is a theological concept in Judaism and Christianity, originating from Genesis 1:26-27, which states that God created humanity in his own image and likeness. This concept signifies that humans possess a unique, God-given nature that distinguishes them from other creatures and involves capacities like reason, consciousness, creativity, and the ability to form relationships. It also implies that humans are meant to act as God’s representatives on Earth, ruling over creation and reflecting God’s attributes to the world.  

Key aspects of the image of God

• Human uniqueness: It is the foundation of human dignity and value, setting people apart from the rest of creation. 
• Innate value: All humans, regardless of status or accomplishment, have inherent worth because they bear this image, which is why some consider every human life to be sacred. 
• Representative role: Humans are seen as God’s representatives, or vice-regents, in the world, tasked with ruling over creation in God’s stead. 
• Relational and moral capacity: It includes the ability to have a relationship with God and to reflect divine attributes like love, creativity, and moral reasoning. 
• Biblical basis: The concept is rooted in the Genesis creation account, though its meaning is debated and interpreted in various ways across both Old and New Testament theology. 
• Restoration: Some Christian traditions believe that sin marred the image of God, but it can be restored through faith and the life of Jesus Christ. 

Intimacy with God: The 7 intimacies of Creation are: Spiritual, beauty of the created order, rest, pleasure, compassionate presence, reconciliation, and sexually healthy intimacy. (Genesis 1-4) The insular cortex located in the pre frontal cortex is responsible for intimacy in relationships and associating people, places, things, sights, sounds, and smells. Intimacy is essential to bring a dissociated state to an associated state. We call this associated state, “online”.

Judgment Resistance: A spiritual discipline honoring the words of Jesus and Paul the Apostle to abstain from judgment and condemnation. (Matthew 7:1 and Romans 2:1) Judgment and condemnation are driven by unprocessed shame. When these behaviors react in trauma or addiction neuro pathways, they feed the energy of addict systems. Compassionate truth without judgment or con-damning clients can heal constellations of addiction.

Meditation: Intentional focus on the character of God in creation through sound, sight, somatic sensation, and movement for the purpose of spiritual growth. Meditation connects the neurology of the brain and body, specifically the prefrontal cortex responsible for spirituality. Blessed is the one whose…pleasure is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water…whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3) Meditation reconnects white matter wiring connecting left and right brain hemispheres producing an associated neurological state called interoception.

Meditation on Motion (MOM): A meditation technique to increase attentive prayer. MOM connects the neurology of the brain and body to movement. This activates the intimacy part of the prefrontal cortex called the insular cortex. Specifically, meditation activates the proprioception and enteroception system of the brain. This system enables the brain to process information externally called proprioception, and internally termed enteroception.

Nature: The word nature originates from the Latin, “natura” meaning birth, origin, natural constitution or quality. The verb form is “nasci” meaning “to be born”. Biblical theology makes a distinction between nature and deity. Although nature bears the image of God, the Bible does not equate nature’s essence to be divinity. Nature and the created order include land and wildlife. The term can also relate to inanimate beings and the processes effecting them. For example, a stone can be referred to as a being as opposed to a product made by conscious decision by humans we call, artificial.

Ontological Healing: Recovering purpose through restoring the image of God by grace through faith in Christ. 

Ontological Injury: A neurological and spiritual wound to one’s central or eternal purpose and therefore sense of being or identity. (Andrea Jordan, 2025)

Pleasure: One of seven intimacies of Genesis 1-4. The word “Eden” as in Garden of Eden means, pleasure. The final images of the Book of Revelation 21-22 restore “Eden” to the earth for God and man to enjoy together.

Pleasure of Compassionate Presence (PCP): A meditation technique connecting the neurologcial circuitry of the brain to the body through sensing sight, sound, somatic information, and smell. The Pleasure of Compassionate Presence is a prayerful meditation on the benevolent presence of God in our being.

Polyvagal Theory: Polyvagal Theory, created by Dr. Stephen Porges, is all about understanding how our nervous system affects how we feel and interact with the world. This theory suggests that we have three main parts to our nervous system. First, there’s the sympathetic nervous system, which kicks in when we’re stressed or scared—think fight-or-flight. Then there’s the parasympathetic system, which helps us relax and feel calm. A key player in this is the vagus nerve, which helps us manage our emotional responses and social connections. One interesting concept from Polyvagal Theory is “neuroception,” which is how our body instinctively senses safety or danger around us. When we feel safe, we’re more likely to connect with others and enjoy our surroundings. But when danger looms, our body reacts to protect us—sometimes by revving up for action or, in other instances, winding down to conserve energy.

Prefrontal Cortex: In mammalian brain anatomy, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cerebral cortex which covers the anterior part of the frontal lobe. Many scholars indicate a direct link between the will to live, personality, intimacy, and spirituality with the prefrontal cortex. This brain region is responsible for spirituality, planning complex cognitive behaviors, system homeostasis, decision making, regulating sexual neural pathways, awareness of social cues, and some aspects of language. The activity of this brain region is called executive function organizing thoughts and actions with meaning.

Executive function analyzes conflicting ideas, good, bad, better, best, same, different, future outcomes, working for goals, predicting results, expectation, and social control. One aspect of social control is regulation of sexual neural pathways. The frontal cortex forms boundaries, and moral code. More anterior regions of the frontal cortex support boundary formation at higher levels of abstract thinking (APA Dictionary, 2021).

Providence of God: The both historical and present care, guidance, nurture, and control of the creation by God moving in divine purpose. Providence refers to God’s ongoing involvement in the world and in the lives of individuals. It encompasses the belief that God not only created the universe but also continues to care for and sustain it. This divine guidance means that God is actively orchestrating events and circumstances to fulfill His purposes and plans. 

Providence can be understood in various ways:

1. **Sustaining Power**: God’s providence involves maintaining the existence and order of creation. This includes the natural laws governing the universe, as well as the life and well-being of all created beings.

2. **Guidance and Direction**: Providence implies that God provides direction and guidance, leading people toward their destinies and helping them navigate life’s challenges. This can manifest through circumstances, wisdom, or a sense of peace regarding certain decisions.

3. **Care and Protection**: The concept of providence also emphasizes God’s care for humanity. This includes protecting individuals from harm and providing for their needs, even in times of hardship. 

4. **Purpose and Redemption**: Ultimately, God’s providence aims toward the fulfillment of His redemptive plan for humanity. This culminates in the belief that God works all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Understanding God’s providence can offer comfort and assurance, especially during difficult times, reinforcing faith in His loving and purposeful engagement with creation.

Sexual Trauma Shutdown:  PTSD literature has long identified the parasympathetic response to trauma called “shutdown”.Porge uses the term polyvagal theory to describe this phenomenon in the human system. Polyvagal shutdown is a state of prefrontal cortex disabling triggered by the dorsal vagal nerve when the body experiences real or perceived threat. This protective mechanism, acts as last resort when fight-or-flight responses are insufficient. It’s characterized by a drop in heart rate, respiration, low energy, dissociation, and feelings of disconnection or numbness. 

Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, outlines a hierarchy of nervous system states: 

• Ventral Vagal State: .
  This is a state of prefrontal cortex activity is characterized by calm, relaxed breathing, and a sense of connection to oneself and others.
  
• Sympathetic State: .
  The fight-or-flight response, triggers by perceived danger followed by increased heart rate, breathing, and alertness. 
  
• Dorsal Vagal State (Shutdown): .
  When fight-or-flight is not possible, the dorsal vagal nerve activates, leading to shutdown or immobilization. 
  

In dorsal vagal shutdown, the body conserves energy and reduces pain perception by: 

• Decreasing heart rate and breathing thus reducing the body’s metabolic demands. 
  
• Dissociation involves a feeling of detachment from the body or surroundings. When sexual trauma triggers shutdown, the brain is unable to process sexual health content.
  
• Numbness and emotional detachment manifest as a lack of feeling or a sense of disconnection from awareness, compassion, and reason relating to sexual health content.
  
• The body conserves energy by reducing activity levels with feelings of fatigue.
• Digestive problems, nausea, or changes in pain perception may occur.

In this work the disabling of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in shutdown, prevents processing of sexual health content.

Shalom Space: A place of prayer and reflection on the Genesis God of Creation, Jesus the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Shalom Space has limited artificial distractions, enhancing connection to God in Christ. Jesus speaks about prayer in private. His example often models intimate prayer in nature.

Shame: In this work two aspects of shame are addressed; processed and unprocessed shame:  Processed shame involves acknowledging and working through the deep-seated feeling of being fundamentally flawed, often stemming from trauma, rather than just a single bad action. This process includes taking responsibility for past mistakes, talking about feelings, finding emotional outlets, changing self-talk, and in some cases, seeking professional help to overcome the disabling beliefs that give energy to addiction cycles.

What processed shame looks like

• Distinguishing it from guilt: Guilt is about feeling bad for an action, while processed shame involves a belief that “I am bad” at your core. 
• Breaking the cycle: Unprocessed shame can lead to a cycle of self-destructive behaviors that only intensify the shame, while processing it helps break this cycle. 
• Overcoming self-blame: It involves recognizing that your shame is not a reflection of your inherent worth, but often a response to past experiences like childhood trauma or neglect. 
  
• Integrating the self: Processing shame is about coming to terms with the past and integrating the experiences into your identity, rather than being controlled by them. 

Unprocessed Shame: The second aspect of shame in this work is called unprocessed shame. Shame can originate from childhood experiences, such as trauma, abuse, or neglect, where needs were unmet or the child was shamed for who they were. 

• Inherited: It can be passed down through generations, with children absorbing the unhealed emotional wounds of their ancestors. 
• Internalization: Unprocessed shame is internalized as a part of one’s identity, leading to a persistent feeling of “not being good enough”. 
• Avoidance: People often use defense mechanisms like hiding, avoiding, or distracting themselves to cope, but this doesn’t make the feeling go away; it just pushes it deeper. 
• Consequences: Unprocessed shame can lead to a range of problems, including:
• Mental health: Depression, anxiety, and narcissistic adaptations. 
• Emotional: Low self-esteem, self-loathing, chronic guilt, and anger. 
• Physical: Somatic symptoms like headaches, back pain, or other chronic pain. 
• Relationships: Difficulty with intimacy, a fear of rejection, and perpetuating the cycle by passing shame onto others. 

Shock-Biological circulatory shock is the body’s instinctual, fight-or-flight stress response to the profound emotional trauma of a significant loss. This is not a metaphor; grief triggers a physiological cascade of hormones and nervous system changes that can have significant physical and mental health consequences. 

When a person experiences a traumatic loss, their brain interprets the event as a threat to survival. This activates the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, initiating a series of physiological changes. 

• Release of stress hormones: The adrenal glands flood the body with cortisol, adrenaline (epinephrine), and noradrenaline (norepinephrine). While useful for a short-term crisis, persistently high levels of these hormones can damage the body.
• Fight-or-flight response: Adrenaline and noradrenaline cause an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate as the body prepares to confront or flee from a threat. This diverts blood flow away from non-essential functions like digestion and toward major muscles and the brain.
• Immune system suppression: Elevated stress hormones suppress the immune system, leading to inflammation and a reduced ability to fight off illness. Studies show that bereaved individuals can experience measurable differences in immune function for many months after a loss.
• Changes in brain activity: Neurological changes occur in the limbic system, which controls emotion, and the prefrontal cortex, which handles executive functions like memory, concentration, and emotional regulation. 

Physical and mental symptoms of biological shock 

The physiological changes induced by the shock of grief can manifest in a wide range of intense symptoms. 

Cardiovascular 

• “Broken heart syndrome”: Medically known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, this is a real and temporary condition where intense emotional stress causes a sudden weakening of the heart muscle. Symptoms can mimic a heart attack, including chest pain and shortness of breath.
• Higher heart attack risk: In the days and weeks following a significant loss, the risk of having a heart attack increases.
• Elevated heart rate and blood pressure: These effects can last for an extended period after the initial loss. 

Nervous system 

• Brain fog: Difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, confusion, and disorientation are common cognitive effects.
• Anxiety and panic: The persistent stress response can create feelings of anxiety and panic, sometimes with a heightened sense of alertness.
• Numbness and dissociation: The brain may attempt to protect itself from emotional pain by inducing a feeling of numbness, fogginess, or detachment from reality.
• Oversensitivity to noise: This can be a result of the heightened state of awareness characteristic of the fight-or-flight response. 

Other physical symptoms 

• Sleep disturbances: Insomnia, frequent waking, or excessive sleeping can occur.
• Fatigue and exhaustion: Processing emotional trauma is draining and can lead to persistent fatigue.
• Digestive problems: Stress hormones can upset the digestive system, causing nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, or constipation.
• Aches and pains: Muscle tension and increased inflammation can cause headaches, back pain, and joint pain.
• Changes in appetite and weight: People often experience a loss or increase in appetite, which can lead to weight fluctuation. 

Sin: “Sin” meaning “missing the mark” is a concept derived from the Greek word hamartia and the Hebrew word chata, which were originally terms used in archery to describe an arrow that missed the target. It suggests that sin is a failure to reach a standard, not only through malicious intent but also through a general inability to meet divine standards, as in Romans 3:23: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  

Archery analogy 

• Missed target: An archer who aims but whose arrow fails to hit the bullseye is said to have “missed the mark”. 
  
• Missing the mark: The analogy of the archer is used to explain sin as a failure to meet God’s intended standard or purpose. 

Smooth Muscle Anxiety: This still state of the body may become more rigid, and individuals might experience symptoms such as digestive discomfort, increased heart rate, or shallow breathing. This condition indicates a higher level of distress where the brain’s processing capabilities diminish. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) becomes less engaged, leading to difficulties in emotional regulation and rational thinking.

Smooth muscle anxiety can impede one’s ability to feel present and connected, thereby hindering personal intimacy and engagement with the environment. Recognizing this state is essential for developing coping strategies that promote relaxation and facilitate a return to homeostasis. Techniques such as deep breathing, prayerful meditation, or gentle physical movement can help alleviate smooth muscle anxiety and improve overall well-being. Smooth muscle anxiety refers to a state of tension and stress that affects the body’s involuntary muscles, which are responsible for functions such as digestion, circulation, and regulation of internal organs. Unlike striated muscle anxiety, which involves voluntary movements, smooth muscle anxiety typically manifests as stiffness or tightness in areas that may not be readily noticeable, such as the gastrointestinal tract or internal organs.

Striated Muscle Anxiety: Striated muscle anxiety refers to a state of heightened tension and activity in the body, particularly involving the skeletal muscles that control voluntary movements. In this state, muscles may tighten, and individuals may exhibit physical signs such as fidgeting, tapping fingers, or shifting positions. This type of anxiety indicates that the brain is still capable of processing experiences, as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is engaged. 

However, it is characterized by a reduced ability to be present and intimate due to the stress response. While people may be aware of their emotional state, their ability to fully engage and process situations compassionately is compromised. This level of anxiety can often manifest in feelings of nervousness and restlessness, making it difficult to focus or maintain calmness.

Understanding striated muscle anxiety is important for recognizing how physical tension relates to mental, emotional, and spiritual states, providing insights into methods for relaxation techniques that may improve overall well-being.

Trigger: A trigger is a stimulus (such as people, places, things, sounds, sights, smells, thoughts, or situations)  causing a strong and often disproportionate emotional or physical reaction in a person, typically because it reminds them of a past traumatic event or worsens the symptoms of a mental health condition. The response can feel like the past trauma is happening again in the present, and it differs from a typical reaction because the intensity of the emotional response doesn’t match the current situation. Triggers are common in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but they can also affect individuals with anxiety, depression, or substance use disorders. A trigger is the leading edge of yielding to temptation. Understanding our unique triggers and the competence to attend to them can assist as Paul says, to prevail over temptation. (1 Corinthians 10:13)