While in graduate school, Dr. Theresa Karminski Burke led a support group for women with eating disorders. At one of their meetings, a woman brought up the subject of abortion and almost everyone in the room exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress. When Theresa told her clinic supervisor what happened, he instructed her to avoid the topic. But how could a psychologist taboo a topic the support group wanted to talk about?

Eventually, Theresa started free support groups to help support women who had been ignored or exploited by others in their times of greatest need. When she realized that talking about the women’s deep wounds was not enough, she created Rachel’s Vineyard: Healing the trauma of abortion.^TM

During the retreats, Theresa kept hearing women talk about the sexual abuse they suffered in their past. So in 2005, Dr. Burke developed Grief to Grace: Healing the Wounds of Abuse^TM for people who experienced physical, emotional, sexual, or spiritual abuse. Since its beginnings, Grief to Grace has drawn people from around the world, including priests and religious who want healing from the abuse they experienced.

While working on Grief to Grace, several personal experiences converged that prompted Dr. Burke to develop another retreat. This one helping Military Veterans and Law Enforcement professionals reconcile - and grieve - the moral injuries suffered in war and violence.

Dr. Burke has lectured worldwide on the treatment of trauma.

Fr. Dominic Allain was ordained for the Archdiocese of Southwark, England in 1999. He holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Before entering the seminary, he was a high school teacher for several years, having graduated from London University with an honors degree in English language and Literature. In 2011 he was appointed the International Pastoral Director of Grief to Grace ministries and, with the blessing of the Archbishop of Southwark, he established the ministry in the United Kingdom.

As our International Pastoral Director, Fr. Dominic has been a crucial partner in our work. Grief to Grace is a valuable resource for pastoral leaders who encounter abuse survivors in the course of their work.