Rachel's Vineyard - About Us
 

Theresa Karminski Burke, MA, PhD, DAPA, NCP, LPC

Theresa Karminski Burke, MA, PhD, DAPA, NCP, LPC

Dr. Theresa Burke is the Founder of Rachel’s Vineyard – the largest post abortion ministry in the world.  Her healing programs offer a unique sensory based treatment which integrates emotional, psychological and spiritual dimensions.  The healing journey uses creative “Living Scripture Exercises,” and rituals which engage the mind body and soul.  The Living Scriptures coupled with group activities, prayer, therapeutic facilitation, cognitive restructuring and discussions offer an effective process for grief work grounded in Jesus Christ and the word of God.   This distinct program provides an exceptional and effective recovery process for victims of trauma and those who have spent years in talk therapy, but still struggle to move beyond their traumatic experience. In the past 12 years, the Rachel’s Vineyard model has spread to 46 states and to 35 countries.  The Rachel’s Vineyard retreat is currently offered in 10 languages, with another 5 translations in progress.  Rachel’s Vineyard is a ministry of Priests for Life/Gospel of Life Ministries.  

Theresa has facilitated the Rachel’s Vineyard weekend for women and men throughout the country, training retreat teams in the method and process.  She has lectured and trained professionals internationally on the subject of post-abortion trauma and healing.  Her books include Forbidden Grief - The Unspoken Pain of Abortion with David C. Reardon (Acorn Books) and The Contraception of Grief – The Genesis of Anguish Conceived by Abortifacients and Sterilization and  Sharing the Heart of Christ, with Kevin Burke. 

Forbidden Grief is also available in Spanish, Duelo Prohibido: El dolor no expresado del Aborto and Russian, Запрещенные слезы. О чем не рассказывают женщины после аборта.  

Theresa also developed a five day program for healing sexual abuse entitled – Grief to Grace – Reclaiming the Gift of Sexual Dignity.  This program has been used to address all forms of abuse, including sexual abuse from clergy and religious.  Professionally crafted and doctrinally sound, Grief to Grace provides professional therapeutic staff and all treatment is based on a firm Christian foundation as well as sound medical and psychological principles and a perceptive understanding of trauma. 

Her treatment programs are considered an intensive and uninterrupted “therapy for the soul.”   Theresa’s latest treatment model addresses the spiritual and psychological trauma suffered by combat veterans.  The program is entitled Duty To Heal – Finding Peace and Wholeness for a Soldiers Heart.

Theresa serves as a Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and for the newly formed Apostolic Society - Missionaries of the Gospel of Life.  Theresa recently presented as an expert for the 2011 Pontifical Academy of Life’s General Assembly.  Her topic was The Aftermath of Abortion: Data from Scientific Literature.  

She is frequent guest on EWTN and served as host of the television series Making Abortion Rare.  She has appeared on PBS, the Religion and Ethics News Weekly, Focus on the Family, EWTN’s Defending Life with Fr. Frank Pavone and has been interviewed for numerous radio, television, print magazine and news stories. 

Theresa’s counseling work has focused on women’s issues, bereavement, pregnancy loss, sexual abuse, eating disorders and anxiety management.  She is the co-administrator and founder of Covenant Family Resources, a licensed Children and Youth Agency which supports couples as they build families through adoption.  Theresa and her husband ran Mother’s Home, a crisis pregnancy residence, which provided housing and computer job training for women in crisis pregnancy and their children.

Theresa holds an undergraduate degree in English Communications with a concentration in social work. Theresa went on to Immaculata University to earn a master’s degree and doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology.  She is a Nationally Certified Psychologist, a Certified Diplomat of the American Psychotherapy Association, a Licensed Professional Counselor; a Board Certified Clinical Psychotherapist and a Diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Counselors.  She holds membership in the Society for Catholic Social Scientists and the American Association of Christian Counselors.  Theresa is the proud mother of five children. 

 



 
 
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