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.
