Fall Ventures series features deep dive into stress, trauma, and resilience

By Kendra Flory

This fall, learn from one of the nation’s leading voices in Trauma Informed Care. Tim Grove joins the Ventures in Christian Discipleship program at McPherson (Kan.) College to present a special 2026-2027 season-opening series: “Creating a Better World: A Deep Dive into Stress, Trauma, and Resilience as a Pathway to Healthier People, Families, and Communities.”

This series is open to everyone—whether you are a church leader, a caregiver, or simply interested in cultivating greater resiliency. Unlike Ventures’ typical standalone courses, each of these six sessions builds sequentially on the last, so registering for the full series is highly recommended. If you miss a live session, course recordings will be provided so you can catch up in chronological order before the next class.

Series description

We will explore five key concepts related to stress, trauma, and resilience in the first five sessions and then spend a sixth “bonus” session talking about how these concepts influence the navigation of a complex, media-dominant and politically charged world. Each virtual session will be two hours long, and recordings will be available after each session ends.

Special note: The content for this series will be anchored in Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey’s book What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing, and Dr. Perry’s website Disaster Support | NMnetwork. Participants are encouraged to explore these resources before, during, and after this series.

Session schedule

All sessions are held online on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (central time).

Session 1 (Sept. 29): “Stress, Trauma, and Resilience: What’s in a Name?!”
Session 2 (Oct. 6): “When Stress Creates Difficulty”
Session 3 (Oct. 20): “Superpower #1: Connection”
Session 4 (Oct. 27): “Superpower #2: Regulation”
Session 5 (Nov. 10): Taking Care of the Carer”
Bonus session (Nov. 17): “Collective and Continuous Stress”

About the presenter

Tim Grove retired in 2025 after a 30-year career in social services, including 26 years at Wellpoint Care Network. He began his career serving youth and families in the foster care system, and his work broadened over time to include work with adults, community programs, child welfare, program administration, quality improvement, and training.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Grove is a national leader in Trauma Informed Care (TIC) and the creator of Wellpoint’s 7 Essential Ingredients (7ei) curriculum. His expertise as a mentor in Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model and an ACE Interface Master Trainer has reached diverse fields from healthcare to justice. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes with Oprah Winfrey and published in the Journal of Child Custody. Read his full bio.

Looking ahead: Spring 2027 lineup

Mark your calendar for these upcoming courses and presenters:

Jan. 19 and 26: “Speed Dating the Bible” with Debbie Eisenbise
Feb. 23 and March 2: “Leading Through the Storm: Leadership Wisdom for a World that Got Different” with Stan Dueck
April 10: “Holy Play: Entering Divine Conversation with Nature and Expressive Arts” with Shana Leck

Registration and credit

To learn more about Ventures and to register for courses. Continuing education credit is available for $10 per course. During registration, you will have the opportunity to pay for CEUs and provide an optional donation to the Ventures program. Find full series and session details.

— Kendra Flory is advancement assistant at McPherson College.

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