Theresa Karminski Burke, Ph.D.
Pastoral Associate, Priests for Life
Founder, Rachel's Vineyard Ministries
Theresa Karminski
Burke, M.A., PhD, NCP, LPC, DAPA
is the founder of Rachel’s Vineyard Ministries and the author of The
Rachel’s Vineyard Weekend Retreat Manuals for both Catholic and
interdenominational settings. She is also the author of the 15-week support
group model Rachel’s Vineyard - A Psychological and Spiritual Journey
of Post Abortion Healing with Barbara Cullen. (Alba House)
The Rachel’s Vineyard ™ support group and retreat models are now
offered in 48 states. The
international outreach of Rachel’s Vineyard is now growing in 25 countries
with translations in progress for Japan and Korea. Over 700 retreats are
held annually world wide.
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.
Forbidden Grief is also available in Spanish, Mujeres
Silenciadas: Como se Explica el Sufrimiento de la Mujer que Aborta (Sekotia).
Theresa has also published a new retreat program specifically designed for
those who have suffered sexual abuse entitled
Grief to Grace - Reclaiming the Gift
of Sexuality Dignity.
This new retreat model offers healing to victims of abuse, including those
who have survived sexual abuse from clergy.
Theresa serves as a Pastoral Associate of Priests for
Life and for the newly formed Apostolic Society - Missionaries of the
Gospel of Life. She is frequent
guest on EWTN and served as host of the television series Making Abortion
Rare. She has recently
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 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
and a Diplomat of the American Board of Forensic Counselors.
She holds membership in the Society for Catholic Social Scientists,
the American Counseling Association and the American Association of
Christian Counselors. Theresa is
the proud mother of five children.
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To arrange a media interview, email
media@priestsforlife.org or call 347-286-7277.
To invite Theresa Burke to speak in your area, contact our Speakers Bureau
at 888-735-3448, ext. 258.
Fax: 718-980-7191; Email:
travels@priestsforlife.org
