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Not Currently Accepting New Clients

Areas of Specialization

  • Military Trauma
  • PTSD
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Deconstruction
  • Faith
  • Marriage and Relationships
  • Youth
  • Career and Calling Discernment

Matthew Silker

Master of Divinity
Pastoral Counselor
Texas
About Matt

Matt serves as a Pastoral Counselor at Journey and is a practical theological and ethicist focused on moral injury, pastoral care, and the ethics of war.

Matt holds a specialized interest on deconstructing the intersection of moral theology and trauma within American culture. Specifically, how religious communities develop an understanding and teaching surrounding trauma in relation to war and violence. Matt is captivated by the impact of moral injury in relation to the pastoral care that American religious institution provide.

Matt’s theological work and academic research is focused on understanding the impacts of military, sexual, and social trauma in the everyday life of American culture. This focus guides and informs the correlation of life experience with the pastoral response that the church provides.

Prior to coming to Journey, Matt served for three years as a pastor within the United Methodist Church in Minnesota. Matt also spent over eleven years serving as both an enlisted member and commissioned officer within the United States Army. Within the Army, Matt served as an Aviation Officer flying both Blackhawk helicopters and Fixed Wing aircraft; prior to Matt’s commissioning he served as a Combat Medic for three years.

Matt lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Megan, and their four kids.

Education

Master of Divinity, Iliff School of Theology, Denver
Bachelor of Arts in Communications & Electronic Media, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls

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