Religious Trauma & Adverse Religious Experiences
One of my goals for 2023 is to bring more information about and awareness of religious trauma to the world (at least my little corner of it), so let’s begin by unpacking this idea of “religious trauma.”
The most helpful way for me to conceptualize religious trauma is by considering the concept of adverse religious experiences (AREs), which, according to the Religious Trauma Institute, are any experiences of a religious belief, practice, or structure that undermines an individual’s sense of safety or autonomy and/or negatively impacts their physical, social, emotional, relational, or psychological well-being.
The experience of AREs (one or more) may lead to religious trauma, however, what one nervous system experiences as trauma is different than what another nervous system experiences as trauma. Trauma is defined not by the event itself but rather by the response that a person’s nervous system has in response to an event (or accumulation of events). A nervous system that experiences something as too much, too soon, that is overwhelmed and copes by engaging a threat response (fight, flight, fawn, freeze, etc.) is a nervous system that has experienced trauma. If you’d like to read more about trauma, check out my serious of blog posts all about this topic:
Religious trauma is essentially trauma that occurs due to adverse religious experiences or involvement in religious communities. Curious if you’ve experienced religious trauma or have any adverse religious experiences? I find the following (non-exhaustive) list of potential AREs (developed by Rebekah Drumsta) helpful (find the full article here):
You may have AREs if you:
Have ever thought that god does not love or accept you because of what you were told in a religious setting.
Have ever been shamed or humiliated in a religious setting.
Have treated other people in a way you now regret because of religious pressure.
Have ever compromised your intellectual, emotional, or moral self due to religious pressure.
Have ever been passed over, singled out, or treated differently in a religious setting because of your race, gender, or social status.
Have “gone along with” or participated in religious activities or practices with which you did not agree or feel comfortable to avoid trouble or exclusion.
Have ever experienced abuse (verbal, sexual, physical, emotional, psychological, etc.) which was ignored, mishandled, or caused by a religious authority figure or belief.
Were encouraged to re-enter a harmful, abusive, or dangerous situation after consulting with a pastor, Christian counselor, or other religious person.
Have been exposed to or been part of a religious community where severe discord, a split, or a fracture has occurred.
Were encouraged to participate in the dismissal or ousting of a religious leader of community member.
Have been forced to “choose sides” concerning a religious leader, belief, person, or situation.
Have felt triggered or experienced anxiety or anger when you anticipate participating in a religious event, being around religious people, or being in a religious setting.
Feel anxious or angry when near a pastor, religious leader, church, or religious materials.
Experienced negative anticipations causing you to avoid religious events, settings, people, or conversations.
Have ever talked to a professional counselor, coach, or therapist about your hurtful experiences within a church or religious community.
Have strong, easily activated memories of a hurtful event or experience(s) from a religious setting.
Have past religious experiences that keep you from attending or participating in a religious environment or group.
Please note that “religious trauma refers to the lasting adverse effects on a person’s physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being after an Adverse Religious Experience has occurred” (Global Center for Religious Research). Not all ARE’s will result in religious trauma, but experiences of AREs may result of trauma responses, such as (but not limited to):
Chronic anxiety
Depression
Suicidal ideations
Nightmares
Self-harm
Chronic shame
Chronic fear
Chronic stress
Chronic health conditions
Mental health challenges
Risky behaviors
Social/relationship challenges
Next time, I’ll talk more about how religious trauma may manifest as mental health symptoms. In the meantime, if you think you have experienced trauma at the hands of religious experiences and are looking for support, please feel free to reach out for a free 15-minute consultation.
If you are in need of immediate support, please do not wait. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room, or call the National Suicide Hotline (U.S.) at 988.
If you are not in Massachusetts and are looking for a therapist who specializes in religious trauma, I highly recommend the Reclamation Collective’s Therapist Directory.
Many thanks to the following resources from which I drew information for this article: