Religious & Spiritual Trauma Recovery
Religious & spiritual trauma is real.
Adverse Religious Experiences 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.
What is therapy for
religious & spiritual trauma?
Therapy that is specifically for religious & spiritual trauma is not different from any other form of trauma therapy…except that trauma that happens in religious settings or that impacts spirituality can be a unique experience that not all mental health professionals are trained to work with.
My approach to recovery and healing from religious & spiritual trauma uses elements of all of the other approaches I use, including, but not limited to, Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Somatic Parts Work, Nature-Based Therapy, and Polyvagal Theory.
Whether you grew up in a high-control religious group (such as Evangelical Christianity, Jehovah’s Witness, Catholicism, Islam, etc.), have experience in other high-control groups (such as some Multi-Level Marketing companies, teen wilderness programs, yoga cults, etc.), or have experienced other forms of trauma that have impacted your relationship with a higher power, divinity, or your own sense of meaning and self, you are welcome here.
I grew up in a high-control religion.
I got out and found my way to a more compassionate and expansive form of spirituality.
I understand what it’s like to be born into a high-control group. And I understand what it’s like to deconstruct core beliefs, change relationships, and find a more expansive form of spirituality.
However, my personal experience is not the only tool that I use to support other folks recovering from religious & spiritual harm. In fact, because I have lived experience with religious harm, it is all the more important that I seek regular training and consultation from peers & experts to ensure I am providing the best care for my clients as possible.
My work with folks recovering from religious harm is informed by the work of the Reclamation Collective, Quincee Gideon’s Year of Non-Magical Thinking, the Spiritual Identity Disruption model by Rebekah Drumsta, and the BITE model by Steven Hassan.
I engage in ongoing consultation and supervision with the Reclamation Collective.
