What is Religious Trauma?

Many individuals who were raised in Fundamentalist and/or Evangelical Christian environments now recognize that their childhoods were a source of immense pain and hurt. Documentaries like "Shiny Happy People" and "Ex-vangelical" spaces on social media have shed light on the emotional, spiritual, and physical abuse children have experienced at the hands of adults claiming to act in the name of God.

Religious Trauma can result from many Adverse Religious Experiences including: spiritual abuse; high-control religious environments; emotional, physical, or sexual abuse at the hands of clergy or other religious leaders (including parents); Purity Culture; or other emotionally, spiritually, or physically harmful experiences. 

Symptoms of Religious Trauma can include: 

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Hyper-vigilance 

• Dissociation 

• Sleep Disturbances

• Distress when participating in religious experiences

Recovering from Religious Trauma  

Many of us grew up hearing shameful messaging that often seemed normal:  "The heart is deceitful... Lean not on your own understanding... Obey your father and mother..." High-control Christianity teaches that we cannot trust ourselves — that we are bad, sinful people who would lie, cheat, and kill if we stepped outside of our religion. 

Learning to believe that you are good, to feel it deep within you, takes tremendous courage. Together, we can work to re-learn what you inherently knew the moment you were born: that you are deserving of love exactly as you are.

Whether you are "deconstructing," have walked away from your faith altogether, or have just begun questioning your religious experiences, it would be an honor to join you on your healing journey.