Counseling for Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse
Safe space to support you through recovery
What is Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse?
Religious Trauma Syndrome is the condition experienced by people who are struggling with leaving an authoritarian, dogmatic religion and coping with the damage of indoctrination. They may be going through the shattering of a personally meaningful faith and/or breaking away from a controlling community and lifestyle. RTS is a function of both the chronic abuses of harmful religion and the impact of severing one’s connection with one’s faith. It can be compared to a combination of PTSD and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD). Learn more about the effects of spiritual abuse.
You may have arrived here because…
You are part of a community or system that requires conformity in beliefs in order to belong and doesn’t make space for disagreement or questions?
Are you experiencing constant shame and fear, and have a hard time trusting yourself?
Fearful that you would lose your family and friends if you were to share honestly what you were thinking and experiencing, especially on topics that are against what you were taught in the faith community.
Were you part of a community that restricted you from receiving outside help? Learn more about signs that you’re an abusive faith environment.
Is your sense of belonging to a community conditional based on belief/agreement?
Were taught to believe that there’s only one way to think?
Part of “purity culture” where your identity and worth was based on whether you had sex or not before marriage?
It’s possible that what you may be experiencing has less to do with your “lack of faith” and more to do with the hurt that you experienced from the church and leaders within the church. It’s understandable to feel confused when you were part of a culture where it was the norm to deny and repress parts of who you are. You are not alone. There are many that are struggling with similar feelings as you are. You can regain power and reacclimate to the essence of who you are. It is possible to move through the pain and begin creating the life that you want to live.
I can help come alongside you during this disorienting time and create safety within yourself and others, while continuing to explore your spiritual journey with curiosity, compassion and empathy.