Healing from Religious Trauma

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”
– Jean-Paul Sarte

Betrayal is one of the most complex and painful experiences.

You expected love and care. Instead, you were used, controlled, tricked by something you trusted.

Unfortunately, there are so many people who have had this experience with their faith community. Maybe this is something that happened to you.

You went to feel whole but left broken. There were friends and leaders of the community that spoke and seemingly lived with such powerful conviction. It was intoxicating. You wanted what they had and what they spoke about. All you needed was to be absolutely committed to living how they taught, and you would get the miracles that you heard happening around you.

But it never was enough. And you were shamed and humiliated by the whole system. Your life was drained.

Breaking away from that system can be devastating.

It can feel so lonely. Some describe themselves as feeling like they’re a ship floating out in the ocean with nowhere to go.

The same people you depended on when you were in a tight spot or needed wisdom from now admonish you for the decisions that you are making. You once felt treasured, but now you are as good as trash. You have become the person they often despised. No longer receiving the approval, you longed for.

Truly, your world has come crashing down.

Let’s talk a bit about religious trauma…

It happens when a person experiences a controlling, authoritarian religious group and is now trying to cope with the fallout of leaving, both socially and personally.

Many people who experience religious trauma have been caught in a cycle of shame and guilt about the things they do, think, and feel. The cycle is often imposed on them by influential leaders of the group and the religious belief system.

People dealing with this trauma often battle anxiety and depression because of the fear of what will happen after leaving the religious community. The threat of repercussions by the former community or even God can “freeze them,” preventing them from recovering.

Therapy can be the place to begin to heal from the pain of this experience.

Maybe this is you. Don’t be afraid to reach out…

Have you pulled yourself away from the fold and now realize how damaging it was?

Are you so confused by it all that you don’t know what to make of the community… or even of God?

Are you done with it all and ready to move forward?

Wherever you are, I’ll meet you there. Together, we will find sure footing so that you can freely live in this world.

Reach out. Call me. Let’s talk. Schedule your free 15-minute consultation today: (913) 717-6586.