Therapy for Religious Trauma.
Therapy for Spiritual Identity & Wellness.

“PAUSE IS AN ACT OF EMPOWERMENT IN A WORLD DRIVEN, BULLIED
INTO DOING.”

—Valerie Brown

Spiritual abuse and religious trauma are real.

If you have been hurt by religious institutions or religious leaders, first I want to say, “I’m sorry.” Religious communities can provide a helpful sense of belonging and support, but sometimes religious beliefs can be used to control, exclude, or shame people in ways that cause significant trauma. This can be especially true for marginalized populations, such as the LGBTQIAP+ community. Your stories and experiences are important, and I would be honored to hear them because they deserve a voice and to be listened to deeply.

What Religious Trauma Might Look Like

  • Anxiety or panic related to religious beliefs or practices

  • Low self-esteem and self-worth stemming from religious guilt or shame

  • Loss of trust in religious institutions, authority figures, or religious communities

  • Shame related to your sexual orientation/expression or gender expression/identity

  • Feeling disconnected from your body when engaging in freely-chosen sexual activity

  • Loss of your sense of identity or belonging after leaving your faith group or questioning your beliefs

  • Emotional and psychological abuse from religious leaders or community members

  • Feeling the need to distance yourself from church, religious groups, or even friends who are still part of your faith community

  • Being told there's only one "right" way to live, think, or believe, and facing judgment for questioning or disagreeing.

Religious Trauma from a Holistic Perspective

Let’s work together to help you:

  • Learn mindfulness strategies and coping skills to build a personal toolbox for emotional regulation

  • Deconstruct unhelpful belief systems and create awareness of negative internal messages you may be holding onto

  • Practice setting healthy boundaries and exercising personal autonomy

  • Navigate rebuilding emotional resources, self-trust, and social connections

  • Recover from purity culture and its effects on your current relationships

  • Increase feelings of safety, strength, and connection

  • Reconstruct a spiritual or meaning-making system that aligns with your current (or desired) values

Do I need to be religious to do this work?

Whether you identify with a particular religious tradition and want to continue doing so, are a spiritual seeker, or identify with no religious tradition at all, you are welcome here. There is no one right way to move forward after religious trauma or spiritual abuse.

While I am able to help you explore spiritual practices that may be helpful for you at this point in your life if that is something you are interested in, I also fully respect and understand that sometimes our early experiences with religion push us away from religion later in life, and that’s okay too! I will meet you where you are with empathy and compassion.