ONLINE THERAPY FOR RELIGIOUS TRAUMA & SPIRITUAL ABUSE THROUGHOUT NEW YORK AND SOUTH CAROLINA
You deserve to heal from the harm you experienced.
WHAT IS RELIGIOUS TRAUMA & SPIRITUAL ABUSE?
Although there can be varying definitions, religious trauma can generally be defined as the physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that are experienced by an individual as overwhelming or disruptive and have lasting adverse effects on a person’s physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. (Religious Trauma Institute)
Spiritual abuse can occur when a person in a position of power within a religious or spiritual context uses that power to manipulate, control, or exploit others.
Some possible signs of religious harm include:
Shame and guilt being used to make you feel unworthy or unsure of yourself, making it difficult for you to trust your own instincts or decision-making ability.
Being cut off from loved ones, whether because of rigid religious rules or fear of being rejected.
Having your sense of freedom, personal power, and choice being taken away through fear-driven teachings or authoritarian leaders.
Fear being used to manipulate and control you.
Being encouraged to spy on or report other members of the group.
Having your real emotions and struggles minimized or dismissed due to religious beliefs.
Not being allowed to question leadership or raise concerns.
Religious harm …
can be experienced as result of a specific event or over a period of time.
can range from subtle forms of abuse and emotional manipulation to more overt and extreme forms of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.
can occur while you’re in a religious environment or when leaving or trying to leave a religious environment.
Whether subtle or overt, from one event or experienced over time, the effects of religious harm are real and valid.
Therapy can provide a supportive space to heal from the wounds caused by religious harm.
Therapy can help with…
Rebuilding the trust that may have been shattered by abusive religious leaders or institutions. With time, you can learn to trust yourself and others again.
Working through feelings of shame, guilt, and fear by offering tools to process those emotions in a healthy and constructive way.
Processing the trauma using techniques such as trauma-focused therapy to heal.
Developing a healthy sense of identity by exploring who you are outside of the religious framework that caused harm, helping you reconnect with your true self.
Healing attachment wounds by addressing relational and developmental trauma tied to religious experiences.
Navigating grief and loss by supporting you through the emotional pain of faith deconstruction or loss of community.
Some questions you may have:
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In our sessions, you can expect a compassionate space to explore your feelings and heal at your own pace. We’ll look at how your religious experiences have impacted your emotions, relationships, and sense of self. I use a combination of trauma-informed, psychodynamic, somatic, and mindfulness-based techniques to help you process and move forward.
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No. Although I identify as a Christian, my role as your therapist is not to impose my beliefs on you. I am here to support you with compassion, respect, and a commitment to your personal autonomy. My priority is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can process your experiences freely and make choices that align with your values. I will never push religious perspectives or encourage a specific spiritual path. Instead, I will honor your journey, whether that means deconstructing beliefs, remaining with your chosen faith, or finding a new sense of meaning and identity on your own terms.
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Yes, it's very normal. Anger, confusion, and doubt are common reactions to spiritual abuse. You've been hurt, and you need time to make sense of what happened. Therapy can help you navigate those emotions and find clarity as you heal.
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Spiritual abuse involves manipulation, control, or harmful behavior disguised as religious teaching. If your faith community has used fear, guilt, or shame to control you, isolate you, or make you feel unworthy or unsafe, those can be signs of spiritual abuse. We can explore your experiences together to help you understand whether they’ve been harmful or if they reflect a difference in beliefs. You deserve to feel supported and respected, not coerced or diminished.
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Church hurt refers to emotional pain caused by negative experiences within a church community, like feeling judged, excluded, or let down by leaders or members. It’s often more about interpersonal issues within the church setting.
Religious abuse, however, involves harmful behaviors used by religious leaders or institutions to control, manipulate, or harm someone in the name of faith. This can include fear-based teachings, shaming, or using guilt and power to keep someone compliant. Religious abuse often causes deeper, lasting emotional trauma.
While both are painful, religious abuse tends to have more long-term psychological effects.