Healing from Religious Trauma: You're Not Alone
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of holding space for people navigating some of life’s most painful experiences—grief, abuse, identity struggles, chronic shame, and more. One form of trauma that’s often overlooked, misunderstood, or minimized is religious trauma. I’ve found that many clients carry deep wounds from faith-based environments that were meant to be safe, sacred, and supportive.
Recently, I completed specialized training in the treatment of religious trauma, and I want to take a moment to share what I’ve learned—and to extend a compassionate invitation to anyone carrying this kind of pain.
What Is Religious Trauma?
Religious trauma doesn’t always look like what we think of as “trauma.” Sometimes it comes from overt abuse—physical, sexual, or emotional—within a religious setting or at the hands of religious authority figures. Other times, it’s more subtle: chronic shame, fear of punishment or hell, disconnection from one’s body or identity, or being rejected by a community for questioning, leaving, or not fitting in.
For many, religious trauma is tied to high-control religious environments, also known as “high-demand” or “authoritarian” groups. These communities often prioritize obedience, conformity, and submission over personal autonomy or emotional well-being. When people leave—or are forced out—they may experience profound grief, loss of identity, isolation, and even symptoms of PTSD.
What I Learned in Training
In my recent training, we explored the unique psychological and emotional impacts of religious trauma and how it differs from other forms of trauma. One key takeaway was this: religious trauma often cuts to the core of who someone is. When your beliefs about the world, your purpose, your value, and your eternal fate have been shaped by fear, guilt, or control, it can take time to untangle and heal.
The training emphasized:
The importance of validating each person’s spiritual or religious journey—whether they’ve left a faith, still believe, or are somewhere in between.
The need for cultural and spiritual humility as therapists—recognizing that we’re not here to tell you what to believe, but to help you make sense of your experience.
How to work with trauma responses rooted in religious teachings—such as chronic self-blame, scrupulosity (religious OCD), or fear of damnation.
Strategies to help clients reclaim their voice, autonomy, and body, especially when those things were controlled or suppressed.
How to foster a sense of safety, connection, and meaning without imposing any specific spiritual framework.
Common Themes I See in Clients
If any of these resonate with you, please know you're not alone:
You were told to “pray it away” instead of seeking mental health support.
You were taught that your natural desires or identity (sexual orientation, gender, curiosity, doubt) were sinful.
You felt pressure to forgive and reconcile with people who hurt you deeply, without any accountability.
You live with deep fear—of hell, of not being “enough,” of divine punishment.
You were excommunicated, shunned, or cut off for asking questions or setting boundaries.
You feel lost, disconnected, or empty after leaving a faith community, even if it was harmful.
These experiences are valid. And yes—they are traumatic.
Healing Is Possible
One of the most powerful things therapy can offer is a space to safely question, grieve, and rebuild. Religious trauma often involves being silenced—told what to think, how to feel, or who to be. In therapy, we do the opposite: I listen. I bear witness. I honor your truth.
Healing doesn’t mean you have to reject all forms of spirituality or religion (unless that’s what feels right for you). It also doesn’t mean you have to adopt new beliefs. It means you get to decide what wholeness, safety, and meaning look like for you—on your own terms.
What You Can Expect at This Practice
At Resilient Roots Counseling and Consulting, we believe that healing begins with being seen and accepted as you are. If you're struggling with religious trauma, here's what you can expect from working with me or anyone on our team:
Nonjudgmental support: We honor all spiritual backgrounds, current beliefs, and journeys—including atheism, deconstruction, agnosticism, and reconstruction.
Informed care: We're trained in trauma-informed approaches that specifically address the psychological and relational impacts of religious trauma.
Collaborative exploration: You lead the pace. Whether you want to process your story, explore your identity, set boundaries with religious family members, or heal from internalized shame—we’re here to support you.
A space where you don’t have to censor yourself: You can say the hard things out loud—the anger, the confusion, the fear, the grief—and you’ll be met with compassion.
You Deserve Support
Religious trauma is real. It can shape how you see yourself, others, and the world. But it doesn’t have to define you. You are allowed to question. You are allowed to grieve. You are allowed to rebuild.
If you’ve been carrying this pain alone, I want you to know: help is available. Healing is possible. And you are not broken.
I’m honored to offer a space where your story can be told, heard, and held with care.
If you’re ready to begin this journey—or even just explore what it might look like—I invite you to reach out. Whether you’re in the thick of it, newly deconstructing, or still unsure how you feel, there’s room for you here.
