Not all pain means progress. In religious trauma recovery, learning to choose the discomfort that leads to freedom is part of healing. Discover what productive discomfort looks like — and how to stop confusing suffering with growth.

Purity culture often told LGBTQ people their identities were wrong or unholy. But healing means unlearning those messages and reclaiming the love, freedom, and self-worth you were always meant to have.

When you grow up in high-control religion, even small mistakes can feel like proof that you’re bad or broken. This post explores how religious trauma warps your relationship with being human — and what it looks like to relearn the simple “oops.”

Feeling like a supporting character in your own life after years of religious control is common — and healable. In this post I share what it looks like to center yourself as the main character: how to recognize faith-based messages that minimized you, small practical steps toward reclaiming your story, and compassionate guidance for survivors of spiritual abuse and purity culture.

Last month, I attended a funeral that reminded me of the power of presence, friendship, and connection. Grief and joy often exist side by side, and showing up for one another can make all the difference.

When your childhood religion taught you that you were bad, it can leave deep scars on your self-worth. This post explores how to heal and reclaim your value.

Religious trauma happens when fear, shame, or control within a faith community cause lasting harm. Learn the signs and how healing is possible.

Loneliness is one of the most painful parts of religious trauma. This post explores why faith deconstruction can feel so isolating — and what survivors need to know about healing.

James Dobson shaped evangelical culture, and his harmful teachings on sex, purity, and gender left many survivors with shame and trauma. Here’s how to understand that legacy and begin healing.

Leaving a high-control religion can leave you questioning who you are. This post explores how to reclaim your identity, set boundaries, nurture self-compassion, and rebuild trust—offering a roadmap for healing after religious trauma."

Discover the secret thoughts many religious trauma survivors have but rarely voice. Validation, understanding, and healing start here.

What happens when being loved by your church means hiding who you are? This post explores the connection between queer identity, spiritual shame, and mental health.

If you were taught the devil could be lurking in everything—from music to your own thoughts—you’re not alone. This blog explores how high-control religion creates spiritual paranoia, and how survivors of religious trauma can begin to unlearn that fear.

Growing up in high-control religion, I was taught that emotions like anger and sadness were sinful. This post explores how those beliefs impact survivors—and how healing can begin.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your experience “counts” as religious trauma, or you’ve felt like no one would understand, this post is for you.

If seeking “God’s will” meant losing touch with what you want, you’re not alone. A religious trauma therapist explores the cost of obedience and how to reclaim your voice.

You were promised “freedom in Christ,” but only if you obeyed without question. In this post, I explore the spiritual catch-22 of high-control religion — and what real freedom actually feels like.

Faith deconstruction isn’t rebellion — it’s a valid response to spiritual harm or misalignment. Here’s what it is, why it happens, and how to cope.

You don’t have to be loud to be proud. This post explores what Pride means for LGBTQ+ people recovering from religious trauma who are still finding their voice.

What an adolescent’s coming out taught me about queerness, healing religious trauma, and the opposing feelings of joy and grief that can surface during Pride Month.