Blog
The Devil Is in the Details…or the Drums…or…Everything? How High-Control Religion Creates Spiritual Paranoia
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.
When Faith Tells You Your Feelings Are a Problem: Untangling Emotional Shame from Religious Trauma
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.
5 Things Religious Trauma Survivors Say in Therapy (That You Might Relate To)
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.
When Following God’s Will Means Losing Yourself: A Religious Trauma Therapist Explains
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.
Freedom, But Only If You Obey: The Catch-22 of High-Control Religion
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 Explained: What It Is, Why It Happens, and How to Cope
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.
Religious Trauma and Severance: When Faith Demands You Cut Off Parts of Yourself
Like many people this week, I watched the Severance Season 2 finale. (Don’t worry—no spoilers here if you haven’t seen it yet!) It got me thinking: there are a lot of parallels to religious trauma in the storyline of this show and what the characters are navigating. Fans of Severance, this one’s for you!
A Religious Trauma Therapist Walks Into a Nude Sauna…
Sounds like the start of a joke, right? That’s what I thought when I wrote the title for this week’s blog post (i.e. “A priest, a rabbi, and a minister walk into a bar…”). For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you know that I recently was on vacation…
Four Ways a Therapist Can Help You Heal From Religious Trauma
If the pain, depression, and anxiety related to your religious trauma have been steering the ship for awhile, it can be difficult to imagine how anything could help…
Happy Pride Month! Thoughts From A Queer-Identifying Religious Trauma Therapist
As we celebrate this significant time of the year, I wanted to share some thoughts and reflections from my perspective as a queer-identifying religious trauma therapist…
Making New Friends After Leaving High Control Religion
Making new friends after leaving your faith community is HARD. Churches are often marketed as second families, and the longer you spend in a faith community, the deeper those familial bonds and attachments grow. The loss of that community…
Embracing Emotions After Leaving High Control Religion: A Healing Journey
Years ago when I was still in high control religion, I remember being at a worship gathering that I was involved in (yes, former worship leader here!) where a time of intercessory prayer had started…
Four Signs You Experienced Religious Trauma (and aren’t just overreacting)
Learn about religious trauma symptoms like triggered reactions, internalized shame, avoidance of pleasure, and constant vigilance against sin.