What even is Religious Trauma?
▫️Is it different to other trauma?
▫️Why do you talk about it so much?
▫️Can I heal from this type of trauma?
▫️Do I have religious trauma?
These are good questions I get regularly.
Religious trauma, spiritual trauma, religious abuse, spiritual rupture are all terms that people may use to describe pain and disconnection they have experienced in faith spaces of all kinds (I see people from Christian, Muslim, Mormon, JW, SDA and cult groups). This pain and disconnection is often held by their bodies as trauma, sometimes debilitating.
Keeping in mind that trauma is not what happened to you – it’s subjective – it’s what may happen inside you as a result of what happened to you.
The people who share their stories with me wouldn’t need to even label their faith space for me to recognise the impact, it looks the same across all groups, with contextual differences.
The spaces where people tend to experience trauma are what we call high-demand and high-control and not all faith spaces have these characteristics, but enough to give us pause.
Our time, money, behaviour and decisions are directed; our choices are judged, any step away from the code that says, ‘this is how we do things around here’ has consequences, from raised eyebrows to excommunication.
And the sense that God/Deity is watching our every move and we will be punished, perhaps now, perhaps for eternity in flames of fire – let’s face it, is pretty messed up. There is a version of punishment in every faith space and people on my blue couch every week recount the impact of this.
Can we heal from religious trauma?
A resounding yes. Over time and with the right support. Like leaving any coercive control environment there are things to unlearn and new patterns of nurture to lay down.
Havening Techniques® and embodied processing are two ways I support the impact of trauma with my clients. We experience trauma in our bodies and our bodies know how to heal.
Reach out if you’d like to know more.
There is also a growing number of therapists working in this space in AUS/NZ and you can find them at @thereligioustraumacollective
You’re not alone 🩵
If you’d like to make an appointment for counselling online or in-person in Marrickville, you can book in here.
Warmly,
Jane
