RELIGIOUS TRAUMA & SPIRITUAL ABUSE

RELIGION:

the search for the sacred within communities and institutions with established ways of engaging with the divine.

(Pargament & Mahoney, 2012; Argyle & Beif-Hallahmi, 2013)

adverse religious experiences:

any experience of a religious belief, practice or structure that undermines an individual's sense of safety or autonomy and/ or negatively impacts their physical, social, emotional, relational, psychological or spiritual well-being (Religious Trauma Institute, 2019).

spiritual abuse: (religious)

1) the use of power in a spiritual context where spiritual authority is distorted to the detriment of those under its leadership (Ward, 2011).

religious trauma:

the physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that is experienced by an individual as overwhelming or disruptive and has lasting adverse effects on a person’s physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. (Religious Trauma Institute, 2022).

if you're questioning

if you're deconstructioning

if you've recently left

if you have trauma responses related to adverse religious experiences in childhood

if you have ptsd symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive inner experiences) likely related to religious trauma or spiritual abuse..

Psychotherapy can help at all of these natural and non-linear stages of healing from spiritual abuse and religious trauma.

NONRE

SPIRITUALITY:

a person's subjective search for the sacred. an individual experience of the sacred.

(Pargament & Mahoney, 2012); (Argyle & Beif-Hallahmi, 2013)

Spiritual Abuse is possible
in non-religious spaces

and you may find it anywhere you have a leader, a hierarchy, a following, a private community..

The context can be in wellness, holistic health, recovery, self help cultures; special interest or hobby groups; recreational or competitive sports or side hustle marketing communities.

SPIRITUAL ABUSE (NON RELIGIOUS)
& SACRED SPACE TRAUMA

spiritual abuse: (non religious)

2) Spiritual abuse is the conscious or unconscious use of power to direct, control or manipulate another person. (Reclamation Collective, 2024); See above for Spiritual Abuse (Religious).

the misuse of power by a leader or person in authority in a spiritual, self help, recovery or otherwise wellness community context- where the power differential is manipulated to the benefit of the person in authority, and to the detriment of the one seeking support.

sacred space trauma:

the physical, emotional, or psychological response to chronic participation in "spiritual, self help, recovery or wellness" communities [to the degree that] beliefs, practices, or structural hierarchies become experienced as overwhelming or disruptive, with lasting adverse effects on a person’s physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

if you've become uncomfortable

if you're detaching

if you're trying to leave

if you have stress or trauma responses related to leaders or other members in the group.

if you have ptsd symptoms (flashbacks, intrusive thoughts; continuous memory rehearsal; heightened anxiety or hypervigilance) possibly related to the communities you're involved in..

Psychotherapy can be useful to process your experiences in a safe place, consider different perspectives and support you toward healing from spiritual abuse and sacred space trauma.

RELIGIOUS TRAUMA & SPIRITUAL ABUSE

RELIGION:

the search for the sacred within communities and institutions with established ways of engaging with the divine.

(Pargament & Mahoney, 2012; Argyle & Beif-Hallahmi, 2013)

adverse religious experiences:

any experience of a religious belief, practice or structure that undermines an individual's sense of safety or autonomy and/ or negatively impacts their physical, social, emotional, relational, psychological or spiritual well-being (Religious Trauma Institute, 2019).

spiritual abuse: (religious)

1) the use of power in a spiritual context where spiritual authority is distorted to the detriment of those under its leadership (Ward, 2011).

religious trauma:

if you're questioning

if you're deconstructioning

if you've recently left

if you have trauma responses related to adverse religious experiences in childhood

if you have ptsd symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive inner experiences) likely related to religious trauma or spiritual abuse..

Psychotherapy can help at all of these natural and non-linear stages of healing from spiritual abuse and religious trauma.

SPIRITUALITY:

a person's subjective search for the sacred. an individual experience of the sacred.

(Pargament & Mahoney, 2012); (Argyle & Beif-Hallahmi, 2013)

Spiritual Abuse is possible in non-religious spaces

and you may find it anywhere you have a leader, a hierarchy, a following, a private community.. The context can be in wellness, holistic health, recovery, self help cultures; special interest or hobby groups; recreational or competitive sports or side hustle marketing communities.

SPIRITUAL ABUSE (NON RELIGIOUS) & SACRED SPACE TRAUMA

spiritual abuse: (non religious)

2) Spiritual abuse is the conscious or unconscious use of power to direct, control or manipulate another person. (Reclamation Collective, 2024); See above for Spiritual Abuse (Religious).

the misuse of power by a leader or person in authority in a spiritual, self help, recovery or otherwise wellness community context- where the power differential is manipulated to the benefit of the person in authority, and to the detriment of the one seeking support.

sacred space trauma:

if you've become uncomfortable

if you're detaching

if you're trying to leave

if you have stress or trauma responses related to leaders or other members in the group.

if you have ptsd symptoms (flashbacks, intrusive thoughts; continuous memory rehearsal; heightened anxiety or hypervigilance) possibly related to the communities you're involved in..

Psychotherapy can be useful to process your experiences in a safe place, consider different perspectives and support you toward healing from spiritual abuse and sacred space trauma.

Spiritual Abuse is possible
in non-religious spaces

and you may find it anywhere you have a leader, a hierarchy, a following, a private community..

The context can be in wellness, holistic health, recovery, self help cultures; special interest or hobby groups; recreational or competitive sports or side hustle marketing communities.

SPIRITUAL ABUSE (NON RELIGIOUS)
& SACRED SPACE TRAUMA