Religious Trauma
What is it?
Religious trauma is pervasive psychological damage resulting from religious messages, beliefs, and experiences. It isn't specific to any type of religion, however. Traumatic experiences are typically experienced over time through the following:
Turner, M. (2022) Choosing therapy, Spiritual abuse: definition, signs, and how to heal.
Stone, M. (2013). Thou shalt not: Treating religious trauma and religious harm with combined therapy. Group , 37 (4), 323-337.
- Using your religious holy book to control your choices (e.g., whether/when you have children, how to allocate your finances)
- Intimidation into conformity (e.g., missionary service, where to get married and to whom)
- Insulting other belief systems (e.g., one true church/all others are an abomination, monopoly over truth and joy)
- Censorship from asking questions/disagreeing (e.g., doubt your doubts, milk before meat)
- Feeling isolated/rejected from spiritual community (e.g., when you no longer fit the “norm”, members being told not to associate with apostates)
- Public shaming/humiliation (e.g., disfellowshipping, having story shared publicly in a sermon)
- Threat of spiritual consequences for not conforming (e.g, loss of family relations, Satan will have control over you, worse off because of abandoning promises, going to hell)
- Church leaders causing physical/sexual abuse or covering it up.
- Keeping issues “in house” instead of seeking outside help (e.g., see church leaders instead of counsellors, access church sponsored services over experts, children not allowed to seek help for fear of sullying image of parents who are church leaders)
- Using scripture to justify abuse, racism, sexism, and homophobia (e.g., chastising because of love, incorrectly naming indigenous peoples, loving the sinner and not the sin)
- Causing distress in marriage over different beliefs (e.g. being counselled to leave partner, fear that a home may lack certain protections or powers)
- Forced to attend meetings and/or serve (e.g., keeps members busy, worn out, and distracted from health and wellness)
- Punishment for not adhering to cis gendered, hetero norms (e.g., no LGBTQ+ representation or acceptance)
- Encouraging single-minded thinking (e.g, purpose in life is to be happy)
- Creating “us vs them” mentality (e.g., language like member and non-member or less-active)
- Prevention from learning about other faiths (or co-opting others beliefs to fit their narrative about truth and prophecy fulfillment)
- Being forced to participate in religious rituals without informed consent or through coercion (e.g., making commitments prior to knowledge or not being allowed to participate unless strict conditions are met)
- Labelling normative experiences as “sinful” (e.g., such as sexual experiences like masturbation, sexual orientation, gender identity, polyamory, or kink. Or emotional, having negative thoughts/feelings)
- Withholding medical care in favour of prayer (e.g, blessings)
- Not allowed to express negative emotions (e.g, sadness is like watering weeds, anger removes the Holy Spirit, doubt and faith cannot co-exist at the same time)
- Purity culture (e.g., physical symbols to represent worthiness, no sex education and high degree of shame, being held accountable for thoughts)
Turner, M. (2022) Choosing therapy, Spiritual abuse: definition, signs, and how to heal.
Stone, M. (2013). Thou shalt not: Treating religious trauma and religious harm with combined therapy. Group , 37 (4), 323-337.
What does treatment look like?
First, understand that religious trauma is just as serious as overt forms of trauma such as physical abuse. And in many cases, religious trauma may be accompanied by sexual or physical trauma. Trauma therapy has three aims: 1) How to live in the present; 2) Healing the past; and 3) Building the future. It isn't necessary that you talk about every traumatic experience to be able to heal. But you do need to process the emotions and physical responses associated with your pain. Healing trauma is not something that has a set timeline. We don't get to decide one day to longer be triggered. Together, we can listen to what your body needs to establish safety and nurture healing. Therapy can help learning how to feel feelings and express them, navigating social and intimate relationships, strengthen critical thinking, developing your sense of self, while also treating co-morbid issues such as depression, anxiety, or addiction.
Resources
Finding community can be an important step in healing. It's a chance to share your story and listen to others. Find a place where you can express negative emotions and are able to work through interpersonal conflict. Healthy community lets you participate at your own pace and is supportive and validating.
Be mindful not to idealize ex-members or devalue believing members. This is a trauma response built in to protect you from further harm. Instead, consider what values are important to you in relationships.
Be mindful not to idealize ex-members or devalue believing members. This is a trauma response built in to protect you from further harm. Instead, consider what values are important to you in relationships.