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Yes, Religious Trauma Is Real—Here’s How to Heal

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Written By: Alex Bachert, MPH

Jordanne Greenberg is a clinical provider at Charlie Health.

Clinically Reviewed By: Jordanne Greenberg

January 14, 2025

5 min.

Untreated religious trauma can significantly impact people’s mental health, leading to feelings of shame, guilt, and depression.

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Research suggests that 70% of U.S. adults have experienced a potentially traumatic event at least once in their lives — some of which occur in a religious environment, like being abused by a religious leader or being rejected by your faith community for being true to yourself. Like other types of trauma, religious trauma can have a lasting impact on people’s identity, self-worth, and overall well-being. Below, we review examples of how religious trauma can develop and how to heal and build a healthier future.

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What is religious trauma?

Religious trauma, or religious trauma syndrome, refers to the mental, emotional, or physical harm caused by adverse religious experiences or adverse experiences in a religious environment. Although it’s not classified as its own distinct mental health diagnosis, religious trauma may have existed for as long as, well, religion. 

Religious trauma may be associated with complex trauma, a concept introduced by a psychiatrist named Dr. Judith Herman. Complex trauma arises from prolonged and repeated exposure to interpersonal and relational potentially traumatic events, often occurring in contexts characterized by power imbalances, such as a religious institution. In such settings, people may experience emotional distress and coercive control that hinder their ability to explore and establish a sense of autonomy. This disruption can significantly impact the psychological process of individuation, which involves developing a distinct and independent sense of self, values, and beliefs.

According to Alysson Thewes, MSW, LCSW, a Primary Therapist with Charlie Health, religious trauma may relate to religious indoctrination. For example: 

  • Being told that your sexuality is a sin
  • Being told that you will become ill or disabled due to your sins and/or lack of faith
  • Being taught that everyone is evil who does not belong to your particular religion

Other examples of traumatic religious experiences include:

  • Being raised in a religious cult
  • Being exploited or abused by a religious leader
  • Being forced to suppress your true identity 
  • Being ridiculed for questioning a religious belief
  • Being socially isolated from your religious community for your beliefs or behaviors 
  • Being pressured to remain in your religious community 

Is religious trauma common?

“According to the American Psychological Association, around 20% of people reported religious trauma. I feel this number is likely accurate,” says Thewes. “And, now that there is a name for something that has been going on for a long time, likely forever, we may see more and more people seeking help,” she explains. Other estimates suggest that approximately one-third (27‒33%) of U.S. adults have experienced religious trauma at some point in their life, and 10-15% of adults are experiencing it right now. 

Certain groups, like the LGBTQA+ community, may have an increased risk of experiencing religious trauma. One recent study found that LGBTQA+ people who were pressured into religion-based conversion practices were more likely to experience mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. They may even be more likely to experience homelessness and substance use issues. 

Signs and symptoms of religious trauma 

Religion often plays an instrumental role in how a person lives their life. When something disrupts that sense of purpose or causes you to reconsider your beliefs, it can be particularly painful and disorienting. This can lead to feelings of shame, hopelessness, and guilt. It can also affect your confidence, self-esteem, and sense of self. 

Other physical and mental symptoms of trauma include:

  • Trouble sleeping 
  • Memory problems
  • Trouble concentrating 
  • Feeling tense or on edge
  • Nightmares
  • Increased anger
  • Feeling easily overwhelmed 
  • Trouble trusting others or building healthy relationships 

How to manage religious trauma

If you’re living with religious trauma, know that recovery is possible with access to the right resources and support. “It is never a life sentence,” says Thewes. “Clients can be encouraged to heal through this trauma with the appropriate tools.”

When treating trauma, the goal is often to help people process traumatic experiences, reduce their emotional distress related to the traumatic memories, and develop healthier coping mechanisms for difficult situations while restoring a sense of agency and cultivating greater resilience. Here are five steps to get you started. 

1. Recognize your trauma 

Acknowledging trauma isn’t easy, but admitting that a traumatic event happened and it has deeply impacted you is essential to your recovery and growth. This can also help you identify and avoid triggers that exacerbate trauma symptoms. 

2. Remember you’re more than your religion

If religion is an important part of your life, you may be wondering who you are outside of your religious setting. Journaling is a chance to reflect on your recent accomplishments, future goals and dreams, and the people who positively influence your life. 

3. Seek professional support

The thought of therapy may feel overwhelming, but working with a therapist is one of the most effective ways to heal from religious trauma. Therapy offers a safe space to address dysfunctional beliefs, process your traumatic memories, and focus on building a healthier future for yourself. 

Some of the leading therapeutic approaches for managing symptoms of trauma include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), exposure therapy, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).

4. Lean on your support system

Leaving a religious community can be isolating, so consider making a list of people you know you can trust. This can include friends, family, teachers, and even people you know from the gym or your book club. You might also benefit from joining an online or in-person support group to connect with others who understand your experiences and challenges. 

5. Practice self-care and healthy coping strategies

Healing trauma doesn’t happen overnight, but regular self-care can empower you to prioritize your emotional and physical growth. This may include regular exercise, quality sleep, and a nutritious diet. Creative outlets, such as journaling, listening to music, and making art, can also help you find peace outside of your religion. There are even some self-care practices designed specifically for trauma survivors, such as trauma-informed yoga

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Get help with Charlie Health

If you are a religious trauma survivor, consider seeking support as soon as possible in order to create a brighter future. Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offers more than once-weekly therapy for teens and young people dealing with complex mental health challenges—including trauma, complex trauma, and more. Charlie Health combines group sessions, individual therapy, and family therapy to help each person manage their healing journey in a way that feels right to them.

References

https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Trauma-infographic.pdf

https://www.gcrr.org/religioustrauma

https://www.apa.org/pubs/highlights/spotlight/issue-255

https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5696&context=thesesdissertations

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795362200346X

https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/eye-movement-reprocessing

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