Complex PTSD, or cPTSD, is a combination of symptoms that results from repeated exposure to traumatic events where escaping the situation is difficult or impossible. The impacts of cPTSD can show up as intrusive thoughts or memories, avoidance of reminders of the events, hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, negative self-concept, and interpersonal (relationship) difficulties. Before we dive into the specifics of cPTSD and religious trauma, head over to Part 1 of this 2-part series to read more about how PTSD and cPTSD differ.
I’m Michelle F. Moseley, a licensed mental health counselor in NC and a Religious Trauma Specialist. I have spent 1000s of hours learning about religious trauma (and other types of religious harm) and working with individuals who have been impacted by this type of harm. I’m also the lead author on several texts on the subject of religious trauma which are scheduled to be published in 2027. In addition to this clinical work, I have lived experience of spiritual abuse and religious trauma, as well as the related cPTSD symptoms.
Religious Trauma and Being Held Captive
We’ve seen that cPTSD comes from traumatic experiences where the individual is held captive in some way. You may be curious as to how this applies to religious contexts. While there are situations where people are physically restrained in the context of a religious belief system, there are several other ways that someone can be held captive and experience religious trauma.
Spiritual Captivity
Sometimes a person may realize they are being mistreated or that power is being misused within a church or religious organization. However, they feel a strong spiritual commitment to their belief system or to the particular forms of ministry or service they are doing. Some folks describe the power of this type of captivity as being even more forceful than being physically bound. Spiritual captivity is rooted in your very identity and the core beliefs that shape your life.
Relational Captivity
Relationships within a religious context can also create a sense that a harmful experience cannot be escaped. In many cases of spiritual abuse or other religious harm, the same people who are doing the harm are also deeply connected with the victim in some relational way. This could be parents who are utilizing church-sanctioned, authoritarian techniques to control their children. Some women who find themselves in abusive situations within a religious context are held there by their marriage to the man who is abusing them. Other folks have built their lives around the activities, community, and connection within the church or religious organization, making it feel impossible to break away even when they recognize that a situation is unhealthy. In some religious contexts, leaving the group means cutting off all ties with family and friends, as though you never existed. These are powerful ties that can hold one captive in the face of ongoing harm.
Financial Captivity
Some individuals are so financially intertwined with their church or religious group that it’s impossible to leave (or to leave without a great deal of preparation). Financial captivity can impact the person who receives a paycheck from the religious group and who relies on that money to be able to have food and shelter. Another form of financial captivity occurs when individuals involved with a religious organization are discouraged from pursuing education or vocations outside the group. These folks are imprisoned by lack of knowledge or opportunities to meet their needs outside the group.
Doctrine of Submission / Sacrifice
A fourth type of captivity that can be a part of a harmful religious experience is being captive by doctrine. Two common types of doctrine or teaching that I have come across in people’s stories of religious trauma that resulted in cPTSD are related to submission and sacrifice.
Many religious belief systems include teaching about or a command to sacrifice oneself in support of “the greater good” as defined by that belief system. This can look like giving a large percentage of your income to the ministry while being unable to pay your own rent or feed your family on a daily basis. Sacrifice can look like the person who is at church multiple days of the week, preparing for every event, cleaning up after, and serving on all the committees. Yet, they are overcome with guilt that they are not doing enough and their marriage or health are falling apart because they have no time for anything outside the church. The doctrine of sacrifice tells them to keep giving, that struggle is a sign of commitment, and they are unable to escape the very thing that is causing them harm.
The doctrine of submission frequently shows up in two distinct ways – submission of women to men and submission of all to religious leadership. Many churches and religious organizations are built upon a patriarchal system that holds men as the standard and designates them as equipped to lead (sometimes even at a very young age). This is often coupled with a dismissal of women’s calling or talents, combined with a command to submit to men within the group and particularly to one’s husband. This focus on submission of women to men is harmful to all involved and can leave people feeling trapped within an abusive system based on a belief that this doctrine is approved by God. Finally, the doctrine of required submission to leadership leaves the door open for all sorts of abuses of power combined with a feeling that it’s impossible to ask questions or to leave without displeasing your higher power.
So, while it is true that physical captivity may not always be a part of the ways that ongoing experiences of religious harm are inescapable. Yet, many folks are still held captive within churches and religious organizations while they continue to endure prolonged experiences of abuse and other harm.
How cPTSD Shows up in Religious Trauma
Religious trauma is the culmination of emotional, physical, and psychological effects that result from experiences in a religious context that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope and to return to safety. In cases where these experiences occurred repeatedly over a period of time and where the person felt trapped, the result may be cPTSD. But what does that look like in the context of religious trauma?
Below are some examples of the ways that the symptoms of cPTSD may show up when someone has experienced religious trauma:
- Intrusive symptoms – random memories of the harmful events, suddenly feeling that you are back in a church service or meeting with leadership, feelings of panic when you hear a familiar worship song in a public place
- Avoidance – driving out of the way to avoid a location associated with the religious group, engaging in risky behaviors (substance misuse, disordered eating, etc.) in order to tune out feelings of distress related to the experiences
- Arousal and Reactivity – difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep through the night, overall sense of being annoyed by the world, feeling that you must stay “on guard” at all times or more harm will happen, listening for words or phrases that were associated with the experiences
- Emotional Dysregulation – feeling things intensely while being unable to identify the feelings, a sense of guilt or shame related to particular emotional responses, inability to have an emotional reaction to events that you logically know were harm
- Negative Self-Concept – belief that you deserve what happened because you are bad, striving to make amends or for atonement to make yourself more acceptable
- Interpersonal Difficulties – trusting people too quickly or not trusting others at all, seeking out relationships that reenact harmful patterns of submission or lack of autonomy, withdrawing from important people and activities in your life
For many survivors of religious trauma, their faith and involvement with their religious community were central to their identity. The impacts of religious trauma can disrupt a person to their very core, showing up as these symptoms of cPTSD.
Next Steps
Are you recognizing aspects of your own experience in these posts? You may find yourself resonating with feeling captive within a harmful religious context. You may be aware of some of the symptoms of cPTSD showing up in your life. What are some next steps to help you in your recovery?
Therapy
Working with a licensed mental health professional can be an important part of understanding your experience and recovering from the impacts. It is important to work with a therapist who is both trauma-informed and who understands the specific complexities of religious trauma. You can find some helpful questions to ask a potential therapist here.
I provide both individual and group therapy focused on recovering from religious trauma for folks located in North Carolina. Learn more about individual therapy and group therapy. You can also schedule a free, virtual consultation to see if we might be a good fit for working together.
Not in NC? The Reclamation Collective Resource Directory and Empathy Paradigm Therapist Directory offer other options for finding therapists who are religious trauma informed.
Support Groups
Coming together with others who understand the impacts of religious harm can be both scary and healing. It’s important to find a support group that offers some structure and parameters for participant safety. One option is the virtual support groups offered by Reclamation Collective. These 10-week groups are offered several times each year. Each group is facilitated by a licensed mental health professional who has lived experience with religious harm and specific training in working with survivors. There are groups offered for folks from different backgrounds, holding different identities, and based off other common factors.
Books / Podcasts
Sometimes it’s important to connect with resources that don’t involve interacting with other people quite yet. Things like books or podcasts may be most accessible for you at various times in your journey. Remember that you don’t have to take in everything all at once – it’s good to notice your nervous system’s reactions and take a break from this content when needed.
Here are a few options you may find helpful:
- Bodies Behind the Bus (podcast) – Focuses on the stories of spiritual abuse survivors, mostly within evangelical Christian contexts. Some episodes feature mental health professionals or others working as advocates in religious trauma recovery.
- Girls Camp (podcast) – Hosted by an ex-Mormon and explores life themes after deconstructing Mormon faith. Some episodes feature therapists or other guests with a focus on the central topic.
- Holy Hurt (book and podcast) – The book Holy Hurt by Hilary McBride, PhD covers much of the same content as her podcast called Holy/Hurt in a different format and with additional content from others. Both these resources offer education about spiritual trauma and information about options for supporting your healing.
- An Exhausted Faith (book) – This book by Janyne McConnaughey, PhD may be a good option for someone who feels strongly committed to their faith, while also recognizing harm or being overwhelmed by trying to get it “right.”
I hope this blog series has provided you with helpful information to understand cPTSD and how it can be a part of a religious trauma experience. If you are a fellow survivor of religious harm, I want you to know that there are resources, support, and licensed therapists who can help you as you navigate your own journey of healing.
Michelle F. Moseley (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC (#12491). She believes ALL people deserve respect, compassion, and access to mental and physical healthcare. Michelle specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma, and with those who have body image concerns, finding there is frequent overlap in these areas. She also frequently supports late-identified neurodivergent individuals as they navigate the grief and relief of a new understanding of self. You can learn more about Michelle by visiting her website at MichelleFMoseley.com or following her on Instagram – @therapy_with_michelle
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