Consultation Services
Providing support to those who work with survivors of religious trauma and spiritual abuse
Religious Trauma Can Take Many Forms
When folks have adverse experiences within high-control religious belief systems they may not even realize some of their symptoms are related to those experiences.
You may be a mental health professional who began working with a client who presented with concerns related to interactions with others or making decisions. Perhaps your client originally came to you for treatment of their depression or anxiety. But as you continue to work with them, you gain more information about their experiences in high-control religious settings.
You find yourself wondering if some of their current symptoms are related to what they experienced. You want to gain information about their particular background to ensure you are able to support them in the best way possible. Consultation can provide that information.
Rigidity Around Gender Roles is a Common Theme in Religious Trauma
Folks of all genders are impacted by teachings that prescribe binary gendered behaviors.
Many high-control or high-demand religions have a foundation of rigid gender roles, including a focus on a gender binary of men and women. It is common for the roles and expectations assigned to men to include inability to control themselves physically, enjoyment of hunting, camping, or eating large amounts of meat, accepting leadership roles whenever they are offered, and being the “head” of their household. It is common for the roles and expectations assigned to women to include enjoying baking and small talk, to be responsible to cover their bodies or dress modestly, to submit to the men around her, and to accept that she may not lead or teach in any capacity.
These teaching and expectations are harmful to everyone. Hobbies, preferred behaviors, and talents do not limit themselves based on gender. Many folks coming out of these environments feel shame about their identity and their interests. They may also feel shame related to their body, or a complete disconnect from the physical.
Knowing how to best address this area and support the person in front of you is integral to helping heal the wounds of religious trauma.
Consultation Can Help Ensure You Are Equipped to Suppport Survivors
Learning about the nuances of Religious Trauma and discussing best practices in treatment is integral to your work with survivors.
We all come across situations where we need some support when we are in a position of helping others find healing and wellness. Consultation is a great way to get that extra support.
You can discuss your situation with a mental health professional who specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma and spiritual abuse. You may gain some understanding of the specifics of a particular high-control belief system. You may benefit from discussing ideas for how to best support and serve your client. Consultation can be personalized to meet your particular needs.
What is included in consultation?
Consultation is an opportunity for you to discuss any questions you have regarding working with survivors of religious trauma or spiritual abuse, or those who have left high-control religious settings. This may include some psychoeducation regarding the specifics of various high-control groups, discussion of how symptoms or concerns may show up in folks, and/or considering various treatment approaches. Consultation may also include discussion of a specific case, in a professional manner with the client’s personal details kept confidential, in order to gain additional insight into how to best support the client.
How do I know if consultation could be helpful?
Working with survivors of religious trauma and those who have had adverse religious experiences in high-control settings requires being aware of the nuances of how those experiences can impact the survivor. Consultation can be helpful in gaining an understanding of specific religious practices and increasing your awareness of how a high-control religious setting may impact folks. Consultation can help you increase awareness of some of the ways those impacts might show up in a client’s life. You may benefit from consultation if you find yourself experiencing some countertransference related to a client’s beliefs or experiences. Consultation is also helpful if concerns related to religious practices arise in your work with a client, and that is an area where you have not had formal training.
How much does Consultation cost?
I offer Religious Trauma Consultation on a pay-as-you-can scale from $75-$150 per hour. Because I believe in the power of compassionate, knowledgeable providers to help survivors thrive, I want to make consultation as accessible as possible. I ask that you, as a provider, assess your financial ability to determine what you are able to pay to be better equipped to work with survivors of religious trauma. For those who are able to afford $150 per hour, know that your payment helps offset the cost for another provider who is not able to pay that amount.
What makes you qualified to offer consultation?
I appreciate this question, and am glad you are considering this before seeking to work with someone in a consultation arrangement.
The following are a few of the characteristics that add to my qualifications in offering religious trauma consultation:
- I am a survivor of both spiritual abuse and religious trauma, and experienced the power of a compassionate and empathetic therapist in my own healing journey. I’ve “been on both sides of the couch” so to speak.
- I am personally familiar with the high-control dynamics that can occur within evangelical Christianity.
- I have experience working with folks from various religious backgrounds, including, but not limited to: evangelical Christianity, Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Mennonites, Christian Science, Pentecostalism.
- I have taken multiple trainings related to trauma, including, but not limited to: Brainspotting, EMDR, somatic practices, trauma and the brain, trauma and attachment.
- I have taken trainings and been part of group consultations specifically focused on religious trauma, including those offered by Religious Trauma Institute, Empathy Paradigm, and Reclamation Collective.
- I have worked with 100+ survivors of religious trauma in individual and/or group settings. This work has included supporting each person as they tackle things like shame, guilt, fear of eternity, questions about identity, and connection with their own autonomy and voice. I’ve also walked alongside folks as they determine their own path forward, and their desired relationship to religion and/or spirituality.
- I am passionate about ensuring that therapists and others who are in a position to provide support to survivors are knowledgeable and equipped in order to avoid further harm to those who have already been deeply hurt within faith communities.
Get Started with Religious Trauma Consultation
Take a moment to complete the consultation interest form linked below and let me know you are interested in consulting about your work with survivors of religious trauma, or those experiencing the effects of high-control religious systems. I look forward to providing consutlation to you and ensuring there are more providers equipped to effectively support religious trauma survivors.