Support for Spiritual Abuse, High-Demand Religion, and Deconstruction
Religious Trauma Therapy in Washington (Telehealth)
Leaving or questioning a high-demand religion can be disorienting, painful, and deeply lonely. You might feel like you’ve lost not only your beliefs, but your sense of self, your community, your safety, and the life you thought you were building. For many people, deconstruction isn’t a “phase”—it’s grief, identity work, and trauma recovery all at once.
I offer therapy for individuals navigating religious trauma, spiritual abuse, and faith deconstruction, including those recovering from high-control or high-demand religious environments. Whether you’ve already left, are still involved, or feel caught somewhere in the middle, you deserve support that helps you heal without pressure, shame, or judgment.
Signs You May Be Experiencing Religious Trauma or Spiritual Abuse
Spiritual abuse often happens when religion is used to control, shame, threaten, or silence a person—especially around identity, emotions, boundaries, and personal autonomy. Even after leaving, the effects can linger in the body and nervous system.
You may relate to experiences like:
Fear, panic, or guilt when setting boundaries
Constant self-doubt or feeling like you can’t trust yourself
Intrusive thoughts about hell, punishment, or being “wrong”
People-pleasing, fawning, perfectionism, or chronic anxiety
A sense of grief or confusion about what you believe now
Feeling emotionally numb, shut down, or disconnected
Hypervigilance and difficulty relaxing
Shame around your body, sexuality, or personal choices
Losing community, relationships, or family support after leaving
Difficulty making decisions without authority or approval
If any of this feels familiar, therapy can help you rebuild safety from the inside out.
Therapy for Deconstruction:
You Don’t Need to Rush the Process
Religious deconstruction can be a deeply meaningful path—and it can also be destabilizing. You may be sorting through questions like:
What do I believe now?
What parts of this were harmful—and what parts did I love?
How do I grieve what I lost without going back?
Why does my body still feel afraid?
How do I rebuild my identity, values, and relationships?
There’s no “right” timeline. Some people deconstruct quickly; others move slowly, in waves. In therapy, you don’t have to have answers. We focus on helping you feel more grounded, more empowered, and more connected to what matters to you.
How I Help:
Religious Trauma Therapy That Supports Your Nervous System and Your Values
Religious trauma isn’t only “in your head.” Many people carry it in their nervous system—through fear responses, anxiety, shame, and chronic stress patterns that were learned over time.
I help clients heal by working with both mind and body, and by providing a space where you can explore your story safely.
In our work together, you can expect support with:
Processing spiritual abuse and religious trauma experiences
Releasing guilt, fear, shame, and “never good enough” messaging
Rebuilding identity after leaving a high-demand religion
Learning how to trust yourself again
Strengthening boundaries (without spiraling into guilt)
Navigating relationship changes (including family pressure or estrangement)
Coping with grief, anger, and confusion during deconstruction
Reconnecting with your own voice, values, and meaning
Building a life that feels authentic, free, and steady
My Approach: ACT, Parts Work (IFS), and Somatic-Based Therapy
Healing after spiritual abuse often requires more than insight alone. I integrate evidence-informed approaches that help you understand your experiences, regulate your nervous system, and move forward with compassion.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT supports you in making space for difficult emotions while building a life aligned with your values—especially when your past system taught you to mistrust your feelings or suppress your needs.Internal Family Systems (IFS/Parts Work)
Many clients from high-demand religion experience “parts” that are afraid, ashamed, loyal, angry, or protective. Parts work helps you understand those inner conflicts with compassion—so you can heal without judgment.Somatic and Nervous System-Informed Therapy
Religious trauma can create patterns of hypervigilance, shutdown, and chronic tension. Somatic approaches help your body learn safety again, so your healing is not only intellectual—but felt.
You Don’t Have to Choose Between Healing and Meaning
One of the hardest parts of deconstruction is the pressure to “pick a side”—to either reject everything or cling to what you know. But healing isn’t black and white.
In therapy, we can make room for complexity:
You can grieve what was beautiful and name what harmed you
You can find meaning without returning to control
You can build beliefs and values that truly belong to you
Whether you identify as spiritual, agnostic, atheist, or “not sure,” you are welcome here.
Ready for Support?
If you’re navigating religious deconstruction, spiritual abuse, or healing from a high-demand religion, you don’t have to do it alone. You deserve a space where your story is taken seriously and your healing happens at a pace that feels safe.
When you’re ready, I invite you to reach out.
