Healing After Religious Trauma
Gabriel Starner
Licensed Therapist
Religious and spiritual communities can offer comfort, identity, and connection. But for many people, those same communities have also caused harm. When beliefs, institutions, or authority figures are used to shame, control, or silence you, the impact can go deep. It can shape how you see yourself, your body, your relationships, and even your sense of safety in the world.
If you’re struggling with the aftereffects of a harmful religious experience, you’re not alone. What you went through matters, and your pain is valid.
At Nashville Therapy Group, we believe that healing from religious trauma is possible. And it starts with telling the truth about what happened to you.
What Is Religious Trauma?
Religious trauma isn’t always obvious at first. Some people notice it as a vague sense of guilt they can’t shake. Others describe anxiety, nightmares, or physical symptoms when they try to enter a place of worship or talk about their past. Many carry confusion, fear, or anger that’s hard to name.
You might have experienced:
Emotional or spiritual abuse by leaders, parents, or peers
Shame-based teachings around sex, gender, or identity
Exclusion or rejection due to your beliefs or life choices
A loss of community after questioning or leaving a faith tradition
Fear-based doctrines that made you feel unsafe or unworthy
These experiences can leave long-term scars. And because they’re often tied to systems of belief, they can be difficult to talk about without feeling judged or dismissed.
Therapy Can Help You Reclaim Your Voice
Healing from religious trauma does not require you to abandon your spirituality, nor does it mean you have to return to it. It means getting curious about what you believe now, what you value, and what kind of life you want to build moving forward.
In therapy, we work with you to:
Untangle shame from identity
Reclaim autonomy over your choices and beliefs
Process grief and loss
Understand how trauma lives in the body
Explore spirituality in ways that feel authentic and safe (if you choose to)
You are allowed to ask hard questions. You are allowed to be angry, confused, or unsure. You are allowed to heal at your own pace.
We Create Space for What You Need
Our therapists who work in this area have personal and professional experience with the complexity of faith, doubt, and deconstruction. Whether you are just starting to question, have already walked away, or are trying to repair your relationship with faith, you will be met with care and respect.
There is no agenda. We are not here to fix your beliefs. We are here to support your healing.
We Are Here For You
At Nashville Therapy Group, our team of clinicians is here to help you work through what’s hard and move toward meaningful change. Connect with us today to get started. We’d be honored to help you heal.
