It’s time to quiet that inner critic.
Therapy for spiritual & religious trauma in Maryland
“Spiritual trauma is someone handing you an inner critic and telling you it's the voice of God." -Dr. Hillary McBride
What is Spiritual or Religious Trauma?
Spiritual or religious trauma occurs when religious beliefs, practices, or communities cause psychological, emotional, or spiritual harm. This can include experiences of manipulation; shame; fear-based teaching; physical, sexual, and/or spiritual abuse by faith leaders; exclusion or rejection for questioning or not conforming to abusive practices; purity culture messaging; teachings that foster toxic shame or self-hatred; or being told that mental health struggles are a sign of weak faith. The impact can be profound, affecting your:
Sense of self
Ability to trust yourself
Ability to trust and feel connected in your relationships
Understanding or Connection to God
Religious trauma can show up as:
Intrusive thoughts or automatic guilt responses tied to religious messaging
Difficulty trusting authority figures or institutions
Feeling less than or never good enough
Shame about your body, sex, or sexuality
Fear or anxiety when encountering religious symbols, music, or language
Strained or severed relationships with family members still within a specific faith or community
A sense of lost time or identity from years spent in a belief system that no longer fits
The wounds that happen in sacred spaces cut differently.
When harm comes wrapped in Scripture. When your questions are met with shame. When leaving feels like betrayal, but staying feels like dying. When the God you were taught to love feels more like the parent you could never please.
Many of us have been taught that God's love must be earned — that we have to perform, stay silent, or be "good enough" to belong. But the truth of the Gospel is that love and belonging are already yours. Healing invites you to return to who God created you to be — beloved, seen, and worthy in His eyes.
You might be carrying the weight of:
Shame or guilt for doubting, questioning, or deconstructing beliefs you were taught were absolute
The grief of losing a faith community that felt like family — or relief mixed with loneliness
Confusion about what you actually believe versus what you were told you must believe
Fear that you've disappointed God, lost your salvation, or are "backsliding"
Anger at leaders, institutions, or teachings that caused harm in the name of faith
Anxiety about being "found out" for not believing the "right" things anymore
Shame around safety, belonging, responsibility, or worthiness
The loneliness of feeling like you don't belong anywhere — too religious for some, not religious enough for others
Difficulty trusting your own voice, instincts, or ability to make decisions after years of being told what to think
Trauma from spiritual abuse, manipulation, or coercion in church settings and harm caused by those in authority
The tender work of rebuilding a relationship with God that feels safe and authentic
You were taught that faith should bring peace. But what you experienced brought pain.
How therapy works
You can learn to distinguish between the voice of shame and the voice of Love, rebuild trust in yourself and God, and find a faith that feels like home — not a cage.
I've worked with so many people who hear things like: "Just pray more." "You need to forgive and move on." "God is testing you." "If you had more faith, this wouldn't be so hard." "The church is imperfect because people are imperfect — don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."
These words, though often well-meaning, can leave you feeling more alone and more convinced that something is wrong with you — that your pain isn't valid, your questions aren't welcome, and your struggle means you're spiritually weak.
Here, your story matters. Your questions are sacred. Your anger is allowed. Your grief over what was lost — or what was never truly safe to begin with — deserves to be honored. And any shame that you are carrying will be met with compassion and curiosity.
In our work together, you'll have space to name what happened without minimizing it or rushing to forgiveness. We'll untangle the beliefs that were imposed on you - whether from your family, people who influenced you in childhood, or those who represented religious institutions, and get to the truth to set you free from lies like “you are not good enough,” “you do not belong,” or “you are unlovable.” You'll learn to recognize when shame is speaking versus when Love is speaking. And if you want to, we can explore what a relationship with God might look like when it's rooted in grace, not fear.
In therapy, we create sacred space for:
Naming your story with honesty and compassion
Tending to the wounds of spiritual or religious trauma
Grieving losses — of faith, community, or identity
Exploring your relationship with God in a way that feels authentic and life-giving
Reclaiming your voice, your boundaries, and your God-given worth
This is holy work. And it doesn't have to be rushed. If you're ready to talk, I'll meet you wherever you are — in the doubt, the anger, the grief, the hope that faith can feel different than it did before. Schedule a free consultation call to see if we are a good fit.
Pastoral Counseling & Trauma Therapy
As a trained pastoral counselor and trauma therapist, I understand how tricky it can be to name this kind of experience and seek help. It could feel like a betrayal to ask for help outside of your community as well as wonder if I am a safe person that can actually help instead of perpetuate more harm. So I will be up front with you. I am grounded in my Christian faith, which informs my expectation of and excitement for the emotional healing available to each of us. I operate from my belief that each person has inherent worth and value and we alone are not enough to rescue ourselves when the pain and confusion is too great. We heal in relationship with one another. However, while I stand in this identity, in our work together, my role is to help support you rediscover and reclaim your own identity. I won't "preach at" you, force my beliefs on you, tell you what to do based on my spiritual beliefs, or incorporate discussions of faith if you do not want to.
My role is to:
Co-create a relationship with you where you feel safe, respected, and understood.
Support you in your goals — not to convert you or push my beliefs onto you.
Help you rediscover and reclaim your own inherent worth and identity.
Work with people of all faith backgrounds and those with no religious affiliation.
Respect if you'd rather keep faith exploration out of the therapy room.
Integrate your Christian faith into our work if you are looking for that support.
If you're ready to talk, I'll meet you — in the doubt, the anger, the grief, the hope that healing and growth is possible.
Therapy for spiritual and religious trauma can help you…
Process the harm you experienced in religious settings or within your family of origin without judgment or pressure to "get over it."
Distinguish between emotionally healthy spirituality and spiritual abuse or manipulation.
Work through shame, guilt, and fear that were instilled through religious teaching and/or emotionally immature, authoritative, and rigid caregivers.
Grieve the loss of community, identity, or beliefs that once felt central to who you are.
Rebuild trust in your own discernment and inner knowing after years of being told not to trust yourself.
Explore what you actually believe — not what you were told you had to believe.
Set boundaries with family, religious communities or institutions that feel safe and honoring.
Rediscover or reimagine a relationship with God that feels life-giving.
Support in your process — whether that's returning, reclaiming, or reconstructing your faith or faith community.
Frequently asked questions about TRAUMA therapy
FAQs
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Spiritual or religious trauma occurs when religious beliefs, practices, or communities cause psychological, emotional, or spiritual harm. This can include experiences of manipulation; shame; fear-based teaching; physical, sexual, and/or spiritual abuse by faith leaders; exclusion or rejection for questioning or not conforming to abusive practices; purity culture messaging; teachings that foster toxic shame or self-hatred; or being told that mental health struggles are a sign of weak faith. Learn more.
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Not at all. While I am a Christian and a pastoral counselor, I work with people of all faith backgrounds and those with no religious affiliation. My role is to support you in your healing journey — not to convert you or push my beliefs onto you. If you want to integrate your Christian faith into our work, I'm equipped to do that. If you'd rather keep faith out of the therapy room, that's completely valid too. What matters most is that you feel safe, respected, and understood. Learn more.
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Absolutely. Many of the people I work with still identify as Christian but are wrestling with what that means after experiencing harm within the church or within their family or origin. Therapy can help you process the pain, separate harmful teachings from life-giving theology, and explore what a healthy, authentic Christian faith looks like for you. You don't have to leave your faith to heal from religious trauma — but you do deserve support in finding a faith identity that honors your worth as person created in the image of God.
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Leaving a church or faith community — especially one that was central to your life — can bring up complicated feelings: relief, grief, guilt, anger, loneliness, freedom. All of these feelings are valid. Therapy provides space to process what you've lost, what you've gained, and what it means to move forward. Whether you're exploring life outside the church, searching for a new faith community, or somewhere in between, I'll walk alongside you without judgment.
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Therapy for spiritual and religious trauma is about creating a safe space to tell the truth about your experience and begin healing the wounds that were left behind. We'll explore the beliefs, messages, and experiences that shaped you, identify what was harmful, and work toward reclaiming your sense of self and spirituality (if that's part of your goals). I use trauma-informed approaches including Intensive Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy (ISTDP), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), mindfulness, and somatic techniques to address both the emotional and physical impacts of spiritual trauma. Healing doesn't mean you have to "get over it" or forgive right away — it means learning to carry your story with less shame and more freedom.
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It's easy to get started. Send a message through my contact form to set up your free consultation. I'll respond within 1 business day (Monday - Friday). When we connect, you'll share what you're looking for and we'll see if we're a good fit. If you decide to move forward, we will schedule your first appointment (the first one is 90 minutes), and I'll send you a secure link to complete a few quick forms before our first session. Ready to begin? Reach out today.