Recovering from religious trauma is a process of disbelieving what you have always believed and awakening to your own inner truth. It is the process of recognizing your fear-based beliefs and coming to terms with what spirituality means for you, rather than what has been placed upon you by others.
Marlene Winell, Ph.D. is definitive expert on this particular condition and is instrumental in bringing its reality to the professional world of therapy. According to Dr. Winell, “Religious Trauma Syndrome is the condition experienced by people who are struggling with leaving an authoritarian, dogmatic religion and coping with the damage of indoctrination.” She also indicates that Religious Trauma Syndrome has a very recognizable set of symptoms, a definitive set of causes, and a debilitating cycle of abuse.
As with other abuses that have been studied over time, there is now evidence what this abuse looks like and how it affects those who suffer from it. It is important to note that Religious Trauma Syndrome does not affect every person in a religiously abusive environment and is not caused by every religion. It is the result of a combination of experiences, personality and perceptions that are unique to the individual. For those of us who have suffered from it, having a name for our symptoms is validation that we are not alone in our experience.
Recovering from religious trauma began for me in the 1980s after a five-year struggle with suicide. Professional therapy was not an option at the time and there were no public services available. In short, psychotherapy wasn’t considered real medicine. In an effort to feel normal I began the process of what I now call self-therapy as I combed through every self-help book and integrated what I learned over the years. Now, due to the valiant efforts of professionals such as Dr. Winell, Religious Trauma Syndrome is an area of professional study for psychology students and a growing area of expertise for professional therapists.
Recovering from Religious Trauma Syndrome:
From my own experience I have concluded there are three steps that are vital for recovering from Religious Trauma Syndrome.
- Willingness to re-think your beliefs about life, yourself and the nature of God. Simply put, you cannot find reprieve from your suffering within the beliefs that created it.
- Accepting that any suffering and frustration in your life is caused by your past and present beliefs and a desire to work through them.
- Investment in yourself and your wellbeing by finding others who can help you locate your fear-based beliefs and replace them with new empowering truths.
To learn more about Religious Trauma Syndrome and a comprehensive review of its cause and symptoms visit Dr. Winell’s website at http://www.JourneyFree.org. If you are open to reconsidering your beliefs about God I recommend reading, “God’s Message To The World: You’ve Got Me All Wrong” by Neale Donald Walsch.
You and I are not alone in the quest for spiritual freedom, in fact, far from it. According to the PAW Research Center, religion is on the decline in the United States. As more and more people come to recognize that organized religion no longer meets their spiritual needs you will find your support system continually expanding.
Living silently and alone with Religious Trauma Syndrome is unnecessary and how long you suffer is a choice. Choose to learn more about your symptoms and get the help and support you rightfully deserve.
