Therapy for Religious Trauma Helps You Reclaim Your Voice
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Religion and spirituality can be a great way to form community, connect to purpose, and be a source of comfort. But for many, including those who grew up being taught that “true love waits” and to fear being “left behind,” religious experiences can be marked by fear, shame, and control. Coming from a rigid or conservative belief system, you may have been taught to doubt yourself (the flesh is sinful), suppress your emotions (pray harder), or hyperfixate on “right” behavior. Over time, these messages can leave deep scars that don’t disappear just because you’ve left that community or shifted your belief system.
This lingering pain is often referred to as religious trauma. Therapy for religious trauma creates a safe, supportive space to process those wounds and reclaim your voice. At Golden Hour Counseling, I help adults in Denver and across Colorado heal from harmful faith experiences, rebuild trust in themselves, and move toward a life that feels freer, calmer, and more aligned with their authentic values.
What Is Religious Trauma?
Religious trauma isn’t an official diagnosis, but I want to be clear— Religious trauma is trauma. More comprehensively, I like Dr. Laura Anderson’s definition:
Religious trauma is the physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope and return to a sense of safety.
It often shows up when teachings, practices, or authority figures use fear, guilt, or control to regulate behavior and identity.
Some common signs that you may be experiencing religious trauma include:
Feeling silenced, afraid to speak up, or worried about being judged
Carrying shame about your identity, desires, or boundaries
Experiencing anxiety or panic when you encounter faith-related language, holidays, or authority figures
Struggling with perfectionism, people-pleasing, or self-criticism that traces back to religious rules
Feeling disconnected from your body, emotions, or sense of self
Having trouble trusting your own decisions or inner wisdom
Questioning whether it’s safe to belong anywhere
Religious trauma can affect nearly every area of life — relationships, sexuality, self-esteem, even how you view the world. Therapy offers a way to gently untangle these patterns so you can begin to feel grounded, confident, and connected again.
Why Therapy for Religious Trauma Matters
Many people who have left or re-examined their faith struggle with an inner conflict: “I don’t believe those old rules anymore, but I still feel trapped by them.” This stuckness can be exhausting. You might feel like your voice was taken from you — that you’ve been silenced for so long you’re not sure how to express what you truly think, need, or want.
Therapy for religious trauma helps you:
Understand how past experiences continue to shape your current beliefs and reactions
Recognize and challenge the shame-based messages you were taught
Learn to listen to your own inner wisdom and intuition
Rebuild trust in yourself and your ability to make decisions
Practice setting boundaries without guilt
Explore what spirituality, meaning, or values might look like for you now
This process isn’t about replacing one set of rules with another. Instead, it’s about creating space for you to discover what feels true, empowering, and life-giving on your terms.
The Best Types of Therapy for Religious Trauma
Religious trauma therapy is not one-size-fits-all. Each person carries unique stories, questions, and struggles. My approach is personalized, drawing from evidence-based modalities that are especially effective for processing trauma and fostering growth.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
EMDR is one of the best types of therapy for religious trauma because it works directly with the nervous system to reduce the emotional charge of painful memories. Many people with religious trauma experience intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, or body-based anxiety when reminders of their past surface. EMDR helps the brain reprocess these memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or defining.
During EMDR, I guide you through a structured process that uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) to help your brain integrate difficult experiences. Over time, memories lose their intensity, and you can begin to feel calmer, stronger, and more in control of your reactions.
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
ACT is another powerful modality for religious trauma therapy. Instead of trying to erase painful thoughts or emotions, ACT teaches you how to create space for them while choosing actions that align with your values.
For those healing from harmful faith experiences, ACT can help you:
Notice and step back from critical inner voices
Cultivate self-compassion instead of self-judgment
Identify the values you want to live by today (not just the ones imposed on you in the past)
Take meaningful steps toward a life that feels authentic and fulfilling
Together, EMDR and ACT provide a balance of deep trauma processing and practical skills for living with more freedom and self-trust.
What to Expect When Starting Therapy
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel vulnerable, especially if your past has taught you to keep your struggles private. To make the process as supportive as possible, I begin with a free consultation.
This consultation is a relaxed, no-pressure “meet and greet.” It gives us a chance to:
Talk about what’s bringing you to therapy
Answer your questions about how I work
Go over scheduling, payment, and insurance details (I accept Colorado Access and Aetna)
Decide together if we’re a good fit
If you decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your first session. Therapy can take place in my Denver office or online, depending on what works best for you. From there, we’ll create a plan that feels personalized to your needs, pace, and goals.
Reclaiming Your Voice After Religious Trauma
Healing from religious trauma isn’t about erasing your past. It’s about reclaiming your power to decide what you believe, how you live, and who you want to become. Therapy offers the tools, support, and validation to help you move forward.
At Golden Hour Counseling, my role is to provide a safe, affirming space where your story is honored and your healing is possible. Together, we’ll work toward:
Building a healthier relationship with your beliefs and identity
Quieting the shame and self-doubt that no longer serve you
Cultivating a voice that feels steady, confident, and your own
Creating a life shaped not by fear, but by choice and authenticity
You don’t have to carry the weight of religious trauma alone. With compassionate support, it’s possible to reconnect with your autherntic self, shame free.
Begin Religious Trauma Therapy in Colorado
If you’re ready to start therapy for religious trauma, I would be honored to walk alongside you. I offer both in-person sessions in Denver and secure online sessions for adults across Colorado.
The first step is simple: schedule a free consultation. This is your chance to ask questions, learn more about how therapy works, and see if we’re a good fit. Healing and empowerment are possible — and your voice matters.