05/15/2026
Spiritual abuse often leaves people questioning not only what happened to them, but whether they are even allowed to trust their own bodies, instincts, emotions, memories, or reality.
One of the most painful aspects of this kind of trauma is that it frequently arrives wrapped in the language of morality, devotion, healing, purity, family, or “higher purpose.” The harm becomes difficult to name because love, fear, attachment, and spirituality become deeply intertwined.
Recently, I attended a lecture by Jamie Marich with a group of EMDR therapists in Israel focused on integrating EMDR work within the context of spiritual abuse and religious bypassing. I also recently finished their memoir, You Lied to Me About God, which speaks powerfully to the complexity of trauma, identity, faith, embodiment, and reclaiming one’s internal voice after systems of coercion and shame.
In trauma therapy, healing is not about attacking spirituality or faith. It is about helping people reconnect to consent, differentiation, embodiment, authenticity, and the ability to remain connected to themselves while in relationship to meaning, community, and belief.
I see these dynamics frequently in my clinical work, particularly among q***r clients, survivors of high-control religious systems, and individuals navigating spiritualized dynamics within family or divorce systems.
As both a therapist and a survivor of spiritual abuse myself, including experiences extending into quite recently, this work is deeply personal to me.
Healing often begins when the body no longer has to choose between attachment and authenticity.
Beverly Hills • Fresno • Telehealth