Bodywork and Support for Religious Trauma
Religious Trauma
Religious trauma is a complex and often overlooked issue that can have profound and lasting effects on individuals. It refers to the emotional, psychological, and sometimes physical harm that can result from negative experiences within a religious or spiritual context.
This trauma can manifest in a variety of ways, such as feelings of guilt, shame, fear, or anger towards one's faith or religious community. It can also lead to a loss of trust in religious institutions, a distorted sense of self-worth, and difficulty forming healthy relationships.
The causes of religious trauma can be diverse, ranging from abusive or authoritarian leadership, to rigid and punitive doctrines, to the invalidation of personal experiences and beliefs. In some cases, the trauma may be compounded by other forms of abuse, such as physical, sexual, or emotional.
Healing from religious trauma can be a complex and challenging process, often requiring a combination of therapy, support groups, and a willingness to re-examine one's relationship with spirituality. It is important for those affected to seek out resources and professionals who understand the unique challenges of this type of trauma.
Ultimately, the goal of addressing religious trauma is to help individuals reclaim their sense of autonomy, self-worth, and connection to their own spiritual or religious beliefs, on their own terms.
Rosen Method and Religious Trauma
It is hard to find supportive spaces where religious indoctrination / fundamentalism can be explored, questioned and unlearned (deconstructed). More so, how such thoughts have impacted living in our bodies, bodies which were many times shamed for being shaped a certain way, being a certain gender or questioning sexuality.
We learned to doubt ourselves, and give our power to something outside of ourselves.
Rosen Method Bodywork offers the potential to meet ourselves in a different way, to learn about the tension in our bodies, to have space for emotions, self trust and to be met with compassion.
And yes, religion (Christianity) was deeply a part of my life, it was my coping skill for a lot of things. It also prevented me from being my full queer self.
Even decades later when I’m stressed, praise and worship songs pop into my head as a way to cope. I’ve worked on church staff, attended seminary, and was a missionary who needed to raise financial support to be a missionary. I understand church lingo.
Your religious /church experience / journey / story is yours, if you’re wanting to untangle yourself from it, Rosen Method Bodywork is a way to explore who YOU are and what limiting beliefs were placed on you.
Also know that you are not alone in your process.
If you have any questions, on Rosen Method and support for religious trauma, please text or email.
Resources for Those Deconstructing
Find A Religious Trauma Informed Therapist
Books
Pure: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free - Linda Kay Klein
You Are Your Own: A Reckoning with the Religious Trauma of Evangelical Christianity - by Jamie Lee Finch
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism - by Amada Montell