Treating Religious Trauma in Adults: Identifying, Processing, and Healing

Religious trauma comes in many forms and looks different for every client. The religion, gender of the client, age when leaving religion, and family of origin dynamics all shape how religion influences identity, relationships, and mental health. This workshop will assist clinicians in understanding religious trauma and provide tools to help clients process the lingering emotional, cognitive, and relational effects of harmful religious experiences. Participants will explore how to navigate issues of faith, loss, and identity reconstruction in the therapeutic space while maintaining cultural humility.

Learning Objectives:

• Define religious trauma and describe common psychological, emotional, and relational symptoms associated with it.
• Identify key developmental and systemic factors that influence how religious trauma manifests in clients.
• Apply trauma-informed interventions to help clients process grief, shame, and fear related to leaving or questioning their faith community.
• Learn ways to assist clients in completing missed developmental tasks, creating a new sense of meaning and identity, and finding purpose in life after religion.