“Religious Trauma” or “Religious Trauma Syndrome” is the term used to describe the many and varied ways that harm can be done to us by oppressive religious beliefs and practices. Common features include a sense of being unwell and/or unsafe, of being inherently flawed or inferior, and of deserving whatever pain or misfortune we experience.

These harmful experiences can be amplified or facilitated by the hierarchical nature of many religious organizations. For example, being unable to speak out against a pastor who has hurt you because they are higher in station in the church than you are. Or that you, because of your age, gender, sexual orientation, etc., are inherently inferior to those around you. 

All too often, moving forward from these harms can be impeded by a lifetime of repeated messages that such things are the will of your deity, and so you may feel you are sinning by even wanting the harm to end. Resolving these issues may also mean losing friends, family, and community, making it even more difficult to seek the help you need.

Issues falling under the umbrella of "religious trauma" can also be much more subtle. Perhaps your personal beliefs are in conflict with those of your faith. In many cases, I might recommend discussing these conflicts with someone of your faith to seek clarity. However it may be more useful to you to discuss these discrepancies with someone with an entirely neutral stance who has no inherent bias toward or away from any particular outcome.  

If you or someone you love is struggling with religious trauma, please reach out. You don’t need to struggle alone.