When Religion Hurts You – Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High–Control Religion

Dr. Laura Anderson (PhD, Saybrook University; LMFT) is a therapist, trauma resolution and recovery coach, writer, educator, and creator who specializes in complex trauma with a focus on domestic violence, sexualized violence, and religious trauma. Laura has a private practice in Nashville, Tennessee, and is the founder and director of the Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery, an online coaching company where she and the other practitioners work with clients who have experienced high demand/high control religions, adverse religious experiences, cults, and religious trauma. In 2019, Laura cofounded the Religious Trauma Institute with the goal of providing trauma-informed resources, consultation, and training to clinicians and other helping professionals who work with religious trauma survivors. Laura lives with her dog, Phoebe, in Nashville, Tennessee.

• ContentsIntroduction1. My Story2. What Is Religious Trauma?3. Religious Abuse and Adverse Religious Experiences4. Nervous System 1015. Rebuilding Your Identity after the Old One No Longer Fits6. Engaging in a Relationship with Your Body7. Stabilizing the Nervous System8. Boundaries Built on a Foundation of Self-Trust and Self-Compassion9. Grieving the Life You Once Had10. Developing a Robust Spectrum of Emotions11. Reclaiming Sexuality and Pleasure12. Establishing Healthy Connections and Relationships with Others13. Integrating the Living Legacy of TraumaConclusionAppendix: Religious Power and Control WheelAdditional Resources