Folks raised in a high-control religion are more like to develop an insecure attachment style due to the prevalence of authoritarian parenting practices. This article explores specific ways an anxious, avoidant, or disorganized attachment style from an authoritarian religious upbringing may look in adulthood.
This article provides a detailed overview of how religious cults use programming techniques to control their members, and it also breaks down some effective strategies for deprogramming and recovery.
My first marriage was a “purity culture marriage.” Shortly after our “I do’s,” we began encountering problems, especially around sex and intimacy. I was filled with confusion, shame, and self-blame because this wasn’t what had been promised for those who “waited for the one god had for them.” Even though we had both followed a…
Religious trauma hits close to home for many who grew up in high-control religions. A common theme I hear from my online community (@religious.harm.recovery) is how being ‘Christ-like’ often conditioned them into people-pleasing behaviors, resembling the trauma response known as ‘fawning.’ Unfortunately, this conditioning tends to linger even after leaving they’ve left their religion. In…
Religious patriarchy affects both men and women, creating a system where men face pressures to conform to rigid leadership roles while simultaneously being told they’re broken sinners who need constant divine guidance.
Leaving a high-control religion can unleash anger you were never allowed to feel. This post maps four stages of anger after religious trauma and offers specific tools to help you move through each one.
When I first began to deconstruct my faith, I struggled to make sense of my experiences. I struggled because nothing in my religious past seemed to fit the conventional idea of trauma or abuse. I hadn’t been physically or verbally assaulted by a religious leader, and there really weren’t any dramatic moments of obvious manipulation…
Explore the connection between religious trauma and physical symptoms. This article outlines how indoctrination into high control religions can lead to various physical manifestations, including dissociation, digestive issues, and chronic pain. Learn about the role of the nervous system and effective treatment approaches for healing these symptoms.
Spiritual bypassing shows up both inside and outside of religious spaces. While it can be very triggering, it’s something that can be tricky to address in both ourselves and others. This article explores how to do both.
Many people raised in high-control religions grow up with conditional love, limited emotional attunement, and an awareness that connection has to be earned. This post unpacks how authoritarian religious upbringing can set the stage for emotional neglect and why love can still feel hard to trust, even in supportive adult relationships.