Courageous Growth: Men's Group for Religious Trauma Survivors

Men

Jul 21

Religious trauma can leave you feeling lost, questioning your beliefs, and doubting your worth.

I’m so excited to be partnering with amazing therapist Michelle F. Moseley, an expert in religious trauma, to lead an 8 week virtual men’s counseling group for survivors of religious trauma in North Carolina and Florida.

For eight weeks, participants will find a community of resilient survivors, ready to walk alongside you as you navigate the complexities of healing, and discover a new sense of purpose.

In this post I’ll answer the question of what is religious trauma, and give you an overview of the group:

What Is Religious Trauma?

Here’s a quick and easy definition of religious trauma:

Religious Trauma - any distress experienced because of your involvement in a religious system or community.

This distress can be physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, or a combination of the above. The most important thing to remember is that you are the expert on yourself - if you were a part of a religious community that felt wounding and distressing in some way - then it is religious trauma for you.

One major themes in high control religious settings is that often other people in authority claim the power to tell others about their reality, and minimize peoples own inner experiences, knowledge or intuitions. Part of the work of healing from religious trauma usually involves reclaiming your own voice, intuition, and truth.

If there is a part of you that thinks what you experienced was religious trauma, a tiny voice inside you that thinks “what happened there just wasn’t okay’, it can be really healthy to listen to that voice, which may have been diminished and minimized by others for years.

Wanting some more concrete examples of what religious trauma can look like?

Here are 8 Common Experiences of Religious Trauma:

Extreme hierarchical structures that allow abuses of power by leaders.
Loss of personal autonomy or a healthy sense of individuality (this includes attempts to control others bodies or sexuality).
Manipulation, coercion, or exploitation in any form.
Instillation of deep feelings of shame and guilt.
Increasingly feeling worse about yourself, humanity or the world instead of an increased sense of peace, acceptance, or hope.
Intense fears of divine punishment or things like hell or damnation.
Participation in rituals or behaviors that result in emotional or physical harm.
Social rejection or being cut off from people who express any form of individuality.

What is A Men’s Group for Religious Trauma like?

If you have lived through any of the above experiences, you do not have to carry the weight of that burden alone. So much of the healing process of religious trauma involves being met by people who can simply say “I see you”, “I believe you”, and “it makes sense that this bothered you.”

That’s why creating a supportive, safe space is at the heart of the group, and of foundational importance. It can be really scary to risk being with a group of people again after your experience was so damaging in the past - I totally get that. And, it can be incredibly healing as well.

Here is What We Will Cover in 8 Weeks:

Definitions and Terms Around Religious Trauma
How Religious Trauma Effects the Brain and Body
How to Recognize and Feel Safe Again
How To Set Boundaries After Religious Trauma
How to Recognize Safe and Unsafe People
How to Discover and Claim Your Own Values
How to Grieve After Religious Trauma
Moving Forward

If you go through life feeling isolated and alone, and it feels like no one could ever understand what you’ve been through - you can experience a safe and supportive community that understands and offers compassion. You don’t have to suffer alone.

For more information about the group, and to sign up, visit www.travisjeffords.com/group, or feel free to reach out if you have any questions to tjeffords@scgnc.org

Wishing you the best on your mental health journey.