Recently I was reminded of a teaching in high control religion that goes something like this: On Judgment Day, your entire life would be played back like a movie for all the world to see, and every thought, mistake, and secret sin would be exposed. Sound terrifying? It was!

Believing that someone I loved could be eternally damned — and that it was my responsibility to prevent it — was an immense emotional weight.  This toxic message instilled in me a sense of hyper-responsibility for others, which (unfortunately) didn't just magically disappear…

When I was in my mid 20s (and still very much in high control religion), I worked as a program staffer at a Christian retreat center in northern Wisconsin. 

Well, here we are almost to the end of 2024, and what a rollercoaster of a year it’s been. If your year has been anything like mine, it’s been a wild ride of highs and lows and everything in between…

The holiday season can be uniquely challenging for survivors of religious trauma and spiritual abuse. For many, December brings up complex feelings tied to faith, family, and beliefs or traditions that have been harmful.