When Faith Hurts: Exploring Religious Trauma and Spiritual Healing

Trauma is a powerful, adaptive tool for safety and survival. However, unprocessed trauma can impact our emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

This 2-hour workshop will explore the nature of trauma, its effects on the body, and its intersection with spirituality. Through teaching, reflection, and discussion, we will address the following:

• The body’s natural trauma response and its role in survival.

• Recognizing spiritual bypassing—how it can deny or minimize the reality of pain.

• Exploring the dynamics of religious trauma and how spiritual systems can both harm and heal.