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

"Anderson strikes a smart, balanced tone. . . . An exemplary guide to an understudied issue."-- Publishers Weekly "An exposé of the dangers of high-control religions that makes it easier to recognize and resist religious abuse."-- Foreword Reviews Religious trauma is something that happens far more often than most people realize. But religious trauma is trauma. In When Religion Hurts You , Dr. Laura Anderson takes an honest look at a side of religion that few like to talk about. Drawing from her own life and therapy practice, she helps readers understand what religious trauma is and isn't, and how high-control churches can be harmful and abusive, often resulting in trauma. She shows how elements of fundamentalist church life--such as fear of hell, purity culture, corporal punishment, and authoritarian leaders--can cause psychological, relational, physical, and spiritual damage. As she explores the growing phenomenon of religious trauma, Dr. Anderson helps readers embark on a journey of living as healing individuals and finding a new foundation to stand on. Recognizing that healing is a lifelong rather than a linear process, she offers markers of healing for those coming out of painful religious experiences and hope for finding wholeness after religious trauma.