For most people, religion provides guidance through difficult times. It can serve as a meaningful source of comfort that everything will work out toward a higher purpose. Many people also have strong community ties based on their religion. However, for others, religious teachings and culture can become a source of genuine trauma due to harmful experiences within faith communities. Here’s what religious trauma looks like, how it happens, and how to heal.

Religion can also be a source of deep-seated shame, especially when it’s intertwined with rigid doctrines and fear-based teachings. This intersection between shame and religious trauma is a critical mental health issue that needs unpacking.