What If I Don’t Want to Believe I Was in a Cult? If you read my guide on high-control environments and religious trauma , and felt uneasy at the idea of being in a “cult,”  you are absolutely not alone. Many people experiencing religious trauma, purity culture harm, or spiritual abuse struggle with that word, sometimes more than anything else. And that hesitation isn’t a sign that you’re exaggerating. It’s a sign that your nervous system is trying to protect you. Before we ex

A trauma-informed guide using the BITE Model Power & Control Wheel If you're healing from a high-control religious environment or religious trauma, recovering from purity culture, or leaving a high-control environment, you may feel confused by the way your body reacts. Many people describe anxiety, perfectionism, chronic self-doubt, relationship struggles, hypervigilance, shame, or difficulty trusting themselves long after leaving a high-demand religious group. This guide exp

You second-guess every decision. You struggle to know if your feelings are valid. You wonder if you can even trust your own mind. If trauma has made you doubt yourself, you’re not alone. One of the deepest wounds trauma leaves behind is self-distrust. Maybe you ignored your gut feeling once and something bad happened. Maybe someone you trusted betrayed you, leaving you unsure of your own judgment. Maybe you were taught that your thoughts, feelings, and instincts weren’t relia

If your chest tightens when someone starts quoting Scripture... If a worship song makes your stomach drop... If the word “obedience”...

You keep telling yourself it wasn't that bad, or others had it worse. If that's true, why can't you shake this feeling? This ache? The wondering if you'll ever feel "normal." Maybe you watch some of the many documentaries on Netflix about cults and spiritual abuse and you feel confused. Something resonates deep within even though you never lived their lives. Or maybe weren't even a part of that particular religion. If this leaves you feeling confused, let's take a look at w

If you've tried therapy before and it didn't help you make any lasting changes, or any changes at all, it can be a lonely place feeling like you're stuck with your pain forever. The truth is, there are many reasons therapy might not have worked in that season of your life: the timing, the type of therapy, or even the therapist themselves. As a trauma therapist in Las Vegas offering EMDR therapy , Ketamine Assisted Therapy , and Psychedelic Integration , I often work with cli

Faith was supposed to feel like home. It was supposed to offer safety, love, and belonging. But instead, it may have left you questioning...

Some Christian women—or those who’ve moved away from the faith they once held so dearly—find that things start to feel clearer when...

Have you ever woken up one day and realized the life you built—piece by piece, with the best intentions—was actually built around...

Do you ever feel stuck, lost, or disconnected from yourself? Maybe you're questioning certain beliefs, struggling with feelings of guilt...