When Church Hurts: Clinical Responses to Spiritual Abuse

When Church Hurts: Clinical Responses to Spirtual Abuse

Peridot Gilbert-Reed, Ph.D.

Summary

Spiritual abuse can profoundly affect a person's emotional, psychological, relational, and spiritual well-being. Survivors may find themselves struggling with shame, fear, confusion, isolation, distorted identity, and difficulty trusting God, themselves, and others. This course equips mental health professionals with a trauma-informed framework for recognizing the signs, dynamics, and clinical impact of spiritual abuse. Participants will explore the effects of coercive control, harmful spiritual practices, misuse of authority, and manipulation within religious settings. Emphasis will be placed on implementing evidence-based, clinically sound interventions that support healing while honoring the client’s story, autonomy, and faith journey. Participants will examine practical strategies for restoring safety, emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, attachment, and spiritual resilience. Through the integration of psychological principles and biblical wisdom for willing Christian clients, clinicians will learn how to assess the spiritual impact of abuse, respond to religious shame and fear without reinforcing harm, support the client’s agency in matters of faith, and help the client process questions about God, trust, belonging, and future involvement in a faith community.

Learning Objectives

Participants will...

1. Identify the characteristics, warning signs, and clinical impact of spiritual abuse on emotional, relational, psychological, and spiritual functioning.
2. Apply trauma-informed clinical interventions that promote safety, stabilization, emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, and recovery from spiritual abuse.
3. Utilize faith-sensitive clinical care with willing Christian clients by assessing the spiritual impact of abuse, responding to religious shame and fear, supporting client autonomy, and helping clients process questions related to God, trust, belonging, and future involvement in a faith community.

References

Kalvari, L. (2026). From Spiritual Abuse to Spiritual Repair: A Trauma-Attentive, Theologically Grounded Pathway for Religious Survivors. Pastoral Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-025-01296-2

Swindle, P. J., Cashwell, C. S., & Tangen, J. L. (2023). Counseling survivors of religious abuse. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003029465

Continuing Education Statements

1 credit hour

Continuing Education Accreditations applicable to this course:
NBCC, IBCC, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling

Intended Audience: Mental and Medical Health Professionals, Mental Health Coaches

American Association of Christian Counselors has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7543. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. American Association of Christian Counselors is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is an Approved Continuing Education CE provider by the International Board of Christian Care (IBCC). American Association of Christian Counselors is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

The American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) offers some psychologists, therapists, counselors, social workers and play therapists Continuing Education (CE) credit due for good standing with certain states and a limited number of professional organizations. It remains the responsibility of each participant to be aware of state licensure and CE requirements.

Participants should check their state and/or local regulations regarding required continuing education hours. For more information Light University Continuing Education programs, please visit: https://lightuniversity.com/continuing-education-statements/