A Safe, Supportive Space to Reconnect with Yourself

I help people who have been harmed in religious systems reclaim their inner worlds.

We are growing in our understanding of the reality and impact of religious trauma.

The difficulties faced by those who have experienced religious trauma track with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD. It can lead to a range of challenges, including difficulty knowing and trusting one's self, challenges around identity/sense of self, heightened fearfulness in relating to life, and difficulty making decisions and taking initiative toward personal wants and desires.

Many religious trauma survivors struggle with severe shame and guilt, having internalized a sense of self as bad/inherently flawed/problematic - and thus often have difficulty connecting with themselves (their bodies, their emotions, their thoughts and perceptions), as many religious systems cast the self as something not be trusted, known or relied upon.

This daily, human, earth-bound life can be a tough place to stay present in, much less embrace or enjoy, with a psyche deeply conditioned into believing one’s inner world is deceitful and human life (often othered via terms like “the world”) is something to transcend rather than participate in.

You can read a description of religious trauma syndrome at https://www.journeyfree.org/rts/, written by psychologist Marlene Winell. Dr. Winell originated the term Religious Trauma Syndrome in 2011 and pioneered the work of beginning to name and understand the insidious harm in the coercive religious indoctrination that occurs in high-control religious systems, i.e. systems that include practices that are fear-based, frame questions or doubt as moral failings, and isolate members from alternate perspectives — as differentiated from religious education or cultural teaching that presents beliefs openly, encourages exploration, welcomes questions, and does not use psychological control mechanisms to stifle critical thinking or individual development.

The path of recovery from religious trauma is unique for everyone, but for most people, inner work focused on healing from the impact of these early environments leads to greater autonomy, personal agency, self-trust, a felt sense of worthiness, healthy self-esteem, and deeper capacity to experience inner peace and freedom.

Recovering from high control religion is a journey I’m on myself. In my own inner work, integrating greater capacity to be present with myself feels like a deep kind of maturing. Having the opportunity to witness and support a similar process in others has only fortified my belief that learning to be with ourselves and with each other in open-hearted, safe, welcoming, patient and respectful ways IS how we heal. Religious trauma occurs in a relational context, so being received in one’s authenticity in a relational context can be a profoundly corrective experience.

I use the term integrative coaching for the kind of interpersonal support I provide. and view it as personal development work. Sessions provide a safe, relationally-oriented container for your own self-led work. In my experience, within the safety of that kind of neutrality and care, developmental processes that had to go underground in a high-control environment reliably re-emerge to be revisited. This type of one-to-one support may be a good fit if you:

  • Are interested in personal or professional development from a depth perspective — working “from the inside out”

  • Want non-judgmental support and space to explore inner conflicts

  • Have a desire to deepen your relationship with yourself

  • Need an unbiased space to explore spiritual or existential questions

A Trauma-Informed Approach

I work from a trauma-informed lens. This means I have understanding and awareness of the impact of trauma, I’ve been trained in recognizing signs of trauma, and I prioritize creating an environment of safety, transparency, collaboration and empowerment. The goal is always to prevent re-traumatization and support healing and recovery.

While sessions are not psychotherapy, my decade-plus of experience as a mental health clinician is an important part of the background I bring to my work.

My training and ongoing work in the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) has been significant in my own development and informs how I work with clients. You can read more about NARM, as well as additional trainings and credentials, on the FAQs page.

What are sessions like?

At a basic level, sessions are a conversation between two humans. We together explore what you’re wanting to explore. I might support you in slowing down your internal experience and supporting your increased awareness of what you’re connecting with inside, as well as how you’re relating to it — mentally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually. We might explore internal barriers between you and what you’re wanting to feel or experience, while honoring the important role those barriers may have played in your life.

Each session is anchored by your questions and aims for our time together. What would you like support around? What, internally, would you like to feel or experience?

Session Details

Sessions take place online (over Zoom) and are 55–60 minutes in length. The fee is $200 per session.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in experiencing this kind of support, please be in touch. We’ll start with scheduling an initial consultation over the phone (15-30 minutes). This is a time simply to connect and ask any questions you have. We’ll also talk about whether the type of support I provide seems like a good fit for you, versus therapy or another type of support.

After the consultation, I offer a no-charge initial session. I offer this with awareness of the significant investment that personal/professional development work is, and a desire to help provide a true sense of what working together is like.

I’m also available for consultation with church leadership teams around leader wellbeing, mental health, trauma, and religious trauma awareness.

You can contact me via the contact page or by emailing me directly at crozier.anne@protonmail.com.