When Religion Hurts You Audiobook By Laura E. Anderson PhD cover art

When Religion Hurts You

Healing from Religious Trauma and the Impact of High-Control Religion

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When Religion Hurts You

By: Laura E. Anderson PhD
Narrated by: Laura E. Anderson PhD
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About this listen

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 listeners 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 listeners 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.

©2023 Laura E. Anderson (P)2023 eChristian
Personal Development Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders Psychology Mental Health

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A must read if this is your jam…

I’m grateful to have this book for my own healing journey and to recommend to anyone dealing with religious trauma. I’ve done a lot of reading in this area and this is perhaps the most thorough yet accessible treatment I’ve come across yet - certainly one of the first books I’ll think of when asked for a recommendation. Excellent performance by the author - if you like Dr Laura Anderson’s content on social media, you’ll love this book!

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Personal and Professional

Laura brings so much knowledge, both personal and professional, to the topic. Reading her book made me feel validated in my experiences while also offering a valuable perspective on opportunities for healing. I enjoyed her reading of the book as well. I've been listening to her podcasts and the book felt like another conversation rather than a performance. Thank you for the work you're doing!

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Just phenomenal

Truly invaluable resource for people leaving HRCs & deconstructing and reconstructing. Thank you Laura. Will read over and over again.

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One of the Best!

I was so blown away by the insightfulness of the book. Not only does the author incorporate her own story but as a clinician, she has included the "whys" in such an detailed way that I found myself throughout the book shaking my head about the things other therapist I have been to for this problem have missed. With all respect for the work I had done on myself with religious trauma, Dr. Anderson accurately describes the problem clinically and does something I had not heard before ---give those of us with adverse experiences permission to be, and live with our experiences—not as I have often been told "just put it behind you", "don't church bash or hurt the cause of Christ", "don't act like a victim". For those that feel they may have had adverse religious experiences of any kind, this is a must read.

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The BEST

The MOST compassionate, good, useful, helpful book I have listened to in a long time! Wow! I am speechless! Aside from the sexual issues, I could relate 100%.

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Such an important book.

There is not a lot written about religious trauma and how it impacts individuals. As a therapist working with individuals from a HDR (high demand religion), I found the message to be consistent with what I see in my practice. This has become an invaluable resource to share with my clients!

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Interesting perspective

Interesting perspective, I would have liked some more research but overall a pretty good read.

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Powerful.

As someone who struggles with C-PTSD, PTSD, and depression, this has been the most helpful book I have come across understanding trauma. Illuminating and hopeful, I have a better understanding of why my brain does what it does.

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A personal journey mixed with research on spiritual abuse recovery

Excellent book with compelling personal stories and facts from research to explain the journey of recovery from religious trauma.

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Exposing

This book shocked me with its ability to expose ingrained assumptions and values I’d made a part of my identity from my high control religious experience. As a person who had severely underestimated the profound impact my religious experience had on me, this book was life changing. I have identified so many ideologies I’d held were based on disordered thinking, indoctrination and fear. I was further surprised to realize how every decision and behavior I have made on a daily basis has been dictated by this disordered thinking. This has started a new journey for me in my therapy. After 15 plus years in therapy I believe this may be the most impactful pivot I’ll make. So glad I gave it a try even though I had minimize its relevance to me initially.

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