Christian Counseling for Spiritual Abuse

We begin with your goals. That might include processing spiritual confusion, creating emotional safety, or calming the internal chaos you are currently experiencing. You set the pace for the work, and I honor that.

I take time to understand your background, personality, and spiritual history so we can use tools and approaches that truly fit you. This is not a one-size-fits-all model. Together, we shape a path that supports your recovery from spiritual abuse and respects your story, your faith, and your readiness.

We may focus on grounding your nervous system, working through religious trauma, healing from manipulation or false teachings, recognizing spiritual gaslighting, or untangling feelings of guilt and fear that were tied to your faith experience.

Many survivors also need help navigating the harmful dynamics surrounding the abuser, such as smear campaigns, alienation, spiritual bypassing, or being shunned by their faith community.

Throughout our work, I listen carefully for spiritual triggers and emotional roadblocks so we can move gently and avoid retraumatization. Every step is shaped around helping you find clarity, peace, and strength as you rebuild your sense of spiritual safety and trust.

You do not have to walk through this alone.

There is hope, and there is support for where you are right now.

I work with English speaking adults one-on-one, offering support that is both personalized and trauma-sensitive. Sessions are 55 minutes long and take place by phone or through Google Meet video chat. I also work with couples, families, or small groups when they are healing together in a shared context.

I do not work with individuals who are struggling with narcissistic behavior. That kind of support requires a licensed mental health provider trained to diagnose and treat personality disorders. My work is focused on helping survivors heal.

Phone sessions are $125. Video sessions are $135. All sessions are booked online. Once you schedule, I will send you a new client form within 48 hours to complete before our first session. Medical insurance will not cover these services.

There are no refunds on services. To be eligible to reschedule, I ask for at least 48 hours’ notice (with the exception of genuine emergencies). If you are running late, I will stay on the line for 15 minutes. If I have not heard from you by then, I will consider it a missed session and will not continue to wait.

I also offer a limited number of Fast Pass appointments if you need to schedule sooner than the next available spot. These are offered at a higher rate. You can find details on the Rates page.

I work with many clients who have experienced spiritual abuse. The Bible and spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, confession, etc.) were weaponized and used to manipulate and control them.  Spiritual abuse often causes victims to experience significant distress around spiritual issues and question everything they once believed. The meaning of love, forgiveness, grace, trust, and other core aspects of the faith is often tangled with the abuse. 

My goal is to provide a safe, supportive space where you are free to explore spiritual issues at your own pace. As with any solid coach, counselor, mentor, etc., my role is not to tell you what to believe, set rules for you, or use the Bible to manipulate you.   

Jesus not only provided a path to freedom, but He reveals even the deepest parts of us that need healing. God doesn’t need me to try to do that work for Him; He has it covered! 

So, I leave the job of deciding what you want to focus on to you and Jesus. I trust His work in your life and believe He knows your heart, hurts, and needs far better than I. I trust Him to be the Ultimate Guide in your healing. 

A lot of spiritual coaching and counseling models suggest that the answers we need are already inside us. Others say we need to open ourselves up to a higher energy or collective consciousness in order to be healed. These ideas might sound empowering at first, but they point us in the wrong direction. Scripture teaches that our hearts are not naturally trustworthy. We are easily deceived, and our healing doesn’t come from within. It comes from God.

Satan is a master counterfeiter. He takes what God created for good and twists it into something that looks and feels similar, but leads us away from truth. A counterfeit only works if it is convincing. Most people couldn’t tell the difference between a real painting and a skilled forgery. Only someone who has spent time studying the original will be able to spot what’s fake.

The same principle applies here.

Matthew 24:24
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

It is a mistake to think Satan’s counterfeits don’t work. They do. Sometimes they produce powerful results. That is what makes them dangerous.

Exodus 7:10–12
Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Satan can mimic power. He can produce experiences that feel like healing or transformation. There is always a cost, though. When we come into agreement with something that isn’t true, it opens a door for confusion, pain, and bondage. The enemy knows how to lead people down a path that appears to bring relief but ends in destruction. Jesus offers freedom, clarity, and peace. Satan offers temporary escape with long-term chains.

We don’t need to throw out every practice or tool just because Satan has twisted it. He even quoted Scripture to Jesus, but he used it with distortion. The truth itself was still true, even when Satan misused it. The same can be said for some healing methods or tools. The source matters. The spirit behind it matters. Our job is to stay alert, grounded, and discerning.

1 John 4:1
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Not every helpful truth is spelled out in the Bible. For example, we know that most people are born with 270 bones. That didn’t come from a verse. It came from studying the body. As long as a truth does not contradict Scripture, it can be seen as part of the natural order God created. If it does contradict God’s Word, then it is not truth at all.

That is why I don’t automatically dismiss psychology, physiology, reflexology, or other healing modalities just because they aren’t mentioned in Scripture. God designed the human body and the nervous system. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Understanding how we function helps us better care for ourselves and others.

In my work, I draw from tools like neuroscience, somatic processing, polyvagal theory, and Internal Family Systems. These are not my foundation. God is. When used with wisdom and discernment, these tools can help people heal in ways that align with how God designed us.

The more we know the truth about ourselves, about God, and about the world around us, the more peace we will have. Truth brings clarity. It frees us from the fog of confusion and the pain of believing lies. Shame is often what keeps us from looking at these things. It whispers that we are too far gone or that facing the truth will be too much to bear. But when we have the courage to name a lie, reject it, and receive what is true, healing follows.