Dr. Grisel Lopez-Escobar, PhD (in Counseling),
Licensed Mental Health Counselor Providing Virtual Therapy to Adult Clients
in the States of AK, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, ID, IN, LA, MA, ME, NV, OR, SC, TX, UT, VT, WI & WY, USA
Specializing in Supporting Clients who are Newly Secular or Deconstructing from High Control Religions, Groups or Cults: Religious Trauma / Faith Crisis, Religious Deconstruction / Purity Culture / Religious Residue / Mixed-Faith Relationships / Secular Therapy
Childhood Religious Trauma
Trauma in childhood caused by fear, shame, punishment, or rejection tied to religion
You felt terrified as a child after being told you would go to hell for a mistake.
You shut down emotionally because every time you questioned something, you were shamed or scolded.
Potential clinical implications (especially in high control settings)
Trust in caregivers or authority figures may be impaired.
Hypervigilance may develop in adulthood, especially in relationships or spiritual settings.
Persistent fear of being inherently “bad” or unworthy may affect self-concept.