Sanctuary Trauma

The deep betrayal someone feels when a place they believed was safe (like a church) causes harm

• You trusted your spiritual leader, only to be gaslit or shamed when you were vulnerable.

• You now feel uneasy or triggered walking into any religious building, even unrelated ones.

Potential clinical implications (especially in high control settings)

• Once-safe spaces may now provoke anxiety or trauma responses.

• Deep trust wounds toward authority or institutions may form.

• Emotional shutdown, panic, or flashbacks may be triggered in spiritual contexts.