1. Hearing @michellevanloon’s story here has reinvigorated my in my current writing progject on spiritual trauma, “When the Church Becomes A Trigger”. I’s like to use her thread as a springboard to speak on a few things that I hope would help others struggling in a similar way: https://twitter.com/michellevanloon/status/1288119558704738320

2. First & formost, it is important to understand that to be human means to be both body (including mind) & soul. Whenever we experience trauma, our soul & our minds develop barriers as a defense mechanism to protect us from further pain/trauma. This happens with church trauma.

3. It is normal & a sign of both spiritual & mental health when our bodies, souls, and mind respond to trauma thru intense emotions, hyper-vigilance, & even resistance to things that we once considered spiritually beneficial; if those things have been weaponized against us.

4. So often, people think natural trauma responses are a sign that they are spiritually, emotional, or mentally unhealthy when in reality; they are having the proper responses in light of the devastating realities they have experienced. Trauma responses to abuse aren’t “wrong”!

5. Trauma responses are natural and are a means of healing and essentially recalibrating in light of what one has endured.

When it comes to church & spiritual trauma/abuse, your mind & soul will often seek to protect you from further harm by creating church trauma triggers.

6. It’s normal for Christians who have endured spiritual trauma to be extremely cautious around other Christians, not desire to go to church, find worship music, scripture reading, prayer, & even communion triggering. Tragically, guilt is heaped on such people rather than empathy

7. So much more could be said but suffice it to say,

“what you are going thru does not mean faith is gone, that you are “unfaithful”, or that you are “in sin” if you find yourself not able to attend church services. You are likely spiritually traumatized. There’s hope.”

8. ... Spiritual abuse/trauma is so awful b/c it morphs the very things people use to nurture their soul into trauma triggers. Holding onto “faith” while being triggered by all he various aspects of faith you once treasured is so profoundly difficult. It makes “faith” feel lost.

9. Deconstructing faith not have to mean walking away from faith, it can be a form of cleansing and serve as a means of retraining your soul and mind in how it reacts to “spiritual” things post-trauma. It’s breaking down in order to rebuild in a safe & trusting environment.