therapy for faith transitions
Are you feeling alone or like your world has turned upside down?
I wouldn't wish the devastation that comes with a faith crisis on anyone.
It often feels like your entire world collapses, all the stuff you put on a shelf coming down with you. You start questioning everything, because everything you once knew as safe now feels completely unsafe, and you feel deeply betrayed.
It's a natural part of life to change beliefs and identity, but that doesn't mean it isn't disorienting, painful, and hard to talk about, especially when the people you often want to talk about it with are members of your faith community and don't always have the space to hear it.
But talk about it, you must. And not just talk about it, but process it. GRIEVE it, all of it - the life, belief system, and identity you once knew, and which so entirely informed every facet of who you were.
Sitting with the pain alone, only exacerbates the distress. You can't bury this thing, as the old saying goes "what you resist, persists." And reading your scriptures more, praying harder, and going to the church/temple more often doesn't always unwrite the heartache.
In our time together...
Using a compassionate, non-judgmental & trauma-informed approach, I will create a safe space to talk about the thoughts, feelings, and concerns you are experiencing on your faith transition journey.
I will help you:
- Not have to grieve alone
- Understand any trauma responses you might have (i.e. hypervigilance around what others think about you, self-abandonment, people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, etc) & work through them
- Develop tools to manage anxiety, grief, stress, and uncertainty during this painful time
- Navigate difficult conversations with loved ones around your evolving beliefs and practices
- Support identity reconstruction and clarify what guiding principles are important to you that YOU want to live by
- Explore ways that you can get needs for support met by community that aligns with your values
- Move toward self-compassion, hope & patience for yourself and your loved ones
It gets better.
Faith crises are hard, and they don't all look the same. You are allowed to make your journey your own - however you want it to be. I'll be with you the whole way for as long as you would like. Whether you stay, leave, or find a way of making your faith work for you, you can emerge stronger, with more sure footing on the other side.
For my Mormon & LDS Folk...
I know that it is sometimes hard to try to explain all the nuances, beliefs, practices & customs of Mormonism to others. It can feel like emotional labor to try to convey the lingo, culture, and depth of influence that the LDS Church has on life experiences of active, practicing members and ex-members.
With me, know that I get you.
Having been raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, served an LDS mission, got married in the temple, started a family young, eventually experienced faith deconstruction and left the Church on my faith reconstruction journey, I want you to know that I understand a lot. But, I also understand that MY experiences are not YOUR experiences, and the priority for me is always to be with you in your unique faith crisis journey, with no motive as to where it ends up. I mostly just want you to know that you don't have to take on the emotional labor of trying to explain all the things that come with Mormon culture and doctrine in our time together, so we can hit the ground running.