Episode Details

Liz just wanted to keep herself and her family safe. She didn’t know these 3 signs of spiritual abuse that every woman needs to know. To discover if you’re emotionally abused, take this free emotional abuse quiz.

Liz sought support from trusted church leaders after she experienced abuse. But rather than receiving the help she deserved, Liz experienced severe spiritual abuse from clergy and continued emotional and psychological abuse from her abusers.

If you’re experiencing this type of abuse, you need support. Attend a Betrayal Trauma Recovery Group Session TODAY.

What is Spiritual Abuse?

Spiritual abuse occurs when individuals use their authority, religious doctrines, or practices to exert control, manipulation, or power over others. Spiritual abuse can also occur when a leader dismisses, minimizes, or refuses to take proper steps to protect victims of abuse and crime. Abusers blame and hold victims responsible for the abuse.

Recognizing The Signs of Spiritual Abuse

It’s important to familiarize yourself with the spiritual abuse. Knowing how to identify spiritual abuse can help those in faith communities recognize and move away from situations where they may be exploited, misled, or traumatized.

1. The lack of total accountability, a church doesn’t have turning yourself in to authorities as part of the repentance process.
2. Requesting victims forgive and reconcile with no justice, when emotional and psychological safety haven’t been established.
3. Continued lying, deceit, and dismissal of sin while professing to be righteous.

To learn more about how to recognize this type of abuse, enroll in the Betrayal Trauma Recovery Living Free Workshop.

Identifing Signs of Spiritual Abuse:

1. Blame & Shame: Spiritually abusive leaders use blaming and shaming tactics to instill feelings of guilt or unworthiness. In our community, this looks like a pastor or other religious leader blaming a wife for her husband’s infidelity, telling her that if she was a better wife, he wouldn’t have been unfaithful.
2. Overstepping Ethical Boundaries: When spiritual leaders offer marital counsel, therapy, mental health counseling, and label individuals with any diagnosis. Or use a deity to “discern” anything outside their scope of professional, ethical boundaries. This is a serious breach of propriety and is considered severe spiritual abuse. In our community, this often occurs when clergy labels abusive husbands mentally ill requiring more love, service, and intimacy.
3. Encouraging Isolation: Spiritu