Evolving From Religious Trauma Course
Whether you are a broken-hearted ex-pastor who feels some guilt and shame about the past or a single mother who lost relationships and support when you shared your changing beliefs, this book can be a roadmap to addressing the trauma you carry in your body. Whether you consider yourself an atheist, agnostic, struggling Christian, or a spiritual nomad, you are all welcome to explore here and find your own way.
You don’t need to organize anything, start something new, or contribute any money. Just sit back and consider the information we have gathered to make your journey more compelling. It won’t give you an iron-clad manifesto or creed to follow, but it may save you some time as your path reveals itself to you.
We have completed producing the videos for our new course based on the new book, Evolving From Religious Trauma.
Below are the free links to the YouTube videos. Please tell us what you think and how they help you.
If you want just audio, all these lessons are on The Desert Sanctuary podcast!!
Evolving From Religious Trauma Course
Introduction
1. It’s Going to be Okay
2. What is Trauma?
3. The Four Existential Concerns
4. A Plan for Us?
5. Being and Becoming
6. Going Inside & Trusting Myself
7. Darkness and Shadow
8. Thriving Outside Religion
9. Parenting in the Desert
10. Somatic Therapies
Introduction
1. It’s Going to be Okay
2. What is Trauma?
3. The Four Existential Concerns
4. A Plan for Us?
5. Being and Becoming
6. Going Inside & Trusting Myself
7. Darkness and Shadow
8. Thriving Outside Religion
9. Parenting in the Desert
10. Somatic Therapies
Audio Recordings
Other Books
Speakers for Leaning Forward 2023
Introduction
- Laura Forehand – Trauma and the Pastor’s Wife
- Rebekah Drumsta – Band-Aid’s, Stitches, and Scars: Tending the Wounds of Religious Trauma
- Janyne McConnaughhey – Women as Advocates for Healing and Change
- Paula Stone Williams – As a Woman
- Ashley Easter – The Intersection of Patriarchy and Abuse
- Nikki G – Trauma in the Black Community
- Susan Cottrell – How to Speak Women
- Megan Benninger – Reclaiming Married Sex from Purity Culture
- Sherri Bothwell – Usurping Women’s Voices from the Patriarchy: Taking Back the Narrative by Telling our Stories.
Skip to Resource Resources Links
Introduction to Leaning Forward Videos
1. Laura Forehand
Preview
2. Rebekah Drumsta
Preview
3. Janyne McConnaughhey
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4. Paula Stone Williams
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5. Ashley Easter
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6. Nikki G
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7. Susan Cottrell
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8. Megan Benninger
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9. Sherri Bothwell
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10. Additional Resources
Ted Talks
Why You Could Be Vulnerable To A Cult –
Ashley Easter – TEDxDanville
You can help by leaving comments on this video!
Why I chose my LGBTQ daughter over the Evangelical Church –
Susan Cottrell – TEDxMileHigh
Other Links, Podcasts & Websites
Global Center for Religious Research * Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network
Attachment and Trauma Network * Vashti Institute * Baptist Accountability Database
Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools
G.R.A.C.E -Empowering Christian communities to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse.
PODCASTS
The Desert Sanctuary (Karl & Laura Forehand)
Surviving the Black Church Podcast (NikkiG)
Preacher Boys Podcast (Eric Skwarczynski)
Biology of Trauma Podcast (Dr. Aimee Apigean)
FreedHearts Podcast (Susan & Rob Cottrell)
Almost Awakened Podcast (Brittney Hartley)
COLLECTIONS OF RESOURCES from Speakers
Rebekah Drumsta Resouces * Janyne McConnaughhey Resources
Courage 365 Resources * Reclaiming Married Sex from Purity Culture Resources
FreedHearts Resources * Sherri Bothwell Facebook – Instagram – TikToc
NikkiG Facebook – Website – Clubhouse
Karl & Laura Forehand – The Desert Sanctuary
MISC.
The Power and Control Wheel * The Equality Wheel
Brad and Becky were guests on our podcast, The Desert Sanctuary. Their discussion was titled, “Narcissism, The Dark Triad, and Religious Trauma.”
Becky Garrison Resources – Becky Garrison Website
https://wittenburgdoor.substack.com/gaslighting-for-god-part-1
then change to part-2 and so on through part-8
https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/authors/becky-garrison
My articles on narcissism and trauma are posted here. It is a satirical quiz that helps folks sense when someone’s actions rise to the level of spiritual narcissism.
Wenatchee the Hatchet was THE #1 source compiling resources that ultimately led to the resignation of Mark Driscoll from MHC. IMO this is a great resource for anyone wanting to investigate this case.
https://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/p/a-page-with-index-of.html
In particular, this link is very educational as it points to how abuse is NOT about the patriarchy but power. And it also highlights how narcissism that breeds church related abuses can be found in even the seemingly most progressive sources, as well as how vacuous the Christian lifestyle field actually is.
https://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2020/04/nadia-bolz-weber-mark-driscoll-20-for.html
Brad Sargent Resources – Brad Sargent Website
Key download articles on the Pyramid of Abuse and dynamics of toxic institutions are at this link:
This page links to posts with FAQs on abuse and recovery.
The Field Guides blog is being updated periodically as I compile and update older material and add visuals. Readers can rummage around there … The entire first Field Guide has already been posted.
https://futuristguysfieldguides.wordpress.com/
Those key links should especially help newbies. For more details and advanced info, this page is my long-form article on toxic systems with some summary charts at the end.
David Hayward – The Naked Pastor Website
Theo Bros Beer Camp
A Church Goes After a Gay Pastor
Support The Desert Sanctuary
The Desert Sanctuary Blog Posts & Podcasts
428 – Stuart Delony -The Tribulation Survival Guide
Stuart Delony, is a former pastor who walked out of the church but couldn’t shake the ways of Jesus. These days, he hosts Snarky Faith—a podcast and platform that wrestles with faith, culture, and meaning from the fringe. He is not here to fix Christianity. He’s determined to name what’s broken, find what’s still worth keeping,…
427 – Becky Garrison – Gaslighting for God
Gaslighting for God is a no-BS survival guide to dodging narcissistic gurus and reclaiming your spiritual sanity—with wit, wisdom, and a whole lot of side-eye. With the sharpness of a court jester’s wit, Garrison uncovers the tactics of narcissistic gurus who weaponize faith to build empires—whether they’re celebrity pastors pushing prosperity gospel or retreat leaders draped in faux humility.…
426 – Melody Post – Cultimatum
The Cultimatum Podcast A deep dive into the dark world of cults, coercive control, and trauma recovery. Hosted by survivor and producer Melody Post, Cultimatum gives voice to those who’ve escaped — and educates those who never saw it coming. Are you serious about deconstruction and asking bigger questions? If that’s the case, this book…
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