We need more mental health professionals trained to treat Religious Trauma Syndrome and that starts with college students. The problem is, most college students are struggling just to get by with the basics. Not all of them can afford to attend the Conference On Religious Trauma. That’s why we’re asking for your help. Your donation will go to sending a well-deserved student to the conference; a student who will go on to become a mental health professional with the skills to treat Religious Trauma Syndrome.
Although even just a single dollar will help, if you choose to donate more than $60, not only do you get to help send a student to the Conference, but you will also receive a SIGNED copy of one of Dr. Darrel Ray's books.
Donations over $400 will receive one of Darrel's signed books and a regular pass for the Conference on Religious Trauma OR one of Darrel's signed books and the donor's name or organization appearing on the conference website as a sponsor for one of our speakers.
Donations over $500 will receive one VIP pass to the Conference on Religious Trauma and one of Darrel's signed books OR one of Darrel's signed books and the donor's name or organization appearing on the conference website and printed programs as a sponsor for one of our speakers.
Every donation will help The Secular Therapy Project to underscore the importance of bringing awareness and treatment options into the spotlight for religious trauma. It is our hope that the continued efforts of our own dedicated therapists and volunteers will be greatly buoyed by the Conference on Religious Trauma and that options for those who have suffered abuse, grief, depression, and scores of other life-damaging symptoms will have better options and increased availability for treatment.
What is Religious Trauma? If you are not someone who has suffered from religious trauma, then you likely know someone who has.
Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) is common, widespread, diverse, and deeply affects overall mental wellness in individuals and communities. The world is in desperate need of professionals who can treat RTS.
The symptoms of religious trauma are many and they include:
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Depression
Suicidal ideation
Anger
Grief
Guilt
Loneliness
Lack of meaning
Confusion
Difficulty with decision-making
Difficulty with critical thinking
Dissociation
Identity confusion
Sleep disorders
Eating disorders
Nightmares
Sexual dysfunction
Substance abuse
Somatization
All of these experiences and several others can be immensely distressing, and they all are caused by a specific kind of trauma stemming from religious beliefs and abusive religious communities.
Janice Selbie, the Executive Director of the Conference on Religious Trauma, is all too familiar with the potential for abuse in religion. Insular communities, oppressive dogma, fear, and guilt can coalesce to form a labyrinth out of which it may feel impossible to emerge. Janice was raised in a charismatic Christian home, attending conservative evangelical churches before marrying a pastor and becoming even more devout. She donned a head-covering, homeschooled her children, and rejected any vestiges of secular life (TV, radio, music, newspapers, magazines, etc.).
After four decades of being a Christian, doubt crept up on her. What began as small questions in the back of her mind grew into debilitating sadness and anxiety. However, from this dark place, she negotiated her course and managed a stark change in direction.
Her mind free to wander, Janice went back to school to attain her Diploma of Applied Psychology and Counselling. “My passion is to help others who are experiencing tremendous losses associated with religious de-conversion. My own journey could have been easier if I had been able to connect with even one other person who had walked away from their faith and built
a healthy life afterward.” Her combined experiences, empathy, and hard-fought education are what steer the direction of the Conference on Religious Trauma.
Religious trauma is unique in how profoundly it affects people, and its treatment requires mental health professionals who are both focused on evidence-based treatment and are aware of this condition. The Conference on Religious Trauma, which is being held in Vancouver from April 24th through the 26th, aims to educate mental health professionals, other health care professionals, caregivers, sufferers, support professionals, and laypeople on the various kinds of religious trauma and how to address it.
So, how do students fit in, and why is it so important that we empower them to attend?
The education and experiences that the Conference on Religious Trauma provides will open the door for all attendees to examine new perspectives, solutions, and connections, and we understand how that can create a ripple effect. Not only will students be personally enriched, but we understand that it is likely they will bring this enrichment back to other students, professionals, and educators who will go on to contribute to a community of improved mental wellness.
Keynote speakers, Janet Heimlich, Dr. Valerie Tarico, Dr. Janja Lalich, Dr. Marlene Winell, and Dr. Darrel Ray, will be joining many others to present their professional and personal experiences in presentations and workshops to highlight the societal and individual impact of religious trauma.
The Secular Therapy Project, a Recovering from Religion program, is sponsoring The Conference on Religious Trauma. Our Board Members and volunteers are working with the Executive Director and other staff for the Conference on Religious Trauma to provide expertise and resources as our goals go hand in hand. Many Secular Therapy Project clients and therapists already understand the importance of recognizing the harm of religious trauma. The people who seek our help have turned to their community, mentors, and even other therapists only to discover advice steeped in dogma, advocacy for prayer, and even urgings to go back to abusers.
People suffering from religious trauma need support from a community that understands these struggles and mental health professionals who have the tools and education to provide a comprehensive treatment plan. As more and more people leave religion, the need for awareness and understanding is increasing. The Conference on Religious Trauma will help to bring comfort and healing to the growing number of apostates who so desperately need this specific kind of informed support.
*Your donation is tax-deductible and will be dispersed to the Conference on Religious Trauma from Recovering from Religion, a registered 501 (c) (3) organization. Our Tax ID Number is 45-4000021 and you may find us on Guidestar.
guidestar.org/profile/45-4000021