Lisa Elliott Schumacher, LPC, CPCS, M.Div. License verification available here
Church Hurt Recovery Therapy for Women in Georgia
Heal from Religious Harm and Rediscover Your Relationship with God
If you’ve experienced manipulation, control, legalism, or emotional harm in a religious environment, it can leave you feeling confused, hurt, and unsafe, unworthy, and disconnected. You may be questioning your beliefs, your identity, your sense of safety., and who God really is. Therapy offers a space to process the confusion and the harm and begin healing at your own pace.
You Might Be Experiencing This
Religious harm can be deeply confusing because it often involves trust, authority, and identity. The impact can stay with you long after you’ve left the environment.
• You feel guilt or fear when questioning your beliefs
• You find yourself questioning if God is real or if He is good
• You struggle to trust spiritual or authority figures
• You feel disconnected from yourself and your identity
• You feel anxious, confused, or emotionally overwhelmed
These responses are valid. Healing from church hurt doesn’t mean you have to have everything figured out—it simply means giving yourself space to process and move forward in a way that feels right to you.
How Therapy Helps You Heal
Process Religious Harm
Openly explore what you experienced without judgment and understand how it impacted your identity, beliefs, sense of safety, and connection with God and your faith community.
Reclaim Your Faith
Reclaim your faith in a way that feels safe and authentic, while reconnecting with your true self and your personal relationship with God.
Reclaim Your Voice
Let go of guilt, fear, and harmful messages so you can feel empowered to reconnect with your voice, your sense of self, and your relationship with God in a safe and authentic way.
A Simple, Supportive Process
Book a Consultation
Share your story in a safe, supportive space without pressure or expectation
Create a Safe Plan
We build a therapy approach that respects your experiences, values, and pace
Heal and Reconstruct
Process what you’ve been through and begin to safely reconstruct your faith, rebuilding your relationship with God in a way that feels authentic and true to you.
Why Women Choose Life By Design Counseling
You deserve a space where your experiences are taken seriously and where healing can happen without judgment, pressure, or expectations about what you “should” believe.
Specialized in Narcissistic Abuse and Religious Harm
I have experience working with dynamics often seen in religious environments, including patterns like communal narcissism, where control and harm can be masked as humility, service, or spiritual authority. (You can learn more about this dynamic in my blog.)
Trauma-Informed and Client-Centered
Therapy that prioritizes your autonomy, voice, and healing process
Safe, Non-Judgmental Space
A place where you can explore, question, and heal without fear or pressure
FAQs About Healing from Religious or Spiritual Trauma
How do I know if what I experienced was spiritual abuse? Spiritual abuse often involves manipulation, control, shame, or misuse of authority within a faith context. If your experiences left you feeling fearful, confused, or disconnected from yourself, they deserve to be explored with care.
Can I still have faith and heal from church hurt? Yes. Healing does not require you to abandon your faith unless that is your choice. Therapy can support you in exploring your beliefs in a way that feels safe, authentic, and aligned with your values.
What if I feel anxious or triggered by spiritual spaces now? This is a common response to religious trauma. Therapy helps you process these experiences and develop a sense of safety and clarity moving forward.
Do I have to include spirituality in therapy? No. Spiritual integration is always optional and guided by your preferences. Therapy can be fully clinical or include faith-based elements depending on what feels right for you.
You Are Allowed to Heal and Find Your Own Way Forward
Healing from religious harm does not have to mean abandoning your faith or losing yourself again. You can rediscover God, reconnect with who you are, and find peace in your faith journey.
Serving women across Georgia with therapy for church hurt, spiritual trauma, and emotional healing