Shirley Fessel is an advocate for women who have experienced religious-domestic v!olence. As a former minister's wife, she understands the challenges faced by women in these situations and the lack of support from institutional churches.

As a former minister's wife, she found herself trapped in a situation where the institutional church and the people in it failed to provide the support she needed. Determined to reclaim herself and protect her children from the horrors of @buse, Shirley decided to create a workbook that would help women in similar situations navigate the confusing tactics used against them, such as manipulation, gaslighting, and exploitation of faith concepts.

Through her own experiences, she learned the importance of leaving @buse without guilt, listening to her intuition, and not allowing others to minimize her connection to God. Shirley's work continues to support and empower women to overcome the attacks they face and honor their intuition. 

This episode will be useful to anyone, but especially those who still identify as Christian and wish to understand where God is in their journey.

Relevant Links: 

- Shirley Fessel’s Book, Redemption from Biblical Battering, for Christian women: https://redemptionbb.com/book/ 

- Shirley Fessel’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fessup44/

- Grant, (must Read the book to be considered): https://redemptionbb.com/grant/ 

- Text message service: To sign up, text the word "courage" to 917-809-7311

- Courage 365: Facebook Group - www.facebook.com/groups/courage365

3 key takeaways for this episode

1. Religious Abuse can be a complex and damaging form of domestic v!olence, often justifying @busive behaviors through religious beliefs and scripture. It is crucial for survivors to recognize the manipulation and seek support to break free from these toxic environments.
2. Women in abusive religious settings may face unique challenges in seeking help, as church authorities and religious beliefs may discourage them from seeking professional assistance. It is important for survivors to know that they have the right to seek professional help and should not be limited to only biblical counseling.
3. The guest, Shirley Fessel, offers a practical resource in the form of her self-help workbook, "Redemption from Biblical B@ttering," which explores the seven levels of confusion and provides tools for women in religious domestic v!olence situations. This workbook can help survivors navigate the complexity of religious abuse and empower them to create a new life after leaving an abusive relationship.

[00:02:58] Workbook empowers women escaping religious abuse.

[00:09:38] Domestic abuse tied to religious beliefs and manipulation.

[00:12:45] Religious beliefs compound fear and control, manipulating trust.

[00:16:24] Levels of confusion, abused women, finding strength, leaving abusive relationships.

[00:23:49] Churches funding non-affiliated organizations for control?

[00:28:41] Detachment, charting, and redefining for abuse recovery.

[00:33:44] "Courage to be yourself, despite adversity."

[00:36:47] Thank you for tuning in. Check out Shirley Fessel's book and social media. Follow Courage 365 on social media. Need help? Visit courage365.org. Sign up for inspirational text messages.