HEALING RELIGIOUS TRAUMA for Christian Women | Inner Peace, Trust God, Spiritual Healing, God’s Love, True Connection, Gene
Debra Shafer | Spiritual Healing Coach for Christian Women | Founder, Healing Religious Trauma Circle | Walking Women Home to a Safe, Loving God | Voice of Gentle Clarity, Healing, and Truth
19 episodes
2 days ago
Do you love God—but feel like you’re slowly drifting away from Him, and you don’t know why? Are you scared that questioning your church—or your faith—might mean losing everything you love? Do you constantly second-guess your emotions, your voice, even your own intuition—wondering if you’re the problem? Are you exhausted from trying to be good enough, faithful enough, spiritual enough… and still feeling like you fall short? Do you feel spiritually homeless—longing for a safe space where you can be honest, messy, and still welcomed with open arms?
If that all sounds a little too familiar, take a deep breath. You’ve found a place to land.
Healing Religious Trauma is a podcast designed to help you:
1. Rebuild your relationship with a safe, loving God.
2. Feel emotionally and spiritually safe enough to ask honest questions.
3. Hear God’s voice for yourself—without fear, shame, or outside filters.
4. Let go of guilt and reclaim your voice, your worth, and your inner peace.
5. Find a gentle, supportive space where spiritual transformation and healing are real and faith still matters.
Hi, I’m Debra.
A lifelong woman of faith who spent decades trying to earn God’s love by doing everything “right.” I was the helper, the volunteer, the spiritual overachiever. But underneath all the striving, I felt disconnected—from God, from myself, and from the woman I longed to be.
Like so many of the women I now serve, I kept trying to pray harder, serve more, and fix myself—hoping the fog would lift, the guilt would fade, and I’d finally feel close to God’s love again. But none of it worked.
What changed?
I finally realized that it wasn’t my faith that was failing—it was the version of it I’d been handed. The one rooted in fear, control, and silence. So I started to untangle the lies, listen for God’s true voice, and walk in the kind of healing that leads to spiritual freedom—not fear.
And the outcome?
I created the kind of compassionate, honest, Spirit-led healing journey I couldn’t find anywhere else. One that doesn’t ask you to throw everything away—just to lay down what was never yours to carry. And that’s exactly why this podcast was born.
If you’re ready to untangle what’s been keeping you stuck—and find real, spiritual healing that doesn’t ask you to lose your faith in the process—this podcast is for you.
Each episode will help you rebuild your trust in God, rest from spiritual performance, and rediscover the voice you were never meant to silence.
You’ll hear real stories, soul-grounded teaching, and healing truths rooted in compassion, clarity, and true connection.
And when you’re ready to go deeper:
Take the Quiz – Discover how religious trauma may have shaped your story and where your healing can begin.
👉 www.religioustraumaquiz.com
Read my Book + Mini-Course – Start He Is Enough and the companion Truth Over Tradition mini-course—your gentle first step into clarity, emotional well-being, and true healing.
👉 www.heisenoughbook.com
Or simply ask me a question at debra@healingreligioustrauma.org—I’d love to hear your story.
No perfection required. Just bring your questions and your favorite tea, and settle in. This space was made to feel like home.
ABOUT
Debra Shafer is a spiritual healing coach for Christian women and the creator of the Coming Home Journey—a gentle, soul-level pathway to help women untangle religious trauma, rebuild trust in God, and find peace without walking away from their faith. As the founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle, Debra brings together decades of experience in personal ministry, Biblical psychology, and trauma-informed mentoring. She knows what it’s like to love God deeply while wrestling with fear, shame, and silence. Known for her voice of gentle clarity, healing, and truth, she now walks women home to the God they always hoped was real. Around here, the tea is hot, the wisdom is hard-won, and no question is off limits.
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Do you love God—but feel like you’re slowly drifting away from Him, and you don’t know why? Are you scared that questioning your church—or your faith—might mean losing everything you love? Do you constantly second-guess your emotions, your voice, even your own intuition—wondering if you’re the problem? Are you exhausted from trying to be good enough, faithful enough, spiritual enough… and still feeling like you fall short? Do you feel spiritually homeless—longing for a safe space where you can be honest, messy, and still welcomed with open arms?
If that all sounds a little too familiar, take a deep breath. You’ve found a place to land.
Healing Religious Trauma is a podcast designed to help you:
1. Rebuild your relationship with a safe, loving God.
2. Feel emotionally and spiritually safe enough to ask honest questions.
3. Hear God’s voice for yourself—without fear, shame, or outside filters.
4. Let go of guilt and reclaim your voice, your worth, and your inner peace.
5. Find a gentle, supportive space where spiritual transformation and healing are real and faith still matters.
Hi, I’m Debra.
A lifelong woman of faith who spent decades trying to earn God’s love by doing everything “right.” I was the helper, the volunteer, the spiritual overachiever. But underneath all the striving, I felt disconnected—from God, from myself, and from the woman I longed to be.
Like so many of the women I now serve, I kept trying to pray harder, serve more, and fix myself—hoping the fog would lift, the guilt would fade, and I’d finally feel close to God’s love again. But none of it worked.
What changed?
I finally realized that it wasn’t my faith that was failing—it was the version of it I’d been handed. The one rooted in fear, control, and silence. So I started to untangle the lies, listen for God’s true voice, and walk in the kind of healing that leads to spiritual freedom—not fear.
And the outcome?
I created the kind of compassionate, honest, Spirit-led healing journey I couldn’t find anywhere else. One that doesn’t ask you to throw everything away—just to lay down what was never yours to carry. And that’s exactly why this podcast was born.
If you’re ready to untangle what’s been keeping you stuck—and find real, spiritual healing that doesn’t ask you to lose your faith in the process—this podcast is for you.
Each episode will help you rebuild your trust in God, rest from spiritual performance, and rediscover the voice you were never meant to silence.
You’ll hear real stories, soul-grounded teaching, and healing truths rooted in compassion, clarity, and true connection.
And when you’re ready to go deeper:
Take the Quiz – Discover how religious trauma may have shaped your story and where your healing can begin.
👉 www.religioustraumaquiz.com
Read my Book + Mini-Course – Start He Is Enough and the companion Truth Over Tradition mini-course—your gentle first step into clarity, emotional well-being, and true healing.
👉 www.heisenoughbook.com
Or simply ask me a question at debra@healingreligioustrauma.org—I’d love to hear your story.
No perfection required. Just bring your questions and your favorite tea, and settle in. This space was made to feel like home.
ABOUT
Debra Shafer is a spiritual healing coach for Christian women and the creator of the Coming Home Journey—a gentle, soul-level pathway to help women untangle religious trauma, rebuild trust in God, and find peace without walking away from their faith. As the founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle, Debra brings together decades of experience in personal ministry, Biblical psychology, and trauma-informed mentoring. She knows what it’s like to love God deeply while wrestling with fear, shame, and silence. Known for her voice of gentle clarity, healing, and truth, she now walks women home to the God they always hoped was real. Around here, the tea is hot, the wisdom is hard-won, and no question is off limits.
Have you ever been told you're too sensitive? Too emotional? Too intense? Too much? Maybe you learned to monitor how much you talk in conversations, always holding back. Maybe you apologize for having needs, or you've gotten really good at making yourself small so others feel comfortable around you.
Episode Description
In this episode, we explore the "I'm Too Much" barrier and discover that you were never too much—you were just in spaces too small. Through stories of transformation, including the revelation that "enthusiasm" literally means "having God within," you'll uncover how religious environments fear female power and authentic expression. This isn't about becoming more demanding—it's about understanding that what you were told was "too much" was actually God's Spirit expressing through your unique design.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ How the "I'm Too Much" belief gets installed through messages that your emotions are excessive, your needs are selfish, and your passion is prideful
→ Why you weren't born with a problem—you were born with a size eight foot but given a size seven shoe (or smaller)
→ What this barrier is costing you in your relationships, spiritual life, work, and even in your physical body
→ How real love—divine love—doesn't ask you to shrink but invites you to expand into bigger spaces
→ One brave action this week to stop apologizing for your fullness and step into spaces big enough to honor who you are
Healing Truth
You were never too much. You were divinely designed. The fire in you, the passion, the deep emotions, the big dreams—none of that was ever the problem. What you were told was "too much" is actually God's Spirit expressing through your unique gifts. You didn't need to become smaller. You needed bigger spaces, bigger relationships, bigger containers that could honor your divine design. Real love doesn't require you to be less—it celebrates you being fully you.
Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit—including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community—all completely FREE.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com—a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. In Milestone 10, learn to navigate authentic relationships with divine boundaries and step into containers big enough for your authentic self.
About Debra
Debra Shafer is a spiritual healing coach for Christian women and the creator of the Coming Home Journey—a gentle, soul-level pathway to help women untangle religious trauma, rebuild trust in God, and find peace without walking away from their faith. As the founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle, Debra brings together decades of experience in personal ministry, Biblical psychology, and trauma-informed mentoring. She knows what it's like to love God deeply while wrestling with fear, shame, and silence. Known for her voice of gentle clarity, healing, and truth, she now walks women home to the God they always hoped was real.
Listener Love
If this episode helped you see that you're not too much, would you share it with someone who needs to hear this truth? And a quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women discover that their needs aren't too much and their presence is a gift.
This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, spiritual healing, and the ability to trust God completely. Through addressing generational trauma and nurturing true connection, we help you experie
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to give to everyone else... but when it comes to receiving—whether that's rest, support, money, or even joy—something inside you freezes up? Maybe you undercharge for your work, or buying yourself something beautiful feels almost... sinful.
Episode Description
In this episode, we explore the "I Don't Have" barrier—a deep-rooted belief that there's never enough for you. Through Tekyia's transformation story from fear-driven obedience to love-based trust, you'll discover how scarcity thinking gets installed through religious messaging and infects both your material and spiritual life. This isn't about becoming materialistic—it's about understanding that God's pleasure is to give you the Kingdom, and you were always meant to flourish.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ How religious environments confuse scarcity with holiness, teaching you that wanting more means you're selfish
→ Why "I Don't Have" is really about unworthiness—the belief you don't deserve abundance from God, others, or life itself
→ The connection between material scarcity and spiritual scarcity, and how both keep you depleted and afraid
→ How to shift from serving everyone from emptiness to serving from overflow and God's provision
→ One practical step this week to start receiving God's abundance without guilt or fear
Healing Truth
You were never meant to live in scarcity. God delights in your thriving. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom—not His reluctant obligation, but His pleasure. You're not selfish for wanting rest, not greedy for desiring provision, and not spiritually immature for feeling depleted. God isn't glorified by your depletion or honored by your exhaustion. He came that you may have life to the full—and that fullness includes both spiritual and material abundance.
Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit—including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community—all completely FREE.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com—a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. In Milestone 9, discover how to live from God's abundance and serve from overflow instead of depletion.
About Debra
Debra Shafer is a spiritual healing coach for Christian women and the creator of the Coming Home Journey—a gentle, soul-level pathway to help women untangle religious trauma, rebuild trust in God, and find peace without walking away from their faith. As the founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle, Debra brings together decades of experience in personal ministry, Biblical psychology, and trauma-informed mentoring. She knows what it's like to love God deeply while wrestling with fear, shame, and silence. Known for her voice of gentle clarity, healing, and truth, she now walks women home to the God they always hoped was real.
Listener Love
If this episode helped you see that you deserve abundance, would you share it with someone who needs this truth? And a quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women discover that their needs aren't too much and their presence is a gift.
This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, spiritual healing, and the ability to trust God completely. Through addressing generational trauma and nurturing true connection, we help you experience God's love in the deepest way. Strengthen your relationship with a safe, loving God.
Have you ever felt like your presence only matters when you're doing something for someone else?
Maybe you've spent years showing up for everyone - listening to their struggles, meeting their needs, celebrating their wins. But when it's your turn? When you're hurting or exhausted or just need someone to see you? The room goes quiet. The phone doesn't ring. And you tell yourself, "It's fine. I don't need much."
If you've learned to be "low-maintenance" and the easy one who doesn't cause problems, or if you've been making yourself small and invisible just to keep the peace - this episode is for you.
Episode Description
If you've been living as though your needs don't count, you're not alone - and you're not too much. Today we're exploring one of the most painful hidden barriers of religious trauma: the belief "I Don't Matter."
Through Debra's story - from having major decisions made without her voice to discovering that God wasn't the one making her invisible - we'll uncover how religious environments can teach women that self-sacrifice means self-erasure and that asking for help is selfish.
You'll discover how Jesus treated every individual as supremely valuable through His divine healing methods, and learn that the sacred parts of your soul were meant to be cherished, not trampled.
This isn't about becoming more demanding - it's about discovering that you matter completely, not because of what you accomplish or how perfectly you serve, but because God placed immeasurable value on you when He created you.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ Why minimizing your needs and making yourself invisible keeps you disconnected from authentic care - and how to recognize when you're doing it
→ How Jesus' far-seeing intuition took in the necessities of each person's case - from the blind man to the bleeding woman to Mary and Martha
→ The sacred parts of your soul that were meant to flourish in safety, to be seen with tenderness, to be valued without performance
→ The revolutionary truth that just as a baby doesn't have to earn her parents' care, you don't have to earn God's attention and love
→ One simple act of self-care this week that reflects your inherent worth - not because you earned it, but because you matter
Healing Truth
You matter completely - not because of what you do, but because of who you are. Jesus' far-seeing intuition still takes in all the necessities of your case. Your pain still moves His heart. Your needs are sacred to Him. The sacred parts of your soul that were meant to be cherished aren't too damaged for His healing touch. The woman who allows herself to be seen, who honors her needs without guilt, who receives care without feeling she must immediately reciprocate - she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be remembered beneath all the minimizing.
Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com - a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. In Milestone 8, study Jesus' divine healing methods and discover how to restore the sacred parts of your soul. Get all the details at TheComingHomeJourney.com.
About Debra
I'm Debra Schafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle. For over seven years, I've walked alongside women who love God deeply but feel exhausted by religi
Have you ever felt like you just... don't fit?
Maybe you've been told you're too sensitive, too analytical, too emotional, too intense, or that you ask too many questions. Maybe you think too much, feel too deeply, or see things in ways that other people just don't understand. Or maybe nobody said it out loud - but you sensed it. You picked up on the subtle messages that your natural way of being was somehow wrong.
If you've ever wondered "Why can't I just have simple faith like everyone else?" or felt like the way God made you was somehow a mistake - this episode is for you.
Episode Description
If you've been hiding your true self because you thought being "different" meant being defective, you're not alone - and nothing is wrong with you. Today we're exploring one of the most isolating hidden barriers of religious trauma: the belief "I'm Different (in the wrong way)."
Through Debra's transformative story - from being shushed for her enthusiasm to discovering that "enthusiasm" literally means "God within" - we'll uncover how religious environments can label your God-given traits as flaws and teach you to suppress your spiritual intelligence.
You'll discover that what you thought were defects are actually divine faculties - spiritual intelligence designed to connect you directly to God and fulfill your unique purpose. Your sensitivity, depth, questions, and way of seeing aren't problems to fix but gifts to celebrate.
This isn't about becoming more like everyone else - it's about discovering that your differences are your divine design, and the world needs exactly what you have to offer.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ Why feeling "different" in religious spaces often means your spiritual faculties are operating - and how to recognize your unique gifts
→ What spiritual intelligence really is - the mind faculties like intuition, perception, curiosity, imagination, and heart's desire that God installed in you at birth
→ How traits labeled as "too much" (sensitivity, analytical nature, questioning spirit, creativity) are actually evidence of your divine equipment
→ The revolutionary truth that different doesn't equal defective - it equals divine design for your specific calling
→ One simple practice to identify and honor your strongest spiritual faculty instead of hiding it
Healing Truth
You're not different in the wrong way. You're different in exactly the right way for your divine calling. What you've been told are flaws are actually spiritual faculties - divine intelligence designed to connect you with God. Your sensitivity is spiritual perception. Your analytical nature is divine wisdom. Your questions are curiosity seeking truth. The woman who celebrates her unique spiritual intelligence instead of suppressing it - she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be remembered beneath all the hiding.
Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com - a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. In Milestone 7, dive deep into your spiritual intelligence and discover all the mind faculties God gave you to connect directly with Him.
About Debra
I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Coming Home Journey. For over seven years, I've walked alongside women who love God deeply but feel exhausted by re
Have you ever done everything right... and still felt like something was fundamentally wrong with you?
Maybe you've been the good girl your whole life - the rule-follower who memorized scripture, volunteered at church, showed up early and stayed late. You've tried so hard to get it all right. But somehow, it still wasn't enough. You still felt behind, disorganized, like you were failing at faith itself - even though you couldn't pinpoint exactly what you were doing wrong.
If you've ever felt exhausted from trying to follow all the rules while the goalposts kept moving, or if you've wondered why being a "good Christian" still leaves you feeling like a spiritual failure - this episode is for you.
Episode Description
If you're exhausted from religious performance and still feeling like you can't get it right, you're not alone - and you're not failing. Today we're exploring one of the most depleting hidden barriers of religious trauma: the belief "I'm a Failure."
Through Debra's powerful story - from having every business dream shut down to discovering she could be brilliant AND imperfect at the same time - we'll uncover how religious environments create impossible standards that keep Christian women on an endless treadmill of trying harder.
You'll discover the revolutionary difference between religious rules that exhaust you and divine principles that set you free, and learn why God's character isn't a measuring stick for your worthiness but a compass that guides you toward growth.
This isn't about lowering standards - it's about discovering that principles are about direction, not perfection, and that you're not failing when you're learning.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ Why the exhausting cycle of rule-following never brings the peace you're seeking - and how to recognize when you're measuring yourself by broken systems
→ The difference between religious rules (external, performance-driven) and divine principles (internal, character-aligned) - and why this changes everything
→ How God's principles like gentleness, individuality, free will, and love become your compass instead of condemnation
→ The liberating truth that principles are about trajectory, not perfection - you don't have to stay in the center of the lane to be heading in the right direction
→ One simple practice using divine principles to make decisions with clarity and peace instead of fear and guilt
Healing Truth
You're not a spiritual failure. You've been trying to navigate by rules that were designed to measure and control instead of by principles that guide and transform. God's principles aren't new rules to follow perfectly - they're a compass pointing you toward His character. The woman who makes decisions from internal wisdom instead of external pressure, who lives from character alignment instead of performance anxiety - she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be remembered beneath all the striving.
Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com - a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. Learn 10 divine principles in depth and discover how to navigate life by God's character instead of human rules. Get all the details at TheComingHomeJourney.com.
About Debra
I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Healing Rel
Have you ever cried... and then felt ashamed for crying?
Maybe you poured out your heart to someone you trusted - a spiritual leader, a friend, even God - and instead of being held in your pain, you were told to have more faith, pray harder, or just get over it. Or maybe you've learned to hide your struggles altogether because somewhere along the way, you started believing that your pain was proof something was fundamentally wrong with you.
If you've ever felt like expressing honest emotion meant you were spiritually weak, or if you've been waiting for others to notice you're hurting while never actually telling them you need help - this episode is for you.
Episode Description
If you've been hiding your heart because you thought your pain made you unlovable, you're not alone - and you're not damaged goods. Today we're exploring one of the most devastating hidden barriers of religious trauma: the belief "I'm Unlovable."
Through Debra's deeply personal story - from being told her grief was spiritual adultery to discovering God's inexpressible love in sacred sorrow - we'll uncover how religious environments can silence women's pain and teach them that honest expression equals weak faith.
You'll discover an ancient language of worship that was stolen from you but has always been yours - the practice of lament - and learn why your pain doesn't repel God but actually moves His heart toward you.
This isn't about becoming less emotional - it's about discovering that nothing you feel is too much for God, and that your wounds don't make you damaged, they make you beautifully, achingly human.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ Why hiding your pain and minimizing your needs keeps you disconnected from authentic love - and how to recognize when you're doing it
→ The ancient practice of lament - bringing your unfiltered heart directly to God without cleaning it up first
→ How God's ḥesed (loyal, covenant love) meets you in your deepest places, not because your pain disappeared but because you've encountered His presence in the middle of it
→ The difference between being unloved and being under-nurtured - and why this reframe changes everything
→ One simple practice to start bringing honest emotion to God each day and watch for the moment when His inexpressible love breaks through
Healing Truth
Your pain doesn't make you unlovable. It makes you human. And God's ḥesed - His loyal, covenant love - is specifically for humans in all their beautiful brokenness. You don't have to be healed to be loved by Him. You don't have to have it all together. The woman who brings her whole, broken, furious, grieving heart directly to God - she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be remembered beneath all the hiding.
Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com - a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. Learn the language of lament, discover God's divine principles, and step into the freedom you've been longing for. Get all the details at TheComingHomeJourney.com.
About Debra
I'm Debra Schafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle. For over seven years, I've walked alongside women who love God deeply but feel exhausted by religious performance and pressure. I know this path personally - I've lived
Do you ever catch yourself walking on spiritual eggshells—even in spaces that should feel safe?
Maybe you find yourself scanning the room before you speak, wondering if your question will be received well, or if your honesty might be labeled as having "the wrong spirit." Maybe you've learned to adapt, to become whoever the room needs you to be, because authenticity feels dangerous. If you're a Christian woman who loves God deeply but still feels like you're constantly braced for correction or rejection, this episode will help you understand why—and show you the path to the spiritual safety you're longing for.
Today we're exploring the profound truth that could heal one of religious trauma's most painful barriers: your hypervigilance wasn't paranoia - it was wisdom protecting you from real spiritual danger.
Episode Description
If you've been living in spiritual hypervigilance, constantly adapting to survive instead of standing in your truth, this episode will revolutionize how you understand safety in your faith. Today we're healing the devastating "I'm Not Safe" barrier by discovering how to distinguish between God's safe love and the harmful dynamics that taught you to live on guard.
Through a personal story of spiritual manipulation disguised as loving guidance, we'll explore how religious trauma teaches us that safety comes from human approval rather than God's unchanging love. You'll learn why your constant vigilance wasn't paranoia—it was wisdom responding to real spiritual danger.
Most importantly, you'll discover how to separate God from the people who misrepresented Him, and find the courage to trust your own God-given discernment. This isn't about avoiding all spiritual guidance, but about learning to hear God's voice directly instead of through human interpretation.
You'll walk away understanding that questioning isn't rebellion—it's relationship, and that God delights in your authentic heart, not your spiritual performance. Safety isn't found in avoiding all risk, but in the arms of a God who has prepared a future for you with hope.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ Why your spiritual hypervigilance was actually brilliant wisdom protecting you from real manipulation→ The difference between healthy spiritual guidance and controlling authority that uses Christian concepts for manipulation→ How to separate God's character from the people who misrepresented Him through fear-based teaching→ Practical steps to practice authenticity with God first, then with safe people in your life→ The revolutionary truth that questioning deepens relationship with God rather than threatening it
Healing Truth
You are safe in God's love, and that safety isn't dependent on anyone else's approval or interpretation of His will for your life. God delights in your authentic heart—questions, emotions, and all. You were never meant to live in spiritual fear. You were meant to rest in His perfect love that casts out all fear.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey - a six-month guided experience to learn the difference between God's safe love and harmful spiritual dynamics. Discover how to trust your own God-given discernment while staying deeply connected to your faith. This isn't about losing your relationship with God - it's about finding the safety to be authentic with Him. Details here: TheComingHomeJourney.com
About Debra
I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder
What if your "character flaws" were actually brilliant survival strategies?
Maybe you've been looking at your people-pleasing, perfectionism, or emotional sensitivity and thinking, "Something is really wrong with me." Maybe you carry quiet shame about the ways you learned to cope, believing they prove you're selfish, manipulative, or fundamentally flawed. But what if you weren't bad - you were surviving? And what if you were brilliant at it?
Today we're exploring the truth that could heal one of religious trauma's deepest wounds: your survival patterns aren't evidence of your badness - they're evidence of your brilliance.
Episode Description
If you've been carrying shame about your survival patterns, believing they prove something is fundamentally wrong with you, this episode will revolutionize how you see your story. Today we're healing the devastating "I'm Bad" barrier by discovering the truth that changes everything: you weren't bad - you were a brilliant survivor.
Through Tekyia's powerful story of transformation from shame-driven faith to love-driven relationship with God, we'll explore how God-given gifts like sensitivity, intelligence, and compassion get repurposed as survival tools when trauma occurs. You'll learn the difference between the "shame lens" that sees character flaws and the "wisdom lens" that recognizes brilliant adaptation.
Most importantly, you'll discover how to reclaim your gifts from survival mode and use them for their original purpose - not just surviving, but thriving. This isn't about excusing harmful patterns, but about recognizing the wisdom in your survival so you can transform it into authentic living.
You'll walk away understanding that your sensitivity is a superpower, your intelligence is a gift, and your compassion is exactly what the world needs - not despite your survival patterns, but because of the brilliance that created them.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ The revolutionary difference between the "shame lens" and "wisdom lens" - and how it transforms your entire self-perception→ Why your people-pleasing, perfectionism, and hypervigilance were actually God-given gifts being used brilliantly for survival→ How religious trauma teaches us to see our natural gifts as dangerous, forcing them into survival mode→ The "survival pattern appreciation" practice that helps you recognize your brilliance instead of your brokenness→ Practical steps to reclaim your gifts for thriving instead of just surviving - moving from defensive to authentic living
Healing Truth
You are not a collection of character flaws that need fixing. You are a brilliant survivor with God-given gifts that got repurposed for survival when life wasn't safe. Those gifts - your sensitivity, your intelligence, your compassion - they were never the problem. They're your superpowers waiting to be reclaimed. You weren't bad. You were surviving. And you were brilliant at it.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com - a six-month guided experience to reclaim your God-given gifts from survival mode and learn to use them for thriving. Discover that what you've been calling brokenness was actually brilliance.
About Debra
I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle. For over seven years, I've walked alongside women who've been taught to see their God-given gifts as character flaws. I know this t
Have you been giving until you disappeared, believing that's what God wants from you?
Maybe you've spent years believing your worth is tied to your output - constantly proving yourself through spiritual performance, serving until you're empty, trying to earn God's love through perfect behavior. But here's a revolutionary truth: God never required your exhaustion. He asked for your presence - not your performance.
If you've been living like "a mirror that lies," constantly reflecting back your worth based on what you produce instead of who you are, this episode will change everything about how you see yourself and your faith.
Episode Description
If you're bone-deep tired from running on what feels like a spiritual performance treadmill, this episode reveals the profound difference between artificial motivation that depletes and natural motivation that energizes. Today we're healing the exhausting "I'm Not Enough" barrier by discovering that God never required your exhaustion - He's been inviting you into rest all along.
Through Kristina's powerful transformation from crushing striving to peaceful presence, we'll explore how religious trauma dresses itself up as virtue, convincing women that giving until they disappear is what faithful service looks like. You'll learn to distinguish between artificial motivation (driven by fear, guilt, obligation) and natural motivation (flowing from love, inspiration, genuine desire).
Most importantly, you'll discover that your worth was never meant to be tied to your output. This isn't about becoming less committed to God - it's about understanding that He wanted your heart, not your hustle. You'll walk away knowing how to stop living like a mirror that lies and start reflecting back the truth of who you really are.
You'll finally understand that trauma dressed in religious language convinced you to serve from depletion, but God's invitation was always to serve from overflow.
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ The life-changing difference between artificial motivation (depleting) and natural motivation (energizing) - and how to tell which one is driving you→ Why "giving until you disappear" isn't virtue but trauma dressed in religious language→ How the belief "you are only as worthy as your output" gets installed in religious environments→ The "motivation check" practice to help you distinguish between serving from fear versus serving from love→ Why God asked for your presence, not your performance - and what divine rest actually looks like
Healing Truth
You are not only as worthy as your output. God never required your exhaustion - He's been inviting you into rest all along. His love for you isn't conditional on your performance. The woman who serves from natural motivation, who rests without guilt, who knows her worth isn't tied to what she produces - she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be remembered beneath all the artificial striving.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report that shows you where artificial motivation has replaced natural inspiration, plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit - including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community - all completely FREE.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com - a six-month guided experience to discover the difference between artificial motivation that depletes and natural motivation that energizes. Stop giving until you disappear and learn to serve from the overflow of knowing you're already enough. Get all the details at TheComingHomeJourney.com.
About Debra
I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founde
Have you ever felt that tension between the God you personally sense and the religious expectations around you?
Maybe you've spent years making yourself small to keep everyone else comfortable, while your true self remains hidden even from those closest to you. You've perfected what I call "helpful invisibility"—being indispensable but somehow still unseen. People notice your service, your put-together life, your ability to care for others, but no one really knows your dreams, your struggles, or who you are when the lights dim.
Episode Description
If you've ever felt invisible in the ways that matter most—seen on the surface but unknown in your depths—this episode is for you. Today we're exploring the #1 hidden barrier of religious trauma that keeps Christian women feeling unseen: the belief "I'm invisible."
Through Simone's powerful story of navigating the tension between the God she sensed and religious expectations around her, we'll uncover how religious environments can teach women that being seen is dangerous, prideful, or inappropriate. You'll discover why invisibility isn't humility—it's often a survival strategy that once kept you safe but now keeps you from the deep connection with God and others that your heart is longing for.
This isn't about becoming the center of attention. It's about recognizing that you were never meant to disappear, and that the God who sees you has been calling you by name out of hiding and into the light all along. Through biblical grounding in the story of the woman with the issue of blood, you'll see how Jesus stops everything to notice those who feel invisible and calls them "Daughter."
In this episode, you'll discover:
→ Why "helpful invisibility" is actually a trauma response, not a spiritual gift—and how to recognize it in your own life→ How religious trauma teaches women that being seen is dangerous for their souls and spiritualizes self-erasure as virtue→ The beautiful truth about Jesus stopping everything to see the woman who touched His robe—and how He restores her name, place, and visibility→ One simple practice called "the one true thing" to start letting yourself be seen in small, safe ways→ How your visibility becomes an invitation for other women to step out of hiding too
Your Practice for This Week
When someone asks how you are, pause and share one true thing instead of automatically saying "fine." Notice what it feels like to let yourself be known, even in that small way.
Healing Truth
You are not invisible to the One who made you. You never have been. Learning to be seen by others starts with remembering that you've always been seen by Him. The woman who shows up fully, who speaks truth, who takes her rightful place—she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be uncovered.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?
Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit—including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community—all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.
Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com—a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand.
About Debra
I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle. For over seven years, I've walked alongside women who love God deeply but feel silenced, anxious, or spiritually disconnected because of hidden trauma. I know this path personally—I've lived it myself—and I've seen what happens when women finally name what harmed them: they come alive again in their faith.
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"What if I told you that you have permission to rewrite your story—your faith story, your relationship with God, even your understanding of who you're meant to be—without losing the God who loves you?"
If that sounds impossible because you've been taught that questioning anything means losing everything, this episode will set you free.
God isn't threatened by your growth. He's actually been waiting for you to step into the fullness of who He created you to be.
In this final episode of our healing pillars series, Debra shares her powerful moment when God told her "it's time for you to get a life!"—and how she chose to live and love like she was never broken. You'll discover that creating a new story isn't about throwing away your faith—it's about stepping into the spiritual freedom God always intended.
This is Healing Pillar #3: Create a New Story—where everything you've unraveled and all the truth you've instilled finally gets to live and breathe in your actual life, moving through four incredible milestones that take you from feeling like you don't have enough or you're too much to standing absolutely unshakeable in who God created you to be.
In this episode, you'll discover: → How to move from spiritual scarcity to living from divine abundance→ Why your "too much" nature was actually divine fire expressing through your unique gifts→ How your scars aren't disqualifications—they're credentials for your calling→ Why you don't belong because of where you are—you belong because of who you are→ What it means to live like you were never broken (even though you were)
The four final milestones you'll explore: • Milestone 9: From "I Don't Have" → "I Encounter Genuine Experiences On My Spirit-Led Path" (Fearless Journey)• Milestone 10: From "I'm Too Much" → "Navigating Authentic Relationships With Divine Boundaries" (Divine Bonds)• Milestone 11: From "I'm Unworthy" → "The Tapestry Of Transformation Has Woven Wisdom And Beauty Into My Life" (Heart's Unveiling)• Milestone 12: From "I Don't Belong" → "I Will Not Be Moved" (Fortress of Strength)
Life-changing revelation: You were born with a size eight foot, but you were given a size seven shoe. You didn't need a smaller container—you needed bigger spaces that honored your divine design.
Action Step: Ask yourself, "What would it look like to live and love like I was never broken?" Notice what comes up—both the excitement and the fear.
Healing Truth: Your foundation isn't in systems or people's approval; it's in God's unchanging love for you. You don't belong because of where you are—you belong because of who you are.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — your redemptive memoir and healing guide plus audiobook, mini-course, reading circles, and support community for just $17→ Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com — experience all three healing pillars in a six-month guided journey to unravel the trauma, instill the truth, and create your new story
Have questions or want to connect? Email Debra at debra@healingreligioustrauma.org
Series Complete: You've now heard all three healing pillars—Unravel, Instill, and Create. These pillars are a lifelong journey of coming home to the God who has been loving you all along.
Listener Love: If this series helped you see that your new story can be more beautiful than you imagined, would you share it with someone who needs this permission? A quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women find their way to spiritual freedom. 💛
This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration—for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, spiritual freedom, and the courage to step into who God created them to be.
"What if I'm being deceived? What if I can't tell the difference between truth and trauma?"
If you've ever been terrified to trust what might be God's voice because of spiritual harm, this episode will change everything.
When you've experienced religious trauma, every spiritual voice starts to sound suspicious. But here's the beautiful truth Debra discovered: God's real voice sounds nothing like the voices that caused harm. Nothing like shame, manipulation, or fear.
In this second episode of our healing pillars series, you'll discover the profound difference between authentic divine guidance and the controlling voices that claimed to speak for God. Through tender storytelling about "the great contradiction"—how something can be filled with love while still causing deep harm—you'll learn to recognize God's true character.
This is Healing Pillar #2: Instill the Truth—where you discover who God really is when no one else is speaking for Him, moving through four powerful milestones that take you from feeling unloved and like a failure to understanding you're exactly who God created you to be.
In this episode, you'll discover: → Why God's voice honors your individuality and invites your whole heart—questions and all→ The difference between rigid religious rules and God's life-giving principles→ How your "too sensitive, too analytical, too emotional" nature is actually divine design→ Why you matter so much that Jesus tailors His approach specifically to you→ How to trust God AND trust your own intuition—because He created both
The four milestones you'll explore: • Milestone 5: From "I'm Unloved" → "An Inexpressible Love Heals Me" (Sacred Sorrow)• Milestone 6: From "I'm a Failure" → "I Navigate My Path With Correct Principles" (Divine Principles)• Milestone 7: From "I'm Different (Wrong Way)" → "Discover the True Science of Salvation" (Heavenly Algorithm)• Milestone 8: From "I Don't Matter" → "The Divine Healing Methods of Jesus" (Sacred Parts Restored)
Life-changing truth: God doesn't flinch at your raw emotions. He welcomes your full expression because nothing is too much for Him—not your fury, not your grief, not your questions.
Action Step: Practice bringing your whole heart to God—including your questions and struggles. Notice how this feels different from religious performance.
Healing Truth: Authentic faith isn't about silencing your inner voice—it's about learning to hear God's voice through it.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?→ Take the free quiz at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com to discover your personalized healing path and get a bonus 3-part audio series→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — your redemptive memoir and healing guide plus audiobook, mini-course, weekly reading circles, and support community for just $17→ Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com — experience all three healing pillars in a six-month guided journey to unravel the trauma, instill the truth, and create a new story
Have questions or want to connect? Email Debra at debra@healingreligioustrauma.org
Coming Up Next: Healing Pillar #3 - "Create a New Story: Permission to Rewrite Your Faith Without Losing God." Discover how to step into the freedom God always intended for you.
Listener Love: If this episode helped you hear God's real voice of love, would you share it with someone who needs this gentle truth? And a quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women find their way to spiritual healing. 💛
This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration—designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection with God, and trust in His gentle, loving voice.
HEALING PILLAR #1 OF A 3-PART SERIES
"Oh, but I wouldn't call it that. It wasn't that bad. I don't want to be dramatic." Sound familiar?
Even when you're describing feeling anxious around God, exhausted from trying to be "good enough," or confused about why your faith feels so heavy—something in you immediately pulls back from the words "religious trauma."
In this first episode of our three-part healing pillars series, Debra shares why most Christian women will do almost anything to avoid looking at religious trauma, even when it's sitting right there in plain sight, quietly shaping every prayer and every step toward God. Through vulnerable storytelling about facing her own part in the harm, you'll discover why this work feels so frightening—and why it's actually the beginning of coming home.
This is Healing Pillar #1: Unravel the Trauma—the gentle journey through four powerful milestones that can take you from feeling invisible and not enough to standing completely free.
In this episode, you'll discover: → Why gently unraveling what happened isn't rebellion against your faith—it's the path back to God→ The four healing milestones that guide you from trauma to freedom→ How to move from "I'm invisible" to "My soul is seen through glimpses of grace"→ Why your survival patterns weren't character flaws—they were brilliant adaptations→ How to separate God from those who misrepresented Him
The four milestones you'll explore:
• Milestone 1: From "I'm Invisible" → "I'm Seen" (Individual Inspiration)• Milestone 2: From "I'm Not Enough" → "I'm Enough" (True Motivation)• Milestone 3: From "I'm Bad" → "I'm Surviving Wisely" (Awareness)• Milestone 4: From "I'm Not Safe" → "I'm Free" (Standing Free)
Action Step: Notice where you might be avoiding looking at something because it feels "too dramatic" to name. What if your sensitivity is actually picking up on something real?
Healing Truth: This isn't about throwing away your faith. It's about clearing away everything that's been blocking your view of who God really is and who you really are.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?→ Take the free quiz at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com to discover your personalized healing path and get a bonus 3-part audio series→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — your redemptive memoir and healing guide plus audiobook, mini-course, weekly reading circles, and support community for just $17→ Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com — experience all three healing pillars in a six-month guided journey to unravel the trauma, instill the truth, and create a new story
Have questions or want to connect? Email Debra at debra@healingreligioustrauma.org
Coming Up Next: Healing Pillar #2 - "Instill the Truth: Why God's Real Voice Sounds Nothing Like Religious Trauma." Learn how to distinguish between God's gentle conviction and the harsh voices of spiritual shame.
Listener Love: If this episode helped you realize you're not invisible to God, would you share it with someone who needs this gentle truth? And a quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women find their way to this healing space.
This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration—designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection with God, and the freedom to ask honest questions without fear.
Have you ever walked away from church feeling heavy and confused—then immediately told yourself, "I'm probably just being too sensitive?"
If you've ever felt that spiritual discomfort but didn't have words for it, this episode is your gentle awakening call.
In this foundational conversation, Debra shares her own powerful story of finally finding language for her experience—that life-changing moment when her daughter sent a video that made everything click. Through tender storytelling and compassionate teaching, you'll discover why one in three adults carry religious trauma, yet most Christian women don't even recognize it's what they're experiencing.
This isn't about extreme cases you see on the news. It's about the subtle, quiet ways spiritual harm can happen—and why your sensitivity might actually be picking up on something that really was wrong.
In this episode, you'll discover: → What religious trauma actually looks like for faithful Christian women→ Why we've been taught to blame ourselves instead of recognizing harmful patterns→ The difference between God's loving conviction and the voice of condemnation→ How to start trusting your inner compass again—without fear→ Why questioning doesn't make you rebellious (it makes you brave)
The truth that will change everything: You can't heal what you can't name. Once you have language for your experience, everything can start to shift.
Action Step: Pay attention to how different spiritual messages make you feel in your body. Does this make you feel closer to God or farther away? Does it leave you with hope or with shame?
Healing Truth: Your confusion isn't rebellion. Your questions aren't lack of faith. Often, it's your soul recognizing that something claiming to represent God was actually misrepresenting Him.
🎧 Ready to go deeper?→ Take the free quiz at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com to discover your personalized healing path and get a bonus 3-part audio series→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — your redemptive memoir and healing guide plus audiobook, mini-course, weekly reading circles, and support community for just $17
Have questions or want to connect?
Email Debra at: debra@healingreligioustrauma.org
Listener Love: If this episode helped you feel less alone, would you share it with someone who needs this gentle truth? And a quick review on Apple Podcasts is like a virtual hug that helps more women find their way here.
This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration—designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection with God, and the freedom to ask honest questions without fear.
Research Referenced: Slade, D., Smell, A., Wilson, E., & Drumsta, R. (2023). Percentage of U.S. adults suffering from religious trauma: A sociological study. Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry, 5(1), 1-28.
Have you ever felt like healing made you the problem?
Like setting a boundary, asking a question, or even just taking a breath for yourself meant you were somehow being disloyal—to your church, your family, or even to God?
If so, this episode was made for you.
In today’s conversation, Debra shares a personal story of what it felt like to begin healing in an environment that didn’t make space for her needs, her grief, or her voice—and how she overcame the fear that her healing would cost her everything. Through heartfelt storytelling and gentle teaching, you’ll discover why this tug-of-war between guilt and growth is so common for women of faith… and why it’s not a sign that you’re falling away—but a sign that you’re waking up.
You’re not betraying your roots.You’re returning to the truth of who God created you to be.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
→ Why obedience was often equated with silence—and how to reclaim your voice→ How “faithfulness” was distorted into self-abandonment→ Why healing doesn’t mean dishonoring the people you love→ What Jesus actually modeled about restoration, boundaries, and love→ How to begin trusting your own inner compass—without fear
Journal Prompt:What part of me is afraid that healing will cost me love or approval?
🎧 Mentioned in this episode:→ Take the free quiz at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com to discover where you are in your healing journey and what’s been holding you back→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — and get instant access to the audiobook, healing mini-course, weekly reading circles, and our support community for just $17
Listener Love:If this episode spoke to your heart, would you share it with someone else who needs it?And if you’re willing, a quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women find this space and feel a little less alone. 💛
This isn’t surface-level faith advice.It’s soul-level restoration — designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection, and a safe, loving relationship with God.
What do you do when the very place that taught you to trust God…is also the place that made you afraid of Him?
If you’ve ever felt torn between your love for God and your fear of being hurt again — this episode is for you.
In today’s conversation, we’re stepping into one of the most tender questions: Can I trust God again… after what happened?
You’ll hear a deeply personal moment from my own journey — a time when I couldn’t pray, couldn’t open my Bible, and didn’t know who I was anymore. But it was in that quiet wilderness that something sacred began to shift. One raw, honest prayer became the doorway to restoration.
You’ll learn:
– Why spiritual trauma doesn’t mean you’ve lost your faith — but it may have damaged your sense of safety with God– The 3 gentle steps that helped me begin rebuilding trust without pressure, performance, or pretending– How to create space for spiritual connection that honors your emotions, your pace, and your healing– A journal prompt to help you begin separating God’s true voice from the voices that wounded you
Then we’ll explore three key steps for rebuilding trust in God after spiritual harm:
Step 1: Separate God from those who misrepresented HimStep 2: Reconnect through safe, non-performative rhythmsStep 3: Let your emotions become part of your faith — not barriers to it
This isn’t about returning to old patterns or forcing belief you no longer feel.It’s about creating a new foundation — one rooted in truth, tenderness, and spiritual safety.
And by the end, I’ll share three healing truths to carry into your week:
✨ You don’t have to rush trust.✨ You’re allowed to bring your grief into your faith.✨ God never asked you to shrink to be loved.
🎧 Mentioned in this episode:
→ Take the free quiz at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com to discover where you are in your healing journey and what’s been holding you back
→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — and get instant access to the audiobook, healing mini-course, weekly reading circles, and our support community for just $17
This isn’t surface-level faith advice.It’s soul-level restoration — designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection, and a safe, loving relationship with God.
You love God. You've stayed faithful.But something inside still feels broken, heavy… or lost.And no one ever told you why.
In this episode, we're naming it.
This is the conversation so many Christian women never knew they needed — the one that finally gives you language for the silent struggles shaping your faith, your voice, and your sense of self.
You'll hear a raw, honest story about what happens when the life you built around service, devotion, and faithfulness… suddenly collapses. When everything you believed gets shattered — and you begin to wonder: Did I ever really matter?
Through lived experience and heart-centered teaching, Debra introduces a powerful framework called the 12 Hidden Barriers of Religious Trauma — the invisible beliefs that take root when spiritual harm is internalized as personal failure.
Inside this episode, you’ll learn:
– What the Hidden Barriers actually are — and how they silently form through shame, silence, and fear– Why being “faithful” hasn’t healed the ache underneath– How to recognize the invisible beliefs keeping you stuck in spiritual self-doubt– And why naming what’s been true for you is the first step toward freedom
Then we’ll take a gentle, powerful look at three of the most common hidden barriers women carry:
💔 “I’m Invisible” — the feeling that your worth is tied to how well you serve, not who you are💔 “I Don’t Matter” — the belief that your pain is a burden, and your needs come last💔 “I Don’t Belong” — the ache of feeling spiritually homeless, even in a place that preaches belonging
If you’ve ever wrestled with those messages quietly in your heart — wondering if it was just you — this episode will help you name what’s actually been happening underneath your faithfulness.
And it will leave you with this:
A new question to explore in your journalA deeper truth to plant in your spiritAnd the hope that your healing is not the loss of your faith — it’s the recovery of everything it was always meant to be
You are seen.You do matter.You do belong.
🎧 Mentioned in this episode:
→ Take the free quiz at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com to discover where you are in your healing journey and what’s been holding you back→ Grab your copy of He Is Enough at HeIsEnoughBook.com — and receive the audiobook, mini-course, weekly reading circles, and private support community for just $17
This isn’t surface-level faith advice.It’s soul-level restoration—designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection, and a safe, loving relationship with God.
Have you ever walked out of a church service feeling anxious, heavy, or deeply unsettled—then immediately told yourself, “Maybe I’m just too sensitive?”
In this very first episode, I share a tender piece of my own story—about being shamed for my God-given enthusiasm—and the moment I finally realized I didn’t need to become smaller… I needed a bigger container.
We’ll unpack how spiritual sensitivity can actually be a sign of past religious trauma—not a flaw in your faith. I’ll walk you through 3 subtle but powerful signs that what you’re carrying may be more than just overreacting:
– When your emotions feel too big, even in “safe” spiritual spaces– When you blame yourself for not having enough faith– When rest, boundaries, or honest questions trigger fear or shame
By the end, you’ll understand the difference between spiritual conviction and internalized shame—and begin to gently name what’s been hurting underneath it all.
Journal Prompt: What have I been blaming on my sensitivity… that might actually be a wound?Healing Truth: You are held, seen, and protected by a God who never needed you to shrink.
Grab your copy of He Is Enough — my redemptive memoir and workbook-style healing guide for Christian women recovering from religious trauma: HeIsEnoughBook.com
Take the free From Pain to Possibility Quiz and discover your personalized healing path (plus get a bonus 3-part audio series): ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com
This isn’t surface-level faith advice.It’s soul-level restoration—designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection, and a safe, loving relationship with God.
Do you love God… but still feel anxious, disconnected, or confused around your faith? Are you a Christian woman who’s stayed faithful—but deep down, something still feels off?
You’re not alone.
In this heartfelt introduction to Healing Religious Trauma, spiritual healing coach Debra Shafer shares why this podcast was created—and what it means to begin healing without walking away from your faith.
This trailer isn’t just a preview. It’s a personal welcome. A soft place to land. A reminder that you're not crazy, not rebellious, and not broken for wanting more from your relationship with God.
Debra shares her own story of feeling spiritually homeless, holding it all together on the outside while unraveling on the inside—and what helped her finally begin to heal.
She also introduces some of the powerful tools you’ll hear more about in future episodes, including:
→ The 12 Hidden Barriers of Religious Trauma that keep even the most faithful women stuck
→ The 3 Healing Pillars and 12 Milestones of the Coming Home Journey
→ The 5 Stages of Spiritual Healing—from safety and self-awareness to breakthrough and wholeness
→ And a compassionate path forward rooted in Scripture, trauma-informed coaching, and embodied grace
Take a deep breath. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Start Here →Take the free quiz: From Pain to Possibility – Unraveling Religious Trauma Quiz
Discover how religious trauma may be affecting your life—and receive your personalized healing blueprint + bonus 3-part audio series.
Want to go deeper?
Do you want to unravel your trauma, instill the real truth, and create a new story for your life—one that finally brings peace with God, yourself, and your faith?
He Is Enough is my transformational memoir and spiritual healing workbook, created for Christian women who are tired of pretending, shrinking, or performing their way to peace.
Inside, I share my own story of healing from religious trauma and spiritual abuse—while gently guiding you through your own.
This 168-page full-color book includes:
→ Reflective journal prompts to help you process what you’re feeling
→ Personal self-assessments to uncover how trauma has shaped your faith
→ Real-life case studies from other women on the path to restoration
→ And a tender but powerful invitation to begin healing, one layer at a time
You’ll also learn about the 12 Hidden Barriers of Religious Trauma that kept me stuck for years—and how God led me step-by-step to reclaim truth, peace, and a deeper relationship with Him.
🎁 For just $17, you’ll receive:
→ He is Enough Digital E-Book
→ The complete audiobook (read by me)
→ A 3-part mini-course: Truth Over Tradition
→ Live Reading Circle invites + bonus healing tools
→ Access to the Healing Religious Trauma Circle—a private community of women walking this journey together
Get the book & bonuses for $17
You don’t have to heal alone.This is a safe place to begin.
This isn’t surface-level faith advice.It’s soul-level restoration—designed for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, true connection, and a safe, loving relationship with God.
HEALING RELIGIOUS TRAUMA for Christian Women | Inner Peace, Trust God, Spiritual Healing, God’s Love, True Connection, Gene
Do you love God—but feel like you’re slowly drifting away from Him, and you don’t know why? Are you scared that questioning your church—or your faith—might mean losing everything you love? Do you constantly second-guess your emotions, your voice, even your own intuition—wondering if you’re the problem? Are you exhausted from trying to be good enough, faithful enough, spiritual enough… and still feeling like you fall short? Do you feel spiritually homeless—longing for a safe space where you can be honest, messy, and still welcomed with open arms?
If that all sounds a little too familiar, take a deep breath. You’ve found a place to land.
Healing Religious Trauma is a podcast designed to help you:
1. Rebuild your relationship with a safe, loving God.
2. Feel emotionally and spiritually safe enough to ask honest questions.
3. Hear God’s voice for yourself—without fear, shame, or outside filters.
4. Let go of guilt and reclaim your voice, your worth, and your inner peace.
5. Find a gentle, supportive space where spiritual transformation and healing are real and faith still matters.
Hi, I’m Debra.
A lifelong woman of faith who spent decades trying to earn God’s love by doing everything “right.” I was the helper, the volunteer, the spiritual overachiever. But underneath all the striving, I felt disconnected—from God, from myself, and from the woman I longed to be.
Like so many of the women I now serve, I kept trying to pray harder, serve more, and fix myself—hoping the fog would lift, the guilt would fade, and I’d finally feel close to God’s love again. But none of it worked.
What changed?
I finally realized that it wasn’t my faith that was failing—it was the version of it I’d been handed. The one rooted in fear, control, and silence. So I started to untangle the lies, listen for God’s true voice, and walk in the kind of healing that leads to spiritual freedom—not fear.
And the outcome?
I created the kind of compassionate, honest, Spirit-led healing journey I couldn’t find anywhere else. One that doesn’t ask you to throw everything away—just to lay down what was never yours to carry. And that’s exactly why this podcast was born.
If you’re ready to untangle what’s been keeping you stuck—and find real, spiritual healing that doesn’t ask you to lose your faith in the process—this podcast is for you.
Each episode will help you rebuild your trust in God, rest from spiritual performance, and rediscover the voice you were never meant to silence.
You’ll hear real stories, soul-grounded teaching, and healing truths rooted in compassion, clarity, and true connection.
And when you’re ready to go deeper:
Take the Quiz – Discover how religious trauma may have shaped your story and where your healing can begin.
👉 www.religioustraumaquiz.com
Read my Book + Mini-Course – Start He Is Enough and the companion Truth Over Tradition mini-course—your gentle first step into clarity, emotional well-being, and true healing.
👉 www.heisenoughbook.com
Or simply ask me a question at debra@healingreligioustrauma.org—I’d love to hear your story.
No perfection required. Just bring your questions and your favorite tea, and settle in. This space was made to feel like home.
ABOUT
Debra Shafer is a spiritual healing coach for Christian women and the creator of the Coming Home Journey—a gentle, soul-level pathway to help women untangle religious trauma, rebuild trust in God, and find peace without walking away from their faith. As the founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle, Debra brings together decades of experience in personal ministry, Biblical psychology, and trauma-informed mentoring. She knows what it’s like to love God deeply while wrestling with fear, shame, and silence. Known for her voice of gentle clarity, healing, and truth, she now walks women home to the God they always hoped was real. Around here, the tea is hot, the wisdom is hard-won, and no question is off limits.