Dontá Morrison, PhDc

“The Black Church can no longer ignore the contributions of Black gay Christians and must begin the reformation work towards inclusivity.”

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Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) occurs when an individual struggles with leaving a religion or a set of beliefs. It often involves the trauma of breaking away from a controlling environment, lifestyle, or religious figure. In some settings the symptoms of religious trauma can be similar to that of complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

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How does trauma from Black churches show up?

Cognitive:  negative beliefs about self-ability/self-worth, binary thinking, perfectionism, difficulty with decision-making

Emotional: Depression, anxiety, anger, grief, loneliness, difficulty with pleasure, loss of meaning

Physical: Disembodiment/Disconnection from body, high blood pressure, headaches

Social: Loss of social network, family rupture, social awkwardness, sexual difficulty, or sexual compulsion/addiction

Cultural: Unfamiliarity with secular world; “fish out of water” feelings, difficulty belonging, information gaps (e.g.evolution, modern art, music, etc.)

(Dr. Marlene Winell, 2013)

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How can it impact Black Gay men and LGBT people?

• Post sex guilt
• Decreased sense of self-worth
• Sexual compulsivity to cope
• Self sabotaging relationships
• Being unfamiliar with mainstream culture/isolation
• Struggling with fitting in and belonging
• Nightmares
• Sleeping issues
• Eating issues
• Anxiety symptoms
• Depression symptoms
• Grief symptoms
• Loneliness

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Examples of Religious Trauma:

• Suggesting sickness/illness brought on by lack of faith (HIV status, Cancer).
• Loss of church community or family (Having to leave cause it’s unsafe or hostile)
• Being told not hate the sin, love the sinner
• Shaming being unwed, or having an abortion
• Emotional, sexual or physical abuse from church leaders, family members etc, because of anti-gay beliefs. 
• Self judgement, internal shaming “feeling like something is wrong with you.” 

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How do we heal and unpack religious trauma?

• Setting boundaries with our church/faith communities
• Challenging Pastors/churches that create religious trauma
• Creating or seeking faith communities that are loving and supportive 
• Sharing and making communities aware of the impact of doctrine
• Therapy/Coaching or peer support groups 
• Talking with Pastors who also have a counseling expertise

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For Reflection: Healing in The Black Church

When I go to church I feel _____.

I want to feel _____ in my church home.

I have a right to _____ in my church home.

Something that would help me heal from religious trauma would be _____.

My ideal church home would _____.