In today’s episode of the Colleague Down The Hall Podcast, Chris Conley joins me to talk about religious and spiritual abuse, which is the manipulation or exploitation of a person by a religious or spiritual authority. Chris shares a variety of dynamics for assessing and treating this type of abuse including knowing when to refer out. He also discusses how important it is to be mindful of one's own biases and limitations when dealing with clients' spiritual concerns and the role of therapists in maintaining professional boundaries.
“You as the therapist are somebody who is feeling very needed in that moment, if you're not careful to mind your own feelings. Meanwhile, your client is somebody who has potentially struggled to feel connected and is feeling connected. So you take somebody who's struggled with connection or relationships, they have a connection with a therapist who gets them, that therapist starts to feel really needed and important, it's only a matter of time before those lines can blur if we're not careful. And that is the exact same dynamic that can happen in a religious or spiritual relationship.” - Chris Conley
Key takeaways:
***Characteristics and Examples: This type of abuse can manifest in various forms, including financial exploitation (e.g., mandating tithes even at the cost of personal hardship), emotional manipulation, and misuse of scripture or spiritual practices to control or harm individuals.
***Impact on Mental Health: Victims of religious and spiritual abuse may experience a wide range of emotional and psychological issues, including guilt, anxiety, confusion, and a disturbed sense of spiritual identity.
***Therapeutic Approaches: It's important for therapists to recognize signs of religious and spiritual abuse and approach such cases with sensitivity. Therapists should maintain professional boundaries and avoid imposing their own religious beliefs, while supporting clients in exploring and healing from their experiences.
***Challenges for Therapists: Therapists need to be aware of their own biases and the potential to either over-identify with or reject the client’s religious beliefs. Ethical considerations include not providing theological guidance unless specifically qualified and requested by the client.
***Resources and Tools: Therapists can utilize specific tools, such as the Spiritual Abuse Harm Scale, to assess the presence and impact of spiritual abuse. This can guide the therapeutic process and help identify specific areas that need addressing.
***Normalization and Validation: It's crucial for therapists to normalize and validate the experiences of those who have suffered from religious and spiritual abuse. This includes acknowledging the complex feelings associated with betrayal by trusted religious figures and institutions.
About the Guest:
Chris Conley is the co-creator of Clinician Connection and the Clinical Director of Turning Point Counseling and Consulting in Hampton Roads. He is a doctoral student at the University of the Cumberlands, where his focus is on religious and spiritual abuse, and has been a licensed professional counselor since 2014, having worked in a wide variety of mental health settings, including private practice, nonprofit organizations, and large community mental health corporations. He loves punk rock music and often wishes he was a comedian.
Connect with Chris Conley:
Website: www.clinicianconnection.net
Facebook: @ iamconley
Instagram: @iamconley
Connect with Jeanene:
*Get your free Four Keys to Private Practice Peace of Mind workbook: https://collaboasis.com/4keysworkbook
*Learn more about clinical consultation groups: https://collaboasis.com/
*Join my free therapist Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/oasispcgt
*Connect on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jeanene-wolfe-lcsw-64042220a/
