Church Hurt & Religious Trauma in Burbank, CA & Online Throughout California
The church was supposed to be safe.
Therapy for the wound religion left behind — no shame, no sermons.
When Church Hurts
Sometimes the deepest wounds come from the places that were supposed to heal us. Maybe it was judgment dressed up as accountability. Shame called holiness. Being told to forgive before you were allowed to grieve — or to keep the peace when what you really wanted was to scream.
You don't have to sort out what you believe before you walk in. Whether you're holding onto faith with both hands, watching it slip through your fingers, or furious at all of it — there's room for that here. We'll go at your pace, and your story gets to be told honestly for the first time.
Who This Is For
Church Hurt Therapy might be a fit for you if...
Were hurt by a pastor, church leader, or faith community — through control, judgment, exclusion, or spiritual abuse
Feel angry at the church (or at God) and then guilty for feeling angry
Flinch at the worship songs, verses, or sermons that used to comfort you
Were told to forgive, submit, or "just trust God" when what you needed was to be heard
Left church — or want to — but feel unmoored without it
Are questioning everything you were taught and don't know what you believe anymore
Something happened at church — you just don't know what to call it yet
What Is Religious Trauma?
Religious trauma isn't always one dramatic moment. Sometimes it's years of being taught that your worth depends on your obedience. Fear-based theology that kept you anxious about getting it wrong. Purity culture that tangled your body up with shame. Leaders who used God as leverage to control you.
It lives in your nervous system the same way any trauma does — the flinch, the guilt spiral, the exhaustion of trying to believe the "right" things. You don't need a story dramatic enough to justify the word. If faith was used to hurt you, that's enough.
How Therapy Helps
We go at the pace of your nervous system, not anyone else's timeline. Using EMDR, we'll process the experiences that still hijack you — the sermon that plays on loop, the shame that shows up uninvited. With Internal Family Systems (IFS), we'll get to know the parts of you that learned to stay small, stay quiet, or stay angry to survive.
This isn't about rushing you to forgive or pushing you back toward church. It's about untangling what was done to you from who you actually are — so you get to decide what faith, if anything, means to you now.
Your Faith, Your Terms
You don't have to know where you land to start. Some women come in clinging to faith, some come in furious at it, and some aren't sure there's anything left to hold. All of that belongs here.
If faith matters to you, it has a seat in the room — Scripture, prayer, and your relationship with God are welcome, never weaponized. If you're deconstructing, your questions won't be treated as a problem to fix. And if you're done with church entirely, no one will try to talk you back into it. This is about what you actually believe, not what you were told to believe.
What to Expect
1. A free consultation. We talk about what's bringing you in and whether we'd be a good fit.
2. We start where you are. No need to have your theology sorted out. Early sessions are about your story at your pace — including the parts you've never said out loud.
3. Sessions. 55 minutes, in person in Burbank or online for clients located in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be a Christian to work with you?
No. You don't need the right beliefs, the right language, or any beliefs at all. If church hurt is part of your story, that's enough.
What if I'm deconstructing my faith?
Many of my clients are. Questioning what you were taught takes real courage, and you deserve a therapist who won't panic about it or preach at you. We'll make room for the questions without forcing the answers.
What if I still go to church?
You don't have to leave to heal. Plenty of my clients are still in church every week — they're just tired of pretending everything's fine. We can work on what's hurting without blowing up your life.
Do I have to talk about God in therapy?
Only if you want to. Faith can be part of our work, or it can stay completely out of it. You're in charge of how much room it gets.
I feel guilty for being angry at the church. Is that normal?
Completely. Anger and guilt usually arrive together after church hurt — anger at what happened, guilt for feeling it. Both are welcome here. You don't have to pick one.
How is this different from talking to a pastor?
I'm a licensed therapist, not a spiritual authority. No theological agenda, no reporting back to anyone, no pressure to reconcile with the church. This space is entirely yours.
How much does counseling cost?
Sessions are $225.
Can counseling be done online?
Yes. I offer online therapy for women located anywhere in California, and in-person sessions at my Burbank office.
You Weren't Meant to Carry This Alone
Church hurt is a lonely wound. You can't talk about it at church, and most people outside of church don't understand why it cuts so deep. So you carry it quietly — which is exactly what you were taught to do.
You don't have to anymore. There's a version of this where the shame loosens, the anger has somewhere to go, and you get to decide what — if anything — comes next.
Ready to get started?
I offer Church Hurt Therapy for in person in Burbank and online throughout California. Reach out today to schedule a consultation and see if it's the right fit for you.
From A Therapist's Office To Your Inbox
The Monday Exhale. A weekly email for women who've been too good for too long.
About Me
I provide counseling in Burbank and support clients throughout Glendale, Pasadena, North Hollywood, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, and across California through online therapy.
Licensed Provider
Kellie Murry, LPCC.
#8755 Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
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