Oceanside Sanctuary launches new group,

The Oceanside Sanctuary launches Processing Religious Trauma. (photo by mentatdgt on pexels.com)

The Oceanside Sanctuary launches Processing Religious Trauma, a special group for helping those with trauma – people who experience trauma in connection with the church or religious spaces. This new therapeutic group will address the pain and horrible experiences of these spaces.

The group will meet starting Feb. 16 until March 23 from 6:30 – 8 p.m.

Processing Religious Trauma, Therapeutic Group

As stated on the church website, some people coming to the Oceanside Sanctuary have been the subject of control and even abusive religious spaces. The church aims to provide support by addressing the emotions – anxiety, grief, shame, or exclusion.

The Oceanside Sanctuary reaches out to those who experienced emotional, physical, or spiritual hurt in a religious setting. Additionally, Processing Religious Trauma aspires to help those raised in religiously dogmatic and controlling environments to separate the harm they experienced from the goodness of their faith.

The Oceanside Sanctuary introduces this new venture as a six–week therapeutic group meeting. It will provide a safe community and context for those who were victims of trauma within a religious setting but are still committed to their Christian journey but want it to be healthy.

This group is limited to a maximum of 10 participants. According to the Oceanside Sanctuary website, Processing Religious Trauma will utilize trauma-informed exercises, contemplative practices, and journaling to direct a path towards healing.

The meeting is in–person at Oceanside Sanctuary. The meeting facilitators are Stephanie Moss and Jenell Coker.

Stephanie Moss is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). She has extensive experience as an LCSW and a trauma-informed clinician.

Jenell Coker has been working in the ministry for more than 25 years. Jenell is a minister on staff at The Oceanside Sanctuary, working with her spouse, Lead Pastor Jason Coker.

Currently, she is in the Spiritual Direction practicum under supervision at San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Abuse, Religious Trauma

According to the Woven Together Trauma Therapy website, religious trauma can happen from various experiences within a church or spiritual community. These experiences can be messages being relentlessly taught or the interactions that one has with people in power or with leadership.

According to this website, these oppressive and potentially traumatic experiences for the religious community members include using Scripture to humiliate or embarrass a member of the congregation and leaders in positions who force or coerce young members into religious ceremonies through fear of hell as a tactic.

These are some symptoms of religious trauma:

Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues
Impended social, sexual, relational, and emotional development
Poor decision–making skills
Lack of self–esteem, self–confidence, and self–isolation may occur
The pervasive feeling of guilt and shame
The difficulty of forming a healthy adult relationship

The Oceanside Sanctuary

“Deeply Rooted.”

“Radically Inclusive.”

“Curiously Christian.”

Due to the spike of Covid 19, the church meets virtually every Sunday at 11 a.m. via YouTube and Facebook. The sanctuary is located at 204 S. Freeman St., Oceanside.

Lead Pastor Jason Coker, Associate Pastor Alex Kip, Ministry Staff, and Elders head this congregation in their faith journey.