On our path to spiritual health, we need to keep our eyes open to the ways religion and spirituality have been exploited to coerce, control, and create chaos. Focusing on the intersection of religion and psychology, licensed therapist, researcher, and podcaster Dan Koch is creating a public conversation about spiritual harm and abuse, helping victims learn how to deal with spiritual trauma, and offering insight and guidance toward healthy religious and spiritual experiences.

From his own personal journey of religious trauma to his extensive research on spiritual abuse, Dan shares insights on how faith communities can both wound and restore. The conversation covers the psychological impact of religious trauma, the complexities of self-diagnosis, and practical strategies for self-knowledge and healing for anyone who has wrestled with faith, struggled with past church experiences, or have lost their religion.

In this conversation with Dan Koch, we discuss:

• The psychological study of spiritual abuse and harm, including conceptual definitions and the many factors that come along with them.


• The symptoms and most recognizable patterns that point to spiritual abuse


• The impact of abuse and trauma on psychological and spiritual health


• How to reappraise and challenge harmful core beliefs


• And how to find healing, joy, and transcendence as we deal with past trauma.

About Dan Koch

Dan Koch is a licensed therapist supporting patients working through the trauma of spiritual abuse; and his work and insight in this domain emerges from his empirical research. He’s also host of the You Have Permission podcast. With a background in philosophy and theology, he explores questions of faith, doubt, and spiritual well-being. His research focuses on the psychological effects of religious trauma and how individuals can heal from spiritual abuse.

Find more of his work at dankochwords.com.

You can find his podcast, You Have Permission wherever you listen to podcasts and find exclusive episodes at patreon.com/dankoch.

Helpful Links and Resources

• Dan Koch’s Website


• Join Dan Koch’s Patreon


• You Have Permission Podcast


• Dan Koch’s Research on Spiritual Abuse


• The Spiritual Harm and Abuse Scale Clinical Screener
  


• 
  Development of the Spiritual Harm and Abuse Scale (Article, May 2022)

About the Thrive Center

• Learn more at thethrivecenter.org.


• Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenter
  


• Follow us on X @thrivecenter
  


• Follow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter
  

About Dr. Pam King

Dr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.  Follow her @drpamking.

About With & For

• Host: Pam King


• Senior Director and Producer: Jill Westbrook


• Operations Manager: Lauren Kim


• Social Media Graphic Designer: Wren Juergensen

Special thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.