Lauren Auer is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in Illinois and the owner of Steadfast Counseling, specializing in comprehensive trauma care. With extensive training in EMDR and certification in Brainspotting, she offers a holistic approach to healing, addressing the body, mind, and nervous system.

In this conversation, Lauren shares about her work and specialization in trauma therapy, including religious trauma. She shares her journey of how she got started in trauma therapy.

We discuss the complexity of trauma and the importance of recognizing the impact on the entire system, including families and communities.

We also explore the challenges of religious trauma and the confusion and conflicting feelings that can arise when questioning one's beliefs and experiences within a religious context.

Lauren shares her personal journey of navigating religious trauma and finding her own path.

She discusses the challenges of breaking away from a community that didn't align with her beliefs and the grief that came with leaving relationships behind. Lauren emphasizes the importance of staying curious and questioning one's beliefs and experiences.

She also highlights the value of accepting the complexity and nuance of life and finding a sense of belonging in communities that embrace diversity of thought.

We discuss:

• The impact of religious trauma.
• Our natural sense for belonging and connection even.
• The importance of staying curious and questioning your own beliefs and experiences.
• The challenges that come with evolving beliefs and value systems.
• Lauren also shares her own personal journey in navigating her relationship with religion.

Lauren’s resource links:

Your Therapist | Substack

Lauren Auer | Trauma Therapist (@yourtraumatherapist_) • Instagram photos and videos 

TikTok

Steadfast Counseling

Let's connect:

Follow along on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠TikTok⁠

Email: deana@deanapanza.com

Website: ⁠deanapanza.com

Reminder: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for therapy or individualized mental health or medical care.