A place to come home
to yourself

"High-control religions teach you not to trust yourself. Healing begins when you remember that the wisdom you need has always lived within you."

The philosophy behind From Within Therapy

Where I can support you

Religious Trauma

Religious trauma is the physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that overwhelm a person's ability to cope and feel safe.

Spiritual Abuse Recovery

Being hurt by someone who held spiritual authority is a particular kind of betrayal. You deserve space to name what happened, grieve it, and slowly rebuild trust in others and in yourself.

High-Control Religion

Leaving a controlling religious environment can feel like losing an entire world and framework for living. I'll walk with you through the grief, the disorientation, and the quiet work of learning your truth.

Sexual Reclamation & Purity Culture Recovery

Growing up under purity culture teachings can leave you feeling ashamed of your own body and desires. This is a shame-free space to reclaim your sense of self, your sexuality, and your wholeness.

Anxiety

The constant hum of worry, the weight of dread, the racing thoughts at 2am. Anxiety is exhausting, and it lives in both the mind and the body. We'll work together to find the quiet underneath it and help you feel like yourself again.

PTSD

When something overwhelming happens, the body can keep bracing long after the danger has passed. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, and numbness aren't weakness; they're how you survived. Together we'll help your nervous system learn that it's safe to rest again.

Deconstructing and Reconstructing Beliefs

Questioning the faith you were raised in can feel like the floor falling away. But taking your beliefs apart is only half the work. Together we'll also make space to rebuild, to discover what you actually value, what you want to carry forward, and what a meaningful life looks like on your own terms. You don't have to choose between losing your faith and losing yourself.

Depression

When everything feels gray and heavy, it can be hard to imagine feeling any other way. Therapy offers a quiet, consistent place to be honest about what's happening and to find your way back.

Finding New Community

Leaving a faith or a tight-knit religious world often means losing the people and the sense of belonging that came with it. Rebuilding connection can feel daunting. Together we'll explore what healthy community looks like for you, and how to find your people without abandoning yourself.

Many of my clients have spent years being told their instincts are dangerous, their doubts are sinful, and their inner voice cannot be trusted. Therapy is where we gently challenge that lie.

Amy, Licensed Mental Health Counselor at From Within Therapy
Amy
LMHC · 16 yrs exp
Meet Amy
LMHC · Licensed in Massachusetts

Being understood is a fundamental need for all of us. Religious trauma can be difficult to explain to someone who is unfamiliar with the language, culture, and unspoken rules that exist within a high-control religion. As a fellow survivor, I recognize how complex this hurt can be. The countless subtle moments of fear, shame, and disconnection that accumulate over time.

In our work together, I offer a trauma-informed and compassionate space to explore what you’ve experienced, rebuild self-trust, and reconnect with your inner sense of safety, freedom, and meaning. Healing isn't linear, so we move at the pace that feels right for you, never faster than your nervous system can handle. And whether you're questioning your faith, leaving it, or finding a new path within it, I hold all directions with equal respect and zero judgment; this work carries no spiritual agenda of its own.

My work is rooted in compassion and a genuine curiosity about your unique story. I draw from multiple modalities, including ACT, IFS, CBT, and somatic practices, but these tools always come second to the most important resource: full presence. The relationship between us is the most important driver of healing. I don't pathologize your experiences or rush your healing. I show up as a real, warm human being who is genuinely invested in your growth, and as a survivor of religious trauma myself, I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to this work. I know it from the inside.

My practice is also a fully affirming space that celebrates the strength of queer individuals navigating religious trauma. The harm done in many religious settings to queer folks is often profound, and I honor that.

LMHC Licensed 16 Years Experience Religious Trauma Specialist Trauma-Informed LGBTQ+ Affirming Telehealth AvailableRegistered Yoga Teacher

What Is Religious Trauma?

"High-control religions teach you not to trust yourself. Healing begins when you remember that the wisdom you need has always lived within you."

The short version

Religious trauma is the physical, emotional, or psychological response to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that overwhelm a person's capacity to feel safe, trust, and function. It's a real trauma response, not a character flaw or a lack of faith, and it can develop whether you've left your religion, are still practicing, or are somewhere in between. It isn't about whether God is real or whether religion is good or bad. It's about the real impact certain experiences had on your nervous system, your sense of self, and your ability to trust.

Where it can come from

Religious trauma can develop from a wide range of experiences, including:

  • Theological harm — Vivid, violent depictions of Hell and eternal punishment, and fear used as a method of control; being taught that questioning your faith, or being who you are, puts your soul at risk.
  • Purity culture — Inflexible, shaming beliefs about sexuality and purity.
  • Identity-based rejection — Being taught that being gay, queer, or otherwise LGBTQ+ makes you sinful, "broken," or incompatible with faith; facing exclusion, conversion efforts, or rejection from your community because of who you are or who you love.
  • Abuse — Being physically, sexually, or emotionally abused by a religious leader or another member.

Often it's not one single event, but a pattern of experiences that slowly shaped how safe the world, other people, and even your own mind felt.

How it can show up

Religious trauma looks different for everyone, but some common experiences include:

Anxiety & fear

Panic or dread tied to God, Hell, or judgment; fear of making the "wrong" choice.

Guilt & shame

A persistent sense of not being good enough, or feeling fundamentally flawed, unlovable, or incapable of making the right choices.

Identity confusion

Difficulty knowing what you believe, want, or feel apart from what you were taught.

Grief & loss

Mourning a community, a worldview, or a version of yourself you had to leave behind.

Difficulty trusting

Struggling to trust authority, your own judgment, or even your own body.

Nervous system effects

A racing heart, tight chest, shallow or restricted breathing, stomach issues, muscle tension, or being easily startled, especially around religious reminders.

Healing is possible

You don't have to choose between losing your faith and losing yourself. Whether you're deconstructing, staying, questioning, or somewhere in between, this work is about helping you reconnect with your own sense of safety, trust, and self, at your own pace, with no agenda pushing you in any particular direction.

If any of this feels familiar, you don't have to sort it out alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

A few things people often wonder before reaching out. If you don't see your question here, feel free to ask during a free consultation.

What can I expect in our first session?
Our first session is a chance to get to know one another, no preparation needed. We'll talk through what brought you to therapy, what you're hoping for, and I'll answer any questions you have. Sessions are calm, collaborative, and paced to what feels right for you.
Who do you work with?
I work with adults navigating religious trauma, spiritual abuse, high-control religion, and purity culture, as well as anxiety, depression, and PTSD more broadly. Many clients are questioning or deconstructing beliefs and looking for a grounded, judgment-free space to do that work.
Do you work with individuals who are not from a Christian background?
Yes. Religious trauma and spiritual abuse can happen in any religious or spiritual context, not only Christianity. I welcome clients from all faith backgrounds and traditions.
Do you work with individuals whose main concern is not religious trauma?
Yes. I work with a wide variety of topics including life adjustments, social anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.
I'm still part of a faith community and consider myself religious. Can that be part of our work?
Absolutely. I have no agenda to move you toward or away from faith. Whether you're actively practicing, questioning, deconstructing, or somewhere in between, we'll work with wherever you are. Your beliefs and your relationship to them are yours to define, not mine to steer.
Are sessions in person or online?
All sessions are held via secure telehealth video. I currently serve clients throughout Massachusetts.
Do you work with clients outside of Massachusetts?
Due to state licensing laws, I'm only able to provide therapy to clients who are physically located in Massachusetts at the time of our sessions.
Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes. I offer a free 15-minute consultation so we can connect, and you can decide whether working together feels like a good fit before scheduling a full session.
Do you accept insurance?
I'm in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, and Harvard Pilgrim. I also work with out-of-network benefits and private pay clients. Coverage varies by plan, so I recommend verifying your benefits before our first session.
What if you're not in-network with my insurance?
I can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Many PPO plans cover a meaningful portion of the cost. Payment is due at the time of session, and I accept major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards.
How do I get started?
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation through my secure client portal, or reach out with any questions first. I'll follow up with next steps within 1–2 business days.

Still have questions, or ready to take the first step?

Resources

A few terms that come up often in this work, and a few organizations beyond my own practice that might be helpful. Use whatever's useful here, and skip the rest.

Some language for this work
Term
Reclamation
Choosing, on your own terms, what belongs to you: your body, your voice, your beliefs, your future.
Term
Religious trauma
What can develop when religious experiences leave a lasting mark on your nervous system, your relationships, or how safe the world feels, whether or not you're still part of that religion today.
Term
Adverse religious experience
A single moment, or an ongoing pattern, within a religious setting, a sermon, a rule, a relationship with a leader, that left you feeling smaller, less safe, or less free to be yourself.
Term
Spiritual abuse
When religious authority gets used as leverage, to keep someone in line, demand obedience, or punish questions, rather than to support their growth.
Term
Faith transition
A broad term for any shift in your relationship to faith, whether that means leaving, staying and changing how you practice, or something in between.
Term
Deconstruction
The slower work of taking apart what you were taught, piece by piece, to see what still fits and what doesn't.
Helpful organizations
Group therapy & community
A nonprofit community built by and for survivors of religious trauma and spiritual abuse. They run several ongoing peer support groups (including groups for LGBTQ+ folks and for women), alongside a directory of religious-trauma-informed therapists and other free healing resources.
Provider directory
A directory to help you find clinicians who reflect and understand your full identity, searchable by language spoken, culture, and intersecting identities (race, LGBTQ+, disability, neurodivergence, and more). Useful if you're looking for a provider outside my own practice, or a closer identity match.
Low-cost therapy
A nonprofit connecting people to a nationwide network of vetted therapists offering reduced-fee sessions (roughly $40 to $70 per session) for a one-time membership fee. Worth a look if cost is a barrier to ongoing therapy.

If you're in crisis

This page, and this website, are not a substitute for emergency care. If you are in immediate danger or having thoughts of suicide, please reach out right away.

988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988
Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741
EmergencyCall 911 or go to your nearest emergency room

Fees & Insurance

Private Pay / Out-of-Network Session Costs
Individual session
50-Minute Session
$175 / session

Standard individual therapy session. We'll establish a frequency that supports your goals.

Accepted plans

These are the plans I accept. Coverage varies. Please verify your benefits before our first session.

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Aetna
  • Harvard Pilgrim
  • Out-of-Network Benefits
  • Private Pay

Out-of-network & self-pay

If I'm not in-network with your plan, I can provide a superbill to submit for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Many PPO plans cover a significant portion.

Payment is due at the time of session. I accept major credit cards and HSA/FSA cards.

Good Faith Estimate: Under the No Surprises Act, individuals who self-pay or are using out-of-network coverage have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs before beginning services. I'm happy to provide this upon request.

Schedule Now

Take the first step at your own pace. Use the button below to request an appointment through my secure SimplePractice client portal, or start with a free 15-minute consultation to see if we're a good fit.

Request an appointment

Click below to visit my SimplePractice client portal, where you can request a session time that works for you.

Request Appointment

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No Cost Consultation

After submitting a request, Amy will confirm your appointment. Your first session is a chance to get to know each other. Come as you are, no preparation needed.

Consultations can be booked directly through the site when spots are available. If spots are unavailable, you can reach out directly to amybook.consults@gmail.com to request to be added to a waitlist.

Questions before booking?

Feel free to reach out directly.
amybook.consults@gmail.com
(781) 816-7312

Telehealth sessions

All sessions are offered via secure telehealth video throughout Massachusetts 

A note on privacy

Your information is fully confidential. The SimplePractice portal is HIPAA-compliant and encrypted. Reaching out does not create a therapeutic relationship.