All suffering is loss, but God leaves nothing unused in His plans. We help women see His redemptive thread throughout their circumstances and then look for opportunities to join with God in His transforming work.
Shepherding, Safety, and Spiritual Care Questionnaire
Spiritual, Emotional, and Psychological Abuse Questionnaire
Dr. Ann Maree Goudzwaard
Founder and Executive Director of Help[H]er.
Season 7 Episode 2 - Get in Line
Resources Related to This Story
Something’s Not Right — Wade Mullen
Helpful for recognizing patterns of silencing, image management, institutional protection, and the misuse of power.
The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse — David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen
Explores how spiritual authority and religious systems can become coercive or harmful.
Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse — Lisa Oakley & Justin Humphreys
Provides language for understanding spiritual abuse and its effects on those who experience it.
Scripture referenced regarding civil authority and legal protections:
Acts 16:37;
Acts 22:25–29;
Acts 25:10–11
Need Support?
If this conversation stirred something for you, you do not have to navigate it alone.
Help[H]er provides trauma-specialized advocacy, education, and navigation for women in crisis in the church, guiding them toward safety, agency, and restored dignity.
Learn more or connect with Help[H]er at HelpHer.help.
About Safe to Hope
Safe to Hope creates space for women to tell their stories of suffering and loss with care, dignity, and honesty. Nothing in our storyteller conversations is intended to pressure forgiveness, reconciliation, or closure. Our aim is to listen with care and honor the dignity of each woman’s experience.
Season 7 Episode 1
Resources for Further Exploration
Something’s Not Right — Wade Mullen
Examines the patterns and tactics used by individuals and institutions to deceive, manipulate, silence, and protect an image when harm occurs.
The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse — David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen
A foundational resource for recognizing spiritually abusive systems and understanding how religious authority can be misused.
Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse — Lisa Oakley & Justin Humphreys
Explores spiritual abuse, its impact, and pathways toward safer and healthier Christian communities.
Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire
A research-based resource for understanding experiences of institutional betrayal.
The Wheel of Reality Bending Phrases
Need Support?
If this conversation stirred something for you, you do not have to navigate it alone.
Help[H]er provides trauma-specialized advocacy, education, and navigation for women in crisis in the church, guiding them toward safety, agency, and restored dignity.
Learn more or connect with Help[H]er at HelpHer.help.
About Safe to Hope
Safe to Hope creates space for women to tell their stories of suffering and loss with care, dignity, and honesty. Nothing in our storyteller conversations is intended to pressure forgiveness, reconciliation, or closure. Our aim is to listen with care and honor the dignity of each woman’s experience.
Season 6 Episode 17
SHOW NOTES:
Dr Allender resources
- The Wounded Heart
- The Healing Path
- To Be Told
- God Loves Sex
- Intimate Allies
- The Cry of the Soul,
- Bold Love
- Bold Purpose
- Redeeming Heartache
- The Deep-Rooted Marriage
Season 6 Episode 16
SHOW NOTES:
- Episode 4 Self-Care
- Episode 6 Dr Heather Evans
- Restoring the Shattered Self by Dr. Heather Gingrich
Self-Care Resources:
- Christian Trauma Healing Network, Tools and Handouts
- Self-Regulation for Daily Triggers
- The Essential Skill to Regulate Your Nervous System
- Therapy in a Nutshell
- Justice From the Victim’s Perspective by Judith Herman
- Honoring the Truth: A Response to the Backlash by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis
- The Other Half of Church, Escaping Enemy Mode and The Red Dragon Cast Down by Dr Jim Wilder
Informational Resources:
- Serving SRA Survivors: Satanic Ritual Abuse Recovery by Kay Elise Tolman
- Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion
- RAINN.org – Informational Support for sexual abuse survivors
- On the Threshold of Hope by Diane Langberg
- Escaping High-Control Religious Groups
Scripture quotations are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
