Religious Trauma & Spiritual Abuse Therapy

Now Serving Clients Online Throughout Washington State

Compassionate, narrative-focused support for those healing from high-control religious faith environments and experiences. Based in Seattle and working with adults across Washington State.

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

Is the ground beneath your feet starting to shake?

Maybe you grew up in a church, a family, or a community where the beliefs felt certain, felt like they had to be certain, until they didn’t. Maybe you’re noticing that things you were taught to accept without question now ask more of you than they used to.

That shift can bring guilt that doesn’t have a clear source. A body that stays braced even when nothing is actively wrong. A harder time trusting your own read on things, when your own read used to feel obvious.

You might find yourself circling a few questions:

Who am I when I’m not defined by this? What do I actually believe apart from what I was told to believe? Where do I go from here?

Wherever you are in that process— questioning, stepping back, or starting to build something of your own— there’s room here to work through what it cost you and what you want to carry forward.

A close-up view of a variety of seashells scattered on a sandy beach, with soft hues of white, cream, and beige blending together.
Blonde woman smiling outdoors in a field of golden grasses, natural light and peaceful setting.

Meet Aly Thompson, LMFT

I didn’t come to this work in a straight line. I found it through my own experience of losing my voice, first literally, as a musical theater student, and then in ever other sense that followed. Therapy is what gave that voice back to me.

That path led me to a Master’s of Science in Marital and Family Therapy from Fuller School of Psychology and advanced training in narrative-focused trauma care at The Allender Center. Along the way, I recognized how much of my own pain traced back to evangelical Christianity and the Calvinist spaces I was raised in, and that recognition is why religious trauma and spiritual abuse became the center of my practice.

I’m licensed in Washington State (MFT.LF.61644512) and California (LMFT #107410), and I work with adults online across both states.

Aly’s pronouns- she/her/hers

SCHEDULE A CALL
Person wearing rolled-up jeans walking barefoot along the shoreline, with foamy waves gently touching their feet.

Who This Work Is For

Religious trauma and spiritual abuse shows up differently for everyone, and it does not require your experience to meet some level of severity before it’s worth addressing. I work with adults navigating harm from a range of environments, including:

  • Evangelical, fundamentalist, or non-denomination church cultures

  • Reformed, Calvinist, Pentecostal, or charismatic traditions

  • Purity culture and shame-based teaching around the body

  • LDS/Mormon backgrounds and faith transitions

  • High-demand or high-control religious systems more broadly

  • Christian schools, missions, or leadership structures where spiritual authority was misused

You might be experiencing religious trauma if you:

  • Carry anxiety, fear, or shame that traces back to what you were taught

  • Were shamed, silenced, or pressured by someone in spiritual leadership

  • Feel grief, confusion, or isolation as you rethink your faith

  • Notice your body tensing around scripture, prayer, music, or religious spaces

  • Aren’t sure yet whether you’re moving toward faith, away from it, or somewhere in between

LET'S TALK
Two women practicing mindfulness meditation, seated on the floor with candles in a minimalist room, symbolizing inner peace and personal healing.
Close-up of peaceful ocean water with soft waves, evoking a sense of calm and tranquility.

What Spiritual Abuse Therapy Can Offer You

  • A space where spiritual grief, confusion, and anger don’t need to be explained away or minimized

  • Working through the fear and obligation that got wired in, so that it stops running the show

  • When love and belonging came with conditions, that shapes how you relate to others; we work together to loosen that pattern

  • Somatic practices that help you feel safe in your own skin again, spiritually and physically

  • Naming your experience as true without needing to build a case for it

Working With Me in Washington

I’m based in Seattle and see clients across Washington through secure telehealth, so wherever you are in the state, this work is accessible to you. Washington has its own particular relationship to church culture, big tech burnout, exvangelical communities, Pacific Northwest secularism, and I bring that context into our work together— not just a general framework for religious trauma.

Close-up of two hands gracefully reaching towards the sky, surrounded by lush yellow flowers, evoking a sense of freedom and connection with nature.
A beach scene at sunset with sand dunes and tall grass, and a sky with pink and blue clouds.
A table decorated with lit candles, dried flower petals, crystals, and geodes, with a neutral background.

Fee Structure and Investment

  • 60-minute session: $250

  • 90-minute session: $375

Sessions are offered via a secure telehealth platform for adults located in Washington State. At this time, I am an out-of-network provider and do not accept insurance, though superbills can be provided for potential reimbursement at your request. If this is something you may be interested in, please call your insurance in advance to confirm that super bills can be accepted as it is different per plan.

Ready to Begin?

Schedule a Free Consultation

A woman in a black dress standing by the ocean, looking out at the peaceful water as gentle waves wash ashore.
Serene ocean waves and rocks along the shoreline under a soft twilight sky, transitioning from pink to blue for a peaceful coastal view.

Choosing a therapist is a big decision. I offer a complimentary 15-minute video consultation so we can explore whether we’re a good fit on your behalf.

Have questions about weekly therapy sessions or working with me? Reach out below to schedule a free consultation or ask questions. We'll explore if this is the right next step for your healing.

Hi, I’m Aly, and it would be an honor to join you on this road.

So, let’s get started today.

A young woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bright smile, standing outdoors in a field with tall dry grass and trees in the background, illuminated by sunlight.

Aly Thompson, LMFT
California and Washington State Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist