Welcome to The Collective Table, a progressive and affirming Christian podcast produced by The Oceanside Sanctuary in Oceanside, California. We are a community dedicated to following Jesus, working for justice, and celebrating joy! Whether you are actively reconstructing your faith, seeking a spiritually safe and inclusive space, or simply exploring, there is a seat for you at our table.
Healing from High Control Religious Systems: Insights with Dr. Hilary McBride
In this episode, Dr. Hilary McBride shares her expertise on how high control religious environments impact psychological and spiritual development. She offers practical ways for communities and individuals to foster healing, embodiment, and genuine connection.
Key topics
The developmental harm caused by high control religious systems and how they stunt growth
The importance of embodying spirituality through movement and physical connection
How communities can create trauma-informed, body-honoring worship practices
Strategies for churches to implement accountability and repair processes to prevent harm
Navigating deconstruction: distinguishing between healthy growth and trauma responses
Reconstructing a compassionate, non-coercive image of God beyond violent or guilt-based imagery
How community spaces can foster belonging without coercion or pressure
The role of spiritual remixing and cherry-picking beliefs in faith recovery
Practical support for survivors of spiritual trauma and creating safe, supportive environments
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction and overview of Dr. McBride's background 02:03 - Why the church community chose to explore Holy Hurt 05:26 - Impact of high control religious backgrounds on development 09:00 - The developmental purpose of lying and boundary testing in youth 13:24 - Reconceptualizing the biblical language of violence and coercion 15:53 - How cultural context influences perceptions of divine violence 17:43 - The importance of hermeneutics and interpretive flexibility in spirituality 20:13 - Differentiating healthy deconstruction from traumatic disengagement 23:01 - Movement and embodiment as pathways to spiritual connection 27:43 - Trauma-informed body-based worship practices 33:29 - Accountability structures in progressive faith communities 39:53 - Supporting survivors and avoiding re-traumatization 42:57 - Navigating trust and community re-entry after trauma 45:21 - The importance of agency, choice, and space to heal in faith communities 48:05 - Cherry-picking beliefs and creating remixing faith spaces 53:27 - Distinguishing empowerment from avoidance in spiritual choices 55:11 - Understanding and navigating spiritual bypassing 57:55 - Wrap-up and final thoughts from Dr. McBride
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