S2E6: Narcissism, Evangelicalism, and the Path to Healing with Christine Greenwald

Summary

In this episode of Contemplating Resonance, Matt Stine hosts Christine Greenwald, a psychotherapist, writer, and author of the Substack Recasting Religious Trauma. Together, they explore the profound impact of religious trauma, diving into its overlap with complex trauma and how it shapes self-perception, relationships, and spirituality. Christine shares insights from her therapeutic work, highlighting the role of nervous system responses in trauma and the unique challenges faced by those healing from high-control religious environments.

The conversation delves into themes of identity, intuition, and reclaiming spiritual practices after deconstruction. Christine reflects on her own healing journey, from grappling with the doctrine of hell and purity culture to embracing tools like tarot as a means of self-reflection and personal growth. Along the way, she challenges long-held stigmas surrounding intuitive practices, reframing them as valuable pathways to deeper self-understanding.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into navigating religious trauma and rebuilding spiritual practices on their own terms. Christine and Matt emphasize the importance of playfulness and curiosity in creating a spiritual life that resonates authentically. This episode offers a compassionate guide for those seeking to leave behind guilt, shame, and rigid structures to discover a more expansive and fulfilling connection to self and the divine.

Takeaways

• Religious trauma often overlaps with complex trauma, deeply affecting self-perception, relationships, and spirituality.

• Nervous system responses play a crucial role in understanding and healing from the effects of high-control religious environments.

• Reclaiming spiritual practices, such as tarot, can be a powerful way to reconnect with intuition and self-reflection.

• Breaking free from purity culture and the doctrine of hell requires addressing the lingering guilt and fear they instill.

• Playfulness and curiosity are essential tools for building a spiritual life that feels authentic and expansive.

Quoteables

• Religious trauma doesn’t just affect your beliefs—it rewires how you see yourself, your relationships, and your worth. – Christine Greenwald

• Healing begins when we stop seeing our intuition as dangerous and start embracing it as a guide. – Christine Greenwald

• The nervous system doesn’t lie—it’s often the first place we notice the effects of religious trauma. – Matt Stine

• Reclaiming spiritual practices like tarot isn’t rebellion; it’s reconnecting with parts of ourselves that were silenced. – Christine Greenwald

• Curiosity and playfulness are the antidotes to the rigidity and shame that high-control environments impose. – Christine Greenwald

Notes

• Christine’s Substack: Recasting Religious Trauma

• Religious Trauma Institute

• Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Chapters

• 00:00 - Introduction

Matt welcomes listeners and introduces guest Christine Greenwald, setting the stage for a discussion on religious trauma and healing.

• 01:52 - Understanding Religious Trauma

Christine explains the overlap between religious trauma and complex trauma, emphasizing its deep effects on identity and relationships.

• 06:35 - The Role of the Nervous System in Trauma

The conversation dives into how trauma impacts the nervous system and why this understanding is essential for healing.

• 12:10 - Deconstructing Purity Culture and Hell Doctrine

Christine shares her personal journey of confronting purity culture and the fear-based teachings of eternal damnation.

• 18:45 - Reclaiming Intuition Through Spiritual Practices

Matt and Christine discuss the power of tools like tarot to reconnect with intuition and foster self-awareness.

• 26:20 - Breaking Free from Shame and Guilt

They explore the lingering effects of shame and guilt imposed by high-control environments and how to overcome them.

• 33:05 - The Importance of Curiosity and Play

Christine highlights how playfulness and curiosity can help rebuild a more authentic and expansive spiritual life.

• 40:15 - Conclusion

Matt and Christine reflect on the importance of self-compassion and supportive communities in the healing process.