Dr Rachel Gustafson

Hey! an FYI before you start reading: Spirituality/Religion/etc can be as big or as small of a focus of therapy as you want! Completely your choice!

Spirituality (Your Version)

Navigating spirituality can be complicated, especially when past experiences with religion or faith have been painful or confusing. Whether you’re processing religious trauma, rethinking your beliefs, or figuring out how spirituality fits into your life now, this is a space where you can explore your thoughts without judgment.

Many people often find themselves untangling complicated relationships with faith, religion, and spirituality alongside their mental health concerns. This might involve addressing past spiritual abuse or high-control environments, or simply finding new ways to connect with purpose, meaning, and a higher being. Either way, your relationship with spirituality doesn’t have to fit into a neat box — it’s yours to shape, question, and redefine.

We’ll work together to make sense of your beliefs, address any lingering guilt, confusion, or other emotions, all while we honor your unique journey no matter where it leads. My hope is to provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can explore faith, purpose, and identity on your own terms.

What is Religious Trauma?

Religious trauma happens when experiences within a religious or spiritual context cause lasting harm to a person’s emotional, psychological, or physical well-being. It often stems from high-control environments, spiritual abuse, or teachings that create fear, guilt, or shame.

People who experience religious trauma may:

Feel abandoned or betrayed by their faith community or higher power
Struggle to trust their own thoughts, feelings, or instincts
Experience guilt, shame, or fear when questioning beliefs
Feel isolated or lost after leaving a religious group
Navigate conflicts with loved ones who remain within the faith

Religious trauma can be complicated and deeply personal, but it’s also something that can be explored and understood. Taking the time to make sense of your experiences can lead to greater self-trust, healing, and a clearer sense of your own values.

Spirituality 🤝 Mental Health

Exploring spirituality can be a journey filled with questions, challenges, and unexpected emotions. Whether you’re processing past experiences or redefining your beliefs, here are some common feelings and struggles that people often encounter:

Feeling lost when trying to make sense of life outside a faith community
Guilt, shame, or fear when questioning past beliefs
Feeling isolated or abandoned by loved ones who remained in the faith
Anxiety or doubt when forming a new relationship with spirituality/religion
Questioning your own instincts or intuition after being taught to distrust them
Feeling like a “late bloomer” when it comes to sexuality or self-expression
Grieving the loss of community or spiritual identity
Confusion about your values or moral compass after leaving a high-control group

Building your own Path

When exploring spirituality (or anything else, for that matter), I’m not here to tell you what to do, how to feel, or what to believe. That’s all yours to figure out. It’s an honor to sit with you as we explore the role that you want religiosity, faith, and spirituality to have in your life.

Some things I often explore with folks discovering their spiritual identity include:

Building new support networks that honor your journey and values
Learning to trust your instincts and reclaim your sense of safety and agency
Developing self-compassion around past religious experiences
Reframing guilt and unpacking harmful beliefs that hinder self-acceptance
Processing spiritual abuse and high-control religious experiences
Discussing feelings of abandonment, judgment, or misunderstanding
Exploring ways to blend different traditions or belief systems in a way that feels true
Staying curious about what practices feel meaningful or grounding
Developing a sense of purpose that aligns with your personal values

“Are you religious?”

This is one of the most common questions I get in consults. The typical therapist answer is, “I’m curious why it’s important for you to know that about me.” My short, to-the-point answer is, “No, not really.” My philosophical, tangential answer is, “It depends on what you mean by religious…” So, for the purpose of this webpage, I’ll try to give you something that’s a little in between.

I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of religious environments throughout my life — predominantly Christian and Catholic, but not exclusively. A big part of my adulthood has been spent figuring out the thoughts and feelings about these environments, not dissimilar to what I laid out in the sections above. There are aspects of those belief systems that I’ve chosen to hold onto and still connect with from time to time, though it’s not a routine part of my life. On the other hand, there are specific teachings I’ve consciously opted out of because of the harm they’ve caused to me or others. These days, I find that my sense of spirituality is rooted more in music, nature, and creative expression. This is where I typically look if I’m looking to connect to something beyond or within myself.

My beliefs don’t dictate how I practice therapy. While they’re a part of who I am, they’re not something I expect you to take on. My role isn’t to guide you toward any specific belief system, but to support you in exploring your own.

Dr. Rachel Gustafson, PsyD

Email me: RGustafson@Pfpaga.com

Hours: Monday- Thursday (by appointment only)

Located within Powers Ferry Psychological Associates

Available for services in-person or virtual

Site logo by the wonderful Carly Campbell

IG: C.C.reative

Office address:

1827 Powers Ferry Rd., Building 22,
Atlanta, GA 30339

Accessibility note: My main office is up a single flight of stairs; please alert me about any physical accessibility needs.