Raised in an evangelical Christian family with an emotionally volatile & narcissistic father, I felt most comfortable with rules & regulations. After marrying a religious man and having children, I became a fervent fundamentalist and moved from the Pentecostal to closed-Mennonite tradition. As one friend put it, I drew my circle ever smaller.  When my former husband decided to become a pastor, I began homeschooling our children. My entire world was Christianity. It informed everything from the friendships I could develop to the books I could read, even to the clothing I could wear.  I lived a restricted life inside an echo chamber where doubt was viewed as sinful. I sincerely believed every tale in the Bible, taking it as "the literal, inerrant, historical Word of God." 

Eventually, however, holes started to develop in my Christian armor. I resented having to always submit to my husband's authority. I wondered about a "loving God" who would send devout believers of other faiths to Hell. Finally, a series of tragedies broke my cognitive dissonance wide open - and my entire worldview dissolved. It was the most terrifying, isolating, and painful time in my life. 

Thankfully, along with that pain came tremendous liberation! I am now divorced from both my husband and my religion. I am happy as a secular humanist and atheist, embracing my own power to make this world a better place. I went back to school to attain my diploma of applied psychology and counselling and have continued to educate myself and upgrade my skills, so that I am now a trauma-informed therapist and religious recovery consultant. I am very proud to say that I am the founder of the online Divorcing Religion Workshop and CORT:  The Conference On Religious Trauma.