Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing

by Hillary L. McBride

Publisher:

Brazos Press

, 2025

Overview

Too often the institutions and communities that are meant to be the most holy in our lives end up deeply hurting us.

In Holy Hurt, clinical psychologist Hillary L. McBride sends a sincere and profound message: spiritual trauma is real and has a far-reaching impact. She also reassures us that we can remake ourselves and heal in its aftermath.

McBride expertly and compassionately shows that acknowledging the impact of spiritual trauma in our lives allows us to begin to tend our wounds individually and collectively, experiencing reconnection with ourselves and others. She draws on clinical research, trauma literature, insightful interviews with experts, and poignant first-person stories, ending each chapter with a short practice to begin healing.

McBride empowers those who have lived through spiritual trauma or witnessed it, as well as those who want to develop healthier church environments and prevent abuse.

From the Back Cover

Rebuilding Trust, Connection, and Hope after Spiritual Trauma

Too often the institutions and communities that are meant to be the most holy in our lives end up deeply hurting us.

In Holy Hurt, clinical psychologist Hillary L. McBride sends a sincere and profound message: spiritual trauma is real and has a far-reaching impact. She also reassures us that we can remake ourselves and heal in its aftermath.

Drawing on clinical research, trauma literature, insightful interviews with experts, and poignant first-person stories, McBride shows that acknowledging the impact of spiritual trauma in our lives helps us to begin to tend our wounds individually and collectively, allowing us to reconnect with ourselves and others.

"I expected to feel understood when reading Holy Hurt, but I did not expect to be so thoroughly diagnosed beyond even my own self-awareness that I gently put the book down and made an appointment with my counselor. This particular sentence, ‘We stoke in people an inner critic and tell them it’s the voice of God,’ healed two decades of pain and confusion for me. This will be a source of profound spiritual nurture for essentially everyone I know."
--Jen Hatmaker, New York Times bestselling author; host of the For the Love podcast

"None of us are self-made and self-healed, and Hillary McBride brings many needed voices to an open table for help with mending, including her own valuable experience and gentle expertise. There is really no hurt like spiritual trauma, and McBride ‘un-haunts the house,’ inviting us into a delicate and deliberate healing that is never easy but made possible by this communal gathering of supportive voices."
--J.S. Park, hospital chaplain; author of As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve

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Contents

Contents
Introduction
1. The House Is Haunted
Mihee Kim-Kort and K.J. Ramsey on Defining Spiritual Trauma
2. Shards of Glass
J. S. Park on Fear-Based Spiritual Trauma
3. Pulling Back the Curtain
Preston Hill on the Systems and Process of Spiritual Trauma
4. All in the Family
Alison Cook and William Matthews on Learning to See Patterns That Perpetuate Spiritual Abuse
5. How We Feel
Laura Anderson on Power, Control, and the Savior Complex
6. Seeing and Believing
Alison Cook and J. S. Park on Healing
7. Mending and Meaning
Roberto Che Espinoza on Communal Healing and Belonging
8. Unsettling Ourselves
Mark Charles on the Legacy and Healing of Spiritual Trauma
Conclusion: Grief Is a Form of Hope

Product Details

• Title: Holy Hurt: Understanding Spiritual Trauma and the Process of Healing
• Author: Hillary L. McBride
• Publisher: Brazos Press
• Print Publication Date: 2025
• Logos Release Date: 2024
• Pages: 272
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Ebook
• ISBNs: 9781493449583, 9781587436598, 1587436590, 1493449583
• Resource ID: LLS:9781493449583
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-04-22T23:46:14Z

About the Author

Hillary L. McBride (PhD, University of British Columbia) is a registered psychologist and an award-winning researcher who has hosted the Other People's Problems and Holy/Hurt podcasts. She has a private practice in Victoria, British Columbia, and is a sought-after speaker and retreat leader. McBride is the author of The Wisdom of Your Body, Practices for Embodied Living, and Mothers, Daughters, and Body Image. Her work has been recognized by the American Psychological Association and the Canadian Psychological Association. Learn more at www.hillarylmcbride.com.