17 Years of Healing After Parental Abuse in 13 Minutes

How do you reconcile child abuse with parental love? How do you maintain relationships with family who have harmed you? How do you make sense of family relationships when the people who were meant to keep you safe were also the source of pain? Got a question around healing from childhood trauma, family abuse, religious trauma, or deconstructing faith? Email: ⁠[email protected] ⁠Listener questions are shared anonymously unless otherwise requested. In this episode, Lilia talks about healing after parental abuse from the perspective of someone who grew up with child abuse, childhood trauma, and religious trauma, and who has spent the last 17 years deconstructing religion and deconstructing faith, learning how to live as an adult with autonomy, safety, and choice. This conversation explores what healing actually involves once you’re out of the environment, once you’ve left home, and once you’re no longer under religious control or high-control belief systems. The impact of parental abuse doesn't disappear for adult survivors of childhood trauma, once they are independent, successful, or physically safe. The body remembers. Family dynamics still trigger painful memories. And relationships with parents or caregivers can feel confusing long after the abuse has stopped, especially for those healing after leaving religion. In this conversation, we reflect on what it’s like to grow up inside a high-control religious environment, how religious trauma shapes childhood understanding of love and obedience, and why healing from family abuse often means redefining what love actually is while deconstructing faith. This episode is for anyone who is healing from parental abuse, child abuse by parents, or childhood trauma, and who is trying to make sense of family relationships as an adult. It’s especially for people who are emotionally intelligent, self-aware, and high-functioning, but who still don’t feel safe around certain family members and don’t know how to talk about that without feeling overwhelmed, confused, or guilty, particularly those deconstructing Christianity or raised in religious cults and faith-based belief systems. Disclaimer This podcast explores personal experiences and lessons related to parental abuse, child abuse, childhood trauma, religious trauma, and faith deconstruction. The views shared belong to the host and are offered for insight and reflection. Please consume in a way that feels safe and supportive.