Hi, my name is Carolyn Waterstradt. I have a Master of Art in Theology and will graduate with a Master of Social Work in April 2012.
I am also the owner of Inner Quest Healing whose mission is to help create new life after clergy sexual abuse and assault. I offer retreats for people whose lives have been impacted by clergy sexual abuse and teach boundary trainings and speak to groups and organizations about clergy sexual abuse in an effort to prevent such abuse from taking place. In May 2012 my first book, Fighting the Good Fight: Healing and Advocacy after Clergy Sexual Assault, will be available. The book is based on my research with eighteen survivors of clergy sexual assault and focuses on their journeys toward wholeness. If you are someone who has been abused by a clergyperson or spiritual leader, you can heal and live a rewarding and fulfilling life.
This site is for informational purposes only. It should not be construed as advice or therapy.
My website can be found at http://www.innerquesthealing.com/.
Comments on: "About" (3)
Excellent topic and support you are offering. Trauma can steal identity and life away from us. Sexual trauma in childhood from the clergy or a family member claims the lives of so many.
The physical wound heals however the mental damge grows with time. All complex PTSD suffers have low self esteem packaged with vulnerabilities, doubt, guilt and a healthy portion of shame.
The clergy part of this trauma brings religion and beliefs aboard. This kind of trauma does not heal, eassily or quickly. It is entertwined in our development. It takes a daily practice and maximum effort to budge this disorder.
In Rick Hansons Buddhas Brain he explains how we construct the ego out of old memories woven together to make a story, who am I. We can remake this “I” into a more positive happy soul. Self talk is also improtant.
Nice to see another person supporting those who suffer.
Marty
Interesting now, that I see you followed 18 survivors. Now many questions surface to pick your brain. please share your access and how trauma impacted their lives. The time frame, challenges, worst symptoms and how are they?
I grew up as an altar boy in the Catholic church by my trauma was not sexual or clergy. This abuse though has driven me away from the Catholic church or maybe the men who run it. Man seems to mess up,religion and spiritual journeys.
The therapuetic world needs to do studies and have some input on what works best and quickest.
Marty, you’re right that self-blame does accompany PTSD and sometimes the community also blames the victim/survivor which makes PTSD even more severe. Creating a new story about “who one is” is a vital part of healing but this can be made more difficult if the community is telling a blame the victim story.
The women I interviewed came from snowball and convenience samples and the biggest challenge seemed to be spiritual healing. However, spirituality was a dimension which many therapists left untouched and this was sad because if someone has been abused by a religious or spiritual leader it may be difficult for them to look to such a leader for help with their spiritual healing. When this is the case, the therapist must find a way to address spirituality with the client.
You are right that the therapeutic world needs more studies on this subject. My research on spiritual healing after clergy sexual abuse was exploratory and I could find no previous study on this topic with this population and many questions were raised.
If anyone knows of a study on spiritual healing please post a link.