09 | The #1 Reason Christian Women Still Feel Invisible: Healing Religious Trauma Through God's Love

Have you ever felt that tension between the God you personally sense and the religious expectations around you?

Maybe you've spent years making yourself small to keep everyone else comfortable, while your true self remains hidden even from those closest to you. You've perfected what I call "helpful invisibility"—being indispensable but somehow still unseen. People notice your service, your put-together life, your ability to care for others, but no one really knows your dreams, your struggles, or who you are when the lights dim.

Episode Description

If you've ever felt invisible in the ways that matter most—seen on the surface but unknown in your depths—this episode is for you. Today we're exploring the #1 hidden barrier of religious trauma that keeps Christian women feeling unseen: the belief "I'm invisible."

Through Simone's powerful story of navigating the tension between the God she sensed and religious expectations around her, we'll uncover how religious environments can teach women that being seen is dangerous, prideful, or inappropriate. You'll discover why invisibility isn't humility—it's often a survival strategy that once kept you safe but now keeps you from the deep connection with God and others that your heart is longing for.

This isn't about becoming the center of attention. It's about recognizing that you were never meant to disappear, and that the God who sees you has been calling you by name out of hiding and into the light all along. Through biblical grounding in the story of the woman with the issue of blood, you'll see how Jesus stops everything to notice those who feel invisible and calls them "Daughter."

In this episode, you'll discover:

→ Why "helpful invisibility" is actually a trauma response, not a spiritual gift—and how to recognize it in your own life → How religious trauma teaches women that being seen is dangerous for their souls and spiritualizes self-erasure as virtue → The beautiful truth about Jesus stopping everything to see the woman who touched His robe—and how He restores her name, place, and visibility → One simple practice called "the one true thing" to start letting yourself be seen in small, safe ways → How your visibility becomes an invitation for other women to step out of hiding too

Your Practice for This Week

When someone asks how you are, pause and share one true thing instead of automatically saying "fine." Notice what it feels like to let yourself be known, even in that small way.

Healing Truth

You are not invisible to the One who made you. You never have been. Learning to be seen by others starts with remembering that you've always been seen by Him. The woman who shows up fully, who speaks truth, who takes her rightful place—she's not someone you have to become. She's who you've always been, waiting to be uncovered.

🎧 Ready to go deeper?

Discover your personal healing path: Take our free Religious Trauma Assessment at ReligiousTraumaQuiz.com and uncover which of the 12 hidden barriers might be shaping your relationship with God, yourself, and others. You'll receive a personalized report plus my complete Essentials Starter Kit—including my book He Is Enough, Truth Over Tradition mini-course, live reading circles, and access to our supportive community—all completely FREE as my thank you for taking this brave step.

Transform your story completely: Join the Coming Home Journey at TheComingHomeJourney.com—a six-month guided experience to unravel religious trauma, instill God's truth, and create your new story alongside women who truly understand. 

About Debra

I'm Debra Shafer, spiritual healing coach for Christian women and founder of the Healing Religious Trauma Circle. For over seven years, I've walked alongside women who love God deeply but feel silenced, anxious, or spiritually disconnected because of hidden trauma. I know this path personally—I've lived it myself—and I've seen what happens when women finally name what harmed them: they come alive again in their faith.

Listener Love

If this episode helped you feel less alone, would you share it with someone who needs this gentle truth? And a quick review on Apple Podcasts helps more women find their way to healing religious trauma and discover the safe, loving relationship with God they've always longed for.

This isn't surface-level faith advice. It's soul-level restoration for Christian women healing from religious trauma who long for inner peace, spiritual healing, and the ability to trust God completely. Through addressing generational trauma and nurturing true connection, we help you experience God's love in the deepest way. Strengthen your relationship with a safe, loving God.