Ep. 58 - Untwisting Spiritual Abuse: How Scripture Gets Weaponized—and How to Heal with Rebecca Davis, Author & Trauma-Informed Christian Book Coach

In this powerful episode of The Holistic Counselor Podcast, Diana sits down with Rebecca Davis, author of the Untwisting Scriptures series and a trauma-informed Christian book coach. Together, they tackle the painful but necessary topic of spiritual abuse, how Scripture has been twisted to control and silence victims, and what it really means to experience biblical healing.

Rebecca shares her own journey into this work, her years of Scripture study, and why she believes that God's heart is always on the side of the oppressed. Listeners will learn about common misused Bible verses, the dangers of church-based mind control, how religious trauma impacts mental health, and how to rebuild faith after church hurt.

This episode is especially for those wrestling with church trauma, faith deconstruction, or a distorted view of God—and for the Christian counselors and helpers trying to support them.

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What You’ll Learn:

• The origin story behind the Untwisting Scriptures series

• Commonly abused Scriptures used to control, silence, or shame victims

• Why understanding dissociation is crucial for trauma-informed care

• How religious teachings can reinforce abusive power dynamics

• The difference between dying to self vs. biblical self-denial

• The truth about spiritual bypassing, emotional suppression, and sin-leveling

• How survivors can reclaim their faith without guilt or fear

• The role of faith in healing from SRA, trafficking, and DID

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Powerful Quotes:

"Spiritual abuse often begins with three core lies: 'I'm your authority, you have the sin problem, and you need to be quiet.'"

"Dying to self is not in the Bible. Denying yourself is—but they are not the same."

"God is not the breaker—He is the healer. Evil breaks. God restores."

"You don’t have to shrink to glorify God. You can live joyfully and fully in Him."

"The Scriptures have been used like weapons—but when rightly understood, they’re actually cords of love."

"Trauma recovery and biblical truth are not at odds—they're powerful allies."

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Resources & Links:

• Visit Rebecca Davis’s website: https://heresthejoy.com

• Explore the Untwisting Scriptures series: https://untwistingscriptures.com

• Learn about her book coaching: https://rebeccadavisinfo.com

• Free Download: How to Enjoy the Bible Again After Spiritual Abuse – available at untwistingscriptures.com

• Called to Peace Ministries Retreat (Annual in May): .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}