Religious Trauma Therapy Austin, TX
Online therapy for women navigating healing, rebuilding self-trust, and creating a future that feels like their own.
If questioning your faith feels like pulling a thread that might unravel everything—your identity, your relationships, your community—you’re not alone
I can help you navigate self-doubt, rigid rules, and the fear of losing connection as you step into a life that finally feels like your own.
This might sound familiar if you’ve experienced religious trauma or are questioning your beliefs:
Constant moral surveillance. You might feel watched even when alone—by God, by an internalized authority—so relaxation brings guilt instead of relief.
Shame without a clear cause. You may have a low-grade sense of being “wrong” or “dirty,” especially around normal human desires (anger, sex, ambition, curiosity).
Fear of punishment that doesn’t turn off. You know intellectually that hell, rapture, or divine retribution might not be real anymore, but still feeling panic in the body when you “disobey.”
Grief for a self that never got to exist. Mourning the person you might have been if curiosity, queerness, doubt, or creativity hadn’t been labeled sinful.
Cognitive Patterns
All-or-nothing thinking. You may struggle with nuance because you were trained that things are either holy or evil, saved or lost, obedient or rebellious.
Thought policing. Panic or self-punishment for intrusive thoughts, doubts, or questions—believing that thinking something is as bad as doing it.
Difficulty trusting your own judgment. Always second-guessing decisions and seeking external authority because autonomy was framed as dangerous or prideful.
Body-Based & Nervous System Experiences
Anxiety that feels “spiritual.” Tight chest, nausea, dissociation, or shaking that originally got labeled as conviction, sin awareness, or the presence of God.
Discomfort in the body. Especially if the religion was body-negative—feeling disconnected from hunger, pleasure, sexuality, or rest.
Relationship & Social Impacts
Fear of abandonment. Love once felt conditional—on belief, obedience, or behavior—so disagreement now feels like it risks total rejection.
People-pleasing as survival. Being “good,” agreeable, and self-sacrificing to avoid punishment or withdrawal of love.
Difficulty with boundaries. Saying no feels cruel or sinful; prioritizing yourself feels like betrayal.
Estrangement grief. Losing family, community, or identity after leaving—or staying physically but feeling emotionally exiled.
Hi, I’m Allison Quiñones, LCSW, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Austin, TX and founder of Quinones Counseling. I specialize in online religious trauma therapy, helping adults heal from oppressive belief systems and develop self-acceptance in ways that honor their story and values. I offer a compassionate, judgment-free space where we can sit with discomfort, gently shift long-held beliefs, and support you in finding more clarity, ease, and joy in your life.
I’m an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist who believes healing happens through relationships grounded in safety, trust, and compassion. I bring an understanding of Western Christian culture while offering trauma-informed, non-religious therapy—so you don’t have to over-explain your background or feel guided toward a belief system that no longer fits.
With 12 years of experience working with adolescents and adults navigating trauma, anxiety, and depression, I believe healing is possible. Whether you’re deconstructing, unlearning, or redefining your identity after leaving an oppressive community, I will meet you where you are and support a holistic healing process that honors the whole person.
