Faith Concerns, Religious Harm & Deconstruction Therapy in Colorado
Heal with someone who has experienced her own faith transition, without an agenda.
Finding Safety After Spiritual Wounds
If you are questioning your faith, healing from religious harm, or navigating a faith transition, you are not alone. Many people come to therapy after leaving the religion of their upbringing, yet continue to carry emotional wounds, grief, or trauma from that system.
At Journey Steps Counseling, I offer faith concerns counseling and religious deconstruction therapy in Colorado for adults who want a safe, compassionate space to explore doubt, loss of faith, spiritual questions, or religious trauma without pressure or judgment.
You do not need to have everything figured out to begin. Therapy can be a place to slow down, tell the truth, and gently find your footing again.
Serving adults across Colorado via online therapy.
What Is a Faith Transition or Crisis of Faith?
A faith transition or crisis of faith looks different for everyone. In my experience as a therapist, many people come to counseling after they have already stepped away from a church, religion, or belief system, yet still feel unsettled, hurt, or confused.
For some, a faith crisis involves questioning long-held beliefs or struggling with spiritual doubt. For others, it may arise after grief, loss, abuse, or unanswered questions like, “How could God allow this to happen?”
Faith concerns therapy allows space for these questions to exist without rushing toward answers or conclusions.
A Message From Nina About Faith Transitions
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
— Anaïs Nin
How Faith Concerns and Religious Harm Affect People
Religious harm and spiritual abuse often impact people emotionally, relationally, and deeply at the level of identity.
Common experiences include:
Grief after leaving a faith community
Loss of belonging or isolation
Shame, fear, or guilt rooted in religious teachings
Strained or broken relationships with family
Identity confusion after faith loss
Existential questions about meaning and purpose
For many people, religious trauma intersects with grief and loss, making the healing process complex and layered.
Learn more about grief and loss and how support can be tailored to your experiences.
What Is Religious Deconstruction? (In Plain Language)
Religious deconstruction often sounds clinical or methodical, but in lived experience it usually feels more like an unraveling.
Deconstruction is the process of examining a belief system and beginning to question what you actually believe versus what you were taught or told to believe. It is not a problem to fix or a puzzle to solve.
In therapy, I encourage people to slow down and approach their questions with kindness and curiosity:
What started me questioning these beliefs?
What have I been carrying that no longer fits?
What would it feel like to trust myself with these questions?
Religious deconstruction therapy supports people in deciding, over time, what beliefs they want to carry forward and which ones they are ready to leave behind.
How Therapy Supports Religious Deconstruction and Faith Shifts
Therapy for faith concerns offers something many people have never had before: a space with no agenda.
In our work together, therapy provides:
A safe place to speak honestly about doubt, anger, grief, or fear
Validation rather than dismissal
Compassion instead of spiritual pressure
Support for processing religious trauma and spiritual abuse
Room to explore faith shifts without being told what you “should” believe
With nearly 40 years of lived experience in church spaces, I understand the internal language, fear, and dynamics many clients carry. At the same time, I hold no expectation about where your journey should lead.
I see my role as a trusted companion or midwife, supporting you as you find clarity and move forward in a way that feels true to you.
Common Struggles in Faith Concerns and Religious Trauma
People navigating religious harm or faith transitions often bring themes such as:
Fear of being wrong or “bad”
Anger toward the church, family, or God
Difficulty letting go of internalized religious messages
Grief over lost certainty or community
Shame related to belief, identity, or desire
Confusion about who they are without religion
Faith transition counseling helps untangle these experiences gently and at your pace.
Shifts and Breakthroughs People Often Experience
While each journey is unique, many people experience meaningful shifts through therapy for religious deconstruction, including:
A growing sense of freedom
Relief from shame and fear
Increased self-trust
Integration of past and present beliefs
Permission to believe differently—or not at all
A more spacious, compassionate relationship with themselves
Some people eventually return to faith in a very different form. Others find peace outside organized religion. Both paths are welcome here.
Is Faith Concerns Therapy Right for You?
This work may be a good fit if you:
Are questioning or leaving a faith tradition
Feel harmed by religious teachings or authority
Are navigating a faith crisis or loss of faith
Want therapy without pressure or judgment
Are seeking healing after spiritual abuse
Live in Colorado and want online therapy support
Faith Concerns Therapy in Colorado
I provide online therapy for faith concerns, religious trauma, and deconstruction across Colorado. Sessions are confidential, compassionate, and paced to meet you where you are.
If you are seeking religious deconstruction therapy or faith concerns counseling in Colorado, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
Let's Connect
Reach out for a free 15-minute online consultation
All contact forms are HIPAA-compliant and secure.
Phone
Location
Denver, CO & Online
Business Hours
Wednesday – Saturday:
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
My weekend: Sunday & Monday — messages received after 5 PM Saturday will be returned on Tuesday.
Session Options
I offer both telehealth sessions (throughout Colorado) and limited in-person sessions in Denver every other Saturday.
All communication is HIPAA-compliant and secure.
If you choose email, please check your spam folder as the first message sometimes lands there.
I respond personally within 24 hours on business days.
Ready to take your first step?
If you're ready to begin this journey with someone who truly understands, reach out for a free 15-minute online consultation.
Compassionate LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy in Denver, online across Colorado.
Get in Touch
Wednesday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
My weekend: Sunday & Monday — messages received after 5 PM Saturday will be returned on Tuesday.
Come as You Are — An Inclusive, Affirming Space
I am committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming space for all. I do not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of my activities, services, or operations. Everyone deserves to feel safe, heard, and valued.
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Nina Carter Cohen, MA, LPC | Licensed in Colorado