For many Black religious trauma survivors, joy, pleasure, and rest were things we were taught to earn—or avoid. We were told to “suffer for the Lord,” to always be productive in service, and to deny ourselves rest or happiness in the name of holiness. Over time, these teachings disconnected us from the simple, sacred experiences of *feeling good*, *being still*, and *embracing joy without guilt.*

In this group space we’ll explore how religious control and spiritual abuse robbed us of our right to enjoy life fully—and how we can begin to **reclaim joy, pleasure, and rest** as birthrights, not rewards. Together, we’ll reflect on what was lost, what still lives inside us, and how to restore our connection to the things that make us feel alive, whole, and free.

This is a space for Black survivors to share, heal, and reimagine what life can look like beyond spiritual exhaustion and shame. Come as you are—and let’s begin to reclaim what was never meant to be taken from us.

Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network

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Vaughn Hart

Reclaiming Joy, Pleasure and Rest after Black Religious Trauma

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Religious trauma doesn’t just harm us individually—it disrupts our connection to others. For many Black survivors, religious spaces were the center of our communities, our families, and our social lives. Leaving those spaces often meant losing our support systems, facing isolation, or feeling like we no longer belonged.

This final session of the *Reclamation Series* is a space to reflect on **what community means now**, after religious trauma. Together, we’ll explore how spiritual abuse and church harm shaped our relationships, what it means to trust others again, and how we can begin to rebuild meaningful, safe, and empowering connections outside of religious control.

Reclaiming community is about finding belonging on our own terms—not through fear, obligation, or performance, but through authenticity, care, and mutual respect.

Join us as we close the series by honoring our journey and reflecting on how we can reconnect with community, with self, and with others—*without losing ourselves again.*

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Reclaiming our Relationship to Community After Religious Trauma

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Black Religious Trauma Recovery Network

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