What if the place where you expected to find God became the place where you were hurt? For some women, spiritual wounds can affect much more than their relationship with a church. Spiritual trauma and wounding can affect your ability to pray, how you engage with the Bible, your willingness to be in community, and even your ability to trust God. The stakes are high! In this NEW Bold, Brave & Beautiful podcast episode, I'm honored to speak with Colleen Ramser, author of The Shattered Soul: Restoring Wholeness and Rebuilding Your Faith After Spiritual Trauma. She's an EMDR-certified licensed professional counselor and trauma specialist who works at the intersection of trauma and faith. Most of all, Colleen brings both professional expertise and personal experience as a survivor of trauma to this important conversation. We talk honestly about spiritual abuse and the ways these experiences can shape how we see ourselves, other people, and God. Colleen also shares what healing can look like when we refuse to minimize what happened but also don't want our wounds to have the final word. If you've experienced spiritual hurt or if you love someone who has. This powerful conversation offers compassion, honesty, and hope. My prayer is that this episode reminds you that being wounded by people does not mean you have to walk away from God. Resources From This Episode: The Shattered Soul Colleen's Website Colleen's Facebook Page Here, Not There Podcast Hosted by Colleen Ramser About Today's Guest: Colleen Ramser, MA, is an EMDR-certified licensed professional counselor (LPC), speaker, and writer who meets Christ followers at the intersection of trauma and faith. She is a sought-after trauma specialist—particularly on issues of spiritual abuse, domestic abuse, and complex trauma—and she has spent years journeying with souls in the church and within the scope of her clinical practice. Colleen also frequently speaks to pastors, ministry leaders, organizations, and other mental health professionals who desire to help survivors individually and to address systemic harm. She has appeared on podcasts such as The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and The Slow Work. As a survivor of trauma, Colleen is a compassionate witness on the journey, bringing not only her clinical expertise but also a deep knowing of dark nights and the breath of new mercies. Colleen lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and two kids and enjoys being swallowed up by God's beautiful landscapes and catching a good pun. Share The Episode: Know a woman who needs this reminder that God's love is steady even when life isn't? Share this episode with her! Bold, Brave & Beautiful releases new episodes on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Find all the episodes in the podcast archive at BarbRoose.com/podcast About Your Host: Barb Roose is a Christian speaker, Bible teacher and author who helps overwhelmed women stop carrying the things God never asked them to carry so those women can experience God's peace, freedom, and purpose. She speaks nationally and internationally at conferences and retreats, including Aspire Women's Events, ECPA Leadership Summit, Proverbs 31 COMPEL and She Speaks Conference. Barb is the author of seven Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle, and five books, including Stronger Than Stress. She hosts the Bold, Brave & Beautiful podcast and writes her weekly Happy Monday devotional. Barb is the proud mom of three adult kids. She lives in northwest Ohio and prefers to eat dessert first.