Begin Again

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Has Abuse of Conscience become part of normal Catholic life?

"If you don't help correct him, he will go to hell. Do you want that on your conscience?" "A good and faithful Catholic will never do X." "If you do this and you don't go to confession before you receive Communion, you are risking your eternal soul because you are in mortal sin." "If you don't st...

Oct 12, 2025

What has Spiritual Abuse to do with our Integration Journey?

In this past year I have been wondering how my own journey of healing and integration led me into recognising the impact of spiritual abuse in my life - both as survivor and unwitting perpetrator. And maybe some of you who have been following my content for more than a year have wondered the sam...

Sep 29, 2025

How Culture, Disembodied Faith and Trauma Facilitate Spiritual Abuse

How can trying to grow in holiness be anything other than good? I grew up reading stories about the saints. When I was older I read the writings of saints. Catholic apologetics, spirituality, theology, philosophy - when I was in my twenties I read as much as I was able and took university level ...

Sep 09, 2025

Spiritual Abuse in Evangelisation and Discipleship

Growth and maturation is such an interesting process to observe in ourselves individually but also in our communities and in the Church collectively. I recall that back in 2009 when I started my season of full-time ecclesial ministry in a parish, I was on fire to evangelise and try and make disci...

Aug 26, 2025

Spiritual Abuse in a Catholic Context

If you wish to learn about spiritual abuse in a Catholic context, there is a workshop you need to know about! I share about this workshop at the end of this reflection. If you had asked me 12 years ago when I was in full-time parish ministry overseeing evangelisation, faith formation and disciple...

Jul 27, 2025

How Complex Trauma Froze My Heart to God's Mercy

A Sharing for Divine Mercy Sunday "Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy..." As a Catholic, I sang that at every mass. But the truth was that for most of my life, my body felt rather frozen when I sang those words because I honestly did not know how to mean them. Intellectually, I u...

Apr 27, 2025

"Seeking Christ Elsewhere": A Reflection on Pope Francis' Final Easter Homily

On Easter Monday morning (in Singapore), I wrote a reflection on what has turned out to be Pope Francis' final Easter homily just a few hours before news of his passing was announced by the Vatican. I had planned to send this out on Divine Mercy Sunday, but decided to send it out now on the day ...

Apr 21, 2025

Navigating Holy Week Through Spiritual Trauma & Healing

I have something precious to share with those who struggle with Holy Week: For those who get dysregulated during this week and do not understand why... for those who dissociate in order to get through the liturgy this week... for those who feel shame and guilt for not loving Holy Week or Easter a...

Apr 16, 2025

Lament, Hope and Healing: Resources on Spiritual Abuse

Right before Ash Wednesday this year, I completed a 5 week online Spiritual Abuse Workshop with Paul Fahey, mental health counselor, catechist, and host of the Third Space podcast, a podcast which Paul describes is "for those who see the beauty of Catholicism, as well as the ugliness, who have ex...

Apr 13, 2025

I gaslighted myself into believing I was loved

An old friend of mine who teachers music to young children shared with me recently via messaging that a young 4 year old student one day came up to her and matter-of-factly stated, "My mommy doesn't care about me." I didn't ask my friend how she responded to that child, but what did strike me was...

Feb 16, 2025

How unprocessed generational trauma distorted my faith

My dear fellow pilgrim, have you ever wondered how unprocessed trauma in your family and culture of origin may have distorted how you relate to God and live out your faith? After I fell in love with Christ, I decided that my faith would be the most important determinant of my identity. I thought...

by Ann Yeong — Jan 05, 2025 faith healing integration trauma

I discovered my faith was a trauma response. Now I'm seeking a faith that is a freely-willed response to Love.

One of the most significant discoveries I made in 2024 was that my cherished Catholic faith - as I have known and experienced it for most of my life - has been a trauma response. That is, the way I have understood, absorbed and practiced my Catholic faith has been from a place of compulsion and n...

Dec 29, 2024 deconstruction faith healing integration trauma

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