Hello, dear friend! I’m so glad you’re here.
If your heart feels heavy from church hurt or spiritual abuse, if you’ve ever felt crushed by legalism, controlled by religious leaders, or burdened by fear-based faith—I want you to know: you are not alone, and you are not beyond healing.
About Me
I’m Melodi, and I serve women who’ve been wounded in the very places where they should have been safe, in church a ministry, or faith community. Through compassionate writing, trauma-informed education, and soul-centered support, I help women break free from fear-based faith, deconstruct lies and reconstruct your faith, and reclaim your peace.
Education and Credentials
I hold a Master of Arts in Crisis and Trauma Response Counseling and am currently in the dissertation phase of my Ph.D. in Psychology. My research focuses on women impacted by legalism and patriarchal control in spiritually abusive environments. This is a topic that is both academic and deeply personal for me.
My Approach
My approach blends psychological insight and spiritual care, grounded in research, empathy, and biblical truth. Whether you’re just starting to question your experience or already deep into your healing journey, I’m here to remind you that you’re not crazy, you’re not broken—and you are absolutely not alone.
With a background in trauma counseling and over four years of experience supporting women facing anxiety, depression, PTSD, and panic, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply spiritual wounds can impact mental health.
My goal is never to “fix” you, but to walk beside you until you feel strong, grounded, and free.
Current Offerings
You’ll find me on Substack and on my podcast, When Church Hurts: Healing from Spiritual Abuse, where I share honest stories, research-based tools, and faith-filled encouragement for the road to recovery. While the podcast and articles are not identical, they walk hand-in-hand to support your journey with love and clarity.
These offerings are designed to meet you where you are—with grace, wisdom, and hope.
You can reach out to me through this button:
Why I Do This
More than a decade ago, I walked away from legalism, patriarchy, and fundamentalism. I had once followed the teachings of Bill Gothard, teachings that promised blessings but were built on control and, as we now know, deception and abuse.
As a young widow navigating faith, parenting, and church pressure, I experienced the weight of man-made rules that suffocated my spirit. Leaving wasn’t easy, but it was the beginning of freedom. And now, I help women walk that same path toward healing.
My Credentials
M.A. in Crisis and Trauma Response Counseling
Liberty University
Member of
American Association of Christian Counselors
since 2015
B.S. in Psychology
Liberty University
Ph.D. Candidate in Psychology
Walden University (Dissertation Phase)
Completion of Certificates in
Narrative Trauma Therapy
Allender Center
My journey out of legalism…
Way back then…
It was a Sunday morning when God showed me how I had put my man-made rules before Him. This broke my heart. I never want anything to come before Him. But this was just the beginning of my journey.
Only months before, my husband had died in an auto accident.
While he was living, I was protected from other men in the church, but now they could put pressure on me to conform to the implied man-made rules. It was either do what they said or leave.
I will always choose to follow Jesus, so we left.
Panic, anxiety, and being overwhelmed, but as the days passed, the oppression began to lift and then breathe.
I didn’t know I wasn’t breathing.
Ultimately, I would have to move 2 hours away to get the church people to stop badgering my kids, but eventually, we were free.