Healing the Wound: Treating Religious Trauma through a Christian Counseling Lens (Part 2)

1. Content Description

This continuing education program examines the clinical, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of betrayal trauma within the context of spiritual authority, with a specific focus on harm caused by spiritual leaders and faith-based authority figures. The training explores how betrayal trauma uniquely impacts clients when abuse is perpetrated by individuals perceived to hold divine or moral authority, including clergy and spiritually influential family members.

Participants will gain an understanding of the psychological, physiological, emotional, and spiritual consequences of such trauma, including disruptions in attachment, identity, trust, and spiritual beliefs. The course also addresses the compounded effects of familial spiritual abuse, including “double bind” dynamics and long-term relational and identity challenges.

The program integrates trauma-informed clinical approaches such as psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), narrative therapy, and somatic regulation strategies, while emphasizing ethical considerations drawn from the American Counseling Association and National Board for Certified Counselors Codes of Ethics. Special attention is given to maintaining appropriate boundaries, avoiding value imposition, and obtaining informed consent for faith-based integration.

Additionally, the course introduces clinically appropriate faith-informed reframing techniques that support healing without minimizing harm or engaging in spiritual bypassing. Practical tools are provided to help clinicians support clients in differentiating spiritual abuse from authentic faith, restoring a healthy conceptualization of God when appropriate, and facilitating recovery in a manner that is both ethically sound and culturally responsive.

2. Learning Objectives (NBCC-Compliant)

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Define betrayal trauma within the context of spiritual authority and identify its clinical and spiritual symptom presentation.
Describe the compounded psychological and relational impact of spiritual abuse when the perpetrator is a parent or close family member.
Identify key ethical considerations, including value imposition, informed consent for faith integration, and role clarity, when working with clients impacted by religious trauma.
Apply trauma-informed clinical interventions, including psychoeducation, CBT-based thought restructuring, narrative therapy, and somatic grounding techniques, in the treatment of spiritual betrayal trauma.
Differentiate between adaptive faith-based coping and maladaptive processes such as spiritual bypassing in clinical practice.
Utilize appropriate faith-integrated reframing strategies that support client healing while maintaining ethical and clinical boundaries.

3. Number of NBCC Hours

1.0 NBCC Continuing Education Hour

(Note: Includes podcast instruction plus supplemental reading material, if applicable, to meet time requirements.)

4. Registration Requirements & Cost

Join the membership and you will be able to enroll through the Christ in Private Practice learning platform.

Cost Options:

Included with CE Membership

5. NBCC Approval: Christ in Private Practice, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 8038. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Christ in Private Practice, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Target Audience:
Mental health professionals including:
LPCs, LCSWs, LMFTs, psychologists, and other behavioral health providers.

This course is approved for NBCC continuing education credit. Many licensing boards accept NBCC-approved CE; however, participants are responsible for confirming acceptance with their individual state licensing boards.

Instructional Level

Intermediate

Delivery Method

On-demand podcast training with supplemental materials

View our Refund, Grievance, and ADA Policies here.

1. Refund & Cancellation Policy

At Christ in Private Practice, Inc., we strive to provide high quality continuing education. If you are unable to attend a live virtual event or are unsatisfied with a recorded home-study course, our policy is as follows:

Live Virtual Events: Full refunds are available if requested at least 7 days prior to the event start date. Cancellations made within 7 days of the event may be eligible for a credit toward a future course.

On-Demand/Home-Study: Due to the digital nature of these courses, refunds are generally not provided once the course material has been accessed or the certificate has been issued.

Provider Cancellation: In the rare event that Christ in Private Practice, Inc. must cancel a live program, all registrants will be notified immediately and offered a full refund or a transfer to a rescheduled date.

2. Grievance Policy

Christ in Private Practice, Inc. is committed to conducting all activities in accordance with the NBCC Continuing Education Provider Policy. While we aim to provide a seamless experience, we understand that grievances may arise.

Submission: Participants may submit a complaint in writing to hello@christinprivatepractice.com within 30 days of the course completion.

Review: Camille McDaniel, LPC, will personally review the grievance within 10 business days of receipt.

Resolution: We will attempt to resolve the issue through direct communication with the participant. This may include providing a refund, offering a complimentary course, or adjusting administrative records.

Escalation: If a resolution cannot be reached, the participant has the right to contact the NBCC directly.

3. ADA Compliance & Accommodations

Christ in Private Practice, Inc. is dedicated to providing an inclusive learning environment. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we invite participants with special needs to contact us at hello@christinprivatepractice.com at least two weeks prior to a live event. We will make every reasonable effort to provide accommodations, such as closed captioning for videos or digital formats of printed materials, to ensure all clinicians can fully participate in our CE programs.

4. Non-Discrimination Policy

Christ in Private Practice, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, gender, or sexual orientation in any of its education activities or employment practices. While courses may discuss clinical work through a faith-based lens, participants are not required to adhere to any specific religious beliefs to receive NBCC credit.

Presenter / Bio & Qualifications

Camille McDaniel, LPC

Camille McDaniel is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia with over 20 years of clinical experience. She is the founder of Healing Psychotherapy Practices of Georgia, LLC and Christ in Private Practice, Inc., where she equips mental health professionals through consulting, continuing education, and clinical training.

Camille has served as an adjunct professor in undergraduate psychology and graduate-level counseling programs and has over a decade of experience in higher education. She has presented at professional events including Richmont University and the Faith, Healing, and Transformation Summit.

Her work focuses on strengthening clinical discernment at the intersection of biological, psychological, and ethical practice, with a specialized emphasis on integrating faith in a way that is both clinically responsible and ethically sound.

Camille McDaniel specializes in helping clinicians navigate complex clinical presentations that intersect with faith, including spiritual abuse and ethical faith integration. Her combined experience in clinical practice, education, and professional training uniquely positions her to teach this topic with both depth and practical application.