Author ORCID Identifier:
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education (PhD)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Counseling, Leadership, and Research Methods
Advisor/Mentor
Higgins, Kristin
Committee Member
Christian, Daivd
Second Committee Member
Popejoy, Erin
Third Committee Member
Lundeen, Lindsay
Keywords
disaffiliation; exvangelical; photo elicitation; religious trauma; visual narrative inquiry
Abstract
Widespread abuse within religious institutions has challenged the assumption that religion inherently supports mental health, while rising rates of religious disaffiliation often cite trauma as a key factor. Individuals leaving harmful religious environments report a range of outcomes—from increased autonomy to emotional distress—yet research on post-disaffiliation experiences is limited. As the religious landscape of the U.S. shows decrease in religious affiliation, and stories of abuse and trauma circulate, the experience of leaving a religious community because of harm is a needed area for further inquiry. Using visual narrative inquiry, this qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of those who have left traumatic religious contexts, particularly evangelical Christianity, which is currently the highest percent of religious identification in the United States. Fourteen adult participants were recruited using purposeful sampling in a midsize southern city. All participants self-identified as having experienced religious trauma and left an evangelical Christian community at least six months prior. The study used interviews and photographs to explore the structure and content of personal leaving narratives, the process of rebuilding identity, and the expressive power of photographs in conveying trauma beyond verbal language. Through the exploration of narratives and photographs, ten themes related to the story of before, during, and after leaving are presented, seven related to the leaving narrative and three related to identity construction. Implications for counselors supporting individuals in the journey of religious trauma and disaffiliation from an evangelical Christian community are discussed along with recommendations for future research.
Citation
Humphrey, E. (2026). The Line in The Sand: Visual Narratives of Religious Trauma and Leaving Evangelicalism. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6204
