Understanding Spiritual Abuse: What It Is and How to Respond

Spiritual abuse is a widespread—and often misunderstood—issue. Church leaders may not understand how spiritual abuse manifests and spreads; meanwhile, the impact of spiritual abuse can be devastating to victims, damaging their relationships with themselves, the church, and God. In Understanding Spiritual Abuse: What It Is and How to Respond, professor and licensed counselor Karen Roudkovski offers wisdom, clarity, and hope for those seeking to understand the nature of spiritual abuse and how to heal. Based on her extensive research and clinical experience, Roudkovski explains:  What spiritual abuse is, how the term arose, and what makes it distinct.  Methods for assessing whether spiritual abuse has occurred, including instructions for the Spiritual Abuse Assessment (9781430086970). The tactics of spiritual abusers, including control, grooming, deception, and lack of accountability.  The trauma of spiritual abuse, encompassing spiritual, emotional, physical, and relational harm.  Sugg