Doreen Virtue, Religious Trauma, and My New Age Journey

Doreen Virtue, Religious Trauma and My Journey to the New Age

A while back on The Tarot Hive Substack, I mentioned wanting to write about Doreen Virtue again because of the massive impact her conversion to fundamentalism had on the spiritual community. I’d been dragging my feet, as revisiting this subject felt heavy, but a video that showed up in my feed last night lit a fire under me. Here’s why I feel compelled to address this.

Doreen Virtue’s Claims and Their Impact

In the video, former New Age author Doreen Virtue accuses Oprah Winfrey of promoting a demonic, occult agenda through her show and associated media. She alleges that Oprah and numerous guests use their platforms to disseminate New Age beliefs that contradict biblical Christianity, exploiting the vulnerabilities of trauma survivors.

Doreen goes on to highlight specific books and authors, labelling their teachings as spiritually harmful. She claims that New Age spirituality is of the Devil and acts as a form of dissociation for trauma survivors.

As a trauma survivor, I found these claims deeply troubling. Videos like this can be psychologically damaging, especially for those who’ve experienced both Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and religious trauma. Given Doreen’s background—a B.A. and M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Chapman University—I believe she could approach such topics with greater nuance and care.

The Link Between CPTSD and Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS)

CPTSD and religious trauma are closely intertwined. Engaging in fundamentalist religion can serve as a coping mechanism for trauma survivors. For me, it provided a sense of control, stability, and purpose in my late teens. However, it also allowed me to dissociate from the root causes of my trauma by immersing myself in strict doctrines, rituals, and a community that discouraged questioning.

I spent a decade (1987-1997) in dogmatic religion, even attending Bible college and marrying a preacher’s son. But despite my best efforts to forgive my abusers and “leave the past behind,” as Jesus taught, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Religion had become another layer of dissociation, keeping me from truly addressing my trauma.

Finding My Way Out

By 1997, I decided to take my healing into my own hands. Books by New Age authors like Caroline Myss and James Redfield were instrumental in this process. After moving to the UK, I discovered The Lightworker’s Way by Doreen Virtue.

One of the most impactful parts of her book was her discussion of “religious abuse”—a term that closely aligns with what we now call Religious Trauma Syndrome. Her words made me feel seen and safe as I began exploring alternative spirituality.

The term Religious Trauma Syndrom didn’t exist in the 90s but “religion abuse” is pretty close. Reading this was one of the main reasons I started paying attention to Doreen Virtue. She became one of my main teachers as I started diving into alternative spirituality because her words made me feel safe.

Safe, But Not Deep

As I delved deeper into New Age teachings, I noticed that Doreen’s work often skimmed the surface of topics. Still, I kept returning to her teachings, partly because they felt safe. She spoke positively about Jesus, which allowed me to hold on to certain aspects of my Christian faith while exploring new spiritual paths. This was comforting, as I still wrestled with the fear—rooted in toxic shame—that my salvation depended on belief in the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Over time, I realised that this fear, a product of religious trauma, had a death grip on me. I was clinging to Doreen’s teachings as a “just-in-case” measure instead of fully confronting and healing my own toxic shame

If you don’t know who you are, other people will define you.

Doreen Virtue’s Conversion

Doreen’s 2017 conversion to fundamentalist Christianity marked a turning point. Initially, I hoped she might bridge New Age teachings with the true essence of Christ’s message. Instead, she leaned into fundamentalist Pauline dispensationalism. Her increasingly dogmatic views triggered unprocessed aspects of my religious trauma.

Her recent video blaming Oprah for her New Age involvement felt like a new low. Doreen alleges that Oprah’s platform “deceived” her by exposing her to New Age teachers and their teachings.

This shift in her narrative feels disingenuous and dismissive of her own agency. She also accused Oprah of “shocking heresy”. Somebody needs to tell Doreen that you can only be a “heretic” if you claim to be a Christian.

What Dissociation Actually Is

Can New Age spirituality enable dissociation? Of course—and I’ve used it that way myself. But dissociation isn’t unique to New Age practices. For me, evangelical Christianity and later Catholicism were even more effective tools for dissociation. Focusing on religious doctrine meant I didn’t have to get to know myself.

In contrast, many New Age practices encourage personal accountability and shadow work—a stark difference from the “pray it away” approach of fundamentalist Christianity. A balanced discussion of dissociation should acknowledge that it can manifest in any context, spiritual or otherwise, and often stems from unresolved trauma.

Lessons from My Journey

In 2020, the global climate and unprocessed CPTSD triggered a relapse into religious trauma. I temporarily sought refuge in religion, longing for the safety it once provided. But it didn’t take long to realise that it no longer worked for me. By early 2023, I finally found the resources and support I needed to unravel RTS and stay grounded in who I am.

This journey has taught me the importance of stepping out of all-or-nothing thinking. Healing from religious trauma requires nuance, self-awareness, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. As Iain McGilchrist wisely said: “Anyone who claims absolute certainty about a thing is almost certainly wrong.”

A Call for Truth and Nuance

Doreen’s claims about New Age spirituality and dissociation could benefit from greater nuance. Dissociation is not unique to spirituality. It can arise in any religious, cultural, or even secular context. It is often influenced by an individual’s psychological state and how they approach these practices.

Rather than painting New Age spirituality with broad strokes, a more constructive approach would involve offering tools to help people recognise and address dissociative tendencies, no matter their spiritual path.

If you’ve experienced religious trauma or struggled with dissociation, know that you’re not alone. Healing is possible, and it begins with the courage to question and the willingness to rediscover yourself outside the confines of rigid belief systems.

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View Comments (2)
  1. I just recently have come across people speaking of religious trauma and I’m not sure if that’s just because it’s being spoken about recently or not.. Even though I carry physical, sexual psychological, and every other trauma, this is what I do not carry and I can understand how it can be confusing when going through a spiritual awakening and having this wound. Being brought up with no religion I Was able to look into multiple religions and pull what it is that resonated with me for my own beliefs with my spiritual awakening. I now see that this was a blessing after reading your post.. Not to be insensitive, I do feel Doreen virtue Was not in a place that was to be as ill will when I felt into that it felt to me like she was experiencing some kind of spiritual Crisis or rapid ascension that possibly caused some short Circuits for lack of better word, I know from me that I went through a fast ascension that Shattered my reality and put me into almost a psychotic break again I’m not making excuses for her. I’m only trying to reflect what it is that the spiritual journeys about and it’s nonjudgment and respecting others paths.- Perhaps she had a very deep dark shadow cycle Iwhich she had to face some dark realities- I know My last cycle was traumatic in its own. Keep speaking your truth keep sharing about this because I don’t believe It’s being talked about enough. Much love – oh and perhaps you being triggered By her antics is confirmation of the need to adress the wound of religious trauma – you will be a wayshower for others

    1. Hi Shay, I’m sorry to hear you went through so much trauma. You’re not being insensitive by saying you don’t believe Doreen was in a place of ill will. That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. I prefer to not guess about her mental state at the time. It seems rather pointless, especially so long after the fact. I’m no longer triggered by Doreen. I will probably only speak about this again if somebody contacts me directly for guidance. I blogged a lot about my recovery from RTS over on my other blog. Blessings, Lisa

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