Elizabeth Meeshim Hogsten
Reconstructing Faith and Wholeness After Spiritual Abuse
“Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we will ever do.”
– Brené Brown
My Story
I grew up as the good Christian girl. My faith was a central part of my identity, and I longed for my life to have deep meaning and purpose. I put God first in everything.
When I was 31 years old, however, my pastors of over 7 years were removed for spiritual abuse.
I was relieved, because I had known something was deeply wrong with the church (though I had been unable to leave). But I also felt lost. Untethered. Confused. Heartbroken. I no longer trusted my inner compass. And my strongest refuge in times of trouble now felt unreliable.
I ended up moving back to the States from Korea and going to seminary, where I wrestled for 3 years with the Bible, doctrine, and various perspectives of God and ministry. I untangled the complexity of my experiences in the church, and I discovered new pathways toward wholeness I had known little of before: self-compassion, somatic (body) practices, and curiosity.
I started doing new things: joining sports clubs, dating casually, listening to podcasts outside the scope of what I had previously thought aligned with my faith. I also did 4 rounds of therapy, went in and out of various churches, conversed with many others about their church hurt, got certified as life coach, and read every book on healing I could get my hands on.
I now help others who have left high control religion and find spiritual clarity and move forward in their lives in tangible ways. While every experience is unique, there My experiences fuel my I offer to others who have experienced spiritual abuse and religious trauma. You are not alone, and you can reclaim your faith, your life, and your very self.
My Values
Self-Compassion
Intense religious communities operate with rigid rules in place (though many such communities claim to be places of freedom and empowerment). This encourages perfectionism, self-criticism, and fear. In our journeys forward, however slow or winding they may be, self-compassion is an essential companion that builds resilience in us.
Raw Honesty
In high control religion, we learn to suppress parts of ourselves to be fully accepted. Learning to be fully honest with ourselves, God, and others is a process, but it is an important pathway to wholeness.
Letting Curiosity Lead
Many religious spaces operates in black and white, in certainty. But when we start exploring with curiosity rather than assuming we know the answers, the world opens up in amazing ways.
Experience
Life Coach Certification - Lumia Life Coach Training (Oct 2023)
ICF-credentialed program where we learned advanced listening and conversational techniques to empower others.
Master's of Divinity - Fuller Theological Seminary (Sept 2022)
Studied theology, the Bible, biblical languages, approaches to ministry, and pastoral counseling.
Ministry Experience (12+ years)
Have led worship, led teams, facilitated small groups, engaged in healing ministries, preached internationally and locally, and ministered in over 9 countries.