THE DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL BYPASSING IN TRAUMA RECOVERY
Warning! Some of the material about trauma has the potential to trigger an individual’s pain. Please seek support if you find yourself being triggered.

Trauma can have a profound and lasting impact on an individual’s life, leaving them with physical, emotional, and psychological scars that can persist for years or even a lifetime. In their search for healing, many individuals turn to spiritual practices, such as meditation, mindfulness, and yoga, as a means of coping with their trauma. However, the use of spiritual practices as a means of avoiding or “bypassing” the difficult emotions and experiences associated with trauma can be problematic and can even cause harm.

Spiritual bypassing refers to the tendency to use spiritual practices as a means of avoiding or denying the difficult emotions and experiences that are associated with trauma. Instead of processing and integrating their trauma, individuals may use spiritual practices as a way of escaping their pain or numbing their emotions. This can create an illusion of healing that is not rooted in reality and can prevent individuals from truly facing and working through their trauma.

Furthermore, spiritual bypassing can also prevent individuals from seeking out the professional help that they need to heal from their trauma. Psychotherapy is a critical component of trauma recovery, providing individuals with a safe and supportive environment in which to process their emotions, work through their pain, and gain insight into the underlying causes of their trauma. Bypassing the difficult work of psychotherapy and relying solely on spiritual practices can prevent individuals from accessing the full range of resources that are available to help them heal.

In conclusion, spiritual practices can be a valuable tool in helping individuals to heal from trauma. However, it is important to avoid spiritual bypassing and to ensure that these practices are used in conjunction with professional psychotherapy. This will provide individuals with a holistic approach to healing that is rooted in reality and that addresses the full range of physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms associated with trauma.

Reach out to us! At Blossom we can provide you the space where you can get this dialogue started between you and your therapist.