Reading selections from Robert Stolorow’s autobiographical book, "Trauma and Human Existence," the group will explore and expand upon these concepts as well as attempt to translate his ideas to the developmental experience of growing up within a religious culture full of absolutes and dichotomous thinking, such as believers/non-believers, saved/ not saved, etc. For example, we will discuss questions like, how is a child’s ability to safely play and to relate with others impacted when they are taught that their friends are going to hell? And, how is this done when children are simultaneously taught that it is within their ability to save their friends if they can convert them? More generally, we will think together about how a child's emotional world can be unwittingly traumatized when complex theological ideas are taught to young concrete-thinking kids.

I am curious to think more about this within a group of therapists who can draw upon their clinical experience with patients as well as their now personal childhood development. Please note that this group will only be concerned with religious narratives in so far as they impact the development of the child’s emotional world.