Religious Shame & Faith Transitions

Relief That Respects Where You Are

Whether you're navigating a faith crisis and hoping to stay connected to your beliefs, or processing the grief and identity shifts that come with moving away from religion, you deserve support that respects your journey without judgment. Our therapists serve people at every point on the faith spectrum — in Orem, Murray, and online across Utah.

A man sitting on a stone wall, looking out over a valley and distant mountains

Your spiritual life is deeply personal. We don't guide you toward or away from any faith — we help you find clarity, relieve shame, and navigate whatever transition you're in. Some of our clinicians share an LDS background; others bring secular or interfaith perspectives. Tell us what you need and we'll match you with the right fit.

Who we support

Faith crisis — wanting to stay and heal

If your faith is central to who you are but something has shaken your certainty — doctrinal questions, a difficult life event, or the behavior of fellow members — therapy can help you process those doubts without losing yourself. We provide a space to work through the hard questions, ease the shame and anxiety they bring, and find a path back to peace within your faith tradition.

Transitioning away from religion

Leaving a faith tradition — especially one as central to community and family as the LDS church — can bring grief, relief, identity disruption, and complicated relationship dynamics all at once. Therapy gives you a non-judgmental space to process these changes, grieve what you're leaving behind, and build a sense of self and meaning that reflects who you are now.

Religious Shame & Scrupulosity

When faith stops feeling like peace and starts feeling like dread

Scrupulosity is obsessive religious or moral guilt — a relentless fear of having sinned, doubts about your worthiness, or compulsive confession and checking that never brings relief. Religious shame is the deeper belief that you are fundamentally bad, often tangled up with perfectionism and anxiety. For many people of faith, these patterns turn something meant to bring peace into a source of constant dread.

There is a healthier way to hold your faith — and therapy can help you find it. Our faith-sensitive clinicians provide faith-based counseling: evidence-based care, including approaches proven for anxiety and OCD, to help you separate healthy values from shame-driven patterns. We work alongside your faith, never against it, and we never pressure or judge.

Scrupulosity & OCD

Obsessive religious guilt, fear of sin, compulsive confessing — evidence-based treatment that brings real relief.

Faith-Sensitive Care

Our clinicians understand LDS and other faith contexts and integrate your values — never working against your beliefs.

Faith Transition Support

Questioning, shifting, or stepping away from a faith brings its own grief. We support you through it without judgment in any direction.

Our Specialists

Therapists who can hold this with you

Portrait of Jenn Young, LCSW at Connections Counseling

Jenn Young

LCSW

Therapist · Murray

Faith TransitionsTrauma & PTSDRelationship Anxiety
Accepting new clientsBook with JennView Full Bio
Portrait of Drew Vernick, LCSW at Connections Counseling

Drew Vernick

LCSW

Therapist & Clinical Supervisor · Murray

Faith TransitionsAnxiety & StressDepression & Low Mood
Accepting new clientsBook with DrewView Full Bio
Portrait of Conner Dunn, AMFT at Connections Counseling

Conner Dunn

AMFT

Child Therapist · Murray

Children (12 & under)Anxiety & StressDepression & Low Mood
Accepting new clientsBook with ConnerView Full Bio
Portrait of Nikki Christensen, AMFT at Connections Counseling

Nikki Christensen

AMFT

Therapist · Murray

Faith TransitionsPre-Marital CounselingMarriage & Couples Therapy
Accepting new clientsBook with NikkiView Full Bio
Portrait of Becky Hinchcliff, LCSW at Connections Counseling

Becky Hinchcliff

LCSW

Therapist · Murray

Faith TransitionsTeens & AdolescentsAnxiety & Stress
Accepting new clientsBook with BeckyView Full Bio
Portrait of Danielle Mansfield, MFT Intern at Connections Counseling

Danielle Mansfield

MFT Intern

Therapist (Intern) · Murray & Orem

Marriage & Couples TherapyAnxiety & StressBody-Image or Eating Disorders
Accepting new clientsBook with DanielleView Full Bio
Portrait of Jackie Johnson, AMFT at Connections Counseling

Jackie Johnson

AMFT

Therapist, Gottman Certified · Murray

Faith TransitionsMarriage & Couples TherapyAnxiety & Stress
Accepting new clientsBook with JackieView Full Bio
Portrait of Audrey Delatorre, MFT Intern at Connections Counseling

Audrey Delatorre

MFT Intern

Therapist (Intern) / Admin Assistant · Murray & Orem

Faith TransitionsADHDGrief & Life Transitions
Accepting new clientsBook with AudreyView Full Bio
Portrait of Tegan Binford, ACMHC at Connections Counseling

Tegan Binford

ACMHC

Therapist · Murray

Trauma & PTSDTeens & AdolescentsPornography & Sexual Addiction Recovery
Accepting new clientsBook with TeganView Full Bio
Portrait of Chris Pierce, CMHC, NCC at Connections Counseling

Chris Pierce

CMHC, NCC

Therapist, Trauma and Mood Disorders, Behavioral Sleep Medicine · Orem

Faith TransitionsTrauma & PTSDDepression & Low Mood
Accepting new clientsBook with ChrisView Full Bio
Portrait of Chris De la Vega, AMFT, CSAT-Candidate at Connections Counseling

Chris De la Vega

AMFT, CSAT-Candidate

Therapist · Orem

Faith TransitionsPornography & Sexual Addiction RecoveryMarriage & Couples Therapy
Accepting new clientsBook with ChrisView Full Bio
Portrait of Christopher Knox, CMHC at Connections Counseling

Christopher Knox

CMHC

Therapist (Online) · Online

Faith TransitionsAnxiety & StressMarriage & Couples Therapy
Portrait of Katherine Garcia, CMHC, NCC, BSP at Connections Counseling

Katherine Garcia

CMHC, NCC, BSP

Therapist (Online), Brainspotting Certified · Online

Anxiety & StressTrauma & PTSDOCD or Scrupulosity
Portrait of Chris Adams, LMFT, CSAT, RDX-S at Connections Counseling

Chris Adams

LMFT, CSAT, RDX-S

Administrative Director / Therapist · Murray

Faith TransitionsRelationship AnxietyMarriage & Couples Therapy
Not accepting new clientsGet on the waitlistView Full Bio
Portrait of Lauren Heywood, MFT Intern at Connections Counseling

Lauren Heywood

MFT Intern

Therapist (Intern) · Murray

Teens & AdolescentsRelationship AnxietyAnxiety & Stress
Not accepting new clientsGet on the waitlistView Full Bio
Portrait of Kyle M. Reid, LMFT, CSAT-S, CPTT at Connections Counseling

Kyle M. Reid

LMFT, CSAT-S, CPTT

Clinical Director & AAMFT Approved Supervisor · Orem & Murray

Faith TransitionsPornography & Sexual Addiction RecoveryBetrayal & Infidelity
Not accepting new clientsGet on the waitlistView Full Bio
Portrait of Alex Pratt, LMFT, CSAT at Connections Counseling

Alex Pratt

LMFT, CSAT

Therapist · Orem

Faith TransitionsPornography & Sexual Addiction RecoveryBetrayal & Infidelity
Not accepting new clientsGet on the waitlistView Full Bio
Portrait of Jennifer Atkinson, LMFT, CPTT at Connections Counseling

Jennifer Atkinson

LMFT, CPTT

Therapist, EMDR & EFT Trained · Orem

Faith TransitionsBetrayal & InfidelityTrauma & PTSD
Not accepting new clientsGet on the waitlistView Full Bio

Religious shame & faith transitions — common questions

Yes. Several of our clinicians are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are comfortable integrating faith into therapy when you want that. Tell us your preference and we'll match you accordingly.

Find a therapist who respects your journey

Tell us where you are in your faith journey and we'll match you with a therapist who fits — whether that means someone who shares your beliefs, someone experienced with faith transitions, or someone who takes a fully neutral approach.