Sage Wisdom
A candid and compassionate blog offering real talk, practical insights, and therapeutic tools for those facing burnout, anxiety, depression, and life’s everyday chaos.
“I Don’t Believe In Counselors or Therapy.”
Let’s just put it out there: a lot of people don’t believe in therapy. Some think it’s just for “crazy” people. Others think counselors just sit there silently, nodding like bobbleheads. Or worse—judging you, psychoanalyzing your every word, silently diagnosing you like a character on a Netflix true crime show.
I get it. Therapy has been misunderstood and misrepresented for years. And if you’re someone struggling with anxiety, burnout, depression, or just feeling plain stuck it’s easy to think, “What good would counseling actually do?”
Let’s clear that up.
First, therapy is not a magic fix—but it’s not BS either.
Therapists aren’t mind-readers. We don’t sit around looking for hidden meanings in your shoe choice or how you pronounce your vowels. And we definitely don’t sit in a silent power pose judging your life decisions. Therapy is a conversation—one that’s structured, supportive, and focused entirely on helping you live a better life.
Whether you're a busy professional woman dealing with burnout or a senior citizen navigating a major life change, therapy gives you a place to figure out your next step—with a guide who’s trained to help, not hover.
“But I have religion—I don’t need therapy.”
If you’re someone whose life is deeply rooted in faith, you might feel like therapy goes against your beliefs or is redundant if you already talk to a pastor, priest, or spiritual advisor.
The truth? Therapy and religion are not at odds. In fact, many therapists in Boise and beyond integrate spiritual beliefs into the counseling process. A good counselor doesn’t compete with your faith—they help you align your mental health and emotional well-being with it.
Therapy is for people who are... what? Broken? Weak?
Let’s squash that right now. You go to therapy for the same reason you go to a doctor when your body hurts—because something isn’t working the way it should, and you want it to get better.
If you’re feeling anxious, depressed, exhausted, emotionally flatlined, or constantly overwhelmed—it’s not weakness. It’s human. Women especially are taught to push through burnout and ignore our own needs. Therapy helps you press pause, reset, and actually start enjoying your damn life again.
What do therapists actually do, then?
Here’s what you can expect in therapy, minus the stereotypes:
We ask good questions.
We help you notice patterns (especially the ones that aren’t serving you).
We give you tools—real, practical tools—to manage anxiety, navigate relationships, handle stress, and rebuild confidence.
We don’t fix you—we help you fix what you want to fix.
Sometimes we laugh. A lot. Therapy is allowed to feel good.
You don’t have to “believe” in therapy. You just have to be curious.
You don’t need to walk in the door fully convinced. You don’t need to spill your deepest secrets on Day One. You don’t even have to know exactly what you want to work on. Just show up. That’s it.
And if you’re in Boise, looking for counseling that meets you exactly where you are—with zero judgment and a whole lot of heart—you’re in the right place.
Whether you're a senior citizen navigating loss, a high-achieving woman battling burnout, or someone whose anxiety has been dragging them down for way too long, therapy can help.
Not because it’s magic.
Because it works.
Ready to see what counseling actually feels like?
No pressure, no woo-woo, no “just sit and nod” nonsense. Just honest, effective support. For women. For seniors. For anyone ready to feel like themselves again.
Based in Boise. Available for virtual sessions.
Let’s see what’s possible.
Religious Trauma: When Faith Hurts More Than It Heals
How to Start Reclaiming Your Emotional Freedom
Religion can be a powerful source of hope, identity, and community. But for some, it also becomes a source of fear, shame, and deep emotional pain.
That pain has a name: religious trauma.
It’s what happens when spiritual beliefs, systems, or leaders cause lasting psychological harm—especially when those beliefs are weaponized to control, silence, or shame. And if you grew up hearing that obedience was holiness, suffering was sacred, and doubt was dangerous, you might still carry the weight of that conditioning long after you've stepped away from it. You’re not alone. And more importantly—you’re not broken.
What Religious Trauma Can Look Like
Religious trauma doesn’t always come from overt abuse. It can also stem from subtle messages repeated over time—messages that shape how you see yourself, your body, your emotions, and your worth.
You might be experiencing religious trauma if you:
Feel intense guilt or fear when setting boundaries or saying no
Struggle with anxiety around “doing the right thing” or disappointing others
Have been told your emotions (especially anger or sadness) are sinful
Were taught to ignore your instincts or “trust God” over yourself
Have experienced spiritual abuse, rejection, or excommunication
Feel unsafe questioning beliefs or traditions you were raised with
Carry shame around your identity, sexuality, or choices
These experiences can leave lasting scars—affecting everything from your mental health to your relationships to your sense of identity.
The First Step to Healing? Name It.
Religious trauma can feel like gaslighting—especially when you’ve been taught to never question authority or prioritize your own well-being. That’s why naming it is so powerful.
This isn’t about blaming or hating your faith. It’s about recognizing the places where your spiritual experience may have been toxic or abusive, even if it came with good intentions.
You’re allowed to grieve.
You’re allowed to get angry.
You’re allowed to heal.
Two Tools to Begin Reclaiming Your Freedom
Healing from religious trauma takes time—and courage. But here are two foundational tools to start untangling the past and reclaiming your sense of self:
1. The “Permission Slip” Practice
So many people impacted by religious trauma wait for someone else to tell them it’s okay to heal, to question, to change.
Stop waiting.
Write yourself a literal permission slip.
“I give myself permission to question what I was taught.”
“I give myself permission to feel anger.”
“I give myself permission to rest without guilt.”
“I give myself permission to listen to my body.”
Keep it somewhere visible. Read it daily. Reclaiming your agency starts with giving yourself permission to exist outside the rules that harmed you.
2. Practice Nervous System Grounding
Religious trauma often wires your nervous system for fear—fear of punishment, rejection, or eternal consequences.
That’s a lot for your body to carry.
Try this simple grounding technique when you feel overwhelmed:
5-4-3-2-1 Method:
Name 5 things you can see
Name 4 things you can touch
Name 3 things you can hear
Name 2 things you can smell
Name 1 thing you can taste
This gets you out of fear mode and back into the safety of the present moment—where healing actually happens.
You Don’t Have to Walk This Alone
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or identity confusion as you navigate religious trauma, therapy can help. For those in Boise and beyond, counseling offers a space to untangle what was helpful from what was harmful—and to rebuild a relationship with yourself that’s based on truth, not fear.
You deserve emotional freedom.
You deserve peace.
You deserve to define your own spiritual path—or none at all.
Ready to Begin?
At Wild Sage Counseling & Wellness, we offer trauma-informed support for those healing from religious trauma, anxiety, burnout, and depression. Whether you’ve left a faith community, are in the process of deconstructing, or just feel like something is “off” in your relationship with spirituality—we’re here to walk with you.
Virtual sessions available in Idaho, Utah, Washington, and Arizona.
Let’s start untangling it together.
