It has been almost a year since I first fell apart emotionally. It is staggering to see how much growth I’ve experienced in that amount of time. I went from feeling my life was over to feeling that my life has just begun. I went from trying to shut out the world to wanting to welcome it back in. I have learned how to accept and listen to my feelings, both positive and negative, and to express them. I have learned to grieve what I have lost and to start dreaming again for the future. I still struggle at times, and I feel like I will always be on a path towards recovery. The difference now is that I have tools to deal with such episodes, and I am able to respond in much more effective and mature ways.
I’ve been working with Dr. Winell for about 8 months now, and I’ve made more progress with her in 8 months than I’ve made in the past ten years. I was diagnosed with depression when I was fourteen, then bipolar disorder when I was nineteen, and later with borderline personality disorder. I took a lot of medications which didn’t help, and I got worse over the years. Finally at 26 I realized my religion was causing my mental trauma, and I got out. The anxiety and depression got better, but didn’t go away completely.
My brother found an article by Dr. Winell talking about religious trauma syndrome. It described what I’d been dealing with perfectly. I contacted her immediately. Marlene has been able to understand what I’m dealing with better than anyone ever has. She’s also helped me understand myself, and how religion affected me. By following her steps to recovery I’m finally starting to feel I can live a life free of “bipolar disorder / depression.” I’m learning to trust myself again, and think for myself, instead of letting organized religion make all my decisions for me.
I was afraid of reaching out for help again, and trusting again. But I’m glad I found I can get proper help from Dr. Winell.
Marlene has in-depth expertise in the specialized (but crucial) area of recovery from harmful religious indoctrination. She is generous, creative and good-humored in deploying her knowledge to help clients re-gain their equilibrium and begin to step out of toxic imprinting. Top qualities: Expert, Good Value, Creative.
Marlene is the only one I know who is working in the area of RTS (Religious Trauma Syndrome). Based on her book, Leaving the Fold, and knowing Marlene for a few years, as well as attending one of her weekend RTS retreats and speaking with some of her attendees, I highly recommend Marlene if you suspect you may have RTS. She’s very down to earth and keeps it ‘real.’
There is great safety in exploring issues related to religious trauma with others who have shared similar experiences with the moderation and direction of an experienced professional. Marlene is skilled, intuitive and informed. She has a gentle but firm way of guiding a person through the healing steps and skill building needed for coping with the negative aspects of religious upbringing.
Marlene is an expert in helping people to recover from the harmful effects of fundamentalist religion. In addition, she provides excellent advice and guidance in handling family relationships. Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Expert.
Dr. Winell was helpful, full of insights and exercises that promoted growth for me. She knows how to sit in a physical and mental and emotional space with someone who is strung out and scared and hurting and be able to walk them closer to a position of strength to where they can begin to take care of themselves, going forward. I attribute a lot of the growth I have been able to do unhooking myself from my fundamentalist background to Marlene’s competence and helpfulness.
Unlike regular secular psychologists, Dr. Winell was not tone-deaf as per what a religiously socialized person will be like in terms of their fears, doubts, tendencies toward considering suicide, and so on. She was supportive in being able to offer both understanding and respect. There is no way a regular secular psychologist could help anyone wishing to unhook from a fundamentalist upbringing the way she, a person of the same background, can. She provides this help with humor and inventiveness and it does work.
Dr. Winell was not anti-spirituality or anti-god. As I progressed under her tutelage and went through a phase of being super-angry (which I guess in some ways I still am) about having been duped by fundamentalist Christianity, I sometimes found myself wishing she *would* take anti-God stances and/or make fun of Christianity since that might have felt satisfying. I guess I can remember some activities that did use gentle humor to satirize religious proselytizing. But for me at least, this gently humorous treatment of proselytizing was one of the most healing activities at the retreats. And for me to say this–me, a person raised in a household that was all about **fear**–that is really saying something. Something very positive about Marlene and the retreats she designs.
We love it! . . . Freedom From Religion Foundation is planning to carry your book. You have a firm grasp of the problems and needs of those who are breaking away from the fundamentalist mindset. I wish I had had your book 15 years ago!
Marlene Winell is an intelligent person with a quiet strength and clarity of purpose — a natural leader. She is both an analyst and a visionary; on one hand, deeply compassionate, on the other, a consummate and methodical organizer. I’ve seen her plan and conduct complex events, in the process meeting the needs of multiple clients, dealing deftly with surprises, and keeping the ball rolling toward its planned outcome. She is a lively thinker and a clear communicator.
Marlene has such a loving presence and approach. She is so wise, insightful, and fun.