080: The Harm of Spiritual Bypassing with Peridot Reed Artwork

Broken to Beloved Podcast

Over 92 million adults in the US have experienced spiritual abuse and religious trauma. Maybe you’re one of them.

The Broken to Beloved Podcast is for anyone who’s been affected by spiritual abuse, religious trauma, or church hurt and is looking for practical resources to move toward healing and wholeness.

Brian Lee is a pastor, coach, and speaker who survived it in 3 different environments and now works to advocate for others who have been wounded by the church and her leaders, and to provide practical tools for awareness and safeguarding against future abuse.

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Broken to Beloved Podcast

080: The Harm of Spiritual Bypassing with Peridot Reed

November 11, 2025 • Season 3 • Episode 80

0:00 | 46:51

Have you ever needed a hug but got a spiritual platitude instead?

In this episode, we discuss spiritual bypassing—what it is, how to identify it, and what to do when we’ve experienced it. I am joined by Peridot "Peri" Gilbert-Reed, Ph.D., a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist. She has conducted extensive research on spiritual bypassing and shares her findings with us, along with several examples of what it sounds like. If you've experienced the intentional or unintentional harm of someone minimizing or demonizing your pain, listen in.

Get the full show notes and links here. 📄

Guest Spotlight ✨

Peridot Gilbert-Reed, Ph.D., is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist as well as a supervisor in both areas. She received her Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with a concentration in theology from Liberty University. Her research focuses on spiritual abuse and spiritual bypass (as received by another person). Her research, combined with her own lived experience with spiritual abuse, provides a unique lens into spiritual trauma and its impact. She is an adjunct professor for Liberty University.

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Links & Resources 🔗

988 Crisis Hotline
Wounding Words: A Phenomenological Study of How Individuals Experience Receiving Spiritual Bypass | Dissertation by Peridot Reed, 2023
"Don't Spiritually Bypass Your Church-Hurt Neighbor" | Article by Peridot Reed with Christianity Today

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