Licensed trauma therapist Tabitha Westbrook takes an honest look at why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) often gets a bad rap in trauma work—and where it still holds real value.

In this episode, she breaks down what CBT actually is, where it came from, and why its focus on identifying and shifting automatic thoughts can be helpful—but also deeply limited when used in a rigid, one-size-fits-all way. Tabitha explores how non–trauma-informed CBT can unintentionally minimize real harm, invalidate appropriate emotional responses, and overlook the critical roles of the nervous system, attachment wounds, dissociation, and the lived experience of the body.

She also highlights more integrative “third-wave” approaches like DBT and ACT, which better account for emotional regulation and embodied experience. Importantly, she names a truth many people feel but rarely hear: some thoughts aren’t distortions—they’re accurate reflections of real pain, loss, or ongoing realities (including chronic illness), and they cannot simply be reframed away.

Drawing from her work in EMDR and faith-informed identity healing, Tabitha offers a more nuanced path forward. This episode invites listeners to move beyond therapy “camps” and toward a flexible, compassionate, and effective trauma healing toolkit.

Links:

Transformational Topics Community - https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/upcoming-events-groups/trauma-healing-support-online/.

The B

Wanna say hi? Send a text!

At The Journey and The Process we strive to help you heal. Our therapists are trauma specialists who use evidence-based tools like EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems to help you heal - mind, soul, and body. Reach out today to start your healing journey. https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/

 This book is for every Christian woman who has been harmed sexually, whether that happened in childhood, adulthood, or even within your coercive controlling marriage, and you're longing to feel safe in your body again. We talk about the hard stuff, shame, desire, faith, and even questions like, is this sin or is this trauma?

You don't have to untangle it alone. Body & Soul, Healed & Whole is for you. Get a copy here today - https://a.co/d/8Jo3Z4V

👍 If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share to help others who need this information!

📖 Order Body & Soul, Healed & Whole: An Invitational Guide to Healthy Sexuality After Trauma, Abuse, and Coercive Control

Wanna support Hey Tabi? Buy me a coffee here - https://buymeacoffee.com/heytabi

📩 Connect with Tabitha & The Journey and The Process:
💻 Tabitha's Website - www.tabithawestbrook.com
📲 Tabitha's Instagram - www.instagram.com/tabithathecounselor
🎙️ Podcast Homepage - https://heytabi.buzzsprout.com

💻 The Journey & The Process Website - www.thejourneyandtheprocess.com

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel & watch podcast episodes there

🚨 Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and is intended for educational purposes only. If you're in crisis or need therapy, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.

Need to know how to find a great therapist? Read this blog post here.

If you’ve been hurt by the church, struggled to trust God again, or felt confused about what’s true… you are not alone.

In this powerful conversation, trauma therapist Tabitha Westbrook sits down with Rachel Clinton Chen from The Allender Center to unpack:

🚩 What spiritual abuse actually is (and why it’s so hard to name)
🚩 How abuse distorts your view of God, yourself, and relationships
🚩 Why so many people feel like they’re “losing their faith” after church harm
🚩 The role of power, fear, and control inside unhealthy church systems
🚩 How to begin healing, disentangling, and rebuilding a resilient faith

This isn’t about walking away from faith entirely, it’s about reclaiming what was distorted—and finding something real, whole, and life-giving again.

📚 Resources Mentioned
👉 Spiritual Abuse & Healing Course (Allender Center) - https://theallendercenter.org/offerings/online-courses/spiritual-abuse-and-healing/
👉 Learn more + resources:

Wanna say hi? Send a text!

At The Journey and The Process we strive to help you heal. Our therapists are trauma specialists who use evidence-based tools like EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems to help you heal - mind, soul, and body. Reach out today to start your healing journey. https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/

Join a vibrant community that takes you deeper into topics with a private podcast feed available on your fave podcast platform, helpful tools served right to your inbox, and quarterly Zoom calls to bring it all together! Learn more and join now - https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/upcoming-events-groups/trauma-healing-support-online/

 This book is for every Christian woman who has been harmed sexually, whether that happened in childhood, adulthood, or even within your coercive controlling marriage, and you're longing to feel safe in your body again. We talk about the hard stuff, shame, desire, faith, and even questions like, is this sin or is this trauma?

You don't have to untangle it alone. Body & Soul, Healed & Whole is for you. Get a copy here today - https://a.co/d/8Jo3Z4V

👍 If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share to help others who need this information!

📖 Order Body & Soul, Healed & Whole: An Invitational Guide to Healthy Sexuality After Trauma, Abuse, and Coercive Control

Wanna support Hey Tabi? Buy me a coffee here - https://buymeacoffee.com/heytabi

📩 Connect with Tabitha & The Journey and The Process:
💻 Tabitha's Website - www.tabithawestbrook.com
📲 Tabitha's Instagram - www.instagram.com/tabithathecounselor
🎙️ Podcast Homepage - https://heytabi.buzzsprout.com

💻 The Journey & The Process Website - www.thejourneyandtheprocess.com

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel & watch podcast episodes there

🚨 Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and is intended for educational purposes only. If you're in crisis or need therapy, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.

Need to know how to find a great therapist? Read this blog post here.

Most people think abuse means being hit. But what if some of the most damaging abuse leaves no visible bruises at all?

In this deep-dive episode, licensed trauma therapist and domestic abuse expert Tabitha Westbrook breaks down what coercive control REALLY is and why terms like "domestic violence" or "narcissistic abuse" don't even come close to describing it.

In this episode you'll learn:
• Why coercive control is about taking someone's personhood, not just hurting their body
• The subtle tactics coercive controllers use
• Why ALL coercive control is physical abuse (yes, really)
• How to recognize if YOU are in a coercively controlling relationship
• What to do if you think YOU might be the coercive controller and that change IS possible

Whether it's a marriage, a friendship, or even church, coercive control shows up in more places than we realize. This episode will give you language, clarity, and a path forward.

🕊️ Men of Peace Cohort applications now open → https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/upcoming-events-groups/men-of-peace/
📞 Called to Peace Ministries → https://calledtopeace.org/
📚 Eyes Wide Open by Dr. Deborah Wingfield → https://amzn.to/4uei4rV

📲 Rate & review on your favorite podcast platform — it helps others find us!

Wanna say hi? Send a text!

At The Journey and The Process we strive to help you heal. Our therapists are trauma specialists who use evidence-based tools like EMDR, Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems to help you heal - mind, soul, and body. Reach out today to start your healing journey. https://thejourneyandtheprocess.com/

 This book is for every Christian woman who has been harmed sexually, whether that happened in childhood, adulthood, or even within your coercive controlling marriage, and you're longing to feel safe in your body again. We talk about the hard stuff, shame, desire, faith, and even questions like, is this sin or is this trauma?

You don't have to untangle it alone. Body & Soul, Healed & Whole is for you. Get a copy here today - https://a.co/d/8Jo3Z4V

👍 If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share to help others who need this information!

📖 Order Body & Soul, Healed & Whole: An Invitational Guide to Healthy Sexuality After Trauma, Abuse, and Coercive Control

Wanna support Hey Tabi? Buy me a coffee here - https://buymeacoffee.com/heytabi

📩 Connect with Tabitha & The Journey and The Process:
💻 Tabitha's Website - www.tabithawestbrook.com
📲 Tabitha's Instagram - www.instagram.com/tabithathecounselor
🎙️ Podcast Homepage - https://heytabi.buzzsprout.com

💻 The Journey & The Process Website - www.thejourneyandtheprocess.com

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel & watch podcast episodes there

🚨 Disclaimer: This podcast is not therapy and is intended for educational purposes only. If you're in crisis or need therapy, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional.

Need to know how to find a great therapist? Read this blog post here.