Ivory Crump: Reclaiming Identity and Healing from Religious Trauma

Giselle Parks

March 6, 2025
4 min read
Ivory Crump

For years, Ivory Crump’s life was shaped by fear of judgment, fear of punishment, and fear of an angry God. The people she trusted most wielded religion as a tool for control, leaving her with wounds that ran deep. It wasn’t until she faced a mental health crisis in 2010 that she realized the true source of her pain: unresolved trauma masked as faith.

That moment of reckoning set her on a path of spiritual deconstruction, healing, and empowerment that would eventually lead her to become a religious trauma expert, author, and spiritual coach. Now, through her work and her book, “God Hates Me,” Crump is helping others navigate the same journey she once walked, guiding them toward a spirituality rooted in freedom rather than fear.

Breaking Free: The Journey from Trauma to Transformation

Crump’s own healing began when she confronted the painful truth: religion had been used as a weapon against her. An abusive mother, a toxic relationship, and a manipulative pastor had all justified their actions under the guise of faith. It wasn’t just personal betrayal, it was also spiritual devastation. “I had to unlearn everything I was taught about myself, my worth, and my relationship with God,” she recalls.

Rather than abandoning spirituality altogether, she chose to rebuild it on her own terms. She studied mental health, applied behavior analysis, and spiritual counseling, using both science and faith to develop a new approach to healing. That approach became the foundation of her work, what she now calls the S.T.E.P.S. to Freedom Method.

The S.T.E.P.S. to Freedom: A New Path to Healing

Crump’s S.T.E.P.S. framework—Stop, Think, Evaluate, Pivot, and See—offers a structured method for deconstructing harmful religious beliefs and reclaiming personal identity. It blends trauma-informed coaching, behavioral science, and spiritual guidance, giving women the tools to:

Recognize the ways in which religious trauma has shaped their thoughts and behaviors
Challenge fear-based beliefs that keep them stuck in cycles of shame and guilt
Rebuild a spiritual foundation that aligns with self-love and empowerment

Unlike traditional spiritual coaching, which often assumes a shared belief system, Crump’s work is about helping individuals define their own path, whether that means embracing a new form of spirituality or stepping away from it altogether.

“Healing isn’t about replacing one rigid belief system with another,” she explains. “It’s about reclaiming your autonomy and choosing what aligns with your truth.”

Why God Hates Me Matters

Her book, “God Hates Me,” is more than just a personal memoir—it’s a guide for those struggling to break free from the grip of religious trauma. In its pages, Crump shares not only her own experiences but also practical steps for others to begin their healing process.

At its core, the book delivers one essential message: You are worthy of love and peace.

For many who have been raised in high-control religious environments, this is a radical idea. Crump challenges the deeply ingrained belief that suffering is proof of faithfulness and instead encourages readers to embrace self-compassion, self-trust, and self-acceptance.

“So many people are trapped in fear because they were taught that questioning their beliefs means risking everything—family, community, even salvation. But true faith should never require you to betray yourself,” she says.

A Mission Rooted in Empathy and Integrity

What sets Crump apart in the field of religious trauma recovery is her expertise and her deeply personal understanding of the struggle. Having walked this path herself, she leads with empathy, compassion, and a commitment to integrity. She isn’t interested in quick fixes or one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, she helps her clients navigate the complex emotions, relationships, and belief systems tied to their past.

Crump’s impact extends far beyond the people she directly coaches. Her work is part of a larger conversation about religious trauma and spiritual autonomy, challenging long-standing narratives that equate obedience with righteousness.

As awareness of religious trauma grows, voices like Crump’s are essential in offering an alternative path where spirituality isn’t a source of fear but of liberation. For those who have spent years believing they are unworthy, “God Hates Me” offers a different truth: healing is possible, freedom is real, and you are enough just as you are.

To learn more about Ivory Crump’s services and book, visit her website or connect with her on Instagram.