Religious Trauma and Couples Therapist in Philadelphia

I’m Asher Evolkens, a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC) and U.S. military veteran providing therapy for adults, couples, and families in Philadelphia and Chestnut Hill.

You may be here because you and your partner feel disconnected, unheard, or trapped in the same conflicts. Perhaps communication has broken down, trust has been damaged, or attempts to resolve problems only create greater distance between you.

You may also be struggling with the effects of a religious leader, church, family, or spiritual community that attempted to control your beliefs, relationships, identity, or sense of self. Experiences involving religious trauma and spiritual abuse can leave lasting feelings of shame, fear, anger, confusion, isolation, and self-doubt.

I provide a respectful and nonjudgmental space where you can better understand these experiences, reconnect with your voice, and begin creating relationships and a life that feel authentic to you.

Couples Therapy

Relationship difficulties are rarely caused by one disagreement. Over time, unresolved hurt, ineffective communication, emotional distance, and recurring conflict can create patterns that leave both partners feeling misunderstood or alone.

In couples therapy, I help partners:

• Recognize recurring patterns of conflict

• Communicate needs more clearly

• Listen without immediately becoming defensive

• Rebuild emotional safety and trust

• Establish and respect healthier boundaries

• Address disconnection, resentment, and unresolved hurt

• Develop more constructive ways to manage conflict

• Strengthen emotional connection and intimacy

The goal is not to assign blame. Instead, we work collaboratively to understand what is happening within the relationship and develop healthier ways for both partners to communicate, respond, and reconnect.

Therapy for Religious Trauma and Spiritual Abuse

Religious trauma can develop when religious teachings, leaders, institutions, or communities use fear, shame, manipulation, exclusion, or authority to control a person’s identity and choices. Spiritual abuse may affect how you view yourself, relationships, sexuality, morality, trust, safety, and belonging.

You do not need to reject your faith—or return to it—to participate in therapy. My role is not to tell you what to believe. Therapy gives you room to examine what happened, identify what was harmful, and decide for yourself what healing and spirituality may look like moving forward.

Our work may include:

• Processing religious shame, fear, or manipulation

• Understanding the effects of authoritarian or controlling systems

• Separating your own values from beliefs imposed upon you

• Rebuilding trust in yourself and your decisions

• Developing boundaries with religious communities or family members

• Exploring identity, meaning, faith, or spirituality without judgment

• Addressing trauma involving authority figures and institutions

• Reclaiming autonomy, self-worth, and personal agency

Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

I also work with individuals experiencing PTSD, anxiety, depression, and trauma connected to authority figures or institutional environments. These experiences can affect relationships, emotional regulation, identity, and a person’s ability to feel safe—even after leaving the original environment.

As a military veteran and former clinician with the New Jersey Department of Corrections, I bring a grounded understanding of structured institutions, complex systems, and the ways authority can affect emotional well-being. I have more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field.