Wife Material

Wife Material blends religious abuse and sexual repression in a coming-of-age story about the modern Church of Christ denomination.

The author grew up in the flagship Church of Christ college community, Harding University, in the heartland of the Protestant Restoration movement.

Wife Material tells the story of Elizabeth Campbell, raised in a similar place and time. Elizabeth’s parents are violinists. Her father seems gay. Their church disallows musical instruments and homosexuality. Lizzie succumbs to the twisted violence in her family and the pressure for early marriage at Waltham University, where suicides abound. Then, she escapes fundamentalism through a series of liberating sins.

THE ANGER ADVANTAGE

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Moving from Religious Trauma into Soul Healing, Part IV: Diverse Friendships

by Deborah Cox | Becoming More of Your True Self, Relational Cultural Theory, Relationships, Wife Material

Friends Who are Different and a Little Bit Scary Make Us Grow Unexpected friendship teaches us, like nothing else. When I arrived at Texas Woman's University in 1990, I found myself immersed in growth and diversity. I suddenly had gay and lesbian friends, after...

Moving from Religious Trauma into Soul Healing, Part III: Beauty

by Deborah Cox | Becoming More of Your True Self, Create Art, Feel Better, following inspiration, Mood, Wife Material

Never lose an opportunity of seeing something beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting. -Ralph Waldo Emerson Beauty is the basis of my spiritual discovery process. I found the Anglican church on a trip to England, back in '07, a time of big transition....

Moving from Religious Trauma into Soul Healing, Part II: Meditation

by Deborah Cox | Anxiety & Calm, Becoming More of Your True Self, Coaching For the Therapist, Feel Better, Mood, Wife Material

What is Meditation? Meditation trains our minds to focus on the present moment, to be aware of our thoughts and feelings, and to observe our whole experience in a mindful way. It's any practice that fosters mindfulness. I've practiced daily meditation for the...

Moving from Religious Trauma into Soul Healing, Part I

by Deborah Cox | Mood, Wife Material

How do we turn religious trauma into deep emotional healing? Religious trauma happens most often in movements that are fundamentalist in nature - or, "Strong Religion." In my practice, I see adults who grew up scared of sinning and going to hell or disappointing God...