Abused in Church: Healing When Parents Covered It Up

Abused in Church: Healing When Parents Covered It Up

Experience the emotional and inspiring tales of recovery as Becky Nordquist shares a story many people raised in church may quietly relate to, yet rarely speak about. A singer, songwriter, author and survivor, Becky talks frankly about being sexually abused by influential church members, and how her parents chose to hide it to avoid a church split.

You’ll hear how those hidden wounds led to suicidal despair, panic attacks and years of believing, "There was something wrong with me." Becky describes her first attempts at therapy as a teenager, including a powerful moment in her old kindergarten classroom when she finally began to question the belief that the abuse was her fault.

She later reflects on confronting the "father wound", forgiving her dad as he lay dying, and learning that forgiveness is about finding freedom, even when you never receive an apology. Faith is at the centre of this conversation.

Becky shares how she walked away from God, then cried out to him from a psychiatric unit, opened her Bible and landed on Psalm 88 — the "black psalm" of deep lament — and sensed, "I'm here and I see you." She talks about years of therapy, rebuilding her view of God, and allowing him to "heal his reputation" after the damage caused by abuse.

Music, writing and the Innocent Child project are presented as key parts of her healing, giving words and songs to those who have carried shame and silence for far too long. The episode also touches on the scale of child sexual abuse, the way anxiety and depression can act like warning lights on a dashboard, and why processing what happened is essential for recovery.

If you’ve ever wondered whether restoration is possible after church abuse, this honest conversation might be the gentle nudge to believe that your story, and your healing, are worth fighting for.