Leah Gawel, M.M.

I am so excited to begin this journey with you and hear your stories. This project is one I am very passionate about, and I hope it can bring forth a larger conversation about the experience of religious trauma. 

I began seriously looking at religious trauma during my Master of Music. I deconstructed my faith and left the church during undergrad, but I thought I was done with all of this church and Bible stuff. When the entire theatre industry shut down during the pandemic, I was able to sit with my experience as a performer and as a human in such a raw and profound way, and I realized I had a lot to unpack in regard to my religious upbringing and the ways in which it continues to impact my adult life. 

I completed my master's thesis, "Fundamentalism and Artistry: a Look at Religious Trauma and the Vocalist," in July of 2021. I received the KCACTF/ATHE Innovation Award, allowing me to present this work at different conferences and interact with artists who have shared similar experiences. I then decided to pursue a Master of Divinity degree in order to make my research more interdisciplinary. 

This hasn't been an easy emotional journey for me, and I'm sure its been difficult for you as well. We have been raised not to trust ourselves, which makes standing up for ourselves almost impossible. The tactic of isolation from the outside world as a means of silence will not work anymore as the community of those with religious trauma is growing stronger and stronger with each experience shared. I want to hear about your experience and give you a platform to share your story.

I hope you consider embarking on this project with me.

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Leah