In recent years, conversations around spiritual abuse, coercive control, and unhealthy power dynamics have become more open and our collective understanding (and experiences) of trauma, spiritual health, and safe practice within a faith context is changing — for the better.
At Mercy UK, along with many others, we welcome this change. We recognise that for many people, particularly those who’ve experienced coercion, trauma, or spiritual harm, safety is not just about physical protection — it’s about creating an environment where they are free to be heard, respected, and never pressured or dismissed.
This change is not a threat to the Church or to faith, but is a chance to grow. For over 20 years, we’ve walked alongside people facing deep emotional and spiritual pain. And while we’ve not always got everything right, we’ve always been willing to put it right - to listen, to learn, and to change.
A Commitment to Spiritual and Psychological Safety
The shift in culture towards spiritual and psychological safety has come about through a combination of factors: the courage of survivors and observers who have found their voice, a growing professional and public awareness of trauma, and significant legal and policy developments that now explicitly recognise psychological and spiritual harm.
Changes to UK safeguarding legislation, guidance from the Charity Commission, the introduction of statutory duties relating to coercive control, and clearer expectations for ethical practice across both faith-based and secular organisations have all helped shape a space within the context of our faith, where safety and autonomy are non-negotiable.
Just like opening the doors and windows in our own homes to let the fresh air in, this external shift must be invited in through intentional practice. Over the years at Mercy UK, we’ve developed forums and processes for honest feedback, we conduct regular internal audits, and welcome external scrutiny, advice, and consultation. These mechanisms have helped us to continually improve our safeguarding standards and create a space where individuals feel safe to explore the big questions around faith and lived experiences.
Creating truly safe spaces - both spiritually and psychologically - has become central to how we work. It shapes our programmes, our policies, and our posture. And today, we want to share how we’re continuing to put this commitment into practice.
How to Shift Culture Through Intentional Practice
We’ve found that creating spiritually and psychologically safe spaces doesn’t happen by accident - it happens through consistent, deliberate steps. If you’re looking to embed these principles into your own setting, here are five key areas to focus on:
Trauma-Informed Practice: Train your team to recognise the impact of trauma, avoid re-traumatisation, and promote agency. We highly recommend Mental Health First Aid training as a foundational tool — it equips staff to recognise early signs of distress and respond appropriately, with empathy and skill. Mercy UK also offers issue-specific ‘Lets Talk About...’ articles in our online library which are free to access.
Spiritual Safety: Ask individuals how they prefer to talk about God or engage with prayer. Avoid making assumptions. Let spiritual practices be invitational, never imposed - and always rooted in consent and respect.
Psychological Safety: Set clear boundaries and expectations from the outset. Ensure leaders are alert to distress or dissociation and have permission to adjust their approach accordingly. Use secure platforms for any online engagement and, though it seems small, it is significant - be on time and keep to time.
Safeguarding and Boundaries: Build a culture of safety by ensuring all staff or volunteers work within a robust safeguarding and ethical framework - having a safeguarding policy and processes in place is a regulatory requirement for all charities, including churches, as set out by the Charity Commission under its guidance on protecting people and safeguarding responsibilities for charities (CC33). There are many organisations that offer safeguarding training such as 31:8 (reference / link). Access this training for your teams and make sure they feel confident knowing who to go to if they have concerns.
Transparency and Learning: Create space for feedback from those you support, and welcome input from peers or external advisors. Set up regular internal audits or reviews of your processes and policies and invite outside perspectives to strengthen accountability.
Looking Ahead
Creating spiritually and psychologically safe spaces isn’t a trend — it’s a culture we’re building as the body of Christ.
To those who’ve been hurt by spiritual or psychological harm, we want to say: we see you. We’re listening. Thank you for your openness and courage.
To our supporters: thank you for standing with us. Your trust and your giving makes it possible for us to keep learning, growing, and creating spaces where people can truly live free and stay free.
To leaders and decision-makers: thank you for your collective and pro-active commitment to creating spiritual and psychological safety in the body of Christ.